One of my close buddy's is bent on getting a 500S&W. He doesn't have any handgun shooting experience at all. I let him shoot my 44's and he didn't seem to happy with the recoil. Now down the road he still wants the 500S&W?? This isn't a plunking round that you can plink with all day long. Why do people get hooked on the idea that bigger is always better. The 500S&W would be awesome for handgun hunting. But as I get older it's just not for me. I'm just not going bigger than my 44's. What do you think about a new shooter wanting a 500S&W?? I feel some well seasoned shooters won't own one too.

I keep on telling him to get a 41mag or 44mag and shoot it then maybe rent a 500S&W at a local range and shoot it before buying it.

Keep telling him to rent one

If he didnt like the recol on the .44 he'll hate it when he gets punched in the face and breaks his nose on the first round of the .500.

I own a .500 I use it as a trail gun in ALASKA. Its the only reason I own it and i would HATE to fire off the whole cylinder. So would my hand and wrist.

Or just let him buy it.......then when your having coffee discussing his collapsed clavicle........you can give him ideas on where to sell it :-D

I haven't scared him with my very stout 44mag loads yet. The redhawk with the 7 1/2" barrel does take some of the bite out of it so I'll let him shoot my 5 1/2" barrel.

Living in AK I'd have a 500S&W too. I hunt black bears using a 700 in 338wm. I'm disabled and can't run nor climb. I'm on the ground with the bear within 20yds if that. I do place my shot on the money too. One shot one kill is my motto. I said for my 40+ years of hunting for a special trophy just give me one bullet.

I occasionally run into these lightly used in the display case. A lot of times they throw in a box of ammo with one or two rounds missing. We don't have grizzly bears, elephants, or Big Foot around here (that I know of) so I see no need to own one. I'm happy with my .44 mags and .41 mags. If I have to have a skull fracture I'd rather not do it myself.

I have three .44 magnums. The fiercest recoil is the Taurus 44C which is a mid sized frame with a 2½ inch barrel. I am 68 and I no longer hunt, but when I did I used a Model 27-2 8 3/8". My 6" Model 29-3 is actually pleasant to shoot with factory magnum loads. Recently I bought a Model 24-7 and shooting the 44 Special is positively mild.

My guess is if your buddy buys a .500 he will want to sell it soon. I have never fired any of the really big handguns.

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Luke 22:36

I see many folks walking around at gun shows trying to move these. I always ask "does it have much recoil?"
I always get the same answer "it's not bad"

I shot one one time. My cousin had just bought it and never fired it. He loaded it an asked me to shoot it first. I told him that it is has ans he should shoot it.

He fired 2 rounds through it and handed it to me. I fired the first round and hit the center of the target, The second round , I really did not care where it went.

The rest of the day, I could not hit anything with any gun. I was shaking and my hand hurt for 2 days.

I will stick with the 44 magnum

Yep. The "its not bad" is term for "its horrendous!" haha

When i got mine *short barrel from the survival kit".

I loaded her up and expected a .44 or .50 cal recoil at most.

I was wrong. I had a black eye for a week.

I quickly learned the method of "center weapon, front sight on target, tilt head far to left, pull trigger, repeat"

That way you dont eat the top of the frame! lol

tell him to reload for the 500 mag.if he prefers a lighter recoil....huge money saver as well

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

I'm must be one of the strange ones, for what they are , it's really not that bad..but then again.. for me plinking with a .44 mag is fun.

the 500 is more of a specialized round and I'll admit I do stay with the lighter 375/400 grain loads. but it's still way much more than needed for my hunting needs..

your friend really needs to try one first, they are not guns for the occasional big bore shooter.. by that I mean.. if your idea of shooting a large bore is 100 rounds a year and not a sesson.. your probally not going to like it..

Rent one. and stick in a 700 grain cast round. Let him shoot that. He will fear it for the rest of his life! *thats my bear round* :-D

you guys have it all wrong. tell your knucklehead friend to buy one brand new, theyre better that way, don't ya know. Then after < 3 range sessions and probably < 1 box of ammo, there will be another 500 S&W on the used market for someone to scoop up at a decent price.
If I may be so presumptuous, tell him to get a 10.5" model # 170231.

I have been looking for one for a while

If he insists on a big gun, suggest the .460 instead. Looks just as big and bad as the .500 but can shoot several other rounds where he can buy reduced recoil (cheaper) ammo or even reload himself. If I remember right, the .460 will also take .454 casull, .45 colt and 1-2 more shorter rounds. I fired one one time at a range. They guy next to me offered it. LOUD as hell. Shooting big dollar .460 rounds costing $1.25 each. With the barrel porting it wasn't nearly as bad I as expected as far as recoil goes. The BOOM was incredible. Amazingly, I hit within 3" of center at about 5 yards. The rubber grips were excellent. I know I wouldn't fire one without the porting. I like my forehead just like it is now.

One warning: keep fingers away from the front of the cylinder. Any escaping gas/flame up there could easily cut off a finger tip or else severely damage the finger.

.500 MAGNUM IS FOR GIRLS!

.500 MAGNUM IS FOR GIRLS! - FateofDestinee - YouTube

With "normal" ammo in short supply don't expect to find any 500 ammo cheap. Unless someone is set up for reloading owning a 500 is the easy part, feeding it can get real expensive.

Its not really an entry level gun but if he wants one and knows what he is getting into then go for it.

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NRA Certified Instructor & RSO

I have a 500, its not your everyday plinking gun per say, but its a conversation starter at the range I would recommend your mate get a 357 with 125 grain ammo. Or a 44 magnum. He can plink with 38 or 44 specials and have the option for HOT rounds The 500 would put you in the poor house quick Although I have to say I love mine


thewelshm

The recoil is very stout. I shoot the 500gr rounds most of the time. At $60.00 plus dollars for a 20 round box I don't see him plinking much. And if the 44 mag recoil is too much for him he will not like the 500. I really feel it is a weapon for long time hand gunners.

The key to the big bore stuff like the 460 and 500 is to reload. I have a 460xvr and2 500's, the 4" and 8" bbls. I reload with a 330gr lead bullet and 10gr of Trail Boss. Like a cap gun. If you wanna go stouter there's H110, Lil Gun, etc. Someone gave me some CorBon ammo. It's tough to shoot, but reloading is great fun and YOU can control the loads.

The 500 is stout the 460 is a much cheaper round to shoot about half the price for a box of ammo. I think it is better for hunting also very flat shooting. My opnion only though.

On you-tube hickok45 shoots the 500S&W but not that much due to its recoil. Of course he is up there age wise too. If I was younger I'd go for one but not now at 62yo.

Every time lately when I touch off my 700 in 338wm I say to myself why did I buy this cannon.

I shoot my 500 Magnum with no problems.
I like it!



And I shoot my Weatherby 340 Magnum from time to time...



And I'm 72!

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

My feelings exactly.... due to aging, my senses have dulled & I require larger & larger stimuli to achieve the same affect & have recently had to change my prescription from a 454 Casull to a 500 S&W. I'm just hoping that S&W comes out with a 600 S&W by the time I need to change it next!

Tell your friend to wait a few years more, he'll like it better then.