Shot my new 500 today

eagleguy · #1 11-26-2016, 11:45 AM

Finally got to an outdoor range where I was able to shoot my 500. 300 grain had little recoil but when I went to 440 things were very different. Think I will hold off on the 500 and 700 grain for the moment and save my hand! LOL Gun is a beast!

Lee's Landing Billy · #2 11-26-2016, 12:43 PM

This is the only handgun I "cheat" with a glove. Mine is 4 inch and I normally shoot 500 grain solid bronze bullets with from 40 to 45 grains of 296-H110. Dey go booooooooooooom! I can generally clear out from under our shooting shed with it in a couple of rounds. What's it good for?? I just told you!!

Ozark Marine · #3 11-26-2016, 01:16 PM

Fired one once with friends at a indoor range when S&W first released them. Rented it and knew something was different right away. The guy at the counter asked me how many rounds I wanted, 3, 5 maybe 10?
I said give me a box. He said only put 5 in at a time. ***?
Long story short, gun rental $10.00, box of ammo at the time I think was $60.00. Loaded 6, pulled the hammer back and BOOM!!! SWEET!!! Even my buddy's 14 year old daughter loved firing it.
Great guns. Got to get one in the future.

Ozark Marine · #4 11-26-2016, 01:43 PM

One more thing about your 500, what's a box of (50 rounds) ammo go for today at the range?

nesser · #5 11-26-2016, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozark Marine

Fired one once with friends at a indoor range when S&W first released them. Rented it and knew something was different right away. The guy at the counter asked me how many rounds I wanted, 3, 5 maybe 10?
I said give me a box. He said only put 5 in at a time. ***?
Long story short, gun rental $10.00, box of ammo at the time I think was $60.00. Loaded 6, pulled the hammer back and BOOM!!! SWEET!!! Even my buddy's 14 year old daughter loved firing it.
Great guns. Got to get one in the future.

I think I got ripped off. Mine is just a 5 shot. So is my 460.

Ozark Marine · #6 11-26-2016, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nesser

I think I got ripped off. Mine is just a 5 shot. So is my 460.

This was a long time ago. 2003 I think. I really just remember it sure wasn't cheap to fire. But we all loved shooting the bad boy.
And thinking about it, I think it only held 5 round's. Getting old ain't fun. But watching my friends shooting it reminded of that flick "Guns of Navarone" firing. Wow what a muzzle flash and concussion.

nesser · #7 11-26-2016, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozark Marine

This was a long time ago. 2003 I think. I really just remember it sure wasn't cheap to fire. But we all loved shooting the bad boy.
And thinking about it, I think it only held 5 round's. Getting old ain't fun. But watching my friends shooting it reminded of that flick "Guns of Navarone" firing. Wow what a muzzle flash and concussion.

Just poking fun. I am 75 yrs old and sometimes I can't remember what I did yesterday. But I love my 500 mag. By the way I pay $26.00 for a box of 20 rounds. If I an felling really cheap I use 500 specials at about $19for 20.

Tom S. · #8 11-27-2016, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illyia Kuryakin

Unless one is pushing it, .500 cases last forever...and virtually nobody is "pushing it" considering the amount of power available in the 45K psi range....simply no need to load up to 60K psi!

VERY few will ever stand behind a genuine 60k psi "working pressure" load. To date I have not found any load manual that states loads above 50K psi. The power is simply beyond what most can tolerate.

If you shop around you can find some deals on ammo, but it won't be top loads...more like mid-range loads. (HSM)

Using homemade 900 grain bullets made from depleted uranium and a proprietary mixture of Bullseye, Unique, Power Pistol and Quaker Oatmeal, I've developed a round that should chronograph out at around 2300fps with enough muzzle blast to take out the shooters in the four booths next to me. I'm still waiting to find someone fool enough, er I mean daring enough to try them.

FWP · #9 11-27-2016, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom S.

Using homemade 900 grain bullets made from depleted uranium and a proprietary mixture of Bullseye, Unique, Power Pistol and Quaker Oatmeal, I've developed a round that should chronograph out at around 2300fps with enough muzzle blast to take out the shooters in the four booths next to me.

Is that four booths to one side or two on each side?

Protocall_Design · #10 11-27-2016, 05:13 PM

Sounds like 4 on each side!

eagleguy · #11 11-27-2016, 05:16 PM

Is there a better grip than stock to absorb the recoil. My Taurus 44 has some nice wood grips but I think wood might not be a good idea for this particular gun.

625smith · #12 11-27-2016, 10:41 PM

Stock X frame grip is hard to beat for recoil reduction. Which barrel length did you get?

maineultraclassic · #13 11-28-2016, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illyia Kuryakin

For example, Elmer Keith settled upon the 240 grain hard cast SWC (Keith style) .44 slug.
The .41 Mag came in with a 210 grain HC SWC and the .357 Magnum cam with the 158 grain HC, SWC design. Each of these bullets constituted an "optimum" for a specific caliber. In case you think this knowledge was forgotten....it wasn't. When Jeff Cooper and others worked on the spec for the 10mm, they started with 200 grains WHICH it just so happens is about "equal" to the other bullets in terms of sectional density.

I would much rather push a .500 Magnum 440 grain SWC GC bullet at 1,600 fps than a 700 grain WC at 1,200! Just LOOK at the KE comparison....the "one ounce slug" (440 grain...yes I know once ounce actually equals 437.5 grains) makes a lot more KE than the almost 2 ounce slug moving too slow.

THIS is why S&W introduced the M500 with a "standard" 350 grain slug....developed by Corbon....Such a slug in hard cast form, moving at over 1,800 fps is an astounding stopper on BIG GAME INCLUDE GRIZZLIES. Because it moves FAST and creates a powerful shock cone at the nose and shoulder edge!

So the "optimum" round for the 500 magnum is the 350grain bullet? Or would the 440grain be better?

The 700grain is an impressive round, but the speed does drop off significantly. The felt recoil goes thru the roof, which is why a lot of people use them for the "wow" factor.

federali · #14 11-28-2016, 08:19 AM

No pipsqueak guns for me. I'm waiting for Thompson Center to come out with a single shot pistol chambered for the Browning, 50 caliber machine-gun round. Talk about wow factor!

Actually, I have weak wrists and my Ruger, Super Blackhawk in .44 Magnum is all the handgun I ever care to shoot. Even then, I hand load to .44 Special levels as I don't hunt with it. At times, I admire the guys who can handle the mammoth recoil of that S&W monster. If I hadn't inherited the Super Blackhawk, I probably wouldn't own it. I have a single specimen of the 500 cartridge in my cartridge collection and that's about as close as I'll ever get to firing it.

DonD · #15 11-29-2016, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozark Marine

Fired one once with friends at a indoor range when S&W first released them. Rented it and knew something was different right away. The guy at the counter asked me how many rounds I wanted, 3, 5 maybe 10?
I said give me a box. He said only put 5 in at a time. ***?
Long story short, gun rental $10.00, box of ammo at the time I think was $60.00. Loaded 6, pulled the hammer back and BOOM!!! SWEET!!! Even my buddy's 14 year old daughter loved firing it.
Great guns. Got to get one in the future.

The load that almost all places demoing the newly released 500 Mag used was the lightest load on the market, a 275 gr slug round. Relatively a wimp compared to 440gr and up max loads.

Very hard to load 6 with only 5 chambers. Don

Lee's Landing Billy · #16 11-29-2016, 05:59 PM

Go to Cartridges of the World 15th edition to see what our 500 B&Ms do. Google B&M Rifles. We started this project initially to get 500 S&W power from a 16 inch bolt gun and it took off. We far surpassed our goal of equaling the 500 S&W out of a 6 pound 16-18 inch bolt OR lever gun. I still Love the 4 inch 500 but the 6 1/2 looks JUST right to me. We started with the snubby and quickly found out it was no fun. Calculated energy is good for debates go to our site and look at the dead monsters a 500 solid copper or bronze with kill. From 10 foot Brownies to 14 foot crocs and many elephants and cape buffs. 20 Asiatic buffs in 2 days. 50 cals don't play. We don't debate KE we just pile up the results and bring home the Ivory and hides.

eagleguy · #17 12-01-2016, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eagleguy

Is there a better grip than stock to absorb the recoil. My Taurus 44 has some nice wood grips but I think wood might not be a good idea for this particular gun.

And a better grip might be?

ruggyh · #18 12-01-2016, 02:42 PM

The factory grip is probably the most comfortable grip available.

Stock Wood grips that fill my hand and not uncomfortable to shoot have been next to impossible to find.

Though I don't find wood grips to painful if the don't fit right control and fatigue do become an issue, and maybe a blister along the way.

Nill Grips have worked well for me, but they did not reduce felt recoil. They are pricey but worth it if you want wood.

Same said for several of my custom wood grips again pricey with no improvement in felt recoil.

For me now wood is for when I want the gun to look good, otherwise it factory grips.

460 S&W wood grips

Good luck and be safe
Ruggy

DonD · #19 12-01-2016, 09:54 PM

As far as wooden grips, I had a laminated Hogue grip with a flare on the base. It worked very well, let the 500 ride up much as something like a Ruger Super Blackhawk does (had one in the distant past).

Sadly, the 500 quickly started to destroy the grip and Hogue said that they wouldn't make any more of them and refunded my $.

In addition to working recoil wise, I thought it was handsome.

I also had a set of Herrett's Troopers which are custom made to a tracing of your hand. That was not at all pleasant for me, really slapped my hand. Sold it to a forum member and did advise him that I didn't like it (haven't heard from him in a long time) who really liked it. Don