Been shooting for years now and this 500 is the first hand cannon i have every own and will be the first one i shoot. alittle about my self, i have shoot everything i could get my hans on when i was in the marines from 2001-2005. ie m16, SAW, 240, M203, 50 both in machine gun and rifle and my favorites was the A-T4 rocket. this revolver will be my first time shooing this big of a round from my hand. i just got the gun about one week now. its the 4" in version and i love the look of it. i will be doing alot of targeting shooting and as a carry when i go to GA. i also want to hunt with it or try. my question is any advice on my first hand canon would be nices. ie sighting in, do i have the sight flash or the red ramp on top?
My first revolver, S&W 500
- Thread starter psle1000
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Pioneer461
US Veteran
For a first handgun, you sure picked a doozy! Not sure how practical it is as a carry gun, but it may work for you. I'd recommend you use light loads for most shooting, otherwise you may find the recoil a bit unpleasant. Many .44 magnum shooters find that they suffer damage to their hands after a few years of shooting the big stuff. I'd recommend perhaps a .45acp or .40 S&W for a carry pistol, or if you want to stay with revolvers, many on the market in .357 magnum and up, but on a smaller frame.
psle1000- Welcome I also "carry" my 4" 500 occasionally, and since this is your first foray into hand cannons I have a few suggestions. First you need a belt I have been using Aker belts ( black or brown )2 1/4", and they have a polymer insert that helps to keep the belt rigid and suppurt the weight. I Buy them from Galls about 45$ I am sure there are many custom makers out there ( Adams Holsters ) which make excellent rigs, but they are going to take 12 + wks. The holster is a high ride hip from Black Hills Leather. Mine is horsehide and spreads out the weight well is very secure. Speak to the owner, Rudy Lozano, his work is tremendous, he will get it right. As Pioneer461 stated it is a good idea to start with some lighter loads and work your way up. It will help to prevent the flinch and let you know that it is a big gun but can be controlled and used effectively. When I do "carry" it I use 350 gr XTP. Enjoy, Be Safe.
M3Stuart
Member
Welcome to the forum!
Good for you! We hope you enjoy the mobile artillery you have selected.
Be sure to post some pics too.
Good for you! We hope you enjoy the mobile artillery you have selected.
Be sure to post some pics too.
wheelgunguy
Member
Congratulations on your first wheelgun.Talk about taking on the big boy right off the bat.With your previous experience I am sure you'll be fine.
I think gradually moving up is a good idea also.I can understand carrying it on the trail but in an urban situation over penetration would have me more than a little concerned.Just some food for thought.
I think gradually moving up is a good idea also.I can understand carrying it on the trail but in an urban situation over penetration would have me more than a little concerned.Just some food for thought.
this is my first hand cannon, i already have a H&K usp 45, glock 17 and a sr-22. so this new toy will be fun.
when i go to GA im taking that thing everywere i go. i have family there and they say its like TX, everyone carrys. so a rule of thumb "go big or go home" lol
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The top of the front sight should be level with the top of the rear sight notch.
Definitely try some of the reduced .500 loadings before moving to the full stuff, like this one..."only" 325 gr at 1380 fps. It will be plenty of a double handful with the 4" barrel.
Sport Ammo 500 S&W Mag 325 Grain Light Loading Semi Jacketed Soft Point Box of 20
Definitely try some of the reduced .500 loadings before moving to the full stuff, like this one..."only" 325 gr at 1380 fps. It will be plenty of a double handful with the 4" barrel.
Sport Ammo 500 S&W Mag 325 Grain Light Loading Semi Jacketed Soft Point Box of 20
Fishslayer
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
A .500 for your first revolver.
I like the way you think!
I like the way you think!
kdailey
Member
You will Love It! But use both hands, no one handed shots.....
Just so you know, it recoils up, not back.
So hold on!
This is the Grandson shooting mine when he was 16.
So hold on!
This is the Grandson shooting mine when he was 16.
silentflyer
Member
My 2 cents, for what its worth,you have a very nice gun, but you may want to think about warming up with a .357 Mag or a .44 mag before you let go with the new hand cannon. over the years I have seen more than one shooter pick up some bad habits trying to start shooting revolvers with a full bore magnum handgun.
Here's my 6'3" son shooting my 8 3/8" 500. The flying chunks are the remnants of a small cabbage that paid the ultimate price.
I also have a 4" gun. I recall that there was a guy on here a couple of years back who was going to CCW one. I don't know how that went. I carry mine when I hike in the backcountry here in griz territory, mostly when I go huckleberry picking in August. I've never encountered a bear when doing so and truly hope that I never do, but have found lots of sign. I think for other carry I'd be inclined to go with something a little less massive....
I also have a 4" gun. I recall that there was a guy on here a couple of years back who was going to CCW one. I don't know how that went. I carry mine when I hike in the backcountry here in griz territory, mostly when I go huckleberry picking in August. I've never encountered a bear when doing so and truly hope that I never do, but have found lots of sign. I think for other carry I'd be inclined to go with something a little less massive....
Ok good to know. my 2nd question is do u cut the target in 1/2 or do u let it set on top of the red ramp? how many yard do i start off at, that will = 100 yards?
A hand cannon for your first wheelgun? That is certainly the deep end technique. You will find you quickly loose friends when you show up with it on the line. When you start shooting, you will clear the line. Guys will suddenly remember that important appointment they are late for. The gun is so loud. In addition to developing bad habits due to the weight and recoil, and the possibility to injure yourself due to recoil, it is just plain expensive. If you don’t reload you will spend a ton of money to shoot it, or quickly go out and buy a nice reloading setup. I reload for mine on a Dillon 550B. Works great and I can dial back the loads to something reasonable. I have also swapped out the comp on my 4” for a solid replacement comp. It cuts down the noise and prevents blow back of lead particles and unburned powder. It does this at the expense of increased roll.
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You can sight it in with a 6 o'clock hold on a bullseye target, because it tends to give you a more defined area at which to aim. If you start at 25 yards and adjust so the 6 o'clock aim strikes the center of the black, you'll probably find yourself close to point of aim at 50 yards and perhaps beyond. This is just an educated guess.
Sometimes the red front sight insert will correspond to the top of the sight picture and sometimes not, so best to use the top of the front blade for aiming.
Sometimes the red front sight insert will correspond to the top of the sight picture and sometimes not, so best to use the top of the front blade for aiming.
AUTigerBlender
Member
I have a 629-1 Classic hunter and it's pretty manageable. I've always wanted to shoot a 500, just to see how bad the recoil is.
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