Quick, down and dirty opinion of a 4 inch 500?

[Stainz]

Hey, even the 'Bones' gal (Fox TV's 'Bones' show!) has a 4" S&W .500 Magnum...

I wanted one in 4" - no comp - after seeing/shooting an early 8 3/8" .500. Still having a .454 SRH at the time, I knew what a decent push was. Shooting outdoors - late in the afternoon - the .500 was more - the flash seemed more - but the noise was a lot more - and my main memory. My use? 440gr LWC's at 'special' velocities - 800 fps - for 'personal protection', not urban renewal - like 'regular' .500 Magnums. The only non-comp model I know of is the 5" John Ross .500 Magnum pictured earlier - it was a bit over my price.

The desire passed - my last few S&W revolver purchases were .357/.38 & .22 rimfire. If you don't act fast - the desire will wane... mine did... until I saw this post... I wonder if there are any 5" John Ross .500's left?

Stainz

 

[Bendutro]

I'm almost certain he has some left. Give him a call! The gun's value is more stable than cash right now.

I have never seen a private party selling a JR gun. They're that good. No one sells them.

 

[BUFF]

Most of the handguns and rifles I own have very little real world "need" involved. I thought they were cool, I liked them, I was curious, whatever, if I had the scratch I bought them.

I sold my 8-3/8 inch M-500 and M-460. I kept my 4 inch M-500. Not the logical thing, but I liked the cool factor of the short gun best.

I just bought speed loaders for the 500, too. What the heck do I need speed loaders for a 500 for?

If you don't like it, you can always resell it. Any monetary loss you may encounter is usually fairly inexpensive entertainment and/or education.

That's how I look at it, anyway.

 

[.460V & XVR Magnum Man]

I have both of the .500's the 4" you were asking about and the 6.5" half lug barrel. And I have both the .460's the 5"V and the 8 3/8"XVR. The .500's are something else, both are different than each other, the 4" has a really good snap to it and as Magnum Nut said don't fight it use the elbow and it is quite managable. The 6.5" is a bit tamer but not too much. As for accuracy once you get over them making you nervous the first time out they group quite well. I use 350 grain loads and my grandson who is 14 can shoot it, and not too bad either. In fact his very first shot with the 4", ( I broke him in with the .460XVR with lite loads), he hit a water filled milk jug at about 30 feet. That sold him! Anyway you should get it, they have done nothing but increase in value and if the price is right get it and you won't be sorry. It is not the target gun to shoot 200 rounds thru, just take it to the range get the feel of it and then when you go out fishing a T-Rex won't even be able to mess with you, much less a bear. I enjoy all my big guns. I don't shoot a lot at the range with them. I take my 617's and my 686P, and my 29's when I go. Then just to keep in practice with them I let everyone know "EARS" and run a few rounds thru the barrel just to stay current. Plus everyone gets a sound and light show. I would say to get it you can't go wrong, I did like you and kept saying should I or shouldn't I and got the 6.5". It was so impressive I decided to get the 4", so my pair would complete the set like my pair of .460's. Hope this helps your decision, you will have a "BLAST" and some really great protection when you are out fishing and that bear decides you are messing with his lunch and wants to get you away from his fish. Take care and hope you get it you will be glad you did. The .460's are fun and the .500's are even more. Enjoy!

 

[oldman2]

4" 500mag

I have one. I bought it when we went to Alaska fishing. You have to reload for it to have any fun.I,ve taken 2 deer 2 wild boar & a black bear. I use 375 gr cast bullets with Lil' gun or Trail Boss.Its kind of mild
with the Trail Boss. Try it you,ll like.

old man 2

 

[ol timer]

You're fly fishing enjoying the outdoors, babbling brooks, chirping birds, scampering squirrels. Oops, there is an angry bear!

Drop flyrod, pull your trusty 500 from your fast draw holster and fire 3 rounds killing the bear and saving your life. It's sooo quiet. No birds, no squirrels, just incredible silence, maybe just a slight ring in the ears.

Welcome to the world of the deaf! No one wears ear protection fly fishing!

Given a choice between temporary hearing loss or the alternative, I'll choose to stick around and say "Huh?"

 

[John Brown]

Common sense prevailed. I passed on it. I had surgery on my hand not so long ago that I can forget what I went through. No sense tempting fate.

I have a few other guns that will do what I need. Thanks for all the input.

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

The only non-comp model I know of is the 5" John Ross .500 Magnum pictured earlier - it was a bit over my price.
Stainz

Nah, I got a non-comp model too, it's kinda rare. When S&W made the 460, they offered different comps for it, plus a no hole comp. I bought a few and modified them to run in the 500.

Too bad S&W won't make anymore. I snail-mailed them to purchase a run of blanks and they frankly refused. Even if I ordered 500 the answer was no.

Anyway a few guys have the 500 this way.

 

[MTKTM]

I have one of the very first 8 3/8" 500s with the permanently attached smaller comp, and an early 4" with the removable/switchable ones. The 4" is really a 3" with the last inch being the comp. I've shot both guns fairly extensively although in all honesty I shoot the longer one more. Presumably because of the design of the comp, I find the 'sting' to the hand to be less in the 4" than in the longer gun with identical loads, but the blast/flash is considerably greater, almost stunning. I've chronographed for comparison sake a number of factory and handloads and find that the 4" is about 200 fps, give or take, slower with max or close to max loads.

I live in NW Montana and spend a fair amount of time in griz country during the summer, and that was my rationale for buying the 4" (I had owned the 8 3/8" for a couple of years before I did), to carry while hiking, camping and huckleberry picking in the mountains here. And that's what I do with it. That chunk of steel on my belt is quite comforting.

 

[S.B.]

Oh, go ahead. If you don't like it, you can sell it for almost as much as you paid for it.

I bought mine used off a consignment shelf a couple of years ago. I haven't shot it much, but it groups as well as it needs to and it's kind of fun in a noisy, not too responsible kind of way.

This was actually 10 shots at 10 yards. Ignore the X-ed out label. The rounds were very soft home defense loads, the equivalent of a jacked-up .44 Special or low-end .44 Magnum.

I own and shoot a S&W 500 and I've got to say, those holes don't look like 1/2" holes to me, especially against your 500 handgun?
Steve

 

[Carrier]

I own and shoot a S&W 500 and I've got to say, those holes don't look like 1/2" holes to me, especially against your 500 handgun?
Steve

That bottom hole looks like one.

 

[andyo5]

I own and shoot a S&W 500 and I've got to say, those holes don't look like 1/2" holes to me, especially against your 500 handgun?
Steve

Heh. I was thinking the same thing.

 

[UNCLE PAULY]

My coworker owns a 2-3/4" 500 and brought with him to my gun club.
I took one shot and put it down and walked away. Way too much recoil and way too loud. Hurt my ears as much as my hands.
I own a 29-2 and shoot full load 44 mag with no hesitation but will not shoot the 500 again. Plus he stated the bullets cost him $3 each.

Only reason to own one is when hiking/fishing/camping or hunting in brown bear territory.

 

[sandmansans]

I know the op already decided not to, but if your still reading reconsider. If my assumptions are correct, you decided in not going with it because of ammo cost. I do admit that ammo is expensive, but if you look at it per usage as opposed to per bullet, it's as practical as any other magnum revolver. Meaning if I go to the range, I will shoot around 50-100 rounds of .357 as that's my carry gun. If your buying it at Wal-Mart and paying 25 a box, that's 50 dollars right there. V.s the .500 mag, you will spend 60 for a box of 20 rounds at a big box store but the difference is, that you won't shoot all 20. You will most likely shoot 5-10. Making it about 30 bucks per use, as opposed to 50....this is of course basing it on the model I've just presented. That being said, you can buy .500 ammo for as low as 1.60 p. Round. This is not uncommon. HSM Bear load in 440 grain can be regularly found at this price and don't be fooled by the off brand and low price, these bad boys THUMP.
I personally have the 4" model..well the 3 1/4 with compensation and I LOVE IT! I don't hunt with mine, I solely use it for total anhilation of random objects. Seriously you will never have so much fun in your life. Now if I planned to hunt with it I would go with the larger barrels, probably the 8 inch.. As in revolver loads the longer barrels yield the optimal performance. But for more fun than you can ask for and for fending off Chris Christie and Rosie odonnel during mating season, this is your gun!

The recoil believe it or not isn't as bad as you think..actually not bad. You won't agree with me at first, but after you've had it for a while and get comfortable with it, you realize while it has a insane recoil the gun is so well designed that other smaller calibers hurt more to shoot. Most folks when they first shoot the 500, including myself, anticipate the recoil and brace too much. Being tense makes it worst. Once you become comfortable with the recoil, you're able to relax your body, while keeping a firm grip on it. For instance, the recoil in my k frame snub hurts way worse with 18p grain loads, than the 500. The 500 recoil is more of a push as best as I can describe it.

Lastly you will hear a lot of people telling you to pick the 460..while it's an excellent gun in its own right, in no way shape or form is it the 500. I think a lot of those comments come from folks who don't own either of them and just regurgitate info they've read elsewhere. You can find bullets as light as 300 grain and as heavy as 700 grain with the 500 magnum. That is a wide Variety of fun, capability and power.

 

[RobertJ.]

I don't see why not!

I stopped trying to justify a gun purchase with some perceived "need" a long time ago. Now, if the only reason is that I might like owning and shooting a gun that I think is kinda cool, that's okay. If it's a good deal besides, that's even better.

Like others before me stated, you can always get your money out of it later if it's not your cup of tea.

A friend of mine was fascinated by them for a while. His had a longer barrel, I think it was 8". He handloaded almost all his ammo, and I got to shoot it quite a bit. He sold it for close to the same amount that he paid. I liked it, but the .44 Mag is as big as I need, and I usually shoot a target load through those anyway.

If you don't reload already, you'll want to consider it if you want to shoot more than just a little.

Edit: Wow, I didn't read the date of the OP!

 

[sandmansans]

I don't see why not!

I stopped trying to justify a gun purchase with some perceived "need" a long time ago. Now, if the only reason is that I might like owning and shooting a gun that I think is kinda cool, that's okay. If it's a good deal besides, that's even better.

Like others before me stated, you can always get your money out of it later if it's not your cup of tea.

A friend of mine was fascinated by them for a while. His had a longer barrel, I think it was 8". He handloaded almost all his ammo, and I got to shoot it quite a bit. He sold it for close to the same amount that he paid. I liked it, but the .44 Mag is as big as I need, and I usually shoot a target load through those anyway.

If you don't reload already, you'll want to consider it if you want to shoot more than just a little.

Edit: Wow, I didn't read the date of the OP!

Lol right at you...when you said this I took a look.

 

[S.B.]

That bottom hole looks like one.

Yes, I agree but, the others don't. Sorry, I missed that one.
Steve

 

[Big Cholla]

It Can Be Done

Yeah, but a rifle can't fit on my belt while I'm fly fishing.

I learned to Fly Fish Alaska with a 12 ga. short barreled Remington 870 over my left shoulder muzzle down. Yes, I dipped the muzzle into the water a few times while bending over to retrieve a fish. I always carried a small can of WD 40 for that event. ...... The reason I switched to the 870 from a S&W M 29 was the day that I was about knee deep in a stream Fly casting into a riffle just above me when I heard a low cough behind me. I turned and found a young female Grizzly sitting on the bank about 10 yds. from me. She didn't care for me turning and watching her so she quietly left. I knew full well that while I was standing out that deep in water my only option I had if she became too interested in me would be to shoot. AND, I knew instantly that the M 29 was not enough gun. .....

 

[steelslaver]

I have 2 44 mags and a bunch of 45s both colt and acp as well as some 357s. I have absolutely no use for a 500. But I have 1 and love to take it out and blast a few off once in a while. Yup, I am a "gun nut"

 

[Kid44]

I have a 5" .454 (Toklat) and recoil from that can be brutal, depending on the chosen load. To be honest that's really I care to get behind, don't think I'll ever need anything bigger.