I have 1 S&W .500Mag also => 4"
I love the gun.
I live in Belgium
See you guys.

My speed loaders from 5 Star just arrived in the mail a few minutes ago. Now I'm ready for a Zombie Bear attack! A recent change in our departments firearms policy makes the 500 acceptable for off duty use. 45 calibre is still the limit for on duty. I don't think my 4" 500 will completely replace my 642 for off duty, but it will be fun every once in a while when the weather is cooler making concealment easier. I did wear it to a ballistics demonstration down in San Antonio once. ATK (Speer/Federal) sponsored it. We shot the ballistic gelatin with all kinds of duty rounds including 308 and 223. Nothing compared to the 500. There were two blocks of gelatin lined up on the table. The first block disintegrated, raining gelatin all over us. The second block was blown off the table onto the ground. The bullet had stopped just before exiting. It was a Winchester Platinum 400 grain.

People who don't know much about the caliber are skeptical when I tell them that the .500 Mag makes a .308 look like a wussy on any liquid filled object or when fired into any object other than steel plate. Don

It definitely does a number on gallons of water and cans of food also 5 gallon Ozarka jug's have a really big splash

Sounds like you made a big splash with your contrabution.

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Jon

I used to ride animals and you are right. Glad I learned that lesson
as it applies to motorcycles as well.

I have never had a problem with recoil. Full house rounds in a
Mountain Revolver leave it pointing straight up but no injury
if you relax. And, yeah, accuracy is a state of mind too.
Being afraid will kill it.

I win the lottery I will be in line for a 500. I subscribe to the theory.

A 696 will have to come first however. We are on the brink of
concealed carry after 100 years of "progress".

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Nemo

I agree with the magnum shooters. If you like 44s you will love the 500.

I've been shooting several since it's birth. The first one in 2003 was a problem child and that's how I found this forum as I was looking for other people with the same problem that I was having.

Later bought 2 more, but as of Saturday sold them all. In fact I sold nearly a dozen revolvers over the past year. I kept several that I bought as a kid, as these models are more to my roots. Been biten by the class III bug and needed to raise the cash to play in a new direction.

Life is too short to not try new things. Try a 500!

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NRA Benefactor Member

Watermellon mist.....

Yep, if you want a can of corn opened, I don't think you'll find the corn after the can is opened.

I bet if you make a hardened pointy bullet, that steel plate will look like a rifle got to it.

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NRA Benefactor Member

As others have commented, I believe that the 500 has a more profound effect on impact than many popular rifle rounds including the 308. Here's a pic of my son last summer having just blasted a small cabbage with mine. Pieces were everywhere, including several on the windshield of my truck which was parked about 20 yards behind the shooting point.



I also recall an occasion where I was in camp with a group of guys preparing to go hunting. Three of them decided they wanted to double check their rifle's zero, so we went to a nearby gravel pit and they set up an old piece of plywood and were shooting at that with calibers like 30-06, 270 and 300 Win. Mag. The bullets just zipped on through. Then one asked me to try with the 500, so I did and the first shot flattened it very convincingly. Everyone just burst out laughing.

Good Morning:
Thank you for your kind offer to fire your S&W .500 revolver.
However I will pass. I am sure that it would bring excitement into my dull life, but at the present time I have all the excitement I can handle.
In a rather "Without Thinking" second I sassed my wife! I am now attempting to find a hiding place.
Jimmy (aka-Wimpman)

Don't forget your shooting ear muffs when trying it out.

My 4" 500 would set off car alarms 50 or so yards away from the outside pistol range. That pisses off the rifle shooters, but hey life is not fair sometimes.

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NRA Benefactor Member

I shot one. Big flash, lots of recoil, big boom. Still don't "get" it, or understand "why?", or want one. Same for the 460. Regards 18DAI.

Ummmm, the "why"? Big flash, lots of recoil, big boom, big hole or splat!! That's why!

those are all of the reasons why I bought one it definitely wasn't convenience of carry and price of ammunition ahahahah.

I will never forget to use my muffs again :/ its not very pleasant. its like getting palm slapped on the ears lol

How much do you pay for the .500mag ammunition over there?
I shoot the Magtech .500S&W Mag 400gr SJSP-flat.
I've payd 20 Euro a box for 20pieces , it's about 28USD.
Some stores ask to 30euro a box => 43USD

Somebizarredude, if you are able, join the Corps, tell them your tale and ask to be the guy on the MA2. I think they will be glad to see.

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AM-Tracks 66-69

I got real close to joining the military after high school, but i decided against it and became an electrical engineer instead. but who knows.

I am curious though, what exactly is the ma2? i might be interested

I bought 60 rounds of the cheap stuff starting out and I have my buddy reload it for me. so i only spent about $26 us per box starting out. I don't buy it regularly but i have seen it range from 26$ to almost $70 per box of 20.

if this is what you buy you get a good price Magtech Sport Ammunition 500 S&W Magnum 400 Grain Semi-Jacketed Soft Point Box of 20 - MidwayUSA

That is the ammunition i've bought!!
An I thought that Belgium was expensive!!!!
I have payded my S&W .500 4" for 1400USD = 970euro.
How much do you pay this piece in the USA

A 20 round box averages $60 now, which is why I haven't bought any since the gun first came out in 2003. I still have a box of Hornady 350gr marked 1st run production.
I keep well stocked with reloading components and cast my own slugs as well. As much as I like to shoot my 500's I couldn't afford all of the ammo I've shot if I bought factory fodder.

I bought my 4" used for $700 in great condition. "barely any flame cutting on the top of the frame" and my friend bought his 4" new for about $1150. the current price on the 4" at buds gun shop is $1,024.00 Smith & Wesson 500 .500 Mag 4", Compensator $1,024.00 SHIPS FREE I imagine it cost more where you are because of import tax.

You know, the "MA DEUCE", the big 50, should have just said, M2 50cal. A lot guys up here in the high country have them. You need plenty of room to really see what they can do. I don't thing anyone has made a handgun for that round yet.

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AM-Tracks 66-69

THAT DEFINITELY LOOKS FUN I would love to rip through a few walls and vehicles with that thing I can honestly say if my wife dies or leaves me I am going to try to get behind one of those

it looks like someone did make a 50 BMG handgun
Airborne Combat Engineer: The Thunder .50 BMG handgun

i would be very hesitant to fire that thing

I should have read all the posts, sorry. But you need to try the 50 cal. and that looks like the one for you. It's really fun to get on a hilltop and hit 55 gal. drums on the other side of the valley.

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AM-Tracks 66-69

somebizarredude,
If you love shooting the S&W 500 here's the rifle for you too! I call her Medusa. It's a Bushmaster BA50. There's not much you hide behind when this thing belches out a 649gr API. And I can tell you that walls and vehicles are no match. Double ear protection is definitely a must. And if you're standing close you had better be directly behind me unless you want to the feel the concussion when she barks. It's just raw awesome power at its best.



This is another must reload gun if you want to have lots of fun.

Well, somebizarredude, you have started one of the longer running, more active posts in a long while aside from the never ending ILS controversies. Those seem to need a silver spike to kill off. Don

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

ahahaha that's great!

one day i will have a 50 BMG to go along with my 500 mag

for some fun after work today. several friends and I went to the range and played "pot luck" with the 500 mag. we loaded 4 325 grain rounds and one 700 grain round. we each took a turn to see who got the big one lol that was really fun.

and now a girl at work wants to shoot my gun that should be interesting I will have to record that one for slow motion playback lol

I agree. I shoot two of them..... constantly.

I really enjoy shooting my 500. The recoil is over rated. Here is a video I did of mine years ago and put on youtube.

500 Magnum S&W - YouTube

When I was young I used to shoot a lot of high powered rifles and pistols and thought it was fun. At 68 I find it not so entertaining.

+1 on this. After you can shoot a box (20 rnds) of SW500 and feel good (no pain) you have mastered the recoil. .357 factory loads will feel defective.....like was that a misfire......you will never flinch with the .357 again. Becomes like how you shoot a .22

I've had several 29-series guns and a Ruger Super Redhawk in .454 Casull and have more fun with my .22's. The big bore handguns just don't do it for me; if you're into them, more power to you.

I know how to shoot the big boy guns. It's like using a GI floor buffer. You never really contrul it, just guide it along a path. Keep the elbows bent and let the recoil have its way. When all the energy's spent, shoot it again. Cool.

It's just too expensive to shoot on my limited budget. You can't beat a brick of decent .22 ammo for inexpensive all day fun.

If we all must shoot a 500, someone can take my turn.

I'm not going to willingly, ever shoot a 500 mag. Or even
a 357 mag again. Those heavy recoiling guns are for the
young guys. Just say no.

I was out shooting my 8 3/8" 500 a few years ago when a local Deputy Sheriff pulled up and watched for a few minutes. The load was not a max load but a handload consisting of a 400 grain WLNGC over 38.0 grains of 396. He had never seen one before and seemed fascinated with it. I asked him if he'd like to try it and he said, "I don't think so, the Sherrif would be unhappy if I came back with a broken wrist." I should tell you that he had recently had a problem with his wrist that kept him from duty for a couple weeks. Anyway, he watched a little while longer and said, "It doesn't look all that bad" and decided to give it a try. He fired it and confirmed that it wasn't all that bad but said he'd better not push his luck with his healing wrist and stopped with one round. He patrols the countryside around here and we run into each other quite often, hunting etc, and plus he lives only a block away from me and always asks if I still have "that cannon" every time we cross paths. Have never been able to get him to try it again though........guess his wrist is still healing.