4 INCH 500 S&W ANYBODY OWN OR EVEN LIKE THEM?

[RON K.]

I have gone thru hundreds of Smiths in over 55 plus years. And loved them all. In Old Age just down to My Dads 686 when he passed away in 1988 i said not going to sell it. I call it the poor boys Python. And still i wanted to add another revolver to it. And looked at the 4 inch 500 Smith last week. Probably ten years ago i sold one of the yellow cased{N.I.C.} Bear jobs. why I don't know should have just let it sit in safe.Anyhow got the bug for this T-Rex blaster. I know why another gun....Well because have not made my 2020 new gun hit yet. so want all the pro's

AND YEAH i can afford to buy whatever is out there. This one just hit a hot spot.RON K.

AND hope all you Smithees have a good 2020,Been out of the loop on Smiths with folding Glocks Ruger 57's and M-4's and stuff. Too many guns and never enough time.

 

[nate-dogg]

I had one for a little bit. Very fun to shoot. Would be good for woods carry in bear country. I don't live in bear country so I sold it and bought the 10.5 inch 500 Magnum Hunter for longer range shooting. I plan to take it out deer hunting, but just haven't yet. Some people say it would be overkill for deer, but I don't see how it would be any different than all of the deer hunters that use a 50 Cal inline muzzleloader.

 

[CH4]

I like mine. It’s the only barrel length I considered when buying my 500 for working/hunting in Alaska. Barrels of greater length were just too much to pack in addition to my .375 H&H

 

[DonD]

I've had several Model 500s loved them all, still have two that are keepers, started shooting them in 2003.

Because I'm a power junkie, good reason to own 500s right, I haven't had one of the shorter barreled models but I have handled the 4" barreled ones and they do feel very good in the hand.

Enjoy. Don

 

[Hondo44]

That's nice. I've not seen one polished like that. But I do have the same gun, just in the original brushed finish. Would not consider any of the other barrel lengths. It's fun to shoot. The first shot brings total silence on the range while the other shooters stop shooting and look to see what it is I'm shooting.

Cheapest gun I own to shoot; everyone wants to try it but only once! It's fun to hit the long range gongs! I have no need to hunt with it, but it's a great conversation piece and fun to shoot, just not a lot.

The Hogue Tamer grips that came on it make all the difference between pleasure and punishment. I got another set of the grips for my 329 Airweight 44 Mag which was painful to shoot, but now reasonable. Still more recoil with 300 grainers than the 500, however.

 

[UncleEd]

The great thing about shooting the
500s is down the road you'll be able
to explain to your doctor how you
damaged your wrist and elbow while
"having fun."

 

[Nick B]

With those 500’s is there such a thing as a fun thumper load ?
Maybe 400 grains at 800 FPS ?

 

[CH4]

With those 500’s is there such a thing as a fun thumper load ?
Maybe 400 grains at 800 FPS ?

Yes, 400 grainers on top of a case full of Trail Boss. Plinking loads.

 

[colt_saa]

While it was not my first 500 Magnum, I have had my 4" for perhaps 16-17 years now, I enjoy shooting it and it is small enough to be carried on a giid belt with a good holster

As a hand loader I appreciate the cartridge very much. You can use projectiles from 275 grains through 725 grains. They can be lead, coated, plated or jacketed. Plus you can load those from mild to wild. Here are some early cast projectiles.

Remember every projectile in that photograph is 1/2" across. The light one on the left is 450 grains while the big wad cutter on the right is 725 grains.

Since then I have a new mold that makes the BIG wad cutter slightly smaller, but also has pins to drop that as a hollow point . Strange as it may sound, I have more molds for my 500 than any other caliber.

Most of my .500 molds have come from MP. Their Kramer style molds are outstanding. This one drops 600 grain solids, but can also be setup with a HUGE Hollow cavity that is either round or pentagonal in shape

I even have a few hat I have not cast from yet. . . . Moving is hard on the shooting sports

 

[Hondo44]

You can by 500 Specials from Hornady if they still load them, 350 bullets IIRC.

 

[mbliss57]

I had a 6.5" but sold it and replaced it with a 4" 500SW. I love it. It's a hoot to shoot as well. I got in a deal with 175 rounds of ammo. So I am set for now without thinking about reloading.
These are just a "blast" to shoot. I have a Ruger Alaskan in 454 Casull, SW PC 460 XVR 3" and several short barrel 44 magnums. None are as eventful to shoot as the 500. Although the 460 XVR come close.
EDIT: March 2021. I know have the 3.5" PC S&W 500 and the S&W 500ES in 2.75 inch. These guns are just a hoot to shoot.


Left to Right picture:
500SW 4”.
PC SW 460XVR 3”.
Ruger Alaskan .454 Casull 2.5”.
SW629-4 3”, 44 magnum.
The round next to the 500 cartridge is a 9mm for perspective.

 

[DonD]

Yes, 400 grainers on top of a case full of Trail Boss. Plinking loads.

I have a bunch of these plinking loads, although using the term "plinking" when applied to the 500 is sort of an oxymoron.

12gr of Trail Boss behind a 405gr cast slugs gives me 902fps/731 ft lbs out of my 8 3/8th" 500. Very gentle, lots of fun to shoot relatively rapidly DA.

Still, 731 ft lbs is about 60+% more than a +P 45ACP. Don

 

[andy52]

There ain't nothin' in my neck of the woods that requires a handgun of that size.... Maybe for you folks that live were the grizzly bear and the buffalo roam it might be fine but not here.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Oh come on, Andy - where's your sense of adventure?!?! What about Sasquatch? You never know where he'll show up next...

 

[kreuzlover]

I've been a handgun hunter since '65, and I always bought magnum handguns in the longest barrel length I could get because that's what the maker got the best ballistics out of. The shorter barrels are much harder to shoot at distance than the long tubes, and if you are thinking the 3 and 4 inchers are putting out the same horsepower as the long barrels are, you are fooling yourself. Just my opinion, of course, but I'm 74 years old now, and I've killed a LOT of deer with handguns. If I'm going to take an animals life with a handgun, I want the most horsepower I can get. Not knocking the fact that the shorter barrels are much easier to pack, but they are not for me.

 

[PjEagle]

I had a lot of fun with a 4" and an 8 3/8" 500. The 4" has a little less recoil than the 8 3/8" and is a lot easier to carry and handle. With Trail Boss loads and 440 grain powder coated lead bullets you could shoot all day. I ended up selling both of my 500's and concentrating on 357's and 460's because I was loading for too many calibers. It's a lot of fun to take somebody to the range and pull out a 500 after shooting the smaller stuff.

 

[RON K.]

Bought the 500 and now will hunt down and buy the 3 inch perf center.RON K.

 

[andy52]

Oh come on, Andy - where's your sense of adventure?!?! What about Sasquatch? You never know where he'll show up next...

If that should happen I'll use a rifle..., but then again if it were a female Sasquatch and she didn't smell to bad who knows.....

 

[lkabug]

I have 500 and a 460. They are a hoot to shoot. At the indoor range I frequent the place gets very quiet after the first round down range. As I prepare for the second round I notice everyone gravitating toward my lane to see what the heck I'm shooting.

 

[mbliss57]

4 INCH 500 S&W ANYBODY OWN OR EVEN LIKE THEM?

I went back to look at it today it was $1200 bucks.I did not like the dull stainless. seems like it just did not shout $1200 bucks to me.Went home unboxed the 686 from 1985 or so and that one seemed better finish and fit to me.Yeah yeah i know its not a 500, I also have this that i paid $700 bucks for new in box. A Talo spec. ed. Ruger 44 mag.snub. and it seems still better fit and finish to me.Will still need to ponder the gun. these are the only two wheel guns i have now.Sold off the 27 and 29 a few years back. I can see a few here have them and like them just fine.And forget the new Python. finish and grips turned me off after having the originals from the 60's and 70's.RON K.

You can get a basically new gun (500 SW) for $800-$900 used. Most used ones have seen very little use as the 500 is not for everyone. Many buy them, shoot them and sell them.
For instance I paid $1100 for mine used ( less than 1 year old) with ammo included ( 135 rounds) At $2/round that puts the gun at $830. There were 15 rounds missing from the ammo boxes. I think that’s all that were shot from it. My point is at $1200 you would be paying high retail book on a new gun. The Big auction has lots of them slightly used.
I just looked at completed auctions on GB. 2 four inch with case and all sold for $880 and $960. I hope that helps.


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