500 Magnum recoil?

[rather-b-huntin]

I shot my 4" 500 today for the first time with Hornady 300 gr. factory ammo.
I own multiple guns chambered for .44 Mag., 454 Casull, have owned the 460V and XVR, 45/70 Contender, and own and shoot a host of big bore rifles. I'm not recoil sensitive.

After the first shot from the 500, I think I went blind and crapped my pants at the same time! The *** hurt! I shoulda known when my 500 Handi Rifle felt about like my Ruger #1 .450/400 3" that the same load in a handgun was gonna suck!

I managed five rounds before coming to my senses. I shot about 10 rounds of a handload that consists of a 420 cast bullet over 10 gr. of Trailboss. It was surprising in recoil as well.

I love the gun, but damned if it don't hurt!!

 

[vipermd]

Kilibreaux: Hits it on the head: 275-700 grain out of the 4" comped or not are not bad at all, because much of the powder is in the fireball at the muzzle. As you start moving up in length , you burn ( use) more powder and therefore generate more recoil. When you get to 7.5,8 3/8 velocity, power and recoil move up. Note: The 600, 700 grain bullets do not stabilize much past 35 yds out of the 4", they do work well from 6 1/2 up to 18". The most PAINFUL gun is a Magnum research 7.5 BFR with 600/700 grain, very accurate but the grip works too well and you torque your elbow, ( caused 2 cases of tendinitis in 3 minutes ), the BFR is a dream at 500grs and under. I will prob replace my 6 1/2 in 500, and get a BFR in 45-70 in 7.5, very soft shooting with 300 gr Rem factory loads. I would like to try some of the Garret "magnum" loads out of the pistol since they are a blast out of the marlin. Be Safe,

 

[Dan Christopher]

As others have said, it depends on the load and configuration of the particular model.

There are some uber powerful factory loads available, and if you handload you can duplicate those as well.

For me though, as a handloader, that much power is totally not needed.

I am perfectly happy with 370 grainers moving at 1000-1100fps and 440 grainers clocking at 800-900fps.

A lot easier on me and the gun, and all I need!

Handloading is a must for either a 500 or 460 owner.

 

[Kilibreaux]

Is this phenomenon present only in the 6.5" barreled models?

The 6.5" S&W .500 is not very different from the old Dan Wesson .44 Magnum with it's radially oriented ports in the barrel and a small "chamber" inside the barrel shroud leading expanding gases out top-mounted vents in the shroud. Dan Wesson was emphatic that lead bullets not be used due to lead build-up in the space between barrel and shroud, and of course Dan Wesson intended the barrel be user-removable. The build-up of lead matters because it begins to fill in available space and would make barrel shroud remvoval difficult or impossible. Since S&W does not intend that the user remove the barrel they probably care not if one uses lead bullets and the number and size of the barrel ports does indicate it would take a LOT of lead bullet shooting to clog up the recoil compensator ports, but I'm sure someone dedicated to shooting a lot of lead bullets might manage to do so!
I have not been able to find any message or warning from S&W about using lead bullets in the 6.5" so maybe they don't consider leading to be a problem.
The other models with removable compensators are able to shoot lead bullets just fine.

 

[S.B.]

I don't have any idea what the other barrels feel like, I have a 5" no compensator JRC custom 500 but, I can tell you no one has ever shot mine without it leaving traces of rubber from the grips in the web of their hand.

HTHs, Steve

 

[Granite Stater]

I own the original 8 3/8 with the fixed compensator. The muzzle blast beats me up worse than the recoil. I fired 20 rounds yesterday and would have fired more if it wasn't for the muzzle report.

 

[mbliss57]

I had a 6.5" no compensator and the 340 PD in Ti/Sc at I believe 11OZ. The 500 with 700 Gr loads is a real hand(s) full. Hard recoil. It hurts your hand right in the palm. Leaves a pretty nasty bruise if you hold on for a couple of cylinders. The 340PD with hot 357 loads...hurts just as much but in a different area. That little gun twists in my hand and really hurts my fingers. Very different pain. But pain just the same. I sold the 340PD after 1 trip to the range. No need to keep a CCW if I can't really hold on to it and follow up well. The SW500 I sold as well but not because I didn't like it. Also I kept it quite awhile. The lighter 350 gr loads are still really hefty but nothing like a 700 gr monster. It will still leave bruises if you shoot more than 1 or 2 cylinders.

 

[Shorty091261]

I shot a friend's 500 once, and it made a big kaboom, but it wasn't bad. Pretty manageable. The most painful gun I ever fired was another friend's ultra light, titanium cylinder, DAO J frame. It's magnum chambered, but he fed it 38 special for me. YOUCH! I can only imagine the pain with a hot magnum load!

 

[seabright60]

How does shooting a steel framed J frame like a 2" 60 with warmer 357 loads compare to a 500 S&W? I've shot some 158 gr loads which go about 1250 out of a 4" barrel, and they felt pretty explosive in a little gun. I was able to shoot about 30 of these loads before taking a break for the day. (well my skin cracked open and started bleeding between my thumb and pointer finger)

So what do 350 gr rounds feel like out of a 8 or 10.5" 500 S&W?

My m and p 340 woth 158 grain 357 mags is alot worse than my 500 4 inch with 700 grain rounds. At least in my opinion , the boom, the flash and the power is crazy with the 500 but the actual PAIN? THAT ALL THE J FRAME!!