Advice for new and would-be .500 S&W Magnum shooters...

[hd28cw]

Here is the best advice I can share with novice shooters wanting to shoot a 500s&w, just load one round in the cylinder this will prevent double fire....... lol

 

[Hfrog355]

Bumping this classic thread with a question.

Assuming I'm unable to get my mitts on one of Ross's 5" 500s (which seems more and more likely as time goes by), what would be the way to go among production models? I'm mostly buying the gun for ****s and giggles, but it might see some use for shooting pigs and whatnot.

I'm leaning towards the 6" with fixed compensator. I like the idea of slightly longer sight radius as well as dwell time for the projectile. Not having an extra piece which can break or be lost is also appealing. That being said, my favorite wheelgun thus far in life is my 4" Model 29.

Thoughts?

 

[Officerblue]

Love the big guns, 454 Alaskan, 500 Smith or Dan Wesson 445...Whatever goes big I love. But on that note, I'm 6'4 and weigh over 350lbs... but my teenage son got his mom's size and is only 130lbs but I started him off right ..22, .38, .357, .44 THEN 500 cor bon special (yes I bought a. ton of 500special) now he's fired the 400grn. If you teach someone to shoot the big guns, teach them right.

And as one former 500 magnum owner learned (not me)the hard way and the expensive lawsuit that followed, never let strangers shoot your guns!

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I have only fired a friends 500 a few times. I would certainly like to have one, but there are so many good 357's.

 

[Road_Clam]

Great write up JR ! While I am by no means a master revolver shooter I have owned my 460XVR for about 5 months now and very much enjoy shooting the pistol. When one commits to a true "big bore" you throw out all aspects of "practical". These cannons throw out HEAVY lead at dam high velocities. Prior to buying my 460 I spent much time researching and shooting a fellow club members' .50 S&W 4" bbl version and I came to the conclusion that a 4" .50 S&W is simply PAINFULL to shoot, and almost impossible to target shoot consecutive shots with reasonable accuracy. I prefer longer distances I typically shoot target only at 100 yds, and 200 meters. So I chose the 12" bbl 460XVR added a Burris 3-12X scope. I handload so I initially loaded up mild 250 gr SWCGC's for the first week of shooting practice just to get a comfortable feel. My pistol is about 6 lbs so the recoil is respectively more mild that the <8" variants. I also only single loaded rounds for the first few weeks as I was fearfully of a accidental double tap. Now months later I have little fear and am confident in my hold. I'm not a big guy either and I've learned to not fight the recoil but control and decelerate it. I mostly shoot bench off a rest or a bipod, but when shooting offhand(s) I use my shotgun trap type stance and I seem to maintain comfortable balance right through the recoil. I'm good for about 15 full power rounds then my wrists have had enough. Once I feel some pain, that's the # 1 sign it's time to pack the cannon and head home. I go through a detailed instruction before letting anyone shoot my 460, firm hold, weight forward, ONE round only in the cylinder, and keep your left hand fingers/thumb away from the cyl gap !!!!! I see the semi-auto guys sometimes start to do this type of hold and I put an immediate stop to this and explain the correct safe hold. These are strictly my opinions on how I've learned to shoot my 460, YMMV