Anyone else have a 500ES?

[moe l.]

I've been looking around for a 460ES; a member here has been kind enough to point me to a couple he has seen for sale. The price is a bit steep and after watching a couple youtubes of guys firing it, I think I may want to give my right wrist an early Valentines Day gift and NOT get one. But I must admit, big bore revolvers call out to me every time I see one. My latest acquisition is a 460V.

 

[Avery11]

I have been looking for a 500es with the kit for a while now. If any one has one for sale or can point me in the right direction I would be grateful.

I think the whole kit gimmic is neat.

 

[Terry C]

I look at this and I can see the appeal for those that want the "biggest and baddest", but I don't think it's for me.

I enjoy shooting a 4" .44 Magnum, but that's about the upper limit of my endurance now (and it stretches it after awhile). Long gone are the 100+ yard handrifle days.

Looking at the specs a 4" Model 29 is about the same OAL (longer barrel but shorter frame/cyl), and considerably lighter.


I just hope all my local bears have seen "Dirty Harry" . . .

 

[DoctorCJ]

I have owned both the .500 ES and the /460 ES for about three years now. I shoot each one about twice a month. It take took me a about three months to get used to the .500. When I first started, I could only do about five rounds... I gradually got the hang of it... experimenting with different grips and worked my way up to where I shoot 50-80 rounds each session.

About half the time with my .500, I shoot relatively mild 300 grain bullets @ about 1400 ft lb. The rest of my time is split with the hotter 350 and 440 grains loaded at about 2200 ft lb.

They have become a lot of fun to shoot and are quite accrurate... but it is a long learning curve. The penetration with the 2 3/4" barrel is incredible when shooting 440 grain hardcast bullets and moderate speed.

I carry one or the other around when fishing in Alaska, which I do about three times a year. These two guns are very different... the .460 is a little heavier and seems to have a longer, but lower velocity recoil.

I have a .44 mag and a Rugar .45 LC that I shoot with +p rounds.

I find both the .460 ES and the .500 ES much easier and more comfortable to shoot.

I haven't looked around... I was unaware that the price for these guns have gone up.

 

[Lcstyle]

Anyone looking to sell their 500 ES kit please PM me for offer.

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

I just picked up a NIB 500ES kit,Does anyone happen to know how many where made?

 

[Exiled Cheesehead]

I was at a LGS today and they had one of these kits for sale today with the .500. Unfortunately, the price was $1,700. Ouch, even before you pull the trigger.

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

A used 500ES kit missing the original orange grips and lanyard ring sold for $1,733 yesterday on Gunbroker.

 

[vjp]

I had one. Shot it 10 times and traded it away. Not that bad on the recoil considering the barrel length but at $3.50 a round here in SC, I let it go. Oh we'll, it was fun while it lasted.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

500ES - Emergency Survival Kit

This newly found addition to the clan compliments my 460 Carry's 3-1/2" bbl. nicely

Has anybody seen the production numbers for these?

Cataloged only in 2007 & 2008?

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[Officerblue]

It's a brutal gun I was lucky to buy some 500 special several years ago. I bought 500 special rounds when I first bought the ES. You can also shoot the 275 grain and that has less of a kick in the bigger ones. I did sell the ES a few years ago because it wasn't fun to shoot even with the special rounds.

 

[Officerblue]

Happier with the bull big barrel.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Got to the range today to try my 500ES. Loaded up two different bullets, Hornady 300gr FTX & 350gr XTP, with three different powders & they all hit way low. The best I got was 3" low with the rear sight adjusted up.

My front sight is .300" tall & the rear blade is .128" tall. I think I'll temporarily put a rear sight with a .160" blade on it to see if I can get it zero'd.

Anybody else have this issue?

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[Outlaw2013]

These NIB kits are up to around $2,500 these days.

Epic collection piece.

 

[vipermd]

Wanted a kit, but never got around to it. Picked the 500 with black grips, it is fun to shoot, less recoil that the 8 3/8. I like the 350 hornady XTP, tried some 400 & 440 which were OK. I have not tried the 500-700 gr rds in it, but I doubt they will be stable much past 25-35 yds. Any one try the heavy loads? Be Safe,

 

[Officerblue]

Didn't they make a black case version?

 

[SeanPwnery]

Didn't they make a black case version?

There was a .44 mag version too ... that's be the black-cased one.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

I hadn't noticed that the 44Mag was a 3" bbl. before.

They show the 460 & 500 as being the same weight, which seems doubtful given the 500's larger bores/chambers. My 500ES weighs 52.5oz on my digital scale.

Here's the related ESK page from the 2007 S&W catalog.

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[BLUEDOT37]

M500ES front sight

My front sight is .300" tall & the rear blade is .128" tall. I think I'll temporarily put a rear sight with a .160" blade on it to see if I can get it zero'd.

Update : I put a .160" bladed rear sight on the 500ES & that helped but I still needed a bit more elevation and ended up going with a SDM .250" red fiber optic sight (P250R) on the front. With the rear sight about 2/3 the way up it now hits to POA with 350gr & 400gr bullets loaded to about 85% of max. powder loads at 15yds.

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[vipermd]

I have seriously considered putting night sights ( millet) the same as I have on the 4" 629, & 57 on the 500ES. Considering that I do spend a fair amount of time in bear/cougar/wolf country in the evening and at night they would look nice. That said I walk out of the woods with out a light, since most of the 4 legged creatures will go out of their way to avoid me, skunks scare me!!!! If the trio above attacked with malice, in the dark, I doubt I would have time to soil myself, let alone draw!! But the Millets do give a nice sight picture in daylight or dusk for hunting. Be Safe,