EVERYONE must shoot a 500 magnum once!!!

[somebizarredude]

this caliber is devastating!! during a pasture shooting session we shot a mix of loads for this thing. the 700 grain was almost unmanageable. really excessive but so far the 440 grain flat nose are my favorite. we shot frozen milk jugs and one shot destroyed them. also the cans of tomato soup were hilariously messy. but the most interesting part was when we were chilling out with a few shiner bock and some wild hog's wondered up in the wrong place at the wrong time the damage this round did to that hog was disgusting lol it literally blew a huge hole out of the other side of this thing. i don't think the rest will come ruin the field again anytime soon but everyone should experience this gun once.

the recoil on the 700 grain was like trying to catch a bat that was swung at you, so i don't recommended that round first time out

next time I will bring the video camera because we are shooting an American Standard toilett!!! i anticipate allot of shrapnel mwhahahahah probably some melons also.

 

[scooter123]

I would beg to differ. I find that a full house 357 Magnum to be all I care to take on in my 38 ounce 620 and I'll leave the 44 and larger Magnums for those younger and more foolish than myself. As for the reports that "it's not that bad", I aint buying it.

Now, on a positive note, the monogrip originally developed for the 500 Magnum is just the ticket for making the 357 Magnum in my 620 envigorating instead of painful.

 

[jjwestbrook]

I fired a 500 s&w twice on a pig hunt. that was enough for me.

 

[Avery11]

We're having S&W days at our club in June and I can't wait to shoot the 500. Had a chance to shoot a Desert Eagle .50 tonight.

What a let down. That thing was a pussycat.

 

[Knightrider03m]

My .357 is good enough for me

 

[OFT II]

I think that I'll just stick with my wimpy little model 29. I'm kinda a wuss when it comes to pain.

 

[Bendutro]

There's a technique to shooting the big thumper. A sort of "ride the wave" shoulder, arm and wrist action that allows you to dissipate the energy. It's not a bench gun IMO, the recoil dumps right into your wrists that way. If you can master that weapon, shooting anything else feels easier.
Nothing else short of a hot-loaded Sharps puts that much energy on target.

 

[ancient-one]

Why must everyone shoot one?

 

[somebizarredude]

There's a technique to shooting the big thumper. A sort of "ride the wave" shoulder, arm and wrist action that allows you to dissipate the energy. It's not a bench gun IMO, the recoil dumps right into your wrists that way. If you can master that weapon, shooting anything else feels easier.
Nothing else short of a hot-loaded Sharps puts that much energy on target.

it recoils differently than i expected, it doesn't really climb.... it shoves your arm back, definitely different. so far i have only shot 110 rounds out of it. but I find keeping my hand on tight and relaxing my elbow and shoulder makes it allot nicer. i shot about 60 rounds today and my wrist is a little tender lol so i still need to experiment with the technique. its definitely fun though!!! and shooting this definitely helped my over all control of smaller guns. if anyone has some technique tips i would appreciate it. no one around me has any pointers for me

also my budy was shooting this thing with a bowling brace on lol he said it helped tremendously.

 

[somebizarredude]

Why must everyone shoot one?

because its one of those guns that is like WOW after you pop one off and its very loud

 

[Jim NNN]

Drinking beer and shooting toilets...who says western civilization is dead?

 

[TDC]

because its one of those guns that is like WOW after you pop one off and its very loud

Can't emphasis loud enough....

It's important people realize this gun "barks" louder than most any other, especially the 500s with shorter ported barrels and hand-loaded with powders like H110/WW296.

Wear the very best ear protection available and insist those shooting with you do the same...

 

[Retired W4]

***** cat

We're having S&W days at our club in June and I can't wait to shoot the 500. Had a chance to shoot a Desert Eagle .50 tonight.

What a let down. That thing was a pussycat.

I don't know what you were shooting through the 50AE, but I have owned the IMI version from the early '90s and I think it's pretty stout, recoil-wise. It's difficult to compare a revolver to a gas operated semi-auto in that regard. The Desert Eagle was designed with a double/double recoil spring meant to tame recoil, and, along with the gas system, it seems to do a pretty good job of it. That may be why you had the reaction you did to the 50AE.

I would love to shoot the S&W 500, but only for 10 or 20 rounds. My wrists are only good for 2 magazines worth with the 50AE ***** cat. My Son, when he was in high school, could shoot that thing all day, and do it well to boot. I guess I need to look at the numbers on the two weapons/rounds to see how the ballistics compare.

 

[ScottJ]

I had a chance to shoot one with a comp on it last year. Honestly I've felt worse out of my 629 Classic.

Sometimes I even think the SP101 2 and 1/8th inch can be worse than the 629.

 

[milespb]

I've shot thousands of handgun rds. in about every caliber and had a chance to shoot a friends 500 in a 2" (?) no comp and have no idea as to why they ever made that gun.

 

[DonD]

I guess I need to look at the numbers on the two weapons/rounds to see how the ballistics compare.

Look away, the .500 Mag is WAY out of the .50 DE's league. What is a full load in the DE is a modest load in the .500.

If you want to seat the slugs out to use the full cylinder length like John Ross does, the difference becomes much greater. Plus, you can shoot anything out of the .500. With the DE, you're restricted to more expensive jacketed slugs.

The .500 IS the king of the power hill. Don

 

[fat tom]

Nuthin' to it. Little girls shoot 'em!

YouTube - ‪The S&W 500 and my wife2‬‏

f.t.

 

[RobertJ.]

I have a friend, Kip, who's entire collection of guns is rotated from year to year. Once, he bought a .375 H&H, because he wanted to be able to flatten an elk at 300 yards. The funny part is that he's never even shot a deer before. He sold it after it knocked his glasses off the second time!

More recently he bought the big .500, with the 8" barrel. We played with it thoroughly, with some pretty big handloads, too. If I moved back to Alaska I might own one, but I see no need for one in the hills of the Oregon coast. My 629 will take an elk if I need it to.

Since then, Kip sold the .500, and bought a Ruger Redhawk.

 

[617X10]

I'd have more fun with a .22
If you have more fun listening to loud noises and blowing things up than you do honing your shooting skills maybe you should join the military and go for EOD.

 

[kritter]

their not too bad for honing your shooting skills either..

and really they aren't that bad recoil wise, a 240 grain slug out of a four inch .44 feels about the same to me.

 

[ohiococonut]

Who says you can't hone shooting skills with a 500

If you have more fun listening to loud noises and blowing things up than you do honing your shooting skills maybe you should join the military and go for EOD.

Well, you can count me out. I hate loud noises so I wear electronic ear muffs when I shoot my 500's. I don't blow things up, I just poke holes in paper and critters. And I'm too old (53), the military won't have me. Now, as far as honing my shooting skills? I truly believe the 500 has helped in every aspect. I have several targets with 1 hole, 5 shot groups at 25yds with my 500's if you'd care to see them. Now shooting every handgun I own has only gotten better. Surely I'm not the exception to the rule. My point is not every one that owns a 500 shoots them just because they think they're COOL!

 

[TDC]

Nice group, kritter, and with open sights too... That's the way I hunt with mine.

I've hunted big bull elk and black bear for over thirty years with either a 29 or a 57. Two years ago I switched to a 6.5 500. IMHO,NOTHING compares to this handgun caliber for delivered energy, flat trajectory or all around hunting competence.

They aren't for everybody.... they weren't intended to be. But for those of us who look for some of our handguns to be a working tool and more than an occasional toy, no regular production handgun today matches the S&W 500...

 

[TACC1]

I'd try the 500 if I was even 10 years younger. Finally got a .44Mag,
and going by stories from people who've shot the .500, I doubt
I could keep it in my hands from the recoil.
Keep in mind, while you're having a great time, that John Taffin
has warned about getting hair-line fractures in his shooting-hand wrist.
He said that even Elmer Keith only shot full-house ammo on a limited basis. Even if I couldn't shoot a 500, I'd like to be at the range while someone else is wringing one out. I'll admit to liking big bangs and
muzzle-blast that flattens the grass!
TACC1

 

[Engineer1911]

I've seen 3 people shoot a 500 S&W. I DON"T need too. Eleven, 2 Rugers and 9 S&W, 44 mags have passed through my hands. I still have the S&W's.

Top of the list not to own: TC in 44 mag, 500 S&W, 460 S&W. Watching was enough.

 

[Hondo44]

I love my 500, the model with a 3" barrel and 1" compensater. I like letting other people shoot it who would just like to be able to experience it once and say they shot one. I always give them pointers first. I'm not a wiseguy who hands them the gun then snickers behind their back while they touch it off.

Every shooter doesn't have to try it once but many do just for the adrenaline rush. But yes, wear double ear protection; muffs and plugs which I do anyway with any of my big bores.

It's like riding a horse, go with the flow; don't try to contain the recoil, just roll with it. The 4 lbs of gun and Hogue Tamer grips with gel backstrap protection make it shootable. And when I shoot it a lot, I shoot 500 Specials instead of Magnums.

It is a hard recoiler but not the worst production gun. In my opinion, the most wicked is the Smith 329, a Ti/Scandium lightwieght of about 20 ozs. and 4" barrel. That gun with 350 gr full house 44 mag loads is just plain viscious and it doesn't even come with the Tamer grips! After my 1st experience I only shoot it with Tamers and reasonable 44 mag loads.

 

[6pack]

My two 5-shot S&W wheelguns:

Love 'em both.

Both are pusscats to shoot, too.


Me and a buddy one cold day at the range a few months ago. Gotta love weekdays off and plenty of 440gr loads to burn up.

I was at our favorite local gunshop with my son, who first saw this monstrosity of a handgun on the shelf. I shot a pic and texted it to my buddy.

3 hours later he texted me a pic of the same gun.....in his truckseat. He'd slipped in there and bought it.

Over the next few days I did some serious research on the .500S&W and this gun in particular. I called my local gunshop owner and told him I had to have one, too. 4 days later.....I had my limited edition PC version, too. Sweetest trigger and finish I've ever had on any handgun.

I can't wait to hunt with it this coming deer season. Love shooting this monster. Hearing protection is the only way to hunt with it, though.


Anyway....we were finished with the serious shooting of the day and just goofing around. I'd just added a DroidX phone to my EDC and it was too easy to shot vids and instantly upload to youtube. Dangerously easy.

We love some recoil.


YouTube - ‪Shooting two S&W 500 Bone Collectors‬‏



YouTube - ‪SHOOTING TWO S&W 500 BONE COLLECTORS -JAKE‬‏



Unrelated but shot the same day.....if you are looking for a shotgun that absolutely kills recoil....I mean completely kills it: Beretta Xtrema2 with KickOFF system. Taking this gun home with me ranked up there with taking home that puppy you've alwasy wanted....and knowing that you'd be best friends for the next decade or more. I can't recomend these scatterguns enough. Bad medicine for anything furred or feathered.

These same 3.5" magnum turkey loads will self eject from most pump shotguns I've fired them in. They simply pound your butt. Follow up shots from my Benelli Supernova is a tough chore. This Benelli is well built to handle recoil, too. It's just that this shell rocks you back and pushes the barrel up and offline. Not so in this little 'retta. Best money I've ever spent. Duck loads are a breeze....stays on target.

YouTube - ‪Shooting Xtrema2 3.5" Winchester Supreme Turkey loads‬‏


YouTube - ‪Shooting Xtrema2 3.5" Winchester Supreme Turkey loads‬‏

 

[DonD]

TDC, your photography looks like something a good studio would do. Very classy. Don

 

[DonD]

I'd have more fun with a .22
If you have more fun listening to loud noises and blowing things up than you do honing your shooting skills maybe you should join the military and go for EOD.

Every shooter should have a .22 pistol and rifle but the .500 Mag brings real pleasure at the other end of the scale. It's the 16"/50 battleship gun of the pistol world.

If I were a hunter (I like hunting, just never seem to get around to doing so), the .500 would be superb. Like many, I just punch holes in paper and blow up water filled milk jugs. Don

 

[carl3989]

Video of 2 rapid shots .

In this video it shows how unfamilarity with a large caliber handgun can induce the rapid fire of two shots. YouTube - ‪FULL AUTO 500 S&W‬‏

 

[jphendren]

I've shot the 8 3/8" model, with 400gr factory loads. I fired it along side my Freedom Arms .454 Casull. IMO the .500 is more comfortable, and controllable to shoot than the .454 Casull with full power 300gr loads. I fired a much better group with the .500 than I ever have with the .454.

Jared