How about a .500 Magnum thread -- All models Pros & Cons!

[ohiococonut]

Rich,
I have 5 of them and here's an example of what I have mounted on one of them. Some say you don't ""need" four rings, to each his own. When these beast first came out I spent the better part of a year finding out what worked and what didn't. Simply put, 3-4 rings work, and two didn't cut it. These are Warne Maxima rings. Not only was I concerned with the scope slipping, there's the tremendous amount of recoil that causes flexing in the scope tube. The longer the tube the more rings I added so there's no worry. Since I've mounted 3-4 rings on my big bores I've had no problems whatsoever. It does help to add rosin also.

 

[devildog66]

Rich,
I have 5 of them and here's an example of what I have mounted on one of them. Some say you don't ""need" four rings, to each his own. When these beast first came out I spent the better part of a year finding out what worked and what didn't. Simply put, 3-4 rings work, and two didn't cut it. These are Warne Maxima rings. Not only was I concerned with the scope slipping, there's the tremendous amount of recoil that causes flexing in the scope tube. The longer the tube the more rings I added so there's no worry. Since I've mounted 3-4 rings on my big bores I've had no problems whatsoever. It does help to add rosin also.

I notice you have what look like the Herretts Ropers on yours. How do you like them? Also, I wish that SW made one that didn't have the full compensator; I appreciate the lessening of the direct recoil but despise the blast re-direct and commensurate noise increase.

 

[retiredsquid]

ohiococonut,
I like that setup. This morning I finally received an email response from Leupold (I had sent them a note but did not get a reply, so I called them) offering to send me an additional QRW ring for mine. I sent the guy a note back saying the scope and rings were already on their way to Leupold and gave him my account number and the guy's name I was sending it to in their Technical Services department.

I'm about half temped to mount my NIB Nikon Monarch 2X on the gun with Warne Maxima rings (I have a couple of sets on my bench that I could use.) If I don't have something from them by the 28th I may just do that.
Regards,
Rich

 

[DonD]

Don,If it were not for my eye sight going south with age I would not do the scope, either.Regards,
Rich

Hi Rich, my eyes have gone south but I find that reticle movement when shooting a scoped handgun erodes my confidence more than dealing with fuzzy iron sights. Just my preferred compromise. Enjoy your beasts, I do mine. Don

 

[7P's]

Maybe a different set of rings would give better performance? I have the same scope with a pair of SSK rings ($30) and nothing moved under recoil. The scope set up is a little heavy for me for everything except working up loads off a bench - going with a 0.5 ounce red dot (Leupold DeltaPoint) prove to be the ticket for me for general shooting & in the field.

As Don alluded to - the X-hairs do dance around that target when you turn up the magnification, but it's all good when you can keep all rounds on the dance floor.

 

[retiredsquid]

Leupold just called and have the scope in hand. They are going to replace the scope tube and will be sending an additional QRW ring. They did offer to give me credit toward a set of Mark IV rings, but I would rather have the quick release capability.

 

[retiredsquid]

The scope made it home yesterday afternoon and for all intents and purposes it is a brand new scope. That was a total of six days from the time I dropped it off at the post office until it was back in my hands. Not too shabby for going to Oregon and back to Arkansas. Great Leupold service, as always! The extra ring is in the mail and as soon as it arrives I'll be remounting it and get it sighted back in again.

I'm hoping that with rosin and three rings I should be set to go.
Rich

P.S. Was up at Bass Pro Shop outlet store on Wednesday and got a super deal on a new Leupold FX-II 4X28mm silver handgun scope. Now I have a spare.

 

[dwever]

Possible Con: I guess I'm not sure what you need that kind of fire-power for in North America other than perhaps in big bear country or Canadian elk. My fire arm experience and training is military and LE so mine is a question not a critique.

I bought my first hunting weapon ever in 2008, an S&W 629 Stealth Hunter (back when their Stealth Hunter was the half lug stainless, not the current one). It has a Leupold 2X20 and I use 250 Grain Winchester Partition Gold HP. It reaches way out, and will certainly take anything down we have here in the South East.

Again, no criticism here - an honest question re practical application.

 

[7P's]

Possible Con: I guess I'm not sure what you need that kind of fire-power for in North America other than perhaps in big bear country or Canadian elk. My fire arm experience and training is military and LE so mine is a question not a critique.

I bought my first hunting weapon ever in 2008, an S&W 629 Stealth Hunter (back when their Stealth Hunter was the half lug stainless, not the current one). It has a Leupold 2X20 and I use 250 Grain Winchester Partition Gold HP. It reaches way out, and will certainly take anything down we have here in the South East.

Again, no criticism here - an honest question re practical application.

JUST CUS. In the military you possibly saw or knew what the 223 was capable of compared to the 308 and 50 BMG – same applies here.

A 357 Mag loaded with the right bullet is a great hunting round, as is the 44 Special, 44 Mag, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, 475 Linebaugh, 500 Smith & the 500 Linebaugh among other calibers. The larger calibers punch bigger holes with heavier bullets usually at lower pressures and you don't have to drive them anywhere near max velocity to achieve complete penetration on most, if not all, North American game. Getting the animal's blood pressure down to zero as quick as possible is always a good thing.

The next time you look at your dead whatever, just remember, you could have done the exact same thing with a larger caliber, which would have created a much larger permanent wound cavity than your 44 mag did and the recoil would probably have been the same or you could load them to light speed, obtaining about the same results with the exception of recoil, which could be described as brutal, depending upon the caliber.

I shoot handcannons because I want to, which has nothing to do with need. I can also miss any type of target just as easy with my hand cannons, as I can with any of my other revolvers.

 

[retiredsquid]

dwever,
Please don't take this the wrong way or as a flame, because it is not in any way shape or form. Need has never really had much to do with my selection of any gun or vehicle once I got past the basic purchases necessary to live. I would have been sufficiently armed with the first Super Blackhawk .44 I bought some 30 years or so ago. Since then the collection/accumulation has grown to a sizeable number of .44s from Ruger and S&W. Then I got into .41s and love them, too and have ended up with a good number -- talk about a round that does not get the respect it deserves. Along comes the .500 S&W and I got onboard with one of the first ones out. Then last year S&W offered military folks a substantial discount direct and that was my opportunity for the Performance Center .500 Hunter.

I believe had the .460 came out first I would have gone with it instead based on the ballistics and flexibility of the gun to handle three different rounds.

I have a lifetime supply of bullets for the .500 that I got at a super price and can shoot it for very close to the lesser calibers components. There are some very good loads that are capable of taking game with less felt recoil than a .44 round out of the Model 629. The .500 will certainly open up a wound channel that will lower the blood pressure on a critter pretty darned fast. Having said that I think the last five deer I have taken have been with either a .44 or .41

I'm taking my 80+ year old Dad out west in a couple of weeks to hunt in Wyoming. I really want to see how the .500 performs out there. Besides, I've got a Big Horn Armory Model 89 lever action on order at this time. Hopefully we can make a side trip to check on it while out that way.

Lots of folks buy different guns not due to need, but because they can. ;-) Gotta love America for that.

As you will have seen I had a problem with the scope slipping on my revolver recently. Leupold did a fantastic job of getting it repaired and kicked in an additional ring to help grip it better -- total turn around time was 7 days for everything. Plus, I received a couple of personal calls from the technician and several emails -- no better customer service from any corporation around IMO. You know who is going to make any future scopes for me. I've got it mounted just like ohiococonut has his.

Anyway, I got the scope mounted and was only able to put 15 rounds down range before I had to stop and take my Dad to the E.R. (accident on the tractor while plowing -- cuts and bruises to right hand and leg, but stitches will take care of him and he is okay.) So far no signs of scope shifting and I think I am really close to being dead on with the new Hornady 300 grain FTX bullet. Just as soon as the fog lifts I'll finish that task up.
Regards,
Rich

P.S. I do use shooting sticks with this one, but most likely will with most of my guns in the future due to hands beginning to shake the last couple of years.

 

[MTKTM]

dwever, when I was a young man the only gun I had (other than a side-by-side 12 gauge that didn't shoot slugs well at all) was a 357 revolver (Model 27 6.5") and over a period of several years shot a half-dozen deer with that gun. Most were legal whereas a couple were not, but the statute-of-limitations has run on those so I can 'fess up now. I was a starving college student! In any case, the 357 did get the job done, but every deer I shot had to be followed for some considerable distance and a couple had to be then dispatched with a second shot.

I've never shot a deer with a 44 Magnum, but have seen it done at the hands of my father and one of his friends. Similar deal, they all ran although the 44 seemed to assure that they wouldn't run quite as far.

Okay, I realize that all of this is anecdotal and anecdotal isn't anything remotely approaching empirical scientific data, I'm not claiming that, but I also tend to think the proof is in the pudding to some extent. I bought one of the very first 500s, an 8 3/8" with the fixed comp, in 2003, and used it to take a deer that fall. I was using the 440 gr. CorBon load. The buck was between 30-40 yards away facing, quartering, slowly approaching, and I waited for him to get as close as he was going to get before seeing me. He finally spotted me, his ears pivoted my way, his head came up, and he tensed and was about to bolt when I pressed off the shot. When the gun came down from recoil and I peered over my outstretched hands and the dropping sights, all I could see was four deer-legs sticking straight up in the air. That deer didn't move an inch of his own volition, he was DRT. That counts for something in my book. I've not hunted deer or any big game with a revolver since that time, but if/when I ever do it'll be with the 500, no doubt about it. The gun inspires a lot of confidence in me.

 

[DonD]

I agree. Those who obsess about supposedly scientific analysis of wound ballistics, stretch and permanent cavities etc.I think miss the point to an extent. They tend to dismiss projectile kinetic energy.

When I see the .500 Mag absolutely detonate water jugs in a way that dwarfs a .308, I believe that the wide meplat does serious damage well away from the wound channel.

I also read articles like Dick Metcalf's saying the .500 penetrated 5' in a cape buffalo after shattering the heavy bones of the shoulder.

I believe the .500 is an impressively capable hunting firearm regardless of the likelihood that 95% of owners do little more than blow up jugs and make dirt fly. Don

 

[dwever]

Man, I hate these responses. Now I am toying with shopping .460's and .500's.

Great thread. Thanks guys

 

[DCWilson]

Here's mine. Don't shoot it much, but enjoy the experience when I do. It's just a paper puncher for me. Groups well, but I need to figure out sight adjustments for different distances.

Ignore the x-ed out label on the target. That's actually 10 rounds at 15 yards rather than 5 at 50 feet; I hung the paper for a second go-around late in the session after I had already marked it for the first five at the wrong distance. Soft loads, RN bullets that tear through the paper rather than cut it cleanly. OK group for up close. I need to work with this at longer distances. In general, four-inch barrels give me better results on any size frame than do longer tubes.

 

[DonD]

Man, I hate these responses. Now I am toying with shopping .460's and .500's.

Great thread. Thanks guys

Don't resist the temptation, give into it and enjoy!

You DO know that these forums are addictive, right? Don

 

[jrb_pro]

Don't resist the temptation, give into it and enjoy!

You DO know that these forums are addictive, right? Don

I've figured that out the hard way. I'm on here like every day now.

...and I want a 460 or a 500 now.

Ah, what have you all done to me??

lol

 

[MTKTM]

Here's mine. Don't shoot it much, but enjoy the experience when I do. It's just a paper puncher for me. Groups well, but I need to figure out sight adjustments for different distances.

Ignore the x-ed out label on the target. That's actually 10 rounds at 15 yards rather than 5 at 50 feet; I hung the paper for a second go-around late in the session after I had already marked it for the first five at the wrong distance. Soft loads, RN bullets that tear through the paper rather than cut it cleanly. OK group for up close. I need to work with this at longer distances. In general, four-inch barrels give me better results on any size frame than do longer tubes.

That's a great group! I have two 500s, one of the original 8 3/8" and also this same 4".....which is really a 3" if you remove the comp. I bought the shorter gun a couple of years later primarily to carry when I go huckleberry picking in the mountains around here. I've shot it quite a bit but find that I'm not able to get the accuracy with it that I can with the longer gun, but good enough for close encounters of the hairy/toothy kind. Because the comp is bigger and perhaps better designed, I find that the recoil of the shorter gun is actually a little bit less with identical loads, but the muzzle flash is greater. I fiddled around with different loads and bullets, but have decided that my handloaded version of the CorBon 440grain is best......I use a CastPerformance 440gr. hard-cast gas-check SWC style bullet over 40grains of H110/W296 (same powder, different can) which, in my guns, produces the same velocities as the CorBon with no signs of overpressure.

I love my 500s. I'd like to have the John Ross 5" and to experiment with some ultra heavy bullets, but have had other shooting and sundry priorities recently. One of these days, though.....

 

[ohiococonut]

Accurate, you bet

devildog66, the grips are actually Herrett Jordan Troopers. I got them from DonD. Apparently we have the same size hands and I'm glad he decided to part with them. I like them much better than the factory rubbers because they lower the axis of my grip making it much more comfortable to shoot believe it or not.

retiredsquid, I'm sure when you get the 3rd ring and have it mounted your problems with slipping will go away. Unfortunately, now that I have to wear glasses optical sights are my only option when to comes to handguns.

If anyone doubts the accuracy of the 500 I've got plenty of targets to show otherwise, and not from just one gun or one load.

This target is from my first outing with my 350gr Hornady handloads in my first gun. 25yds, open sights off of sandbags. Before I had to get glasses. The first 4 shots are in the upper right. The one that looks like a flyer, isn't. I though I was missing the target since I could only see one hole and moved my point of aim.

Here's another one, same situation with 400gr Sierras.

Same situation, Speer 325gr.

My scoped 500's will do the same thing or better at 50yds. At 100 and 200yds the groups are still impressive for a wheel gun.

 

[EdK]

Scope mounting

Regarding scope mounting it is most definitely beneficial to increase area with additional rings. That said we might want to examine how well our first two rings are working.

Ring to scope contact can often be improved through reaming and/or lapping. This is something I first learned from rifle benchrest shooters and have since applied to my handgunning. Before that it always bothered me that when installing a pricy Leupold scope I would notice nasty crimp marks on the tube. I always scratched my head over that one but ringed (used) scope tubes seems to be the norm. After learning about this and successfully employing the technique I once called Leupold customer service about it and they said it was not recommended. The rep could not give me a good answer as to why not and I summed it up as their not being willing to admit to producing imperfect rings. If scope rings were really supposed to grab scope tubes in that manner why wouldn't scope rings more closely resemble alligator clamps?

Anyhow after systematically reaming and lapping I find I can run a given cartridge with fewer rings than before. Burris signature rings with the pliable plastic inserts are a good alternative.

edit: I failed to include that although I'm a S&W enthusiast my one and only 500 is a custom TC Encore tube. Who needs more than one shot with this thing!

 

[quickdraw03]

Rich,
I have 5 of them and here's an example of what I have mounted on one of them. Some say you don't ""need" four rings, to each his own. When these beast first came out I spent the better part of a year finding out what worked and what didn't. Simply put, 3-4 rings work, and two didn't cut it. These are Warne Maxima rings. Not only was I concerned with the scope slipping, there's the tremendous amount of recoil that causes flexing in the scope tube. The longer the tube the more rings I added so there's no worry. Since I've mounted 3-4 rings on my big bores I've had no problems whatsoever. It does help to add rosin also.

ohiococonut,

Is the compensator removable? How does that gun shoot?