Quick, down and dirty opinion of a 4 inch 500?

[John Brown]

There is a 4 inch 500 mag locally for sale. Something about it intrigues me and at the same time, it seems almost silly.

How about some quick, concise opinions on these?

BTW, I'm not afraid of recoil.

Thanks

 

[Smithhound]

IMHO, no other reason for this to exist other than 'One upsmanship'. I guess if you live in a region prone to attack by rabid Brown Bears, or have a problem with Rosie O'Donnell persistently rooting thru your garbage then get it, if they really intrigue you go for it. Ammo is expensive, even reloading for it is costly.
Of course I scoffed at people who bought Microsoft stock at the IPO, "Personal Computers, bahh, what a joke"....so take my advice with large grains of salt.
Seriously, if you want it, get it. Life is short, enjoy.
RD

 

[jframefreak]

I'd like to have one, just to be able to say I've got one. Ammo will bankrupt you if you shoot a lot. I say if the price is right and it turns you on, git it!

 

[.357 mag]

You can still hunt with a 4 inch. Put a scope on it and hammer away. I know a guy that hunting with a 5 inch 460.

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

The .460 can also shoot 454 Casual & 45 Long Colt & that makes it alot more versitile than the 500 IMO..
I'd even bet that some of the .410 handgun loads could also be used in the .460..

 

[John Brown]

I see where you are coming from, but the one available locally is a 500. I have yet to see a 460 for sale around here.

 

[Bendutro]

The .460 can also shoot 454 Casual & 45 Long Colt & that makes it alot more versitile than the 500 IMO..
I'd even bet that some of the .410 handgun loads could also be used in the .460..

The 500's performance envelope is wider than the 460's. Trimming an eighth inch off the brass doesn't make it different.

 

[epj]

I gotta vote with the silly part, unless you run into frequent grizzlys or Rosie. However, if it spins your prop- go fer it.

 

[John Brown]

I hunt and fish Montana quite a bit. Might come in handy there.

 

[cp1969]

To each his own, but it would not be for me. If I need that much power, I'll carry a rifle. That's what they're for.

 

[scooter123]

LOUD, very very freakishly LOUD. About a month ago I was spending some "quality time" with my 617 when the fellow in the next land broke one out. Because it's a 50 yard indoor rifle range I always double up on hearing protection, however the 500 Magnum is loud enough that you feel it in your bones and feel the backdraft in your face. I put the 617 down and just stepped back from the bench to enjoy the fireworks. With the hearing protection I found it a bit enjoyable, sort of like the big boomers on the 4th of July. However, the young lady in the lane on the other side of the 500 Magnum shooter was visibly shocked and looked to be on the edge of tears.

I have to give the shooter credit, he was grouping at about 3 inches at 15 yards, which considering the recoil and muzzle blast is rather exceptional in my opinion. However, when talking to him later I suggested in the future that he might want to have the RO announce to the firing line than an extremely LOUD handgun was going to be used and suggest that those sensitive to having a stick of dynamite detonated 15 feet away should step back from the firing line and just enjoy the fireworks.

BTW, this wasn't the first time I've been exposed to the volume produced by the 500. The first time it was the 8 3/8 inch version, which I believe is a bit quieter than the 4 inch gun. However, with no warning it was still enough to have me levitate about 8 inches above ground. It's also when I learned to double up on the hearing protection, make it a lot less of a shock when someone opens up with something exceptional. I've also never seen more than 10 rounds expended by anyone shooting one of these big boys, considering the cost of the ammo that's not too surprizing.

If you can afford it and it's ammo, plus can tolerate the recoil, then go for it. Take it from a grumpy old man, you only live once and you may as well enjoy the time you have here.

 

[John Brown]

Yeah, but a rifle can't fit on my belt while I'm fly fishing.

 

[DCWilson]

Oh, go ahead. If you don't like it, you can sell it for almost as much as you paid for it.

I bought mine used off a consignment shelf a couple of years ago. I haven't shot it much, but it groups as well as it needs to and it's kind of fun in a noisy, not too responsible kind of way.

This was actually 10 shots at 10 yards. Ignore the X-ed out label. The rounds were very soft home defense loads, the equivalent of a jacked-up .44 Special or low-end .44 Magnum.

 

[Bendutro]

The "4 inch" 500 is really 3 1/4" of barrel and 3/4" of compensator. Or was it 5/8" of compensator?

Either way, the short barrel doesn't have the length to stabilize the big bullets. If you want to shoot the heavy lumps, you'd prefer a little more barrel. If you're gonna carry it, the 4" may be your ideal gun.

IMHO, a 5" barrel with no underlug or compensator is perfect.

 

[John Brown]

Thanks guys. You helped me decide to not get it. I have other options I can carry on my fishing trips, that aren't so darned expensive to shoot.

 

[nutsforsmiths]

I've shot both the 5" and 8" 500 and both are very shootable and accurate. If the 4' floats your boat, go for it.

I almost bought a used 5" 460 last year, but already have the 8", so I thought one hand cannon in my stable was enough.

 

[kennyb]

hmmm...get it why not??

 

[Engineer1911]

You're fly fishing enjoying the outdoors, babbling brooks, chirping birds, scampering squirrels. Oops, there is an angry bear!

Drop flyrod, pull your trusty 500 from your fast draw holster and fire 3 rounds killing the bear and saving your life. It's sooo quiet. No birds, no squirrels, just incredible silence, maybe just a slight ring in the ears.

Welcome to the world of the deaf! No one wears ear protection fly fishing!

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

If I was in bear country, that 500 would be glued to my chest, but that's just me.

If your a reloader than the 500 makes a great handgun. It's accurate and if you want it loud, just keep the comp on, otherwise remove it and the gun sounds like a 44. Believe it or not, that comp is worthless, except for annoying anyone within 50 yards of you...

I've been shooting one since they came out, and I've waited like 4-5 months for the first one.
If you like recoil and really big holes, there is no other gun that will totally put a big grin on your face. Don't fool yourself your going to get a work out shooting it. Of course, shooting a cylinder full won't hurt you or break the bank, it's when you shoot 50-100 at a time of the full power loads. Then you sit down and are tired, just like you wrestled a 300LB piano out of the basement.

I enjoy the gun, most do. Also, I've seen everyone grin ear to ear after they fire the first shot.

Find somebody that has one and try it. If you find it fun then go for it.

Last year during the winter time, I fired several rounds at 200 yards using my 350gn reloads. If sighted in at 20 YRDs, the POI is darn close to 200 yards, at least by the snow hits. Sure I didn't make a 2" group but the splashes were on.

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

can tolerate the recoil, then go for it.

When this gun came out in 2003 I broke my shooting hand. I was out of work for 6 weeks. That's when I went down and dropped nearly 900 bucks for the first model.

The cast came off and I was told to get back to work. The hand was still sore, and I just wanted to try out that big gun. I was working up full power 44 magnum loads and could shoot them fine.

I figured I was good to go. I grabbed the 400gn Corbon loads that I purchased with the gun and headed off to the range. No one has even seen such a beast and I didn't know what to expect.

I loaded it up and fired 1 shot. That gun hurt my hand so bad I nearly dropped the revolver! I fired one shot and drove home thinking I broke the hand again...

When I got home, the hand felt better, no damage. I realized what I did. I was so concerned about the recoil, I locked my elbow and wrist, so when the gun recoiled, it just drove straight back and jammed all the joints in my arm. The hand was sore anyway's, which didn't help.

To shoot this gun, keep a firm grip but keep your elbow slightly bent. With this shooting stance the elbow will act like a shock absorber. No jammed joints!! That's my tip in shooting it.

 

[Stainz]

Hey, even the 'Bones' gal (Fox TV's 'Bones' show!) has a 4" S&W .500 Magnum...

I wanted one in 4" - no comp - after seeing/shooting an early 8 3/8" .500. Still having a .454 SRH at the time, I knew what a decent push was. Shooting outdoors - late in the afternoon - the .500 was more - the flash seemed more - but the noise was a lot more - and my main memory. My use? 440gr LWC's at 'special' velocities - 800 fps - for 'personal protection', not urban renewal - like 'regular' .500 Magnums. The only non-comp model I know of is the 5" John Ross .500 Magnum pictured earlier - it was a bit over my price.

The desire passed - my last few S&W revolver purchases were .357/.38 & .22 rimfire. If you don't act fast - the desire will wane... mine did... until I saw this post... I wonder if there are any 5" John Ross .500's left?

Stainz

 

[Bendutro]

I'm almost certain he has some left. Give him a call! The gun's value is more stable than cash right now.

I have never seen a private party selling a JR gun. They're that good. No one sells them.

 

[BUFF]

Most of the handguns and rifles I own have very little real world "need" involved. I thought they were cool, I liked them, I was curious, whatever, if I had the scratch I bought them.

I sold my 8-3/8 inch M-500 and M-460. I kept my 4 inch M-500. Not the logical thing, but I liked the cool factor of the short gun best.

I just bought speed loaders for the 500, too. What the heck do I need speed loaders for a 500 for?

If you don't like it, you can always resell it. Any monetary loss you may encounter is usually fairly inexpensive entertainment and/or education.

That's how I look at it, anyway.

 

[.460V & XVR Magnum Man]

I have both of the .500's the 4" you were asking about and the 6.5" half lug barrel. And I have both the .460's the 5"V and the 8 3/8"XVR. The .500's are something else, both are different than each other, the 4" has a really good snap to it and as Magnum Nut said don't fight it use the elbow and it is quite managable. The 6.5" is a bit tamer but not too much. As for accuracy once you get over them making you nervous the first time out they group quite well. I use 350 grain loads and my grandson who is 14 can shoot it, and not too bad either. In fact his very first shot with the 4", ( I broke him in with the .460XVR with lite loads), he hit a water filled milk jug at about 30 feet. That sold him! Anyway you should get it, they have done nothing but increase in value and if the price is right get it and you won't be sorry. It is not the target gun to shoot 200 rounds thru, just take it to the range get the feel of it and then when you go out fishing a T-Rex won't even be able to mess with you, much less a bear. I enjoy all my big guns. I don't shoot a lot at the range with them. I take my 617's and my 686P, and my 29's when I go. Then just to keep in practice with them I let everyone know "EARS" and run a few rounds thru the barrel just to stay current. Plus everyone gets a sound and light show. I would say to get it you can't go wrong, I did like you and kept saying should I or shouldn't I and got the 6.5". It was so impressive I decided to get the 4", so my pair would complete the set like my pair of .460's. Hope this helps your decision, you will have a "BLAST" and some really great protection when you are out fishing and that bear decides you are messing with his lunch and wants to get you away from his fish. Take care and hope you get it you will be glad you did. The .460's are fun and the .500's are even more. Enjoy!

 

[oldman2]

4" 500mag

I have one. I bought it when we went to Alaska fishing. You have to reload for it to have any fun.I,ve taken 2 deer 2 wild boar & a black bear. I use 375 gr cast bullets with Lil' gun or Trail Boss.Its kind of mild
with the Trail Boss. Try it you,ll like.

old man 2

 

[ol timer]

You're fly fishing enjoying the outdoors, babbling brooks, chirping birds, scampering squirrels. Oops, there is an angry bear!

Drop flyrod, pull your trusty 500 from your fast draw holster and fire 3 rounds killing the bear and saving your life. It's sooo quiet. No birds, no squirrels, just incredible silence, maybe just a slight ring in the ears.

Welcome to the world of the deaf! No one wears ear protection fly fishing!

Given a choice between temporary hearing loss or the alternative, I'll choose to stick around and say "Huh?"

 

[John Brown]

Common sense prevailed. I passed on it. I had surgery on my hand not so long ago that I can forget what I went through. No sense tempting fate.

I have a few other guns that will do what I need. Thanks for all the input.

 

[500 Magnum Nut]

The only non-comp model I know of is the 5" John Ross .500 Magnum pictured earlier - it was a bit over my price.
Stainz

Nah, I got a non-comp model too, it's kinda rare. When S&W made the 460, they offered different comps for it, plus a no hole comp. I bought a few and modified them to run in the 500.

Too bad S&W won't make anymore. I snail-mailed them to purchase a run of blanks and they frankly refused. Even if I ordered 500 the answer was no.

Anyway a few guys have the 500 this way.

 

[MTKTM]

I have one of the very first 8 3/8" 500s with the permanently attached smaller comp, and an early 4" with the removable/switchable ones. The 4" is really a 3" with the last inch being the comp. I've shot both guns fairly extensively although in all honesty I shoot the longer one more. Presumably because of the design of the comp, I find the 'sting' to the hand to be less in the 4" than in the longer gun with identical loads, but the blast/flash is considerably greater, almost stunning. I've chronographed for comparison sake a number of factory and handloads and find that the 4" is about 200 fps, give or take, slower with max or close to max loads.

I live in NW Montana and spend a fair amount of time in griz country during the summer, and that was my rationale for buying the 4" (I had owned the 8 3/8" for a couple of years before I did), to carry while hiking, camping and huckleberry picking in the mountains here. And that's what I do with it. That chunk of steel on my belt is quite comforting.

 

[S.B.]

Oh, go ahead. If you don't like it, you can sell it for almost as much as you paid for it.

I bought mine used off a consignment shelf a couple of years ago. I haven't shot it much, but it groups as well as it needs to and it's kind of fun in a noisy, not too responsible kind of way.

This was actually 10 shots at 10 yards. Ignore the X-ed out label. The rounds were very soft home defense loads, the equivalent of a jacked-up .44 Special or low-end .44 Magnum.

I own and shoot a S&W 500 and I've got to say, those holes don't look like 1/2" holes to me, especially against your 500 handgun?
Steve