Will There be a 500 S&W Special Revolver?

[Desertrat44]

I've been out of the loop for a while. Just a lot of things going on. But I was just browsing around on the Smith and Wesson website and under the revolver category you can select the 500 S&W Special as a caliber. It doesn't bring up a revolver, but. I was wondering if anyone on here has heard anything in that regard? I think a 500 Special would be a sweet shooting iron. I've always been intrigued by the 500 Magnum, but IMHO the 500 special would be a lot more pleasant to shoot while still offering plenty of ballistics.

Maybe its just a pipe dream but I wanted to check with everyone on here and see if anyone had heard anything.

 

[The_Truth]

Looking forward to a .50 cal J frame myself

 

[DonD]

Really?? Why bother, you can handload the 500 Mag to virtually any power level that is reasonable. I think there are people making 500 Special ammo but again, why bother?

You don't buy a 500 Mag soley for firing low end rounds and using a shorter case means cleaning issues caused by a shorter case length. Don

 

[Dieseltech56]

I think an x frame snubby with a shorter cylinder would be one fine looking piece.

 

[Desertrat44]

My thoughts on this wouldn't be to buy a 500 mag to shoot specials through. But an entirely new x-frame revolver that at least in my mind would be slightly scaled down in weight and thus be more packable. And extra cleaning because of carbon build up etc wouldn't be an issue as it would be chambered in 500 special. Not magnum.

 

[The_Truth]

I must admit, I'm actually digging this idea.

 

[memtb]

If it wasn’t in the works.....after this topic,it may be! There may be a demand for this. Even if velocities for say a 440 grain SWC, were kept around 900 -1000 fps.....it would be quite a “stopping” handgun! memtb

 

[Black Sunshine]

300gn rounds feel about the same as a 240gn out of my DW 44 mag. Mild.

 

[Univibe]

So when they remake Dirty Harry, Inspector Callahan will carry the 8 3/8 inch 500 magnum, "The most powerful handgun in the world."

His female partner will carry a five-inch 500 Special.

 

[steelslaver]

A few years back, I looked over a 480 Ruger Redhawk at a pawn shop, Found it interesting as I am a big bore guy. Not as interesting as the model 4" model 28 with target hammer and grips for $500. But an N sized 5 shot N frame in a 500 caliber would be kind of neat,

 

[JayFramer]

Shrink the frame to more of an enlargened N frame size, give it L-frame gripframe, round butt, shorten the cylinder and backseat the barrel (like how they do on the M625s), give it a 3.5” bbl, adjustable fibrosights, rubber grips, and NO LOCK.

 

[Black Sunshine]

So when they remake Dirty Harry, Inspector Callahan will carry the 8 3/8 inch 500 magnum, "The most powerful handgun in the world."

His female partner will carry a five-inch 500 Special.

He'll have to change the dialogue... "...did he fire 4 or did he fire 5...I don't know for sure myself...I kinda lost count in all the excitement....

 

[skipnsb]

N frame .500 special

Could the N frame hold the pressure? I can't find any published loads/pressure for the .500 special, please link if you have any. thanks

 

[THEmodelof1989]

Imagine this...

A 700 grain bullet traveling at 900 feet per second has muzzle energy of 1259 foot pounds. Thats getting to rifle level energy that shouldn't over penetrate too badly.

The .500 JRH runs a 350 grain bullet traveling at 1500 feet per second; muzzle energy is 1749 foot pounds. Here's a link to buffalo bores offerings if anyone is interested...

500 JRH - aka 500 S&W SHORT

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Could the N frame hold the pressure? I can't find any published loads/pressure for the .500 special, please link if you have any. thanks

The 500 Special is not a wildcat cartridge. Surprisingly, it's been standardized by SAAMI. The max pressure is listed at 36K PSI, the same as a 41 or 44 Magnums.

The N-frame would be fine for that pressure(**) but I have no idea if there'd be enough "meat" on the cylinder after enlarging the chambers to .500".

(**) Breech thrust (the amount of rearward force exerted by the propellant gases on the breech when a projectile is fired.) would increase, because of the larger diameter of the case head's base, by about 35% over that of a 44 Magnum's (7786 ft/lb -vs- 5788 ft/lb).

SAAMI Pistol & Revolver Velocity-Pressure Data 2015.pdf

.

 

[Univibe]

They need to make a 5 inch M&P in 10mm first.

 

[rat107]

I occasionally shoot 500 Specials in my 500 mag.

 

[skipnsb]

5 shot 329

in 500 special, just in case?

 

[WPWarhawk]

John Ross proposed a short cylinder X frame chambered in .500 Special. A lot of the work (at S&W) has been done, but a personnel shakeup put it on the back burner.

Corbon makes (or made at one time) .500 Special ammo.

They still have it on their website
500 S&W Special 275gr DPX[Handgun]&page=6

 

[ruggyh]

If you are interested in 500 S&W Special checkout the afore mentioned 500 JRH.

They are available in single action from BFR.

The 500 JRH cartridge is actually a little longer than the 500 Special, but chambers 500 Speciel without issue.

500 Special brass is available for handloaders from Starline last time I checked.

500 JRH brass is also made by Starline and available through Bufflo Bore.

be safe
Ruggy