500 S&W review and opinions please

[jimmy the foot]

WOW
boy was that fun

given the weight and comp on the S&W, along with the really nice beefy, soft grip it wasn't that bad to shoot as far as painfully

ya it was a handfull but aiming it was not a problem really i thought

i also got to shoot a Ruger SBH in 44 mag and that was popping out of my hand more then the 500 due to the small smooth, wood grip

i am looking into getting a hunting pistol
looking at the 460, 454 or 44mag
i like the looks of the Taurus RB, have yet to shoot one though
i am gonna guess the 460 on a S&W will be very close to a 500 as far as recoil and feel

the guy at the shop said to just go with 44mag, which is a consideration since ammo is so much cheaper and there is a larger range of ammo out there for 44 mag

what are all your opinions on what one i should go with as far as caliber?

looking for something with solid stopping power at say 100 yrds on elk/black beer

[stalkingbear]

You're going to need more than a .44 magnum to be certain of clean kills on these animals under a variety of hunting conditions. The S&W .460 or the .500 either 1 should serve you well IF you can shoot it good enough. The .460 shoots flat enough to hold dead on out to 200 yards according to everything I've read-I havn't shot the .460 enough to get good enough for that. Personally I like the .454 Casull and am already set up to reload for it.

[popeye]

Since you're just getting into handgun hunting I would stick with a 44Mag until you know that handgun hunting is going to be something that you're really interested in doing. Sometimes the idea is more appealling than reality. You can always move up to a 500 later.

Another thing to keep in mind, IMO being a good shot with a pistol requires a lot more for your time at the range than rifle.

[Powerfisher]

I agree with Jimmy the Foot. My buddy just got a .500 so we took out his Ruger .44 Mag and the .500 S&W. Shot them both.20 rounds each person out of each pistol, so 40 rounds total for each gun.The .500 was easier to handle for both of us. I dont have a .44 mag or a S&W .500 but when its time for me to buy one...it will be the .500. Accurate, POWERFULL, and easier to handle than the .44 Mag. Just my $.02 so go easy on me folks. Did I mention that its POWERFULL?

[bronko22000]

From what I understand, with the 460, you can shoot 45 Colt and 454s out of it also. So you can practice with the 45 colts and then come hunting season, sight in with the 460s.

[driftrider]

ORIGINAL: bronko22000

From what I understand, with the 460, you can shoot 45 Colt and 454s out of it also. So you can practice with the 45 colts and then come hunting season, sight in with the 460s.

Yep... just make sure you clean the chambers really good before you load and fire the longer cartridge or you may have a lot of trouble getting them back out.

Mike

[shump]

Ok i like my Ruger 454 better then my S&W 500.The only thing is 454+cold hands=ouch

[bugsNbows]

A friend went out with his son last fall to shoot the son's new 500. Apparently his holding technique was flawed as it about ripped his thumb off. He has since sworn off this boomer. LOL. Better him than me...I've never fired one.

[skb2706]

If you consider several factors prior to purchasing .....theyshould include

ammo cost/components cost
versatility
ammo availibility
amount of practice you could get
size of game you want to hunt
range each chambering is capable of taking this game
range you are effective with the gun

to be honest I can't see the need for a .500 or a .460 SW unless you are leaving the US to hunt. 44 magnum will be fine.

[jimmy the foot]

i opted for a black raging bull 454
i tried to post some picks but they were to big so i have to figure how to shrink them one of these days
gonna take her ut this weekend with a buddy and see how she performs