500 Smith and Wesson
05-09-2004, 07:34 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ashland WI USA
Posts: 9
500 Smith and Wesson
Does anyone have one of these? I was checking them out at the gun store the other day and was pretty impressed. The new frame s and w made for it is a pretty sweet one from the looks and feel of it. I have heard they are very accurate as well. Anybody know anything?
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05-09-2004, 11:54 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Coralville, IA. USA
Posts: 3,802
RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
I think that the .500 S&W was designed by a group of engineers that wanted to prove to the world that their johnsons are bigger than Dick Casull's. This is a classic case of penis envy manifesting itself in the form of firearms cartridge design.
IMO, the .500S&W is just another example of recent cartridges introduced as a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. There is NOTHING that the .500S&W can do that the .454Casull can't. The .454 will take down almost any game animal in the world (excepting maybe the largest dangerous African game). And the .454 Casull does it with a lot less recoil and provides non-masochistic shooters the option of shooting .45 Long Colt ammo when maximum performance isn't necessary or desired. The .500S&W is power for the sake of power; essentially "Magnumbitis" run amok.
If you desire such a pistol and truly are able to tame such a beast and shoot it well, then by all means go for it. I'll stick to a .454 Casull and I don't think that I'll ever feel undergunned.
Mike
IMO, the .500S&W is just another example of recent cartridges introduced as a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. There is NOTHING that the .500S&W can do that the .454Casull can't. The .454 will take down almost any game animal in the world (excepting maybe the largest dangerous African game). And the .454 Casull does it with a lot less recoil and provides non-masochistic shooters the option of shooting .45 Long Colt ammo when maximum performance isn't necessary or desired. The .500S&W is power for the sake of power; essentially "Magnumbitis" run amok.
If you desire such a pistol and truly are able to tame such a beast and shoot it well, then by all means go for it. I'll stick to a .454 Casull and I don't think that I'll ever feel undergunned.
Mike
05-10-2004, 12:20 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Western Nebraska
Posts: 3,393
RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
I think that the .500 S&W was designed by a group of engineers that wanted to prove to the world that their johnsons are bigger than Dick Casull's. This is a classic case of penis envy manifesting itself in the form of firearms cartridge design.
The overwhelming number of owners of the .44 Magnum are not capable of shooting them well to say nothing of cartridges with more recoil. The .500 S&W is for a very very small number of handgunners that can shoot them and manage the recoil.
The .480 Ruger is worthy of consideration and it also is a handful.....but far more manageable than the .500.
05-10-2004, 12:24 AM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,679
RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
Nah. Come on guys he needs a 500 with a four inch barrel.
Just kidding there 338. I just wanna see someone shoot one of those hand cannons one time.
I agree with the others here. What in the world would you use it for unless you regularly hunted cape buffalo with a hand gun?
Just kidding there 338. I just wanna see someone shoot one of those hand cannons one time.
I agree with the others here. What in the world would you use it for unless you regularly hunted cape buffalo with a hand gun?
05-10-2004, 02:44 PM
#6
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location:
Posts: 582
RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
I have one, and it is the most incredible handgun available. First, the way those "small" engineers at S&W weighted and put a brake on that just perfect, because it kicks WAY less than any .454 I have ever shot. The loads for it are awesome, and it is more pleasant to shoot than even my Ruger Redhawk in .44 mag. I advise getting one if you are a handgunner, and don't let anybody talk you out of it because of the recoil....my dad and I are gonna pull the triggers on two at a time next weekend! Truly, they are more loud than hard-kicking, even though they do pakc a punch.
Truly, they are more loud than hard-kicking, even though they do pakc a punch.
05-10-2004, 03:27 PM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
I shot one two weeks ago, and I thought it kicked on par with the 454Casull. I shoot alot of big recoiling rifles, with no problem, and I am rather large. But for me, both the 454 and the 50 is just too much. I have to hang onto both with both hands, and be firmly stanced. The brake on that 500 is very effective. Its not unshootable, by any means, just after 10 rounds, not that fun anymore. I like my 44mag for fun, and punch. I know its not in the league of these 454's and 500's, but hey, its all in what you like.
For you guys, putting down, the new round, believe it or not, there is a bunch of people out there that gets a kick out shooting hard recoilers. I am one of them with rifles. It makes them happy. Just because you don't like it, and like only calibers that has been around for 100 years, doesn't mean its bad. I am sure there is a good use of it somewhere. Maybe for serious handgun hunters, I mean when you think of it, a modern muzzleloader has simular energies or more in alot of cases. But your the same guys that will hunt with a 50 cal muzzleloader but frown on someone that will hunt with a 500Smith, cause your like me and don't find it pleasant to shoot or like me have the ability to shoot it well. Shoot, keep sending us new offerings. Its great to have the choice of so many calibers.
For you guys, putting down, the new round, believe it or not, there is a bunch of people out there that gets a kick out shooting hard recoilers. I am one of them with rifles. It makes them happy. Just because you don't like it, and like only calibers that has been around for 100 years, doesn't mean its bad. I am sure there is a good use of it somewhere. Maybe for serious handgun hunters, I mean when you think of it, a modern muzzleloader has simular energies or more in alot of cases. But your the same guys that will hunt with a 50 cal muzzleloader but frown on someone that will hunt with a 500Smith, cause your like me and don't find it pleasant to shoot or like me have the ability to shoot it well. Shoot, keep sending us new offerings. Its great to have the choice of so many calibers.
05-10-2004, 04:55 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Coralville, IA. USA
Posts: 3,802
RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
I don't frown on it at all. If you want to shoot and hunt with a .500S&W, then by all means do so. If you can control that beast and shoot it well then I have a great deal of respect for your abilities as a handgunner. I definately have less of a problem with someone hunting with a .500S&W than a .357Mag, mostly because while there is absolutely no doubt about the ability of the bigger revolver to to the job, the .357 leaves little room for error on the part of the shooter. But in the hands of a good shot and diciplined hunter both will do the job very well.
I guess my biggest issue with the .500 is that it just seems to me to be a bit overboard, designed more for Dirty Harry-esque bragging rights than as a cartridge that was meant to fill a real gap in the handgun hunting power band. The .454 with full throttle loads does kick hard enough to get the shooters undivided attention. But when Dick Casull developed the 454 there was a definate call for a .45 caliber hunting handgun to take up where the .44mag and .45LC left off. And the real beauty of the 454 is the flexability and versatility of a gun chambered for that cartridge. If one hunts whitetails in dense cover where shots are short they can step down to a .45LC load to control noise and recoil while still providing plenty of punch. .45LC loads with hard cast lead bullets turn the costly heavy hitter into moderate inexpensive plinker, which also ensures that one can get the kind of practice in to become completely proficient with the handgun. Then, when the game, situation or desire arises, one can load up some 300gr full throttle loads and be confident that they can swiftly and ethically drop any game animal in North America and almost every game species in the world.
So don't get me wrong. I'm not criticising anyone who owns and shoots the big .500, as long as you make sure that you can handle it and shoot it well before you attempt to take game, which is just basic hunter ethics. I just can't quite understand why S&W decided to put so much time and effort into developing the new cartridge and a handgun to shoot it, when they could have just built a handgun to shoot the tried and true .454 Casull. I personally think that it was a decision made more by the marketing dept. than the R&D department. They're capitalizing on the "bigger is better" crowd.
I might consider buying the new S&W revolver...if they rechamber it for .454Casull.
Mike
I guess my biggest issue with the .500 is that it just seems to me to be a bit overboard, designed more for Dirty Harry-esque bragging rights than as a cartridge that was meant to fill a real gap in the handgun hunting power band. The .454 with full throttle loads does kick hard enough to get the shooters undivided attention. But when Dick Casull developed the 454 there was a definate call for a .45 caliber hunting handgun to take up where the .44mag and .45LC left off. And the real beauty of the 454 is the flexability and versatility of a gun chambered for that cartridge. If one hunts whitetails in dense cover where shots are short they can step down to a .45LC load to control noise and recoil while still providing plenty of punch. .45LC loads with hard cast lead bullets turn the costly heavy hitter into moderate inexpensive plinker, which also ensures that one can get the kind of practice in to become completely proficient with the handgun. Then, when the game, situation or desire arises, one can load up some 300gr full throttle loads and be confident that they can swiftly and ethically drop any game animal in North America and almost every game species in the world.
So don't get me wrong. I'm not criticising anyone who owns and shoots the big .500, as long as you make sure that you can handle it and shoot it well before you attempt to take game, which is just basic hunter ethics. I just can't quite understand why S&W decided to put so much time and effort into developing the new cartridge and a handgun to shoot it, when they could have just built a handgun to shoot the tried and true .454 Casull. I personally think that it was a decision made more by the marketing dept. than the R&D department. They're capitalizing on the "bigger is better" crowd.
I might consider buying the new S&W revolver...if they rechamber it for .454Casull.
Mike
