Has anyone had the opportunity to purchase and/or shoot this beast? I'm planning on buying it for my early Christmas present and I just wanted to see what someone else thought about the gun. Gaylans had it here for $649.00 which I don't see how. The S & W website has the MSRP over a grand.
I plan on using it for hunting and for my home "defense". I'd like to know about the recoil from the gun. I've shot a .44 Special before and it kicked like a mule...but not to the point where I couldn't handle it. Is the 500 worse on recoil or not? I've read that is is actually like shooting a 357.
Also on ammo...How did you order it through the one company who makes this 440/475 grain behemoth. Thanks

Brian, I never shot or handled a S&W 500.I read different opinins about the recoil. I shoot a 454 Casull and the recoil is pretty stout.I can handle it but I'm sure for others it might be to much. Now using a 500 for Home Defense. I wouldn't recommend it.If you needed to use it it would take you to long to recover from the recoil.It would penetrate walls endangering family members. I just think there are much better choices then the 500 for HD.If the 44 Spl was handful for you,I would suggest trying one before buying one.. I read on another site about Gaylans(we don't have them down here)They were sold and that's why they are getting rid of the handguns at reduced prices.I believe they said Dick's sporting goods bought them out and they don't sell handguns.We don't have Dick's sporting good here either.I read that last night on a Ruger Forum.Comments were they were well picked over,so your S&W 500 is most likely already gone.I don't want or need a S&W 500 but at that price I would have to had grabbed it.Even though it's a S&W.It would make a good trading piece.

Ruger Redhawk

Thanks for the info Ruger. I haven't heard anything about the Gaylans/Dicks buy out. We have them both all around here. There is a Dicks and Gaylans within a few hundred yards of each other at one location.
As far as the home defense that is a bit of a joke. We don't even lock the doors where we live when we leave for a few days. I've left the front door open many of times when I'm gone to work for the day. If someone were dumb enough to come in this house at night they'd have to worry about more then just a single 500 bullet coming their way. The dog would get em first.
The gun is still there and has been there for over a month. I think I'll snatch it up this week if my X-Mas bonus comes in. I'm not too worried about recoil...I'll just wear a hardhat the first few times shootin' it.

You're welcome Brian, I went back to the site to make sure I was giving you the correct inf. Yes Dick's bought Galyans out. One guy commented that one day Dick's( assuming it was the owner or top dog) went in and cleared all the handguns off the shelves. They would not sell them and they were all going to be returned to the distrubutors.This guy was ready to buy and they refused to sell it to him.The clerk couldn't believe it either.Someone else commented Dick's refuses to do a FFL to FFL transfer I know Dick's Sporting Goods would not be a store to spend my hard earned money at. To Anti gun for my blood.I suggest if that Smith is still there and they'll sell it to you, you better grab it.

Ruger Redhawk

I own a S&W 500 and a F/A 454 Casull. The first time I shot the 500 I almost put it back in the box. I was shooting the 400gr Corbon load and I think it must of been the way I was holding the gun, but it jammed my right wrist good (not as painful as buying ammo for it). I went ahead and fired the rest of the cylinders and put it away for the day. I later purchased some 275gr Corbon ammo, and what a sweet gun it is with that load. I shot some very tight groups and then went back to the 400gr's again and shot very well with that load also(and no pain this time). Now I am really liking this gun. My .454 seems to want to flip upwards out of my hand's, but the 500 is different - more like a big push. IMO the recoil is much more noticeable than a .357 or a 44mag, but not unmanageable with some practice. Overall it is a very fun gun to shoot and with the variety of loads already available it is a good choice for hunting deer and not overkill as many may claim.

Forgot to add that I also tried the 350gr Hornady load and had good results with it as well.
Now go buy it....

Have you shot the 475 gr's yet? I'll be going with the 275 should I buy it.

Have not tried those yet, only the ones mentioned. I will start reloading my own once I obtain enough brass.

The grip shape fo the F/A is designed to flip up in your hands first then upwards. I've never shot one but it's supposed to help reduce the effects of the recoil. I had a new model super blackhawk that I put Pachmyers on ( I didn't like the flip either) on the .44 mag they worked fine but on your .454 I don't know how it would feel.

The 500 S&W has far, far more recoil than any 44 Special. The 44 Special is however a far better home defense round. The muzzle flash and recoil would ruin any chance of a follow up shot. Also Magnums of any kind are hard to defend in court if you happen to end up there. The best choice is to use what the police are using for defense. They are using them for a reason, They work, and its easier to defend in court. Like it or not no matter how the laws read, if you shoot someone you very well could end up being the bad guy. It sucks but its true.

James,
I would use this gun for hunting before anything else. Also I think it's one hell of a conversatino piece. Maybe its the little man syndrome since I'm only 5'6. Who knows. I checked again this morning and the gun was still there. I worked 22 hours of overtime this week so I can pick it up next Friday without having to worry about wasting my 650 bucks on it. I feel it's more justified now.
The home defense thing was a little joke...we don't need home defense here. We can leave for days with the door open and there are never any problems. The mailman brings packages in and sets them on the table when we are gone. Throw that factor out the window and now would you get it?