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?

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

If you get one go for the one with the 4 inch barrel.;) The recoil shouldn't be tooooooo bad.[:o][8D]

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.:eek:

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

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

Wow.....now that's hitting the nail on the head!!!!!

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.

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.;):D:D

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?

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!:D Truly, they are more loud than hard-kicking, even though they do pakc a punch.

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.

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

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

Hey, I am saving my money to purchase a 500 S&W. Good luck.

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

He who dies with the most toys wins ..

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

I picked up one of these behemoths in a local gun store and tried to hold it. Had the 97 inch barrel on it...:D....may have been the most cumbersome thing I have ever tried to aim. No thanks for me...but I'm sure theres folks who will buy it and love it...lol.

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

We had a guy bring a .500 s&w out hog hunting a few weekends back. Shooting it was like having your own personal earthquake. My face hurt for three days from the muzzle pressure.

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

If I can't get it with my .44 RSRH, it does'nt need ME killing it! And I sure as hell don't need to be within handgun range of the critter either!

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

I was watching a show on the ESPN Outdoors not to long ago and some guy was hunting Moose with the 500 SW, he got within range and squeezed off his shot and the round in the neighboring chamber went off as well, could not believe they showed that on TV! With the LARGE pistols in mind my cousine has the Freedom Arms (I think) in the 5 shot 45/70,,,,,,,,,,,They also make a 444 Marlin model! I shoot the 444 in the rifle and could not even imagine the recoil that could be generated in the handgun. And they say the 45/70 is worse yet. That does not even sound like fun to me.

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

If you are concerned about recoil then get the longer barrel. The weight of the barrel will cut down on the recoil. I have 2 ported Taurus raging bulls in 44 mag and the 6" kicks a lot more than the 8".

There is no words to describe the 500 smith. I would have to agree that the recoil is less than a non ported 454. The noise and the air displacement? is what makes it not fun to shoot. Price out ammo its about $2 a shot for the 500. Also the reloading supplies(Bullets, brass) are expensive too. The 500 is sweet and I will probally buy one but I have to get my desert eagle 50 AE first.
Jay

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

Smith and Wesson had them on display at the NRA convention it Pittsburgh last month. Everyone was flocking to them..... very impressive weapon.

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

Sorry guys if my SRH 454 Casull can't handle it the 500 S&W won't either. Smith is awful proud of that beast they're producing.For the price of 500S&W ammuntion they can keep it.For what you pay for one box of the 500 you could do allot more shooting with the Casull and even more with the 44Mag.I just don't see a need for a hand cannon of this size.
Ruger Redhawk

F4YG shame on you being a big NRA & Gun Rights supporter ,then visiting the S&W's booth.LOL.
I probably would have done the same thing if I had been there.I sure wouldn't have wanted to run into someone I knew.I'm still trying to get that S&W thorn out of my side but it's pretty well embedded.

Ruger Redhawk

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

Hey RR, you know I've got to carry the weight of 20,000,000 gun owners just like you do. Only thing is is I'm getting too old and my back won't take it for too many more years without some help.

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

I hear you F4YG, I'm in the same boat, my back is about to give out.Been fighting these Anti's for a long time. It sure would make life easier if we could get a helping hand.
I just had to rattle your cage,I've lightened up on S&W but by no means ready to go back to them anytime in the near future.It takes time getting a bad taste out of your mouth.Glad to see your on the ball on the forums.Keep up the good work friend.

Ruger Redhawk

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

i don't understand these unless you hunt big game with them... for personal protection, i don't know anyone that would be left standing if they were shot y a good marksman with any pistol... unless it's a water pistol! :D i like the .40 and i think i always will! but i am glad there is something out there for people who want more recoil than i can handle!

RE: 500 Smith and Wesson
 

My local Gander Mountain has both the S&W Model 500 and the Magnum(b) Research BFR in .500S&W (like we're really supposed to buy the line from the boys at MR that the "F" in BFR really stands for "Finest." Well, I was born in the dark, but it wasn't last night! :D;)).

First of all, I will say that the Model 500 IS a very nice revolver, definately on par with the Ruger Super Redhawk in every way except price. I think that if S&W made the X-frame in a .454 Casull I'd consider buying one, but until then I've got my sights set on a Ruger SRH .454 with a 7.5" bbl.

My jury is still out on the S&W case anyway. I might change my mind if the current President of S&W tattoo'd "KISS THIS GUN-GRABBERS!" on his butt and marched into a joint session of Congress and mooned the democrat side with the CSPAN cameras rolling. [8D] Then I might trust S&W again. Until S&W publicly states that they will not honor that agreement or make any such agreements in the future, I just don't think I can give them my hard earned money with a clear conscience. Like my Dad always says, "Screw me once, shame on you! Screw me twice, shame on me!"

As for the BFR, it's just way over the top IMO. The cylender is almost 3" long, as they are using the same cylinder that they use for the BFR in .45-70 (sado-masochists everywhere love this one! This thing offers you a way to hurt things and punish yourself at the same time!:eek:). Way too big to be practical...and what purpose does a pistol in .45-70 serve? Name one thing on this planet that can be killed with a .45-70 revolver that can't be killed with a .454 Casull. What the hell do people hunt with that thing? Whales?

Mike