Widder, SASS #59054 Posted March 13 Posted March 13 Don't tell TW, but while visiting him last week, I swiped his S&W 500 mag and some ammo. Well, shooting the first 2 rounds 'without a glove or wrist wrap' was my punishment for 'borrowing' his pistol. In the Navy, we referred to it as a 'midnite requisition'. Anyhow, a glove and wrist wrap has helped me endure that beast..... but, I love it. Sooooo, I went out and got me a S&W .460 Mag. So far, I've only fired .454 Casull ammo in it and those are pretty stout..... but not even close to a 325 gr and 450 grain slugs in the 500 mag. If any of you are edging towards buying one..... I think you'll love it. Indeed, it can be punishing but its power is awe inspiring. Godzilla has yet to come thru my back yard since I fired it off on Sunday. ..........Widder 2 7 Quote
Cypress Sun Posted March 13 Posted March 13 I shot one shot out of one. That was enough for me. If someone asks if I've shot one before, I can answer "Yes, I've shot one." 3 Quote
Rip Snorter Posted March 13 Posted March 13 I used to be in the "Pain don't hurt" mode, most of my life. Then I got old. Enjoy! but I'll take a hard pass! 3 Quote
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted March 13 Author Posted March 13 Hey Pards, admittedly, I fired 2 rounds on Sunday without a glove/wrist wrap. But the last couple days, I've fired about 30 rounds using a small padded glove and wrist wrap with 'little' discomfort. I didn't develop any flinch and was steady enough to use a chronograph without blowing it up..... ALSO, I wore plugs AND muffs. Its loud. The 500 I shot has the comp'd 4" short barrel, which probably didn't help with recoil much. ..........Widder 4 Quote
Yul Lose Posted March 13 Posted March 13 Having fired both the .460 and the .500 I found the .460 much more pleasant to shoot. I’m torn between the S&W .460 and the BFR in 45-70. I was on an elk hunt in Colorado years ago and one of my friends had one and I got to shoot it quite a bit and really liked it. Decisions, decisions. 3 Quote
Rye Miles #13621 Posted March 13 Posted March 13 A shooter at the cowboy club brought a SW 500 out a few years ago. A few of us shot it and it wasn’t bad at all. Well, those were reloads of his! I then shot a couple of factory rounds, whew!!! Oh yea those hurt! It’s one heck of a gun!!! 1 Quote
Doc Shapiro Posted March 13 Posted March 13 That's way too much recoil for my broken up wrists. It's to the point where a factory 45 ACP is too much. 5 Quote
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted March 13 Posted March 13 About 10 or more years ago I fired 2 rounds of .454 Casull through a revolver. No desire to do that again, much less a .500. 2 1 Quote
Pat Riot Posted March 13 Posted March 13 24 minutes ago, J-BAR #18287 said: No. Just no. Yep, me too. 1 1 Quote
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted March 13 Posted March 13 If I ever wanted pain I'd hit myself between the eyes with ball pean hammer or slam my hand in a car door. I don't like pain because it hurts! 1 2 Quote
Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life Posted March 13 Posted March 13 (edited) While I don’t shoot them much anymore, I have had a love/hate relationship with my hand cannons for decades. Love to shoot them, hate the way my wrists feel the day after. L-R 500 S&W, 460 S&W, 480 Ruger, 454 Casull, 45 Colt, 44 REM. Mag, 41 REM. Mag BTW the once fired 500 S&W case on the left will EASILY hold a loaded 44 REM . Mag second from the right. Edited March 13 by Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life Added comparison 3 Quote
Eyesa Horg Posted March 13 Posted March 13 And I looked like a newbie doing it!! Was at an event with many manufacturers that brought their wares. Due to my bad shoulders, I can't lift the weight of a pistol up to aim, therefore needing two hands to accomplish the task! Ok, aim ,fire, wow, recoil took my right hand right out of my left and the gun wiggled down to my waist! Not an issue with dropping it, but the guy coaching freaked as he thought it was going down! Held on way tighter and quite embarrassed,took shot number 2, same result and got a bad look from the guy. Quit there and kept the brass! 3 Quote
Old Man Graybeard Posted March 13 Posted March 13 I have not ever fired a 500…but I do have a15 inch unported barrel for my Encore handgun in 460. With the Hornady 200 grain load it will wake you up 4 Quote
KingSnake Posted March 13 Posted March 13 I’ve shot several S &W 500’s. I wouldn’t want to shoot one every day, but I enjoyed it. 1 Quote
Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428 Posted March 13 Posted March 13 Would love to try one! years ago, at the range I was talking with a guy that had a bunch of Tc contenders in various calibers I had never heard of. he also had one in 45-70 with a shorter barrel (maybe 10"? the rest he had were longer). he offered to let me have a shot. As he handed me the gun, he made sure to put a lanyard around my wrist and make sure it was tight. I laughed about it a bit and told him I wasn't going to drop it. he laughed too and said that he just wanted to make sure that when I did, it wouldn't hit the ground. 😀 I didn't drop it, but it was not a soft cowboy load! Lots of fun! 2 Quote
Three Foot Johnson Posted March 13 Posted March 13 17 hours ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said: ALSO, I wore plugs AND muffs. Its loud. The 500 I shot has the comp'd 4" short barrel, which probably didn't help with recoil much. ..........Widder That must be the one I sold him two or three years back. I shot a cylinder or two with some 700 grainers - those are downright uncomfortable. Between a .50AE and a .44 mag. 1 1 Quote
Cypress Sun Posted March 13 Posted March 13 16 hours ago, J-BAR #18287 said: No. Just no. And just when you thought it was safe to go to the range again.... https://www.bondarms.com/Cyclops50AE-Thumper-P8605.aspx 1 1 Quote
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted March 13 Posted March 13 BTDT , it has kept the T-rexes out of the yard for years CB 🤣 3 Quote
Stump Water Posted March 13 Posted March 13 Shot a Desert Eagle in .50AE... twice. Camille's Savage Striker in .243 ain't nuthin' ta sneeze at. 1 Quote
evil dogooder Posted March 14 Posted March 14 They are fun to play with. I've shot a stage with 2 shooting gunfighter... Not something I'd do again but it was fun if I can find the video I'll post it for you 3 1 Quote
Calamity Kris Posted March 14 Posted March 14 21 hours ago, evil dogooder said: They are fun to play with. I've shot a stage with 2 shooting gunfighter... Not something I'd do again but it was fun if I can find the video I'll post it for you Welcome back, EDG!!! Long time no see. Hope all is well with you and yours. Quote
Buckshot Bear Posted March 14 Posted March 14 My Magnum Research BFR in .45-70 Gov't is a beast to shoot! (not my pic) 3 Quote
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted March 14 Author Posted March 14 UPDATE: Well, I fired off 55 rounds this week with the 500. All my load data was from Hodgdon manual and LEE manual. Basically, their load data mirrors each other. Bullet were the 325 gr Barnes XPB and a 450 grain hard cast gas-check. Powders were Enforcer, AA9, H-110 and LilGun. Best and consistent performance was obtained using H-110 and LilGun with both bullet weights. A good ROLL crimp kept the bullets in perfect place. All my loads were established at the starting load data. None were at the Max amount. Even at the 'starting' load data, it was necessary for me to wear a glove AND wrist wrap. And those 55 rounds were fired over a 4 day period. The 500 is a beast. To my best guess, I didn't develop any fal.....falin.....falinch.....flinch. But it sure makes me studder..... ..........Widder 1 2 Quote
Cypress Sun Posted March 14 Posted March 14 Just now, Buckshot Bear said: My Magnum Research BFR in .45-70 Gov't is a beast to shoot! (not my pic) I shot one of those ONCE also. Real heavy gun and felt recoil didn't feel as bad as the .500 to me. 1 Quote
Smokin Gator SASS #29736 Posted March 15 Posted March 15 I have always been hesitant to shoot one of the 500 S&W. Not wanting to mess up my normal handgun shooting. I do shoot plenty of major power factor 45acp ammo, about 175pf. Went to a buddies house to shoot with a few guys. He had a new one and offered to let me shoot it. They were factory rounds but I can't remember what they were. I'm sure they weren't near max. But with the size of the gun they weren't bad. No issues. 1 Quote
Three Foot Johnson Posted March 15 Posted March 15 I can only think of one, two actually, .475 cal or larger revolvers/autos that aren't going to beat the crap out of you, and those would be the MBA 12mm and 13mm Gyrojet pistols. I still have the original six rounds that came with mine sixty years ago, and at $150 - $250 per round, it'll probably have six rounds with it when I sell it. I've got a Freedom Arms M555 .50AE/.500 Wyoming Express, a .45-70/.450 Marlin BFR, a .50AE/.44 mag Desert Eagle, a custom Ruger Bisley Blackhawk .475 Linebaugh by Ben Forkin, and a .480 Ruger SRH. The .475 Linebaugh and the aforementioned 4" .500 S&W w/700 grain bullets are the most punishing of the bunch. I haven't shot any of these cannons in so many years, I can't remember. I used to be a tough guy, but not anymore. Probably time to sell them. 2 Quote
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted March 15 Author Posted March 15 TFJ, I have the 5" (w/comp) 460 mag but I haven't worked up any reloads yet. It shouldn't be as punishing as the 500 and I will probably limit my bullet weight to 300 and 325 grainers. You surely have an impressive list of big bore hand cannons. ..........Widder 1 Quote
Sundog Posted March 15 Posted March 15 I saw a S&W 500 Magnum handgun at a gun store one time. My hands and wrists began to hurt just looking at it. Besides, I would have to go to a gym and lift weights for a few months, just to work up enough strength to lift it. 2 Quote
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted March 15 Posted March 15 (edited) A few months ago I was at my favorite indoor rang, done shooting just shooting a couple bulls with the guys there, when a guy brings a S&W 500 in. We're looking at it and he asks if I'd like to try it. Well after much arm twisting, (yeah right), I did. I had never handled one before, and I'd seen more than a few youtube videos where people fired one and either fired a second round into the ceiling just from the recoil or had it recoil so far back that they were looking down the barrel.🤬 So I loaded one round, and BOOM!!! Not as bad as I thought it might be. I loaded another, and it wasn't too bad either, (BTW, the bullet hole in the target were TOUCHING!) I fired a third, different load, (lighter than the others), and THAT hole was about 3/4" to the right of the other two. That was enough for me, and I was more than happy to leave with THAT group on a target. I know when to take "Yes" for an answer. All that being said, having done it, I do NOT have the desire to have one. I'll stick to my Super Blackhawk. Edited March 15 by Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 2 Quote
Renegade Plowboy Posted March 16 Posted March 16 Neighbor bought one early on in its release. Of course we all shot it. Yes, I was the first one to shoot it single handed with factory loads. It is awesome for a hand cannon! funny story. Neighbors sister was never afraid to shoot anything we would, normally .22-45 acp. She saw the 500 and just had to shoot it as well. While she was laughing and fussin at us for how much instruction, hand grip, recoil management tips etc that she was getting from us before shooting, nothing prepared us for the results of what would happen when we loaded a single round and let her fire it. She aimed like it was life or death and squeezed off that single round. When the gun fired, she got the biggest surprise ever! The barrel came up and just barely missed hittin her forehead, her eyes and mouth had gone full open, eyes bulging out! She dropped back 3 full steps while managing to keep the barrel pointed straight up and not making contact with her forehead. The third step back she got propped up by the broad side of a ford crown vic, that car was the reason she didn’t completely fall down! The expellatives that came flying from her mouth as she caught her footing, was barely heard over our laughter!!! She spun around, slammed the revolver on the hood of the crown vic, called us multiple choice words, and stormed off declaring she would never shoot with us again since we “did that to her on purpose”. The gun never hit her, she managed that, She never dropped the gun, it stayed in her hands till she slammed it on the car hood. She did hit the center of the target as well!!! 2 1 Quote
bgavin Posted March 16 Posted March 16 This sounds as cruel as taking a first-time snow skiier up the lift to the top of a Black Diamond run, then skiing away telling them you will meet them at the bottom. It is a Jim Dandy way of ensuring that person will forever hate snow skiing. 1 Quote
Renegade Plowboy Posted March 16 Posted March 16 22 minutes ago, bgavin said: This sounds as cruel as taking a first-time snow skiier up the lift to the top of a Black Diamond run, then skiing away telling them you will meet them at the bottom. It is a Jim Dandy way of ensuring that person will forever hate snow skiing. So how exactly do you get a person to realize just how serious a gun it is before they shoot it? She wouldn’t take us super serious. We went above and beyond in being serious with her and even dry firing it and explaining how to manage the recoil of what she wanted to shoot. She would regularly shoot everything else. She saw us shoot it first as well. She shot other guns with us at later times, so It didn’t ruin her from shooting. 1 Quote
Widder, SASS #59054 Posted March 16 Author Posted March 16 Other than personal example and testimony, I ain't sure there is a good way to prepare someone for their first experience with the 500. Heck, I love big bore revolvers and pistols. My Ruger SBH's are loaded with hot .45 Colt hand loads. My .44 mags are loaded close to max for my Anaconda. Even my 1911's are on the potent side because I've had 3 of them set up for the 460 Rowland, which is rather stout also. And, I have owned and shot a few .454 Casull revolvers. But nothing I have ever shot prepared me for the kick of that 500. I'm just glad it belongs to somebody else to play with in the future. I'll be loading up some home brewed 'thunder boomers' for ole TW to shoot when I take it back. Some 450 grainers with a full load of LilGun should humble the ole boy. ..........Widder 2 Quote
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