S&W 500 - Fire breathing monster

[thechamp]

Absolutely would love to shoot one of these some day. Don't need to do it so bad I'm going to go out and buy one but if one came along at a good price it sure would be tempting. Miculek does his thing with the 500 and puts 5 rounds through it in slightly over 1 second. 300 grain Hornady round at 2075 FPS. I am convinced that is the most potent vicious fire breathing monster I've ever seen in a handgun.

If I recall correctly Devil Dog had one of these a couple years ago and he was offering it up at a pretty good price. Should have jumped on it.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOzyqiT1FFA[/video]

[mchughcb]

That is scary.

[stokesrj]

One of my hunting friends has a long barreled hunting version .500 S&W. He uses it to cull does on his place and I've seen him drop them out to about 125 yards with it. The recoil is fierce, not bad once you learn to control it, but downright dangerous if you haven't yet learned.
I was pulling range officer duty at our local club last year when a lady came in with one. I was immediately concerned and asked her if she had shot it before. She seemed a little irritated at my question and said that she had shot it a lot and I shouldn't be worried.
I positioned myself behind her and slightly to here right for the first shot and wound up catching the gun in the air after it had left her hands and was about 2 feet behind her. She was very embarrassed and said that her husband usually loads reduced loads for her and that was the first time she had shot a factory load. Once she understood what was going on she was able to handle the recoil and shoot it quite well. As you might understand, I was very nervous for her second attempt.

[pagosawingnut]

I'm on my 3rd one now. They seem to be hard on the barrel throats. About 650 to 700 rounds and it starts to flame cut the throat, which in turn causes it to spit stuff back at you. Smith is good about replacing the barrels though.

[Corjack]

I would like to have a Marlin lever action carbine in that caliber, or the 460.

[Dom]

That looks like too much fun for me, 44 Mag is enuf, I'm getting old.

[thechamp]

I'm on my 3rd one now. They seem to be hard on the barrel throats. About 650 to 700 rounds and it starts to flame cut the throat, which in turn causes it to spit stuff back at you. Smith is good about replacing the barrels though.

You might let S&W know that you're wearing them out and they can hook you up as a team member. We can see videos of you an Jerry plinking 55 gallon barrels at 1000 yards or something exciting like that. Actually Jerry would be insulted shooting at a target that big...

BTW that's a lot of heat being generated in that barrel throat so it's no wonder that they would burn out in 3 or 4 lifetimes of shooting one. The fact that you do it in a couple of years isn't Smith's fault!


Robert - The little lady found out that day that she really hadn't been shooting the 500... Says a lot about her though that she was able to get it together and shoot it. Quite a few videos on line of women shooting them. No idea what loads they're really using though. I suspect it was a fun day watching her attitude go from 'screw you' to 'I'm screwed'... Some folks need a little humbling.
Good story, thanks for sharing.

[thechamp]

I would like to have a Marlin lever action carbine in that caliber, or the 460.

Ditto... thought the same thing. I think I'd rather have the 460 but from what I understand the load selection has improved for the 500 making it a little more viable for longer shots than it originally had. Henry could make one too and I bet it would be a money maker for them. Fail to see the draw those rifles have but it's certainly there.

[pagosawingnut]

Champ
What barrel length are you looking for in the .460. I've got one of the performance center models with the 14" barrel that doesn't have much recoil when you shoot itwith a Leupold pistol scope on it.........................

[thechamp]

Tie a cinder block to it.

The recoil ain't nothing compared to it picking that cinder block up and smacking you in the head with it.

[Ringo]

Tie a cinder block to it.

The recoil ain't nothing compared to it picking that cinder block up and smacking you in the head with it.

You STAND on the cinder block...

[Biebs]

They weigh like 83 oz! That's not a handgun. Robert, if you put it in a holster, it would pull your pants down....and that's CERTAINLY a sight we don't need to see

[thechamp]

They weigh like 83 oz! That's not a handgun. Robert, if you put it in a holster, it would pull your pants down....and that's CERTAINLY a sight we don't need to see

Funny why that thought would cross your mind. Hmmmm

[AndyC148]

I had a .460 for a little while. It was fun to shoot, although I had to wear double ear protection. First time I took it to the range the hand broke and had to send it back to S&W. After that it was fine. I was going to black bear hunt in PA with it, but decided it was too heavy and went with a .41 mag. I agree, I would like to see a Marlin in .500 or .460.

[OR4NGE]

I shot a .454 casull with a ported barrel. Was suprisingly easy to shoot and accurate in single action.