Author Topic: S&W 500 magnum. Need hotter loads. (Read 1878 times)

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #30 on:** March 25, 2004, 09:16:52 PM »

Cool avatar Rick. The USS Enterprize CVN-65 was the last ship I was assigned to, Never got underway aboard her thou I retired first. I was in VF-103 at the time.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #31 on:** March 25, 2004, 11:04:25 PM »

one other thing to keep in mind is that these guns everyone considers overpowered like the .454 475 500line and smith are in all actuallity no more powerful then a 4570 out of a rifle or even a .50 cal muzzle loader. Now i dont see alot of deer hunters out there swithing to .36 cal muzzle loading rifles cause there .50s are to powerful and i dont see alot of modern day bow hunters (even the indians that are my friends) hunting with old hickory long bows or modern bows with 45 lb pulls. If you can handle the recoil and i mean really handle it! Theres absolutly nothing overkill about hunting deer sized animals with these big bores.

Don Dick · « **Reply #32 on:** April 08, 2004, 12:34:37 AM »

One thing life has taught me is not to really care what other people think
about something I enjoy. My S&W has been a safe queen since I bought her. Soon she will be breathing fire and brimstone. You know what come to think of it I have not seen a T Rex since I bought it. Must have scared
the "sh**" out of all of them there Rex`s.

Questor · « **Reply #33 on:** April 08, 2004, 03:56:09 AM »

My original post was about power at the recoil end, not at the terminal end. Most guys I see at the range can't shoot a 44 magnum to save their lives. They just can't handle the recoil. A lot of these guys are going hunting with those guns, and they can hardly keep them on the paper at 25 yards from a bench rest.

I think this majority of big bore handgun shooters needs guns with less recoil, not more.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #34 on:** April 08, 2004, 01:18:01 PM »

Quote from: Questor

My original post was about power at the recoil end, not at the terminal end. Most guys I see at the range can't shoot a 44 magnum to save their lives. They just can't handle the recoil. A lot of these guys are going hunting with those guns, and they can hardly keep them on the paper at 25 yards from a bench rest.

I think this majority of big bore handgun shooters needs guns with less recoil, not more.

I agree with you to a point. There are some of us that can actually use big bore handguns very well. 44MAG and larger handguns are not for the casual shooter. The range where I shoot is very careful not to let novice shooter, shoot large bore handguns. Me personal, I would not use a large bore handgun to hunt with until I am proficient in shooting it. :grin: Off hand shooting practice is a must. Some people shoot will off a bench rest but off hand they need help and practice .

TScottO · « **Reply #35 on:** April 08, 2004, 04:03:32 PM »

I dont think owning a big bore makes someone a big bore shooter. From my experience anyone that shoots big bores well shoot most everything else well. Many people have big bore handguns and call themselves big bore shooters but they are not. Many people consider themselves as a shooter, in general, but they are not.

Just my opinion.

Be Safe,
Scott

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #36 on:** April 08, 2004, 06:12:34 PM »

Quote from: TScottO

I dont think owning a big bore makes someone a big bore shooter. From my experience anyone that shoots big bores well shoot most everything else well. Many people have big bore handguns and call themselves big bore shooters but they are not. Many people consider themselves as a shooter, in general, but they are not.

Just my opinion.

Be Safe,
Scott

I have been shooting Big bore handguns over 20 years, and I still approach big bore handguns with caution. You are correct in saying owning a big bore does not make you a big bore shooter. It takes a lot of practice to get proficient with a big bore handgun. You can always tell when someone at the range want everyone to know he is shooting a big gun. He will look around after he shoots to see who is looking. I call them big bore want to be's. :-D

Jerry · « **Reply #37 on:** April 20, 2004, 06:55:25 PM »

:-) Hey guy's,
I'm a little late with this post, but had to say I'm with Redhawk1 on this issue.
I've hunted with mag. handguns for over 20yrs. it was time for a change, I took two deer in Ohio this past gun season with my 500. Both deer went down at the shot, but damage was no more than what a .50 cal. muzzle loader or an 12ga. slug would do. The doe was shot at about 45yds. and the buck at about 60yds. Both were shot offhand, no rest or shooting sticks.
Sorry but I get the feeling that if Ruger or Freedom Arms would have come out with the 500, there wouldn't be such a negative slant from some people to this cartridge. In case you haven't seen the pic on another thread here, heres me and my two deer, and couple friends with their deer. Brian on the left used a S&W 629 PP, Walt in the middle used 12ga. slug gun.

RANGER RICK · « **Reply #38 on:** April 22, 2004, 06:06:43 AM »

Hey Jerry

Nice lookin critters , bet they will taste good

What loads did you use with that 500 , store bought or reloads ??

Thanks.

RR

Deaf Smith · « **Reply #39 on:** April 26, 2004, 07:16:59 AM »

I am not too sure how to say this but there may already be a bigger more powerfull revolvers than the 500 magnum. and they have been arounf a while now. Have you folks heard of the 475 and 500 Maximums? These guns are custom made by John Lonagaugh from the Ruger 357 Maximum
frame and a custom cylinder built to fill the cylinder window. Now I have never fired one of these big guns but John Taffin reports the recoil as painful and shooting limited becouse of the massive recoil. So does anybody know how the maximum cartridges compare to the S&W 500 magnum? Becouse I don't know. I don't remember the details on the cartridges nor do I know the specs on the 500 S&W but I think the maximums may just be even more gun than the 500 S&W but I am not sure. So has anybody heard of the Bigbore maximum cartridges? And compared them to the 500? JUst wondering (and giving you guys something to add to your arsenals as well)
Jim L

redhawk44 · « **Reply #40 on:** May 02, 2004, 02:39:33 AM »

Quote from: Questor

My original post was about power at the recoil end, not at the terminal end. Most guys I see at the range can't shoot a 44 magnum to save their lives. They just can't handle the recoil. A lot of these guys are going hunting with those guns, and they can hardly keep them on the paper at 25 yards from a bench rest.

I think this majority of big bore handgun shooters needs guns with less recoil, not more.

This is an excellent point.

I am a 67 year old shooter who has been at it long enough to be dry behind the ears, and I find the 44 Mg. to be not at all fearsome to shoot in the Redhawk--BUT--I have to tell you for sure that shooting one WELL from any reasonable hunting position is a LOT more difficult that shooting other smaller handguns from similar positions.

Now, this problem is not from flinching, it is from handling the recoil from the point of ignition till the point that the bullet exits the muzzle.

I seriousely doubt that 1 .500 S&W owner in 100 can shoot it WELL ENOUGH to justify taking it hunting.

I want one. I want one to shoot and when they become more readily available, I am gonna buy one, but I promise you that I will not hunt with it until I can shoot it as well as I can shoot the 44.

Jerry · « **Reply #41 on:** May 08, 2004, 08:08:52 PM »

Redhawk,
If you can shoot your .44 well, you will more than likely shoot the 500 S&W well. I'm not a once a year shooter, I have a range on my property and shoot quite a bit besides just hunting. I think once a gun is sighted in from the bench, you should do most of your shooting off hand, and from hunting postions encountered in the field. You're right some people just can't handle recoil.

Jerry · « **Reply #42 on:** May 10, 2004, 07:01:25 PM »

Ranger Rick,
Yes they do taste deliscious. I cast my own, from a 400gr. FPPB mold made to my specs by Mountain Molds.

hubcap · « **Reply #43 on:** May 30, 2004, 07:37:05 PM »

Hey folks, let's not forget the original reason we have firearms, no matter what caliber/cartridge, "practicallity" (whatever the --- that means), or any other "sporting purpose". It's because our nation's founders were wise enough to recognize our inalienable God-given rights, one of which is the right to defense of one's self and others (country) from a hostile foreign government or a domestic government gone awry. And perhaps you'll remember that the colonists owned and used state-of-the-art military weaponry whenever possible. I'm not in any way, shape, or form advocating overthrow of our government by force. (I think we'll implode soon enough at our own hands, much like the USSR) But when we bicker and fight amongst ourselves, we do the enemy's fighting for him and cause him no casualties. As one of our original statesmen said, "If we do not hang together, it is certain we shall all hang separately."

Fear a government that fears an armed citizenry.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #44 on:** May 31, 2004, 04:48:54 AM »

Quote from: hubcap

Hey folks, let's not forget the original reason we have firearms, no matter what caliber/cartridge, "practicallity" (whatever the --- that means), or any other "sporting purpose". It's because our nation's founders were wise enough to recognize our inalienable God-given rights, one of which is the right to defense of one's self and others (country) from a hostile foreign government or a domestic government gone awry. And perhaps you'll remember that the colonists owned and used state-of-the-art military weaponry whenever possible. I'm not in any way, shape, or form advocating overthrow of our government by force. (I think we'll implode soon enough at our own hands, much like the USSR) But when we bicker and fight amongst ourselves, we do the enemy's fighting for him and cause him no casualties. As one of our original statesmen said, "If we do not hang together, it is certain we shall all hang separately."

Fear a government that fears an armed citizenry.

hubcap well put. I agree with you 100%. :grin:

retiredsquid · « **Reply #45 on:** June 19, 2004, 05:26:39 AM »

Finally received my new 500S&W on May 21st, but had already handloaded a few boxes of ammo prior to its arrival. I've been handloading and shooting big bore revolvers for at least 25 years and I do not find the 500 to be all that tough to shoot. If you do not shoot a lot and do not handload, then the .500S&W or .357Magnum is not the round for you.

I've got five Ruger SA .44s, a S&W 329PD, including some .41s and I do not find any of them all that hard to handle.

I own enough land to shoot anytime I wish to -- heck, I've had many opportunities to shoot deer in my back yard. You need to shoot a lot, if you wish to be proficient with any handgun. To do that you need to work up from the small bores to prevent a flinch -- don't start out with a nuclear load.

I've always had a rule to live by, "Don't talk bad about a man's dawg, wife, guns, house, or mode of transportation and you will do well in this life with all of your teeth intact and your nose will will still have a point on it." :wink:

Rich