Author Topic: Got a 4 inch S&W 500MAG today (Read 1297 times)

Redhawk1 · « **on:** December 27, 2004, 10:40:23 AM »

I got a 4 inch S&W500 today. I got it for a great price. It was only shot 5 times and the person said it was to much for them. I pick up the gun for $700 and 5 boxes of Corbon factory ammo for another $75.00. I shot the gun at 15 yards with open sights and I did a 5 shot group the measured about 1 inch. The gun shoots like a dream. Now I have a problem though, I am going on a Black Bear hunt next October and I don't know if I should take the new S&W500 or my BFR in 500MAG. This is going to be my primary weapon, not a back up. Now my buddy wants my Ruger Super Streethawk in 454 Casull. He shot it before we went to Alaska and was impressed with the 25 yard accuracy. I think I am going to make him a deal though, I have 2 deer getting mounted by him and he wants the gun bad. Good to have your taxidermist wanting to trade. A little easy on the pocket.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 27, 2004, 12:02:42 PM »

The only reason I would get rid of the super streethawk is, it is my good friend that wants it. With the 4 inch 500, it would take the place of the 454. But that was a great Idea you had about taking both 500's on the bear hunt

Also I was not out to get a S&W500, I just happened on a great deal and I am a sucker for a deal, the other person paid $995 for the gun alone 4 weeks ago. I still have the warranty card to send in. :grin:

OrangeWing · « **Reply #2 on:** December 27, 2004, 01:13:43 PM »

Boy do I feel sorry for you. HA-HA. Sounds like you got a great deal. That S/W500 4" fits my hand like a glove. It really feels like they custom made it to fit me. Enjoy you new gun. So many decisions, so many guns what is a man to do. Isn't life good.

Tc300mag1 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 27, 2004, 01:54:03 PM »

Sweet deal i have yet to see 500 4 inch yet debating betweenit and super redhawk alaskan

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 27, 2004, 02:12:20 PM »

Quote from: Tc300mag1

Sweet deal i have yet to see 500 4 inch yet debating betweenit and super redhawk alaskan

I have a Super Redhawk that has been customized to a 3 inch barrel and a long list of other things. For the extra money I would go with the 4 inch S&W500. Granted the Redhawk Alaskan would be less expensive then a custom Super Redhawk.

S.B. · « **Reply #5 on:** December 29, 2004, 04:27:43 PM »

Handled my first S&W 500, 4" last week up at Mega Sports in Joliet Il. Man, I'm in love. Now how do I come up with $900?

Spyro Andes · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2004, 10:44:02 AM »

Are you hunting over hounds or bait?

I think for a spot and stalk hunt, the 4" Smith would be a disadvantage. Don't get me wrong, it can be done. I have shot a couple of real nice big game animals with short barrelled revolvers. However, most of them have been targets of opportunity. By that I mean, when glassing, I find the animal that I want to kill in a position that provides enough foliage, break in terrain and etc to get close and then I'll decide to take it with the shorty.

I have shot several bears, a number of antelope and other animals with a shorty... you just have to be selective with your stalks.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 30, 2004, 11:18:06 AM »

Quote from: Spyro Andes

Are you hunting over hounds or bait?

I think for a spot and stalk hunt, the 4" Smith would be a disadvantage. Don't get me wrong, it can be done. I have shot a couple of real nice big game animals with short barrelled revolvers. However, most of them have been targets of opportunity. By that I mean, when glassing, I find the animal that I want to kill in a position that provides enough foliage, break in terrain and etc to get close and then I'll decide to take it with the shorty.

I have shot several bears, a number of antelope and other animals with a shorty... you just have to be selective with your stalks.

Hunting over hounds.

Catfish · « **Reply #8 on:** December 31, 2004, 09:21:06 AM »

I would say go with the longer barrel, but those BFR are so ugly I wouldn`t want someone seeing me carry one. :lol: I wouldn`t mind haveing a 4 in. 500 for a CCW, but I really doubt that it would stop a person any faster than the .44 mag. I have now, and it would be heaver.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 31, 2004, 12:52:13 PM »

Quote from: Catfish

I would say go with the longer barrel, but those BFR are so ugly I wouldn`t want someone seeing me carry one. :lol: I wouldn`t mind haveing a 4 in. 500 for a CCW, but I really doubt that it would stop a person any faster than the .44 mag. I have now, and it would be heaver.

My BFR is cut down to 6 inches and IMO it is a good looking gun. I think some people have ugly wife's, but they look good to them.

I bought my 4 inch S&W to hunt with not for CCW. As far as a 44 and a 500 stopping a person faster, dead is dead. My CCW is a Colt Defender in 45ACP, that all I need.

S.B. · « **Reply #10 on:** December 31, 2004, 01:25:37 PM »

I never put much stock in what a gun looked like. Hard to see it, when I'm focused on the front sight and only the top of my right hand and arms are in the picture. As long as it does what I bought it to do, I'll not complain. Now function, that I'm concerned about, has to work first time every time. My $.02.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #11 on:** December 31, 2004, 02:34:48 PM »

Quote from: S.B.

I never put much stock in what a gun looked like. Hard to see it, when I'm focused on the front sight and only the top of my right hand and arms are in the picture. As long as it does what I bought it to do, I'll not complain. Now function, that I'm concerned about, has to work first time every time. My $.02.

You got that right. I love the function of the BFR. I have well over 1200 rounds through it and it is holding up like a dream.

Tc300mag1 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 31, 2004, 03:14:33 PM »

Redhawk how does the Recoil compare between the 454 and the 500 ive heard 500 is brutal but i heard same think on 454 b4 i bought it i like the look for that 4 inch ...

Ive also heard froma few guy the 500 in the 8 3/8 is easyer to shoot than a 454 .. ?? Any words ..

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 31, 2004, 06:24:57 PM »

Quote from: Tc300mag1

Redhawk how does the Recoil compare between the 454 and the 500 ive heard 500 is brutal but i heard same think on 454 b4 i bought it i like the look for that 4 inch ...

Ive also heard froma few guy the 500 in the 8 3/8 is easyer to shoot than a 454 .. ?? Any words ..

I do not think the 4 inch 500MAG is any different than the 8 3/8 barrel. IMO
I have a 454 Casull with a 3 inch barrel and it is rather a nice gun to shoot. Sure the 454 and the 500 are going to kick, but it is the same in shorter barrels as it is in longer barrels. IMO. I shot the S&W 500 with the 4 inch barrel with Cor-bon's 440 gr. factory loads one handed. Not to brag but to see how the recoil was if I had to shoot one handed. It was not as bad as I expected it would be. But recoil is all how you perceive it. Some people are more sensitive to recoil, I am just use to it. I have had people shoot my BFR 500MAG one time and say it was enough and handed it right back to me. I have a friend that shot it once and said he will never shoot it again. :eek: After shooting the 454 casull and the 500MAG, I think a 44MAG is a light recoil gun.

Tc300mag1 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 31, 2004, 06:29:42 PM »

Thx for the info only time i would say 44 was heavy recoil was years ago when i made some barn burners and i mean they were hot .. havent shot any that hot in 44 since i got 454 .. Once i change grips on my 454 i didnt think the recoil was that bad more like my barn burners in the old 44 SRH ...\

Sounds like im being talked in a 4 inch 500

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 31, 2004, 06:38:36 PM »

Quote from: Tc300mag1

Thx for the info only time i would say 44 was heavy recoil was years ago when i made some barn burners and i mean they were hot .. havent shot any that hot in 44 since i got 454 .. Once i change grips on my 454 i didnt think the recoil was that bad more like my barn burners in the old 44 SRH ...\

Sounds like im being talked in a 4 inch 500

I know I don't shoot my 44MAG anymore and my 454 gets little use since I got the BFR 500MAG and now the 4 inch S&W500. It is just a lot of fun shooting the 500MAG.

:-D

Tc300mag1 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 31, 2004, 06:50:32 PM »

ive all ready thought off getting rid of my 44 lost faith in it hunted with it for close to 6 years and never managed to take a deer other than follow up shot ... Took 2 with 454 with in 10 mins of each other shot one on way to truck for lunch..

Called pop on raido since was across canel so hes gutting it and a 5 point comes in and i baisclly shoot the other one over top of pops ... only second time out with the 454 once early season and then opening day not to bad

thinking 500 would be a nice bear gun even though i know 454 will more than do it for black bear its excuse to buy another gun to She who must be obeyed or SWMBO

Lawful Larry · « **Reply #17 on:** January 03, 2005, 05:16:45 AM »

The reason why these guns are showing up at gun shows selling used is they are not practical and they are hurting people. I am not recoil shy, but these guns go beyond anything normal in the recoil department. I have shot one and it was a heavy recoil. I can't see shooting this gun more then a few times at a single sitting. I would be interested in anyone that tried to mount a handgun scope on one. I wonder how long it would last before it damaged the scope.

My feelings are they are nothing but a fade. Something on the line of, "Mine is bigger then yours!" If you like this sort of thing, go for it.

As far as using a four inch as a primary hunting gun for brown bear, you are a better man then I am. As a back up for the BFR, that makes a little more sense. :wink:

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 03, 2005, 06:09:44 AM »

Quote from: Lawful Larry

The reason why these guns are showing up at gun shows selling used is they are not practical and they are hurting people. I am not recoil shy, but these guns go beyond anything normal in the recoil department. I have shot one and it was a heavy recoil. I can't see shooting this gun more then a few times at a single sitting. I would be interested in anyone that tried to mount a handgun scope on one. I wonder how long it would last before it damaged the scope.

My feelings are they are nothing but a fade. Something on the line of, "Mine is bigger then yours!" If you like this sort of thing, go for it.

As far as using a four inch as a primary hunting gun for brown bear, you are a better man then I am. As a back up for the BFR, that makes a little more sense. :wink:

The reason these guns show up is because people underestimate the recoil of the gun. :eek: The statement of them being not practical is ridicules in my opinion. There are a lot of us that can handle the recoil and enjoy the gun very much. To me it is not my gun is bigger than yours, I could care less what anyone thinks about what I shoot, I don't knock what they shoot. I get what works for me. :-) I am going after black bear not brown bear, if I was going after brown bear I would use a rifle as my primary weapon and have the S&W500 as my back up only. Now as far as scopes, I have a Millet red-dot on my BFR 500MAG with a 6 inch barrel with over 1300 heavy kickin 440 gr. and 575 gr. rounds through it and the red-dot is still holding strong. And as far as the short barrels being a fade, I think you will see in time, they are here to stay.

OrangeWing · « **Reply #19 on:** January 03, 2005, 10:26:12 AM »

Larry, I have to disagree with you on this one. I really think they are here to stay. What is too much recoil to some is not too much to others. I can take the recoil just fine. I have never looked at my pistols "mine is bigger then yours" ever. I am sure there are some people that would. As far as a use for them. YEP, there sure is. As far as using a short 4" barrel on one. YEP, there is also a use for that also. It is a lot easier for me to carry a 4" 500S/W then it is carrying a 8" for a "back up gun". If while bear hunting everything goes wrong that could. I have a little peace of mind knowing that there is the 500 strapped on me. I might get mauled or even killed, BUT I also might live having 5 shots that I could shoot while it is biting the crap out of me. Yep, I like the 500 a lot, a real lot.

sawfish · « **Reply #20 on:** January 06, 2005, 09:31:51 AM »

Redhawk, FYI Magnum Research made a special run of BFRs in .500 S & W with 5.5" barrels. I don't know if any are still available, but if interested, you could e-mail them through their web site. That model is not listed on the site. Regards.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 06, 2005, 11:04:58 AM »

Quote from: sawfish

Redhawk, FYI Magnum Research made a special run of BFRs in .500 S & W with 5.5" barrels. I don't know if any are still available, but if interested, you could e-mail them through their web site. That model is not listed on the site. Regards.

Sawfish, my BFR is cut down to 6 inches. If you measure from the muzzle to the frame it is 5 1/4 inches. If you measure from the forcing cone to the muzzle it is 6 inches.
I did not know Magnum Research made them in a 5.5 inch barrel. Thanks for the info.

Don Dick · « **Reply #22 on:** January 06, 2005, 02:24:04 PM »

What do you mean there`s no use for the 500 S&W I`ll have you know I have not had an elephant crap in my back yard since I got my 8 3/8 inch
500 S&W. Now that I have a 4 inch also I don`t think I ever have any Griz out back either

.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 06, 2005, 03:14:05 PM »

Quote from: Don Dick

What do you mean there`s no use for the 500 S&W I`ll have you know I have not had an elephant **** in my back yard since I got my 8 3/8 inch
500 S&W. Now that I have a 4 inch also I don`t think I ever have any Griz out back either .

Good one....

daddywpb · « **Reply #24 on:** January 07, 2005, 01:21:25 PM »

I handled my first S&W 500 a couple weeks ago, and I'm still dabbing drool off the corners of my mouth. The one I saw was 8 3/8, and the trigger was superb right out of the box. The guy wanted $875 for it. I think if I had a choice I'd rather have the 4 incher. Nice deal Redhawk!

mr.frosty · « **Reply #25 on:** January 07, 2005, 03:19:29 PM »

Quote from: Don Dick

What do you mean there`s no use for the 500 S&W I`ll have you know I have not had an elephant **** in my back yard since I got my 8 3/8 inch
500 S&W. Now that I have a 4 inch also I don`t think I ever have any Griz out back either .

you mean to tell me that there are elephants in murfreesboro :shock: