Author Topic: 500 s&w handi rifle (Read 1420 times)

msorenso · « **on:** January 03, 2006, 02:56:01 AM »

Has anyone had any experience with the 500 S&w handi???

MSP Ret · « **Reply #1 on:** January 03, 2006, 04:43:42 AM »

:agree: , I concur, the 45-70 is head and shoulders above the .500 S&W....<><.... :grin:

msorenso · « **Reply #2 on:** January 03, 2006, 08:44:00 AM »

I already have the 45-70.. Ithink the 500 s&w would be fun!

MtJerry · « **Reply #3 on:** January 03, 2006, 09:42:49 AM »

I have a friend in town (he works at one of the local gun shops actually) who ordered one back in October. When it arrived it had PLASTIC sights!

Plastic sights!!!!!!!!!

I was truly embarrassed for H&R.

I strongly encouraged him to call H&R and demand a new set of REAL sights, but he thought it was no big deal since he was going to scope it. He did call eventually and they offered to send him a set of metal sights ... for a price.

PLASITC SIGHTS!!!! ON A 500 S&W Magnum???!!!!

ya gotta be kiddin' me ...

GrampaMike · « **Reply #4 on:** January 03, 2006, 11:25:48 AM »

I have one, also the 450 Marlin and 45-70. Why? you might ask, do you have all three similar big-bores in the Handi. Just because I am a Handiholic.

Anyway I like the 500 S&W Magnum, mine has 1.5-4.5x Bushnell on it. Never shot it with just the Plastic Sights.

Groups pretty good for me at 50 yds (pretty much all holes touch another, course hard not too when the holes are .500 each. Recoil is close to the 450 Marlin, both are more than the 45-70.

I am pretty sure someone has already come up with a 500 S&W SPECIAL version of the 500 S&W Magnum for less recoil.

Anyway I am keeping mine. Mike.

Daniel Laws · « **Reply #5 on:** January 03, 2006, 04:22:19 PM »

I have 3 45-70 rifles, and love them. But I also have a blast with my 500 S&W. It does recoil, but no worse than a stout 45-70 load. My handloads with 400 gr. cast bullets over 35 gr. of H110 aren't any more expensive to shoot than a 45-70. I can truthfully say that they aren't fur friendly however. I shot a bobcat while deer hunting in Alabama last week, and wound up with about an inch dia. hole on both entry and exit. Tracking wasn't much of a chore though. It is pretty accurate, maybe not as much so as the BC, but fun to shoot. Given a choice between the 2, I pick both!

borg1 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 04, 2006, 07:47:36 AM »

Ballistically speaking, would the 45-70 out fly the .500 or .450??

rockrat · « **Reply #7 on:** January 04, 2006, 11:31:48 AM »

I enjoy my 500 handi. Working up a load for the 385Remington and Lil Gun. Should clock about 2100fps for 3773ft lbs. Can get the 335 ranier up to 2235fps for 3700ft lbs. Also trying Trail Boss for a light load-trying for 1200fps plinking load. Had to put a slip-over limbsaver on it to lengthen the stock and take some of the recoil out of it as it does kick with full loads :shock:

quickdtoo · « **Reply #8 on:** January 04, 2006, 11:50:45 AM »

Quote from: borg1

Ballistically speaking, would the 45-70 out fly the .500 or .450??

Yup, higher BC and the 45-70 uses rifle bullets, not pistol bullets, big difference in construction.

borg1 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 04, 2006, 02:02:42 PM »

Well, i guess its decided. I wanted a big bore barrel (say that 10 times really fast :-D) but was undecided between the 45-70 and the 500. I think i'll get the 45-70 first, then maybe the 500 later. I am surprised though that the 500 kicks harder than the 45-70.

borg1 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 05, 2006, 02:22:19 AM »

I am surprised, though, because the 45-70 takes more powder than the 500. if they shoot same weight bullets, i'd expect the 45-70 to kick harder.

kombi1976 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2006, 12:48:15 PM »

The reason the .500 S&W kicks more is because of the muzzle energy.
Firing a 400gn Woodleigh FN at 2100fps it has 3917 ft/lbs of muzzle energy! :shock: :x
If you load a .45-70 for with lever action loads for the same bullet mass then it's 100fps behind the .500 S&W and has about 400 ft/lbs less ME.