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I purchased a S&W 500 8 3/8" barrel about a month ago. I shot 20 rds through it and decided to sell it.
It was just tooo much power. The recoil was more "rearward" then upward, as it bullied my shoulders to the
point of abuse. The ammo I shot was Hornady 350g XTP. It was litterally a "hand cannon". I just wonder
if anyone else owns a 500 or have shot one, and what are your thoughts.
Haka

haven't shot a 500 but I'm sure you could load down the horsepower to a 500 "Special" type load... like a 275gr at a modest velocity.... trailboss might be a good powder for that.

kinda had the same problem shooting full power 44 mag loads out of my 629 "mountain gun" 4" tapered bbl but the special loads are a joy to shoot.

Hakaman wrote:I purchased a S&W 500 8 3/8" barrel about a month ago. I shot 20 rds through it and decided to sell it.
It was just too much power. The recoil was more "rearward" then upward, as it bullied my shoulders to the
point of abuse. The ammo I shot was Hornady 350g XTP. It was litterally a "hand cannon". I just wonder
if anyone else owns a 500 or have shot one, and what are your thoughts.
Haka

Haka, that gun is only intended to be used in 2 areas, the Kenai peninsula for coastal grizzlies or south on 8 Mile on irate citizens, in both cases you will get sore shoulders and need clean underwear but you will be able to drive home.

The rearward pressure is apparently due primarily to the grip style. Modern grips tend push backward, while 'cowboy-style' grips tend to slide back and up in the hand reducing the felt recoil substantially.

At least in my experience.

Just my .02

I love a good hand cannon

Haka, that gun is only intended to be used in 2 areas, the Kenai peninsula for coastal grizzlies or south on 8 Mile on irate citizens, in both cases you will get sore shoulders and need clean underwear but you will be able to drive home

. I got a chuckle out of that OM. Not sure which animal I would
least like to meet, a grizzly or one south of 8 mile? As far as hand cannons, I
think my 357's are enough for me.
Haka

Hakaman wrote:

Haka, that gun is only intended to be used in 2 areas, the Kenai peninsula for coastal grizzlies or south on 8 Mile on irate citizens, in both cases you will get sore shoulders and need clean underwear but you will be able to drive home

. I got a chuckle out of that OM. Not sure which animal I would
least like to meet, a grizzly or one south of 8 mile? As far as hand cannons, I
think my 357's are enough for me.
Haka

Myself, I think up on the Kenai may be safer.
As far as a soft shooting puff load for the .38/.357, my bud and I have developed this. It shoots well in both of our revolvers and our 1894 carbines, he shoots 357 cases and I shoot .38. Use a 148 grain very soft hollow base wadcutter we get from Precision Delta and 20.3 grains of trail Boss or Green dot.

he shoots 357 cases and I shoot .38.

Loading for 357 is fun, anything from powderpuff to "handcannon" loads can be done. Summer is great, I get out the big bruiser rounds and make heads turn. You might be able to hear them up in your neck of the woods !
Haka

Hakaman wrote:

he shoots 357 cases and I shoot .38.

Loading for 357 is fun, anything from powderpuff to "handcannon" loads can be done. Summer is great, I get out the big bruiser rounds and make heads turn. You might be able to hear them up in your neck of the woods !
Haka

I thoght that was thunderstorm but saw no lightning.

The RSO at the outdoor range I use brought out his 500 one day last summer. It was raining buckets and my son in law and I were the only shooters at the range.

Gunny offered us a box of green tips and his pistol rest to try our hand.
That was fun .. a blast if you will allow the awful pun. We shot at targets 50 yards down range. Gunny could hit the 8 inch shoot NC free hand. Yes, he is a big guy. The gun is not on my wish list. It was waaay too much for me and John to enjoy shooting any more than the occasional range adventure.

One memory I will keep for a long time was .. Cock the hammer, pull the trigger, the blast of the muzzle, incredible recoil... But most impressive was the Hole momentarily blasted in the downpour at the edge of the roof.

Hak

I've shot a cylinder load once and that was enough!

Y

bearandoldman wrote:

Hakaman wrote:I purchased a S&W 500 8 3/8" barrel about a month ago. I shot 20 rds through it and decided to sell it.
It was just too much power. The recoil was more "rearward" then upward, as it bullied my shoulders to the
point of abuse. The ammo I shot was Hornady 350g XTP. It was litterally a "hand cannon". I just wonder
if anyone else owns a 500 or have shot one, and what are your thoughts.
Haka

Haka, that gun is only intended to be used in 2 areas, the Kenai peninsula for coastal grizzlies or south on 8 Mile on irate citizens, in both cases you will get sore shoulders and need clean underwear but you will be able to drive home.

Read Oldman's response to Ms. Greener. We both spent a while getting the tears of laughter out of our eyes.

The S&W 500 is one of those beasts you fire enough to be familiar with and then carry in big bear country.

As far as enjoying the roar, I was in 203 and 155 mm howitzer units. Got all the roar and big recoil I need. I'll stick with .45 colt and .38/.357

OK guys, just as a mattterr of interest, what if we turned an animal like this but not dead loose, South of 8 mile and just watched for laffs?

Sure a .50 cal revolver is enough for that cuddly little bear? I'm thinking more along the lines of Ma Deuce.

greener wrote:Sure a .50 cal revolver is enough for that cuddly little bear? I'm thinking more along the lines of Ma Deuce.

Much better idea. He was shot last fall in the Aspen?Snowmass wilderness area in the Maroon Bells in Northwest, I believe CO. Damn near 12 feet tall. 1300 pounds, well fed as he had been eating good. Ranchers were glad to see him go as he had eaten a few horses and cows, plus a dozen or so sheep and a pen of chickens, 5 shot from a .338 mag.

Yleefox wrote:Hak

I've shot a cylinder load once and that was enough!

Y

That's my experience with .44 Mag, 6 rounds. I don't even think of trying .500. I'm with Hak, .357 has always been my limit, or .44 Special.