500 magnum questions

500 is a great choice. Loaded way down or WAY up. Trailboss or H110 if you reload. 275 grains all the way up to 700 grain bullets.You can still purchase 500 special if you look hard enough. Or you can cut down the cases and make your own. I have not shot the 500 revolver though. I shoot them out of a 20 inch TC Encore. A very powerful cartridge. I love it.
 
I have a bunch of different revolvers that are suitable for hunting Deer:

357 Mag, 41 Mag, 44 Mag, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, 460 Mag, and 480 Ruger.

If I could only keep one of them for the rest of my life, it would be:

#1 - 45 Colt if you are a re-loader or willing to learn
#2 - 44 Magnum otherwise.

I love shooting the big guns, but they are not needed for hunting Deer IMO and my Model 29 6-1/2" strikes a great balance of size vs power.
 
I suggest you buy or borrow Big Bore Revolvers by Max Prasac. Lots of practical info. Regards holsters, sure, they make all kinds. You might look into a chest rig. I got an El Paso Saddlery (like their stuff) "Tanker" rig for my Super Redhawk. That's about as big a pistol as I will ever carry. Belt carry can get unwieldy with the big frames.

It's also one good reason not to get a big hogleg and then download because it kicks too much. You're still hauling all that iron. Better to get a smaller frame, lighter caliber. If you are going to lug the weight, learn to shot it and go for the gusto.
 
disseminator said:
I love shooting the big guns, but they are not needed for hunting Deer IMO and my Model 29 6-1/2" strikes a great balance of size vs power.
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I have hunted and taken deer with .357s, 44s and my .460. The only legitimate reason to go for the bigger calibers is range and accuracy. While one can take a deer very well @ 35 yards with a .45 Colt shooting a 250 gr projectile at 900 fps, @ 100 yards you have to aim a foot and a half high in order to hit the boiler room. Then at that range you only have about 350flbs of energy left. Not hardly enough to "shoot clear through any deer you'll encounter". When I used to hunt deer with rifle, I used everything from .223 to 30-06. Again, the difference was range and killing power farther downrange. While I loved hunting with Grabdpa's ol' .32 Special, it wasn't as good past 100 yards, as the ought-six. The X-Frames are niche guns, designed for hunting and DG protection. The heft and size makes shooting their heavy recoil manageable. They are also extremely accurate. Every year during "sight-in" before gun deer season at the local Sportsman's club, I put several rifle hunters to shame @ 100-150 yards with my X-Frame. They soon quit their snide comments about it once they see how it performs......and it is still a revolver. And hunting with it is handgun hunting. Kinda what they are all about. Like riding motorcycles....iffin I have to explain, you wouldn't understand.
 
The X-Frames are niche guns, designed for hunting and DG protection.
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I do not believe this is true. Not even close, not ever. The 500 was designed to be the "largest". It is a great money maker, ie popular for another reason. All the criticism should keep in mind, that makes a lot of people getting subtle insulted. These guns are 99% purchased for fun and novelty. Some might call it braggin rights. Those who carry 500 for any purpose are a minisule minority. I would like one someday. I make no pretense for use. I just want one.

There is no reason to invent some pretend use for the 500. If you happen to own the 500, which is a fun gun. Then sure, you can make animals dead. Might as well. To quote: "why not?" I think anyone on this forum would be hard press to name a gun that cannot take game. Why not? Like M1 Garand, it will take any game in North America. That was never the primary purpose nor was it for the 500 revolver.

Not only has S&W reclaimed the title of most powerful production handgun, they have maxed out the legal bore diameter and at pressure levels that very few revolvers could ever handle. Smith owns the biggest title. Look at sales or demand for 480 ruger or 475 . Those were all touted as very useful and pretend popular hunting revolvers right up to the 500. Both dead and soon to be burred. The 44 mag and 454 still go strong, even if not close to bragin for biggest. That tells you something about 44 and 45 diameter.

I have never seen a 500 without some type of porting or brake. That is guarantee hearing damage if shot without hearing protection. If blowing out you ear drums is a fair trade for venison, fine? Or buy some of those electrons muffs.
 
I have never seen a 500 without some type of porting or brake.
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Several 500 S&W have been produced without a muzzle brake- The ES model that was also available in the Survival Kit, the newer 3.5 " and of course the 5" John Ross all by S&W.

Then we have two different barrel lengths offered by BFR that don't wear brakes.

Addition I have yet to see an Janz in 500 with a brake, either the 6" or 8".

be safe
Ruggy
 
I've shot the 8" model that had porting and I was surprised at how well I handled it. I like shooting big bore revolvers and would like to have a 500 but the price of the gun is a bit more than I want to pay for a toy that makes a big boom. I reload so ammo costs could be kept down, just need to find a "deal" on one.
 
I pulled the trigger on a John Ross model a few months ago. It has quickly become one of my favorite revolvers. I find that the .500 is a reloaders dream. In my opinion the loaded down rounds are where this caliber really shines. When you push a 335 grain bullet about 1200 FPS you wind up with a round/gun combo that has less recoil than a low end .357 mag and substantially more energy than a .44mag.
 
fourbore said:
I have never seen a 500 without some type of porting or brake. That is guarantee hearing damage if shot without hearing protection. If blowing out you ear drums is a fair trade for venison, fine? Or buy some of those electrons muffs.
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As I said before....I have hunted deer with .357, 44 and .460. Any of those, even without a brake, can produce permanent hearing damage if one does not wear some sort of ear protection. Yep, the electronic muffs work very well.

fourbore said:
These guns are 99% purchased for fun and novelty.
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Can you show us some form of proof, or is this just your take? Out of all the folks I know that own a X-Frame(.460 or .500), their intended purpose is either hunting or SD against DG. They don't have it just for "bragging rights". Me included. While I will admit, there are some that do, their numbers are not close to 99%. Same could be said for the .44 mag. at one time. I remember back in the early 70s when I got my first one, folks didn't think anyone needed that much power either. That was back when the .45 Colt was close to becoming obscure. Times change. Guns change.People....not so much.

jackmoser65 said:
Is that a serious comment?
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Yes it is. Iffin there is any firearm myth that has been propagated so falsely on gun forums, it's the one about how a .45 Colt can shoot thru any large game animal, regardless of angle and what it impacts on the way. My statement was at 100 yards when down to 350 foot pounds of energy. I have no problem with the .45 Colt, it's a great cartridge and a good deer caliber within it's limitations. But regardless of what you insist, it does have it's limitations. One is range from a handgun. I also have no problem with what you or other folks use when they hunt deer. Apparently, you do.
 
I own many revolvers and most of them are .357 mag or larger. My favorites are my .44 mags, mainly because that’s what I grew up with and am the most comfortable with. As I said above I now own a John Ross .500 mag and I wouldn’t consider it a novelty at all. Loaded way down it hits harder than a .44 mag and does so with substantially less recoil. From there the sky is the limit as far as performance, it will out run any other big bore revolver load for load that i know of as long as you are strong enough to stand behind it.

I will say that if I didn’t reload I would not have as favorable an opinion of the .500. Factory ammo is too expensive and way too hot for practical everyday shooting.
 
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31, and now 32, with mine, replies to the OP who hasn't been back to the forum since the day he posted his question. Must not have been too important to begin with.
 
Let me be more explicit for those who can't seem to comprehend. Why would one want to carry a revolver that is a pound heavier than necessary, producing exponentially more recoil and muzzle blast than necessary? In other words, why do so many seem to think that they need a huge X frame for deer?
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"Because it's there." :D

FWIW, see . . .
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6314587&postcount=6
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/loading-the-500-s-w.599398/#post-7395330

and finally (and most important....)
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/s-w-500-loads.638539/#post-7895604









it's one heckuva coke can killer at 100yds
 
1MoreFord said:
31, and now 32, with mine, replies to the OP who hasn't been back to the forum since the day he posted his question. Must not have been too important to begin with.
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It maybe the tone of the replies. My first experience here was not so warm a reception either. I am guilty as anyone. I would suggest a 6" barrel for the OP, no brake or compensator holes. I never did mention that in my OT reply.

He did say, "lighter rounds" for deer. So; he loads his own. He test fired a 500. He asked for some pet loads. No response.

Do not be surprised if he never comes back.
 
Iffin there is any firearm myth that has been propagated so falsely on gun forums, it's the one about how a .45 Colt can shoot thru any large game animal, regardless of angle and what it impacts on the way.
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Then I reckon the deer I've shot with it were defective. Ironic that you'd question my questioning the reasoning behind packing a 500 but have no problem telling me that I'm perpetuating myths. I've only been doing it for over forty freaking years. In the real world it doesn't take a lot to kill deer. I've done it with everything from the 32-20 on up.



It maybe the tone of the replies.
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The world is indeed a sad place when you can't ask someone why they want to carry a particular firearm without triggering an emotional, kneejerk reaction from bystanders.
 
How does it compare to a 454 casull full load? I never shot one
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I imagine it depends on the platform. I have never fired a .500S&W but my brothers father in law has a S&W .460XVR and it is has noticeably less recoil than my Ruger SBH in .44mag and is absolutely soft recoiling compared to my .454 SBH. That weight and ported barrel makes a world of difference. Now muzzle blast and noise, well that’s a different story...:D
 
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