My Experience with S&W Behemoths Magnums

My $00.02 worth regarding the X-Frames

The X-frame revolvers are pretty controversial. Many will claim they have no place in a handgun platform claiming the large behemoths have no use besides ego. On the other hand, others sing their praise regarding their power and versatility.

Now, since this is an oppinion based forum, I hope you all do not mind that I post a few of my own. I personally own a 460 XVR with the 8 3/8 barrel. It is a wonderful gun with a lot of versatility. It has it's pros and cons. It obviously has power, range and velocity. It also has 73 ounces of large heft and blunt recoil. Heavy recoil can either give you a bad flinch or teach you to expect it improiving your shooting on smaller caliber guns. Letting it roll without the death grip works wonders.

Now here is the kicker, the .41 and .44 magnum are more than adequate for 95 percent of the hunting in North America. I deer and hog hunt with a .44 magnum Redhawk.

Now you ask yourself why even have a 460 S&W magnum? The answer is real simple, they are fun! It is kind of like drag racing. You can run in the stock classes but when you move up the power chain in racing it gets lots more fun. After the holidays, I am ordering a nice handgun scope to shoot 300 yards with it. Why, because the weapon can make those shots.

Will I ever hunt with my 460, I do not know. Maybe some day I can afford a nice Grizzly hunt in Alaska. Is it bear to carry? Well, kind of but not really. In a Simply Riugged chest holster, it is not too bad and you get used to it like carrying a pack. It is easier to carry than a rifle/carbine IMHO.

I have shot the .500 S&W and liked it. The 460 IMHO is more versatile if you handoad and a lot cheaper. The 460 can be downloaded in 460 cases. For example, a 300g MBC at 1300-1400 fps for plinking.

Enough rambling, I have a X-mas party to go to.

Merry Christmas to TFL inmates.
 
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I have a 4" 500 and my buddy has a 5" 460. I traded a 10" Taurus 500 for the smith 4". I also have a H&R 500 handi-rifle and my buddy has an encore in 460. We shoot these often on my private (outdoor) range, so I feel quailified to offer opinions on the subject. I have done the simo-fire thing just to say I did and feel no need to ever do it again. I have 250 rounds of brass, and find after about 2 full house loads, the primer pockets get loose so I load that brass with mid loads, and finnally trail boss. I'm down to just 50 rounds of the the full house loads, and now just save them to test my buddies manhood. The 500's recoil is sharp, stiff, and brutal. I was amazed how much less the 460 was in the recoil department. That said, the muzzel blast of the 460, rifle or revolver, is stupifing. I swear I could feel ejecta raining down from the roof of the shooting station when standing behind the shooter. Standing next to the shooter is just obnoxios. I could not imagine firing the beast, even in a field situation, without hearing protection.
The recoil is the issue with the 500. The handi-rifle often breaks open on recoil, and the cheesy plastic rear sight departed for parts unknown in the first range session. I replaced them with Williams aluminum sights, but they wouldn't zero. I'll get around to a new front sight someday.
In short, I have more practical firearms for field use, and consider these mere range toys. They are big, heavy firearms that are difficult to shoot, hard to master, and anything but 'versatile'. The are at the top of the size, recoil, muzzel blast envelope in order to get to an energy level that other firearms can reach easily and more comfrtably.
 
I remember when the big .500 was about to be released I watched a show on the outdoor channel of a couple guys hog hunting with it, I wouldn't of aired the film it was so ridiculous, they shot 3 or 4 big hogs with the .500 and had to shoot them several times except for one I remember (shot placement unknown but couldn't of been good?), I remember thinking holy cow what a joke! I have 100 percent faith and cofidence I could have smoked any of them hogs with one shot from a .22 magnum! I help a guy out butchering from time to time, he's a meat cutter and gets me to do the slaughtering, all I use is a .22 magnum. Moral of the story is it definately was a horrible debut for the big .500 IMO, very short of impressive! Didn't stop me from owning 2 of them :D
 
This is something we do on private property.
I respectfully disagree. People are going to complain no matter what you do. It’s a range, open to the public. If the range owner will let you shoot it then there is nothing wrong with it.
I shoot a Contender 44 MAG with what I call my Rhino rollers in the winter time when I’m working up loads. But I also tell others around me what I am shooting.
Complainers will complain, that’s their job. Several weeks ago I and a friend were shooting in door and working on multiple shots for speed and accuracy. Both of us were shooting 9mm.
Only one other person was in the range and we were separated by more than 6 positions.
When we were done we cashed out at the store and in walked the other shooter. And out of his mouth came “I didn’t shoot very well, sounded like a *#&$% gun fight in there.” He went on for several minutes.
The owner who is a friend finally stopped the complainer by saying “You do realize you were in a “SHOOTING RANGE!” With emphasis on the last.
 
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a 4" 500 is on my to buy list yet...

I got the chance to shoot one, ( a 4" ) at the Shooters Roundup at Ahlmans this fall... about what I expected... funny, on their limited range, I had a couple targets that fell down from one shot... too much concussion in the confined space... I guess I'm used to that type of concussion, as I have 14" ported 45-70 barrel for my Contender, & a 50 A.E. ported Automag 5, & a Dan Wesson 357 Super Magnum

I don't like the longer barrel guns( anything longer than 6" )... I understand, higher velocity, longer sight radius, but I'm a dummy, who can't seem to keep his support hand back of the barrel / cylinder gap on muzzle heavy guns, this can be quite dangerous on higher pressure cartridge guns... my 30 carbine blackhawk has burned me multiple times... I don't relish having my fingers look like the early hot dog videos that were out when the X frame 1st came out... not afraid of them... just got to respect that barrel cylinder flash from the big guys
 
I remember when the big .500 was about to be released I watched a show on the outdoor channel of a couple guys hog hunting with it, I wouldn't of aired the film it was so ridiculous, they shot 3 or 4 big hogs with the .500 and had to shoot them several times except for one I remember (shot placement unknown but couldn't of been good?), I remember thinking holy cow what a joke! I have 100 percent faith and cofidence I could have smoked any of them hogs with one shot from a .22 magnum! I help a guy out butchering from time to time, he's a meat cutter and gets me to do the slaughtering, all I use is a .22 magnum. Moral of the story is it definately was a horrible debut for the big .500 IMO, very short of impressive! Didn't stop me from owning 2 of them
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I do not care what caliber you are shooting shot placement is still very important. I have seen some guys that think a larger caliber means they can be a little more inaccurate which is very far from the truth.

Shoot what you can handle -- accurately.
 
This is something we do on private property.
I respectfully disagree. People are going to complain no matter what you do. It’s a range, open to the public.
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Ozzie though I get what you are saying and agree, but what we were talking about was two fisting the 460 and 500 shooting both at the same time.

This is not something I would do at a public range.
 
Hehehehheehe again

Safety is paramount on public or private ranges.

Shooting at your comfort level is important as well and if you are not comfortable you should say so and probably should not do it. It burns me up when I see these people on youtube handing inexperienced shooters or first time women shooters these big caliber and think it is funny.
 
Exactly Mr.revolverguy! Shot placement is 100 percent key! Like I said I slaughter from time to time and all I have ever used is a .22 magnum, when you see a 1500 pound beef fold up like a lawn chair from a little 40 grain .22 cal bullet its a tad bit on the impressive side to say the least! The big .500 S&W is a VERY potent round!! the hog hunt I seen on the outdoor channel using the .500 was obviously poor shot placement as that round would have smashed a hog if hit properly! I hit a steel gong type target with my .500 revolver and it litterally swung the big heavy plate up and so far it unhooked the chains and the whole thing fell to the ground! We were hitting the same target with a .357 and .44 magnum and they would slightly swing the heavy plate but the big .500 actually lifted and unhooked it! :eek:
 
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