I mean, yeah, 500 Magnum is a heck of a thing! Sure ain’t easy to shoot fast, though. Meme from The Gun Collective.

 

57 COMMENTS

    • I shot a friend’s Deagle in .50 AE and liked it much more than I expected I would. Surprisingly manageable due to the frame’s weight and size.

      Never had the chance to shoot a 500 S&W, but I’d love to have a live round to add to my display collection of cartridges.

      • “………liked it much more than I expected I would……”

        In the last five years about two dozen people have shot my 50AE DEagle. Around 80% say exactly what you posted.
        All that recoil absorbing slide mass makes the 50AE DEagle a big pussycat.

        The 30something woman who cuts my hair is around 110 lbs soaking wet. She does 50AE one hand mag dumps no problem.

        Back in 2008 I took her out for her FIRST range session.
        They grow up so fast. 😄

    • Based off powder capacity alone the .500 IMO; Then again my .450 Bushmaster does as well as a 50AE probably and has a better sectional density to boot.

    • I once taught an 18 year old gun virgin how to shoot in preparation for her enlisting in the US Air Force. I started out with a .22 caliber rifle. after a few hundred rounds I promoted her to a .223 caliber, AR-15 rodent rifle. Then she advanced to a .308 caliber, HK-91. I then transitioned the young lady to a 9mm Glock, then .45 and 10mm. I then had her shoot another rifle chambered in .338. This novices marksmanship was so impressive that I had her shoot a .50 BMG. The last gun she fired was my Deagle in .50 AE. She almost brained herself with the first round but hit the target. taking a firmer grip, she emptied the magazine into the target.

      aside from the satisfaction of a teaching session, I got to admire the way her breasts jiggled in response to the recoil.

  1. A hunting buddy has one…I fired a cylinder full and said “Thank you”. I’m good for a while on the .500 S&W.

    The .500 has more MV and KE than the same’ish bullet weight in a 45-70…and that’s comparing a handgunl v. a rifle.

  2. When I was a young, strong man the .44 magnum was the top of the line fir handguns. At my age the top limit for me now in a handgun is .357.

    A man has got to know his limitations.

  3. I totally “get” having a hand cannon for bear country – many years ago, I did a four-day camping trip in Alaska in bear country, and carried a .357 revolver, WITH a separate speed loader, the whole time . . . hoping six would be enough.

    And I shoot my GP100 at the range at least once a month, and occasionally a buddy’s .44 mag, and that’s fun (for certain values of ‘fun’). Personally don’t see any of these guns, or cartridges, as “everyday” defensive weapons.

    Try to carry a GP100 concealed. I dare you. Even with my GP100, I am much quicker on follow-up shots with my 1911 or my son’s .40. For normal people, a .500 is simply not a viable option for defense. For one thing, I’m guessing the damn thing would go through five houses before the bullet finally stopped.

    I love what things like that do, overall, for firearm development, but . . . more a curiousity than a ‘go to’ personal or home defense weapon, IMHO.

    • ‘Try to carry a GP100 concealed. I dare you.’

      I do. My primary EDC is a 3″ GP Wiley Clapp and I also frequently carry a 4.2″ stainless in it’s stead. I will on occasion also carry a Beretta 92FS compact INOX. All excellent choices for concealed carry.

      Also, the need for fast follow up shots are greatly reduced when you get the job done on the first shot or two.

    • “…I did a four-day camping trip in Alaska in bear country, and carried a .357 revolver, WITH a separate speed loader, the whole time . . . hoping six would be enough.”

      That right *there* is a strong argument for a Glock 20 with a spare mag or three.

      Being semi-auto takes the bite out of the recoil, making for more accurate shots. And you want accuracy and round count when dispatching a carnivore looking at you like a meal… 🙁

      • Yeah, but a .357 was what I owned, at the time. Didn’t exactly have the ready to go pop a grand or two for a gun just for bear country, when I had the .357. Would have carried a .44mag, if I had one. Fortunately, I didn’t have to use it. Saw a couple of Kodiaks, from a distance. I stayed away from them; they ignored me (I carefully made sure I didn’t trespass on their fishing grounds or berry patch!). Hard to imagine how damn big those bears are, until you see one ‘in the flesh’. Size of a goddam SUV.

  4. A few weeks back, we zero’d a 375 H&H and a 460 Weatherby Mag for a guy going on an African hunt. The 375 was manageable with a shoulder pad and shooting bag. We zip-tied the 460 down to a heavy duty rest with extra ballast, and it still jumped a quarter inch off the bench every shot. 😮

  5. Pigs are the biggest problem here. You do hear of the rare bear attack. A S&W 6″ 629 and a 4″ 629 Mountain Gun handle all that. A friend has a .480. No thanks. Too much sugar for a dime.

  6. When two friends argue about caliber and then dose each other on large amounts of LSD, you get this.

  7. I have an S&W 500. And, yes it is a big heavy pistol. The weight does factor in with recoil control. Not something I would recommend for the novice or occasional shooter. I use it when the feral hogs show up around the homestead. While it is heavy, it is still easier to wear a cross draw rig than tote around a rifle. Traded off the 29 Smith years ago on a 45-70 lever gun.
    The 500 is a powerful revolver, but if someone is familiar with heavy caliber handguns it’s not all that overpowering or difficult to shoot. I would not want anything less than a 6 inch barrel on it. Knowing what I do today, I would likely still purchase the weapon for the given purpose of use on dangerous game or defense for large bears etc. Or perhaps the .454 Casul. I do have a red dot on mine simply because it is easier for my old eyes to pick up the dot than line up the sights in a hurry. Some aspects of getting older do suck.

    • Buddy of mine has a .454. The concussion blew my earplugs out. The owner of the Firing Line came running in and asked if he could shoot it. He fired the last 4 rounds in about a second obliterating the little target down in the left hand corner of our standard 7 yard target. I’ll never forget that. He was the owner so I guess practice makes perfect.

  8. I’m omw back from work and a bit of safari in western and South Africa. I took the new Taurus Raging Hunter in .460SW Mag with me. Took a truly massive Livingston Eland running at 78 yards with that gun and a 360gr commercial Buffalo Bore round. It is zero fun to shoot at the top end, but sweet baby Jesus, the outcome is spectacular.

  9. When I was looking for a big bore hand gun, I was torn between the 500 & 460mag S & W ,
    I settled on the stainless 460 mag, great gun, it shoots 460 mag, 454 casul & 45 long colt. It’s my carry gun at my Montana place.
    The 460 from what I can tell is a straight, flat trajectory shooter, the 500 I’ve read is a lobber.
    I’ll keep my 460 , but I will say that the rounds in 460mag & 454 casul are pretty spendy nowadays.

  10. I have owned and shot both the 500 S&W and the .50 Dessert Eagle. I still have the Deagle but traded the 500 for the 460 S&W. The 460 uses the same powder, bullets and dies as my .454 Casulls that I have hunted with for years. Ammo and component cost for the 460 is much more affordable than same for 500. Unless I was going after a Cape buffalo or something in that class, my 460 and 454’s will do all I need done without the punishing recoil of the 500. OUCH!!

Comments are closed.