.500 S&W Specials

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  • Harrys

    Short Round
    Jul 12, 2014
    3,362
    SOMD
    I was able to get 500 rounds of .500 S&W Special brass real cheap along with dies now I have a spare set. I bought them from a guy who bought a S&W .500 magnum revolver with a short barrel last spring.

    The recoil on the his magnum was too much for him. Long story short he sold/traded his pistol in June and picked up a 38 Special. Before he sold it he acquired 500 rounds of .500 S&W Special Brass and thought it would be better. He had a friend load a few rounds but still did not like the recoil.

    I shot several rounds of the Specials at full load pretty tame to me. For a $100.00 you cant go wrong for 500 brass cases. Not good for hunting as max load produces 800fps based on loading manual. Good for defense and plinking.
     

    GunBum

    Active Member
    Feb 21, 2018
    751
    SW Missouri
    [sarcasm] There needs to be a .500 Schofield to get the recoil down low enough for target loads [/sarcasm] :lol2:

    Other than an extreme waste of case capacity, and problems associated with mostly empty cases...

    If you are handloading, why not just load the .500 S&W cases to the lower velocities? A 350 grain bullet at 800 FPS or even 1200 FPS doesn’t care if it left a .500 Special or a .500 S&W case.

    On the other hand, 500 cases and dies for $100 is a bargain I wouldn’t have been able to pass up. :innocent0
     

    Harrys

    Short Round
    Jul 12, 2014
    3,362
    SOMD
    [sarcasm] There needs to be a .500 Schofield to get the recoil down low enough for target loads [/sarcasm] :lol2:

    Other than an extreme waste of case capacity, and problems associated with mostly empty cases...

    If you are handloading, why not just load the .500 S&W cases to the lower velocities? A 350 grain bullet at 800 FPS or even 1200 FPS doesn’t care if it left a .500 Special or a .500 S&W case.

    On the other hand, 500 cases and dies for $100 is a bargain I wouldn’t have been able to pass up. :innocent0

    I load at various levels with a 350 grain head I typically load to max providing me with 1400 to 1700 ft/s. With titegroup, longshot or cfeblk using corebond HP or RN jacketed 18.5 and 23 grains of powdwe respectively. It is my bud who did not like the recoil.

    I got the Specials mainly for plinking and low cost. The dies are OK as they are not typically what I buy. All my dies are match grade and 4 dies per set. The dies I got were just a standard set which runs at 40 bucks compared to 80 bucks on the match grade ones. Still a good bargain all around.

    I just recently came across a few lbs of H4227 which max load is 42.5 grains at around 1863 ft/s. Range day next week so it will be interesting to compare to longshot and titegroup max loads.
     

    ohen cepel

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 2, 2011
    4,509
    Where they send me.
    I like the 500JRH, need to read up on the SPC. Not sure if they get me anything over a .454 aside from a .50 bullet but that is appealing.

    Not into the 500S&W as I prefer a most std sized revolver.

    Hope the SPC or JRH comes more main stream.
     

    Harrys

    Short Round
    Jul 12, 2014
    3,362
    SOMD
    I like the 500JRH, need to read up on the SPC. Not sure if they get me anything over a .454 aside from a .50 bullet but that is appealing.

    Not into the 500S&W as I prefer a most std sized revolver.

    Hope the SPC or JRH comes more main stream.

    The 454 is a good all around round too. I was originally looking for a pistol in 45/70 since my rifle is 45/70. The 44 Mag revolver has a larger recoil than a 45/70. I shot both of them and had a choice between a 44 Mag or a S&W .500 Mag. I took a chance and ended up with the .500 and so far so good. Last time I was at the range I shot 60 rounds with no issues even capped off a couple if straight arm rounds. I watched a big game hunter in Africa take down a water buffalo with a .500 S&W with a single shot. Also watched a video of a guy taking down a Bison with one too with a 500 grain core bond shell. Hopefully I can get one of the bear lottery licenses next year think that would be fun. If not will head up to NE to relatives and hunt there.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,884
    All depends upon your philosophical beliefs of Big Bullets vs Really Big Bullets , and your philosophical beliefs between numbers on a calculator vs Big Holes & Lots of Momentum .
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,884
    And the other ctg not mentioned yet , that has always intrigued me is the .480Ruger .

    IF I had an HQL , an BFR in .480 would have followed me home . Eventually will have to get either a Contender bbl , or convert a Blackhawk .
     

    smdub

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 14, 2012
    4,644
    MoCo
    The 44 Mag revolver has a larger recoil than a 45/70. I shot both of them
    Thats an iteresting observation. My BFR is in 45/70. Even a trapdoor load eclipses 44Mag slightly in energy. ~2300J vs ~2000J. (though the 45/70 is measured from a rifle barrel which well make up the difference. Out of the same barrel the 45/70 is prob slightly worse.) Modern lever action loads, which the BFR can handle, can double that energy level. I have only even fired trapdoor loads from my BFR. It's very tame compared to the 500S&W. I've been meaning to buy somethig like some Buffalo Bore or load up some hotter rounds for it but I have to be very careful as my 45/70 rifle is an antique and can only handle trapdoor loads. I've bought a bunch of nickel plated brass so I can help keep trapdoor and modern loads segregated.
     

    GunBum

    Active Member
    Feb 21, 2018
    751
    SW Missouri
    And the other ctg not mentioned yet , that has always intrigued me is the .480Ruger .

    IF I had an HQL , an BFR in .480 would have followed me home . Eventually will have to get either a Contender bbl , or convert a Blackhawk .

    Hard to find bullets, brass, and guns now. Although, I do have a cylinder reamer I’ll make you a good deal on. :D
     

    Harrys

    Short Round
    Jul 12, 2014
    3,362
    SOMD
    Thats an iteresting observation. My BFR is in 45/70. Even a trapdoor load eclipses 44Mag slightly in energy. ~2300J vs ~2000J. (though the 45/70 is measured from a rifle barrel which well make up the difference. Out of the same barrel the 45/70 is prob slightly worse.) Modern lever action loads, which the BFR can handle, can double that energy level. I have only even fired trapdoor loads from my BFR. It's very tame compared to the 500S&W. I've been meaning to buy somethig like some Buffalo Bore or load up some hotter rounds for it but I have to be very careful as my 45/70 rifle is an antique and can only handle trapdoor loads. I've bought a bunch of nickel plated brass so I can help keep trapdoor and modern loads segregated.

    The 45/70 cowboy/trapdoor loads are pretty tame compared to the 45/70 government for modern rifles. When I shot a BFR 45/70 I used the 45/70 Gov. it had a pretty good recoil. When I shot the 44 mag. in the BFR pistol it had a much sharper recoil. I have a Henry rifle 45/70 which uses the 45/70 gov loads originally I was looking for a 45/70 BFR but none were available and settled for the .500 S&W.

    Think of it in theses terms, the 45/70 recoil is like getting hit with a dodge ball and the 44 mag. is like getting hit with a fast base ball. The S&W .500 mag at standard load is about 1400 ft/s which is about the same as a 45/70 cowboy load. And again like getting hit with a dodgeball.

    Powder burn rates also have a play in recoil along with the charge rates. If you load your own you can pretty much control every aspect of recoil. I found the 45/70 gov. and the .500 S&W mag. are pretty close in recoil. I am not a big person but I like big calibers. Take a look at the recoil of the 45/70 and .500 S&W BFRs on you tube and check the difference between the BFR and a S&W revolver with a ported barrel. I have shot both and prefer the BFR as it handles better.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,884
    It depends on the gun, and on the load .

    12in Contender with max level Contender safe load kicks more than generic 240jhp from 2.75 in .44 mag .
     

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