I want it but why do I want it?

[justin10985]

I really want the Smith & Wesson 500 .50 cal revolver. But why? I mean it is kinda over kill right??? I am always just looking for the biggest and the baddest out there, but for some reason I cannot see myself paying 1000.00 for this expensive-to-shoot revolver. Especially since I do not do any hog, bear, or dinosaur hunting. Okay that last one was a joke. But seriously can someone here whom has the Model 500 tell me what compelled you to get it and your feedback on this particular model? Thanks for any advice. :D

-JN

[B.N.Real]

Because life is more than .22 plinkers.

[justin10985]

umm ok not really what i was looking for, but thanks.

[20nickels]

The snubbies have caught my eye simply for the anti zombie-bear aspect. There are simply too few or cost effective ways to get a .50 cal. pill in a small DA package and even then with the short barrel you can't take full advantage of the .500 mag.
So, what's yer target?

[carguychris]

Because you can.

What other reason do you really need? ;)

BTW if you want to have the experience of owning a really mean-looking gun that goes BOOM, spits flames, and kicks like a ****** mule, but you don't want to spend a fortune, I recommend starting out with a Mosin-Nagant M44 for ~$100. Maybe that will get it out of your system. ;) OTOH maybe it will just make you want that Model 500 even more. :p

[Playboypenguin]

Especially since I do not do any hog, bear, or dinosaur hunting. Okay that last one was a joke.
You mean you do hunt dinosaur? In that case you definitely need one. :)

[B.N.Real]

Its a hand cannon that makes no apologies to no one.

It's a Smith and Wesson gun that is bound to be a classic.

When you shoot it you will be so thrilled every time you pull the trigger you will totally forget how much each round costs.

Someone says,"You want to go to Montana and hunt bear or wild hogs you can say,"Sure."

Everytime some shmuck brags about his .44 magnum you can slowly open your guns case and watch his shoulders shrug as you repeat the following in slow motion......

"I....have....a...Smith....and.... Wesson.....500..in.....F...I...F...T...Y...C..A..L..I...B...E...R...":D

[ActivShootr]

For the same reason people want 44" tires on their 4x4 or Rolex watches. The 31's on my Bronco get me where I want to go and my Timex has kept perfect time for years now. But if you can afford it and having one tickles your fancy, then get it, use it, and LOVE it. :D

[Technosavant]

I see no need to justify anything beyond a simple "it calls to me, and for some unexplainable reason I want one SO bad." If you need to clear it with a significant other, well, then rationalize it however you want. Personally, though, if the relationship is what it should be and the finances allow it, then even a "hey, I've saved up, and I reallyreallyreally want this" should be good enough. I didn't catch any flack when I brought home my 327 TRR8 (expected to), because I make darned sure the wife is cared for and everything is as it should be at home. The "I've wanted one for two years, ever since they announced it" worked.

As for guys on the net, our opinions really don't matter anyway.

[bushidomosquito]

There's a video on youtube that shows a .500 mag completely atomizing a water jug. Find it, watch it, you'll buy it.

[Unbreakable]

Because it's a 500 Magnum. And it looks like a freakin cartoon gun when you're holding it cause it's just so unreasonably big. And shooting it is so much fun. we shot up an old truck with mine. The damn thing shot through the engine compartment into and then out of the cab. And when it hit a flat surface like a door... it knocked about a 3 or 4 inch circle of paint off around the bullet hole.

If you're not going to hunt with it... justify it like I did. It's an Anti-Vehicle weapon.

[DMacLeod]

I was checking one out a couple of weeks ago. You are right it is a monster. I opennned a box of 50 Corbons to check out the size compared to a 44 mag. Scarey looking round. Even scarier was when I looked at the price. 47 bux a box.....for 12 rounds. Yikes

[carguychris]

Because it's a 500 Magnum... we shot up an old truck with mine. The damn thing shot through the engine compartment into and then out of the cab. And when it hit a flat surface like a door... it knocked about a 3 or 4 inch circle of paint off around the bullet hole.

I can see the thread now... "Best Handgun Round for Hunting a Truck?" ;)

Was that a full-size or compact? I wonder if a .44Mag would be adequate for a compact. :p

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Hog hunting? Since when is a 500 even remotely necessary for that? Heck, I know guys that go out and hunt them with dogs and knives. Unless you're planning on running into Hogzilla, I think a 44 would be more than you'd need. As for why a 500 mag? I guess you think it's cool. That's usually why I buy guns. It's generally not because I need them.

[davlandrum]

I was thinking of one for hunting, but LionHunter (who has both) recommended the .460 for hunting - "unless you are hunting Cape Buffalo".

I am really happy with my .460, and it has plenty of BOOM and FLAMES to keep me happy.

Plus it can shoot the .45 Colt (feels like a .38 out of a .357), or the .454 Casull (lot more snap than the .460), or, of course, the .460.

Give a lot of flexibility for one gun.

[NavyLT]

I agree with davlandrum. Why would you buy the .500 when you can get the .460? I've shot both, my wife has shot both. We both like the .460 better. The .500 has a bit more felt recoil, but the .460 had more muzzle flash and hit you in the chest muzzle blast. So we got her the .460 for her birthday. She used to stop everyone in the indoor range where we used to shoot before we moved. Everyone would think a gun blew up until she proceeds to shoot the other 4 rounds.

We didn't care too much for the Desert Eagle .50 AE either.

I'm going to look at Mosin Nagants today, I hope they still have them on sale for $89....

BTW, you can reload for about $.50 per round.

[Unbreakable]

It was an old worn out Chevy fullsized work truck. Engine was ruined and the transmition beyond repair.

My 500 is a 4" by the way.

[Unbreakable]

No one NEEDS a 500 or 460 for that matter. The 460 is a great gun. I have a 5" and love it. And it is extremely versatile. But it's not the 500. There is just something awesome about the 500. It's too cool not to own. If you like big loud powerful revolvers for just the sake or horsepower. The 500 and maybe the BFR in 450 Marlin are the way to go. They're just insanely cool.

[carguychris]

Why would you buy the .500 when you can get the .460?

Because it's more, and more must be better. ;)

[Jeff #111]

You get it because you want it and you still can. I own a 30-06 rifle that is simply a thing of beauty (Winchester 1895). I don't hunt, I've owned it for nine years and I've shot it twice. Probably put ten rounds through it at the most. It isn't a comfortable rifle to shot, but so what? I'd always wanted one and now I own one.

I have several pieces in my safe that I own because I've always wanted them. They are cleaned and taken to the range maybe once a year. If that. I also have models that I shoot all the time. Gun folks understand.

It's part of the fun of owning forearms. Don't stress about it. Get it if you want it. American Heavy Metal.

[M14fan]

Is the a model 94 chambered for it yet?:D

[VinnyT]

Shoot some 700 grainers out of it for some REAL fun!!




ouch.....

[drail]

Cuz it's the "most powrful handgun in the world" Let's see did I fire 5 shots or?

[chris in va]

"most powrful handgun in the world"

Not any more.

[Sgt.Fathead]

If you want something and it's not going to put you in the poor house or on the streets because you can't pay rent and bills, get it. This is America and if you decide for your own reasons (it's Tuesday OR if'n I don't get it, I'll never rest OR it's calling to me OR whatever) you want it, get it. Why the heck did I 'need' that .44 Magnum or another Remington 870 when I have three already? You want it, get it. Just be prepared to sell it if you decide it's jot for you.

Go truck hunting!

[timothy75]

Buy it and let its potential steer your life in new dirrections.

[B.N.Real]

Because Barrett does'nt make a revolver.

[Stevie-Ray]

If you have any large-bore handguns, first shoot some hot loads out of those. That may curb your enthusiasm. I shot some screaming loads out of my Redhawk many years ago, and also have a T/C Contender in .45-70. Between these 2, I will never want for something bigger. It's simply no fun to hurt your hand with every shot. And if you shoot the big boys downloaded, then what's the point?

[Sgt.Fathead]

I'm going to have to go with Stevie-Ray on this one. My youthful love of the power house loads available for the .44 Magnum diminished greatly after too many hours punishing my arms. I did recently purchase a NM SBH and I do want an Alaskan in .454 but, .480, .500, the Nitro .600.....I'll leave those for stouter souls and the dinosaur hunting crowd.

I stand by my initial comment on your desire for the .500, though; if you want it, get it. This is America!

[Dan31]

I saw the video of the idiot who almost brained himself shooting that .600 nitro out of a t/c contender. That was just stupid but, one thing about any gun is that even if you shoot it once in a while or just hang onto it the value will always be there. I will probably buy one in that short barrel just because I'm big and a little kick doesn't hurt, besides the rush you get shooting it.

[Ralph Allen]

You want a 500 because thats what YOU want. They are fun, accurate and expensive if you don't reload. I bought a 10 round 45-70 lever action Marlin because I wanted one. Someone, somewhere, is saying right now "He has absolutely no reason to need to propell over 4000 grains of lead downrange without reloading". Know what?, I don't care! I wanted it. Get the 500. You'll be very pleased with your purchase.
Ralph

[justin10985]

Okay, well thanks everyone, Ralph. :)

[Doublestack]

Steavie-Ray got me to thinking to ask. Do you own a .44 Mag.? I have a beautiful S&W model 29, and it handles pretty hot loads. The thing is that I do not want to shoot this gun loose. It is in great shape, and I want it to stay that way. I also got some Oregon Trail 310gr. w/gas check, hard cast WNFPs that are just plain nuts, that were begging to be pushed to the limit. Soooo, I had to buy a Ruger Super Redhawk with a 9.5" bbl. I very recently aquired this gun, and promptly launched a bunch of those 310 grainers at somewhere arond 1350 fps.

I am a fairly large guy at 6'2" and 260 lbs. I really like big booming wrist breaking recoil every once in a while. I am here to tell you that it gets old real fast after 20 or so rds. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to get out there and ring some steel at 200 yards again, but I have backed off on the loading to around 1150-1200 fps for the real heavy bullets. I will be able to enjoy more of them for a longer period of time.

My point is that if you do not have a heavy kicking revolver now, you may find that you really have no use for the 500 once the novelty wears off. I think it would be cool to have one, and to have my friends shoot it once in a while, but I know it would spend most of it's life in the safe (taking up a LOT of room). Anyway, that's just me. To each his or her own. For me, the .44mag loaded to the limit does me just fine.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

DS

[justin10985]

Thanks doublestack and everyone else. :D


I AM GETTING ONE VERY SOON.

[king.460]

Good for you. You will really enjoy the handcannon.

[justin10985]

Okay so I bought the S&W 500 in 4inch barrell brand new today. I am hoping to shoot it this weekend.

[rr2241tx]

Good! Look around a little, Corbon is NOT the only brand and everything else is lots cheaper. BTW, keep your hands away from the cylinder gap. The gas jet out the sides of the cylinder gap are fully capable of gloving a thumb. We expect to see photos of the huge fireball by noon Monday, so no excuses that you forgot the camera.

[ciwsguy]

But why?
Because you have the gotta-have-guns disease. The S&W Model 29 experienced this when Dirty Harry hit the screen back in the 70's. I personally can't imagine the power of the .500 S&W. It has what - two to three times the energy of the .44 Magnum and the .44 Magnum is a hand cannon in itself.
I'd pass on spending $1K plus about $2 per shot on the 500 magnum. I'd get a .44 Magnum and just be happy about that one.

OOPS! Too late - I noticed you already bought it. Go ahead and get the .44 Magnum anyway. If you're going to have the disease you might as well go all out!

[Tommy Vercetti]

if you want it

buy it

[justin10985]

Here are a few pics of it. Does anyone know what works best to clean a S&W 500? Thanks.


http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i24/justin10985/Guns/SW500.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i24/justin10985/Guns/SW500bw.jpg