Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns SOLVED: how to shoot your .500 S&W mag comfortably

Was looking for grips for S&Ws on flea-bay and this popped up for sale! Yes, this could be the fix-all for shooting your S&W .500 magnum! Think of the confidence you will have in shooting the .500! OK, I can't quit laughing!

I thought it would be. Sell it and get a reasonable revolver.

Funny 😆. My buddy at work bought a 4” barreled version to carry in a chest holster in Alaska. We took it to the police indoor range to shoot it. He had some 325 grain XTP’s (I think). I shot 1 cylinder full and that was enough. At 10 yards I shot a good 5 shot group, but it recoiled so hard that the soft rubber grips rubbed my hand like sandpaper. Cool revolver, just too much for me. I’d much rather have my Bisley Blackhawk.45 Colt with heavy hard cast bullets at reasonable velocities. Like a 285 grain
45-270-SAA at 1100 fps.

Ron

Ron I’m a firm believer in a stiffly loaded 45 Colt with hard cast big meplat hard hitting bullets. The big 45 colt loaded hot doesn’t take a back seat to many handgun cartridges. It’s overlooked by many thinking the 44 mag is always the best medicine. I enjoy my Freedom Arms 83 with both the Casuul and colt cylinders as I can really push the old Colt. Actually your Ruger can handle just about anything you’re comfortable with and more

Rick

Just this afternoon I stopped by the LGS on the way home from the gun club, got into a conversation with an old guy putting one on consignment there. It was the snubby. I can’t for the life of me see shooting such a thing. I have one, the 8 3/8” (10” with comp) and it’s the most unpleasant revolver to shoot I can imagine. Wicked recoil, insanely loud, and I stay somewhat below maximum loads. If I had any sense I’d send it down the road, but common sense is seldom part of the equation in my gun accumulating.

Might print.

Definitely a belt and suspenders carry situation

400gn cast loaded with Trail Boss is fun in my 4incher. It is wicked with the Buffalo Bore 440gn full load. I can't imagine controlling it for accurate multiple fast shots. 400gn @ 900fps more practical in terms of control.

In Arizona, always carried a 629 with cast loads/17gn 2400, 240gn bullet/when camping in bear country up on the Mogollon Rim.

Would a 500 SW be good for dealing with lions at night?

I use mine for stand hunting or deep timber but I long ago dropped the spongy grips which are really too small for my hands and excessively light, causing a balance issue, with transferring too much weight up front.

I simply tried a set of std S&W wooden grips off a model 29, 44.Mag and now it balances very well, muzzle droop is eliminated and it's much easier to use accurately in the field.

Also added a 2.5 power Leupold that works and guides a full cylinder to way under 2" at 50yards with ease, but for me isn't as bright as I like in a scope sight at dawn.

How to shoot a .500 S&W Mag comfortably:

Shoot it with any good, medium frame .22 revolver!

let your Captain America buddy do it or some stupid teenagers

Having actually shot all factory we could get, I can say that the loads I liked was the Hornady 500 grain. This is from a four inch. I like loads of a 400 at 1200. Goes through nine gallon jugs filled with water and bounced off the hillside behind.
I love the Hogue cushy grips on my 500, they last about 3 thousand rounds and then the cushion starts to break down. I’m on my third grip and it’s starting to break down.
One heck of a nice sixgun (5 gun?)