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.500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan #1951292 01/18/08
Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 125 M mortre OP Campfire Member
OP mortre Campfire Member M Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 125	I'm wanting to rebarrel a Ruger #1 for one of the 2 cartridges. Mostly for black bear and feral hog but I would like to get a chance at a brown bear hunt sometime also. This is what I am thinking as far as differences. I've heard that a 50 Alaskan can fire 500 Linebaugh safely sense the only difference is the case is shorter. So that makes it sound like the better option, but it's not something I would want to try without more information. If thats true I'll probably just go that route. I haven't really been able to google up reduced loads and don't really want to subject myself to the pounding of full power, or even starting loads, for something as small as hogs and black bears. The .500 S&W however would be less recoil and cheaper sense it only uses about 2/3rd's or half the powder charge, and I've even found reduced loads if I want to "plink" with it. But I'm thinking it might be a little anemic for brown bear. I'm doubting I would be gaining a whole lot of velocity from pistol powders out of a rifle barrel.

GB1

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan mortre #1953807 01/19/08
Joined: May 2005 Posts: 7,075 A AussieGunWriter Campfire Tracker
AussieGunWriter Campfire Tracker A Joined: May 2005 Posts: 7,075	Originally Posted by mortre I'm wanting to rebarrel a Ruger #1 for one of the 2 cartridges. Mostly for black bear and feral hog but I would like to get a chance at a brown bear hunt sometime also. This is what I am thinking as far as differences. I've heard that a 50 Alaskan can fire 500 Linebaugh safely sense the only difference is the case is shorter. So that makes it sound like the better option, but it's not something I would want to try without more information. If thats true I'll probably just go that route. I haven't really been able to google up reduced loads and don't really want to subject myself to the pounding of full power, or even starting loads, for something as small as hogs and black bears. The .500 S&W however would be less recoil and cheaper sense it only uses about 2/3rd's or half the powder charge, and I've even found reduced loads if I want to "plink" with it. But I'm thinking it might be a little anemic for brown bear. I'm doubting I would be gaining a whole lot of velocity from pistol powders out of a rifle barrel. If the .500 S&W has already been used succesfully on both elephant and cape buffalo in a handgun, how would it not suit any bear in a rifle barrel? AGW When truth is ignored, it does not change an untruth from remaining a lie.

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan AussieGunWriter #1953838 01/19/08
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 28,605 NE Montana rattler Campfire Ranger
rattler Campfire Ranger Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 28,605 NE Montana	only thing i can think of is its prolly easier to find a wider variety of .510" bullets for the Alaskan where the S&W uses .500"..........i would take the Alaskan, you can always down load the Alaskan............BTW i to am interested in a 50 cal Ruger #1 though i think i would go with one of the sharps rounds as brass is easy to find and dies are cheaper A serious student of the "Armchair Safari" always looking for Africa/Asia hunting books

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan mortre #1953869 01/19/08
Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,583 natman Campfire Regular
natman Campfire Regular Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,583	Originally Posted by mortre I'm doubting I would be gaining a whole lot of velocity from pistol powders out of a rifle barrel. Maybe if the "pistol powders" are Bullseye or Unique, but any magnum pistol cartridge will see a sizable gain in velocity in a rifle legth barrel. All the gas that is wasted on flash and blast in a pistol barrel gets to continue accelerating the bullet in the extra barrel length.

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan natman #1954225 01/19/08
Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,381 Kugluktuk, Nunavut B BigUglyMan Campfire Regular
BigUglyMan Campfire Regular B Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,381 Kugluktuk, Nunavut	I know a guy with a beaut in 500 Nitro. One of the long Sharps rounds would make more sense though. "This duty fell upon me and was the worst job I ever had in my life. I have known men I would rather shoot than the worst of dogs." Frank Wild Second in Command Endurance 1914-1916

IC B2

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan mortre #1954375 01/20/08
Joined: May 2004 Posts: 388 Michigan A Al1 Campfire Member
Al1 Campfire Member A Joined: May 2004 Posts: 388 Michigan	Originally Posted by mortre I'm wanting to rebarrel a Ruger #1 for one of the 2 cartridges. Mostly for black bear and feral hog but I would like to get a chance at a brown bear hunt sometime also. This is what I am thinking as far as differences. I've heard that a 50 Alaskan can fire 500 Linebaugh safely sense the only difference is the case is shorter. So that makes it sound like the better option, but it's not something I would want to try without more information. If thats true I'll probably just go that route. I haven't really been able to google up reduced loads and don't really want to subject myself to the pounding of full power, or even starting loads, for something as small as hogs and black bears. The .500 S&W however would be less recoil and cheaper sense it only uses about 2/3rd's or half the powder charge, and I've even found reduced loads if I want to "plink" with it. But I'm thinking it might be a little anemic for brown bear. I'm doubting I would be gaining a whole lot of velocity from pistol powders out of a rifle barrel. I have shot cast 500 Linebaughs from my 50Ak lever gun, they needed to be single loaded, and left a lot of crud in the chamber. I also have a 4" 500 S&W and one in a 15" Encore, and neither will compare to the 50Ak for horsepower. If I was following your route, it would either be a 50Ak or as one of the other posters mentioned, a 50-90 Sharps and down load as needed.

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan Al1 #1955001 01/20/08
Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 710 Lyndon Ctr, Vt USA LoneEagle Campfire Regular
LoneEagle Campfire Regular Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 710 Lyndon Ctr, Vt USA	Here is a completely different thing to think about. To me the No 1 is a classy rifle. It seems most fitting to me for it to be chambered to cartridges with heritage ie 7x57 as opposed to 7-08. 405 Win, 9.3x74 etc. I think the Alaskan has that same kind of spirit to it. If you want a 500 S&W rifle buy a Handi Rifle. Use that No 1 for a round with nostalgia and mystique. Now please understand I am not knocking the performance of the 500 S&W just my thoughts on the charisma of a No 1. Sean "You shouldn't say it is not good. You should say you do not like it; and then, you know, you're perfectly safe." James Whistler

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan LoneEagle #1955068 01/20/08
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,428 3 340mag Campfire Regular
340mag Campfire Regular 3 Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,428	I thought long and hard for over a year about building a 50 AK on a ruger #1 but the more I checked into the cost vs the potential results the more I felt the RUGER #1 in 458 LOTT would be the best value. theres a good sellection of 458 dia cast and jacketed bullets , moulds and brass and dies are easily found at decent prices you can throw a 350-600 grain weight bullet and the longer range applications favor the 45 caliber PLUS youll have a FACTORY chambering and not need to go thru a great deal of the expence a wildcat/custom chambering involves Last edited by 340mag; 01/20/08.

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan 340mag #1956321 01/20/08
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 28,605 NE Montana rattler Campfire Ranger
rattler Campfire Ranger Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 28,605 NE Montana	i agree with yah a 458 Lott is the best bang for the buck for the handloader that likes to mess with different bullets and such and wants a big bore buuuuuuuuut there is one problem......sometimes a person just has to have a 50 A serious student of the "Armchair Safari" always looking for Africa/Asia hunting books

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan rattler #1960543 01/22/08
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,428 3 340mag Campfire Regular
340mag Campfire Regular 3 Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,428	well I can,t say... IVE NEVER done anything in the rifle sellection and custom caliber builds arena. that wasn,t...lets say, less than practical, so I hope you enjoy the results of the 50 cal, #1 ruger build. BTW a 72 cal muzzle loader with a 1:32 twist and custom 1200 grain slugs was not the best idea I ever had either, but it sure is fun to play with(OCCASIONALLY) Im currently looking to rebuild and re-design that project, as the orriginal rifle barrel beat itself out of the stock I built for it in short order, it seems that 150 grains of 2F under a 1200 grain bullet in a 11 lb muzzle loader recoils a bit Last edited by 340mag; 01/22/08.

IC B3

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan 340mag #1960896 01/22/08
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 28,605 NE Montana rattler Campfire Ranger
rattler Campfire Ranger Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 28,605 NE Montana	lol i swear this rifle stuff is a disease A serious student of the "Armchair Safari" always looking for Africa/Asia hunting books

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan rattler #1965096 01/24/08
Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 402 Delaware R Redhawk1 Campfire Member
Redhawk1 Campfire Member R Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 402 Delaware	Originally Posted by rattler only thing i can think of is its prolly easier to find a wider variety of .510" bullets for the Alaskan where the S&W uses .500"..........i would take the Alaskan, you can always down load the Alaskan............BTW i to am interested in a 50 cal Ruger #1 though i think i would go with one of the sharps rounds as brass is easy to find and dies are cheaper The .500 bullets are every where. There is a big selection out there. Hornady, Speer, Barnes and a number of hard cast bullet makers. Range Rick makes cast bullets up to the 700 gr. for the .500. So I think the .500 is just as available and maybe a wider selection over the .510 bullets. As far as a rifle in either, the recoil is going to be a bear itself. LOL If you're going to make a hole, make it a big one. ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ Life member of the NRA Endowment Member of the NRA

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan Redhawk1 #1965186 01/24/08
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 28,605 NE Montana rattler Campfire Ranger
rattler Campfire Ranger Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 28,605 NE Montana	i stand corrected......assumed the .50 bullets were only availible in "handgun weights" didnt know you could get some that heavy A serious student of the "Armchair Safari" always looking for Africa/Asia hunting books

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan rattler #1965575 01/24/08
Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 406 N NFG Campfire Member
NFG Campfire Member N Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 406	I would think that making a "50 cal" rather than a "51 cal" Alaskan would be nothing more than using a barrel with a bore of .50" rather than a bore of .510". CH4D would make you a set of dies, Dave Kiff at PT&G would make the reamer. As far as cost is concerned it is still the same thing...a chambered barrel plus the cost of the dies/reamer/gunsmith. Lots of 50 cal cast bullets available along with molds...you just have to look harder for them. But I agree a 458 Lott would be the better choice for the many reasons already mentioned...except for the "My dog is bigger/badder/better and the only one in town" factor. The 72 cal muskets are boss for sure. I can always tell when my friend comes over to use my range. When he gets out of his p/u he lists to the right and walks funny. I'm creeping up on him though...my 12 GA FH tosses .730"/800-1000gr slugs with predictible results on both ends. 'Njoy

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan NFG #1965888 01/24/08
Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 21,317 Alaska / Saudi Arabia 458 Lott Campfire Ranger
458 Lott Campfire Ranger Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 21,317 Alaska / Saudi Arabia	If you're going to build a custom #1, there is no reason to mess around, go straight to the 500 NE. It can be downloaded to whatever you'd want from 500 Linebaugh or 50 AK loads, and can also push 600gr over 2000 fps.

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan 458 Lott #2003796 02/08/08
Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 50 HOMER ALASKA 500MAGTHUMPER Campfire Greenhorn
500MAGTHUMPER Campfire Greenhorn Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 50 HOMER ALASKA	You could always go with a 500 CYRUS . It is a blown out 416 Rigby necked to .500 DIA . I push a 700 GRAIN WFNGC at Vel 1850 , here are a couple loads 700 Grain WFNGC 70 Grains H4895 Velocity 1850 610 Grain LFNGC 73 Grains H322 Velocity 1940 420 Grain FNGC 83 Grains H322 Velocity 2280 325 Grain Barnes XPB 88 Grains H322 Velocity 2600 Being this rifle is so light all of these loads have a wallop indeed !!! But it hurts so good !!!!!!!!!! Here are two pictures of some loaded 700 and 610 grain bullets . RR PRACTICE DOES NOT MAKE PERFECT !!! PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT !!!!!!

Re: .500 S&W vs .50 Alaskan 500MAGTHUMPER #2022571 02/16/08
Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 952 R reflex264 Campfire Regular
reflex264 Campfire Regular R Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 952	I have thought about doing a 50-140 on a #1 as well as a .450NE. I already have a #1 .416 RIgby and a 45-70 #1. Using JBY 550gr bore riders in the 45-70 it will pretty much amaze you. The Rigby will shoot 400gr bullets up to 2700 with handloads. DOn't guess I need another but I WANT ONE! ;-} reflex264 .264 barrel current number of shots:2122

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