Big Horn’s Lever-Action Jurassic Thumper

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 2/25/20 | D Campbell

[w1n1]

Big Horn Armory's Model 89 Chambers The .500 S&W Magnum For Really Big Game - Ever since the .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum came on the scene in 2003, there have been a bunch of folks trying to figure out how to cram this über-powered revolver cartridge into a rifle – especially a lever-action rifle. It's been an American obsession ever since the cowboy days:
A guy "needs" to have a lever-action rifle chambered for his handgun cartridge. Whether that need is real or not can be debated elsewhere, but the perception remains steadfast. Most of the popular revolver cartridges – from the .32-20 to the .45 Colt – have been made in a lever-action rifle. But there's another advantage with the .500 S&W Magnum. In a rifle the .500 S&W begins to crowd the .458 Winchester Magnum in performance. Problem is, the .500 S&W Mag has a few dimensional issues to fit it into an established platform.

Frank Ehrenford, owner of Big Horn Armory, was one of those who dreamed of a lever gun in .500 S&W Magnum. In 2008 he partnered with Greg Buchel, master machinist and engineer, to see the project come to fruition. They tested a variety of lever-action rifles from the Marlin 336 to the Model 1895, but none were deemed suitable. So a year later they decided to build their own rifle from the ground up.

Ehrenford, Buchel and Dan Brown, their machinist, decided to upsize the Model 92 to harness the new chambering. One regular complaint about the Model 92 is the dinky loading gate. Especially with larger cartridges like the .44-40, .44 Special/Mag and .45 Colt, it can become downright painful to load the magazine more than a couple of times a day. To address that issue, the team decided to adapt the loading gate design on the Model 86 to the new action. Loading the Model 89 is not as challenging as it can be with a Model 92.

What they ended up with is a rifle about halfway between the size of an 86 and an 92 Winchester, hence the moniker Model 89. Parts for the rifle are made by stock removal on CNC machinery.
My range time showed me that a careful shot with superb eyesight might be able to stretch the range to as much as 300 yards, but for most of us mere mortals, two football fields should be considered max. I was able to hit an 18-inch square gong at 300 yards about four shots out of ten from a bench rest. A younger shooter with better eyes probably might pick up perhaps three more of those dingers at that range. Read the rest of Model 89 .500 S&W.

[technically right]

Would love to see the ballistics on both versions.

[yarddog]

The .500 S&W would make be a nice single shot rifle cartridge.

[technically right]

Winchester/Browning 1885 High Wall comes to mind. Would kick like a mule though.

[niteowl77]

The .500 S&W would make be a nice single shot rifle cartridge.

It is into .50-90 Sharps territory (ballistically).

[HippyLoggerBiker]

I still like my .44 mag S&W pistol and Marlin .44 mag lever action (deer brush-gun)

[Joe 6-pack]

Sounds like a great package for big bear country. Personally, I’d find something along the lines of an M1 carbine in 10mm much more practical and useful.

[yarddog]

A .44 mag revolver doesn’t bother me but it is about as much recoil as I want. The .500 S&W sounds like a way too much in a handgun.

If I still handloaded, it would make a nice pickup truck gun with reduced loads. But I agree with you, .44 is good for about anything.

[technically right]

I’ve often thought the Marlin Guide Gun with some of Buffalo Bore’s heavy solid cast bullets would be the ultimate outfit for big bears.

[ocrp1982]

This article reminded me of a show produced by the NRA which I enjoyed, no, LOVED watching.
It was called “Under Wild Skies”. My understanding is, it was driven off the air with a concerted effort by animal rights wackos.

[Redwood71]

“....animal rights wackos.”

Anyone heard of an animal rights wackos season...duck season....wabbit season....

rwood

[Sergio]

I’d find something along the lines of an M1 carbine in 10mm much more practical and useful.

Count me in on one of those.

[Fiddlstix]

Bookmark

[Joe Brower]

Bingo. A winning combination.

[HippyLoggerBiker]

Also, recoil can be adjusted with different weight projectiles (my advise-DO NOT go far off from “factory powder load)

[Manuel OKelley]

Dont get me wrong, I love big guns and recoil can be viewed as entertainment, however with rifles already chambered in 454 casull and 460 this seems like solution in search of a problem
and in reality I doubt it can match a heavy load out of a 45-70 anyway.

[Cold War Veteran - Submarines]

Prior to the boating accident I loved my .357 Magnum S&W paired with a Marlin .357 Magnum lever gun. Oh how I miss them.

[Oatka]

The .500 S&W would make be a nice single shot rifle cartridge.

New England Firearms (Handi Rifle) made one, but I suspect they are pretty scarce. At $37 for a box of 20, they are not for plinking.

[yarddog]

I had the same rifle although it was then called H&R but also “Handy Rifle”. Mine was in .357 maximum.

I bought 50 new sized brass cases and loaded them to a medium power. .357/.38 special dies worked just fine. One of the most fun guns ever. It was also quite powerful even with mild loads.

[Big Red Badger]

Yup,
You’re Correct!