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Top Gun [Smith and Wesson .500 Magnum]
Popular Mechanics ^ | 2003 | CHRIS CHRISTIAN

Posted on 12/16/2003 4:55:50 PM PST by 45Auto

In the 1971 movie "Dirty Harry," actor Clint Eastwood introduced the world to the double-action Smith & Wesson Model 29 .44-cal. Magnum revolver--"the most powerful handgun in the world."

It was a crown S&W wore proudly, albeit briefly.

The rising popularity of handgun hunting for big game (spurred largely by the .44 Magnum itself) prompted the introduction of newer and significantly more powerful revolver cartridges. Many powerful enough that they had to be chambered in single-action handguns because existing double-action designs could not contain the recoil forces and pressures they produced.

Since S&W does not make single-action revolvers, and no double-action frame at its disposal could handle the new loads, S&W was effectively dethroned.

At the 2003 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show, the manufacturer regained its crown. And, most significantly, it did it by introducing a new massive double-action revolver that is chambered for an equally new .50-cal. cartridge.

The S&W X-frame Model 500 is a brawny handgun designed to master the most rigorous hunting fields in the world. It is not a revolver one would, or likely could, tuck into a waistband. In fact, to call it massive is an understatement.

With its 8-3/8-in. barrel, the overall length of the Model 500 is 15 in. and the empty weight is 4.5 pounds. The cylinder alone is almost 2 in. in diameter and approaches 2.25 in. in length. Thumb the cylinder open and five charge holes await. Each is 1/2 in. in diameter, and the .50-cal. cartridges they hold are almost 2 in. long. Load five of them and the total weight of the handgun climbs to 5 pounds.

You don't just casually pick up a Model 500. You have to lift it.

Fire even one of those big cartridges and you'll appreciate why the weight and mass are there.

When the .44 Magnum laid claim to being the most powerful handgun in the world, its standard load produced about 900 ft.-lb. of muzzle energy. Several new loads have since eclipsed that, but the handgun most commonly used by big game hunters is the .454 Casull, which will generate about 1900 ft.-lb.

The 500 S&W Magnum will produce almost 2600 ft.-lb. with its heaviest load, and more powerful loads may well be on the way.

If Dirty Harry felt that the .44 Magnum would make his day, the new 500 S&W Magnum would certainly make his decade. It is the largest double-action revolver available, and there is no production revolver in the world--single or double action--capable of matching, or even approaching, the level of power it produces.

Harnessing that power in a double-action revolver, however, required some departures from traditional designs.

Rethinking Double-Action Design No frame in the S&W line was capable of containing the 500 Magnum, so the new X-frame was designed specifically for the 500's .50-cal. cartridge. It is massive. But, just making a bigger double-action revolver was not the solution. A major concern was the barrel-to-frame connection. This is traditionally done by simply screwing the barrel into the front of the frame, but this design places all firing stress at that one point. To increase strength throughout the 500's barrel assembly, S&W opted for a composite barrel/shroud system.

A stainless steel barrel tube is torqued into the frame to form a solid rear attachment point. A separate, heavy stainless steel shroud is then slipped over the barrel and braced against the forward portion of the frame. The muzzle end of the barrel bears against the forward end of the shroud, and a separate compensator/muzzle brake is then rotated into place under torque at the muzzle end of the shroud.

This arrangement compresses the shroud and places the barrel tube under tension for its entire length. In effect, the barrel and shroud act as linear springs to distribute the stress of firing across the entire barrel/shroud component instead of focusing it all at the single junction of the barrel and frame.

Maintaining precise cylinder alignment was another concern. Traditional designs utilize a front- and rear-cylinder lockup, with the forward end of the ejector rod bearing against a ball-detent fixture on the barrel to provide the front lockup. Given the power of the 500 Magnum, the potential for flex in the ejector rod had to be addressed. The solution was to dispense with that design and install a massive ball-detent lock on the frame itself, directly below the barrel forcing cone. This mates with the yoke to provide a solid front lockup directly at the front of the cylinder. Combined with the traditional rear lockup, this is the strongest cylinder alignment design possible.

While the 500 S&W Magnum answers the question of "where's the beef?" the company wisely decided to incorporate the same grip dimensions found on its much smaller K-frame handguns. Experienced handgunners regard this as one of the best handgun grips ever made.

Thus, the 500 Magnum is a big revolver that's strong where it needs to be, but is comfortable to handle. That was borne out during firing tests.

The Hunter version of the 500 S&W Magnum comes out of the S&W Performance Center. This gun has a 10.5-in. barrel and measures 18 in. overall. It weighs a hefty 82 ounces. Features include a recoil compensator for increased muzzle control, tuned Performance Center action, gun rug and sling.

SPECIFICATIONS: 500 S&W Magnum (Shown in lead photo) Caliber: .500 S&W Magnum Barrel: 8-3/8 in. Capacity: 5 rounds Front Sight: Interchangeable black blade Rear Sight: Micrometer click-adjustable black blade Grips: Hogue rubber, energy absorbing Weight (empty) : 72.5 ounces Material: Stainless steel Finish: Satin stainless Overall length: 15 in. Other features: Internal key lock and recoil muzzle compensator

On The Firing Line Despite the power of the cartridge, the 500 S&W Magnum is surprisingly controllable. Due largely to the sheer mass of the revolver (combined with the muzzle-heavy balance and an excellent muzzle brake), the violent wrist-wrenching muzzle whip associated with single-action revolvers firing such powerful loads as the .454 Casull and the .475 Linebaugh has been tamed considerably.

In those guns, muzzle rise on recoil can reach 90° and present a hazard to the shooter. With even the heaviest 500 Magnum load tested, muzzle rise was confined to the 50° range and there was never any concern about the shooter wearing an imprint of the front sight in his forehead. That does not mean it's a pussycat. Make no mistake about it, this is not a handgun for the timid or the inexperienced. In comparison tests, the lightest 500 load--the 275-grain jacketed hollowpoint at 1665-ft.-per-second (fps) velocity--produced a modest, but noticeable, increase in recoil levels over a S&W Model 629 .44 Magnum. Anyone who is uncomfortable with the .44 Magnum will be decidedly uncomfortable with the 500 Magnum. The 440 cast-lead load at 1625 fps raised the recoil bar significantly. Muzzle rise still remained under 50° and placed little or no stress on the wrists, but the rearward thrust absorbed by the shooting hand began to become uncomfortable after 10 to 15 rounds. A shooting glove would have mitigated some of that.

Still, considering that the projectile weight and velocity of this load is virtually identical to a 1-ounce 12-ga. rifled lead shotgun slug--and that the 500 Magnum operates at over four times the pressure level of the slug--the recoil was less than expected. We'd say that Dirty Harry would certainly approve.

Creating The 500 S&W Magnum Round

Photo by Spencer Jones

One of the more unusual aspects of the Model 500's creation is that S&W developed the cartridge first. Only when the gunsmiths had the performance levels they wanted, did they design and build the revolver that would fire it.

The cartridge design was handled by Cor Bon of Sturgis, S.D., which has extensive experience in that field. The guidelines the company received were firm: The bullet had to be precisely .50-cal., and the operating pressure could not exceed 50,000 psi. It had to produce at least 2200 ft.-lb. of energy with its heavier loads, and the overall cartridge length could not exceed a certain figure.

According to Cor Bon, the task was easier than it sounds.

Research determined that no existing cartridge case would meet the specifications, so a completely new, straight-walled .50-cal. case, measuring 1.625 in. in length (using standard large-pistol Magnum primers) was designed and produced. A pressure barrel was built, and the testing of powder and bullet combinations began.

It quickly became apparent that the energy requirements could easily be met, and at significantly lower pressures than the maximum allowed. The search then turned to those specific bullets that would provide the best terminal performance. That was done through actual hunting field tests and took almost a year. The quest for the best bullets continues, but at press time Cor Bon was offering three effective loads.

The "light" load is a 275-grain Barnes X copper hollowpoint bullet. Muzzle velocity is 1665 fps and it produces 1668 ft.-lb. of energy. It is more than adequate for any game up to and including elk.

A 400-grain jacketed softpoint at 1675 fps and 2500 ft.-lb. of energy is available for larger game.

Those heading to Alaska, Africa or even Jurassic Park will want the 440-grain hard-cast lead, gas checked, flat point load. At 1625 fps and 2580 ft.-lb. of energy, it will handle anything a handgun hunter is likely to pursue.

A 385-grain flat based spitzer load was to be available by press time. Cor Bon says this may be the best all-around load for the 500 S&W.

Additional loads may well be more powerful. There is enough room in the cartridge case and revolver cylinder to handle bullet weights up to 500 grains, which will make the Model 500 suitable for any game animal on Earth.--C.C.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: bang; bangbang; bangbangbang; banglist; bfg; rkba
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To: Jeff Gordon
Let's try it again; Custom .500 Linebaugh built from Ruger Blackhawk from Dave Clements


21 posted on 12/16/2003 5:20:01 PM PST by 45Auto (Big holes are (almost) always better.)
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To: 45Auto
I'm still waiting for my Hunter magnum model to arrive at my FFL. I did some quick calculations of felt recoil for two of the Corbon loads. The 275 gr load will produce a felt recoil energy of 23 ft-lbs in the 82 oz Hunter. This is similar to firing a 240 gr PMC .44 Mag cartridge in a Model 629 with 4" barrel. No problem...even single handed. The Ruger .454 Casull in 7.5" barrel produces 38 ft-lbs when firing a 300 gr Hornady load at 1500 fps. That's 1500 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. The Corbon 400 gr load produces 48 ft-lbs of felt recoil in the Hunter. That is a lot harder slap in the hand than the Hornady round in the Ruger .454 Casull. When I first shot that round in the .454, my palms felt like they had been smacked with a baseball bat. They were stinging. The Hunter with the 400 gr round is going to be a real experience.
22 posted on 12/16/2003 5:22:50 PM PST by Myrddin
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To: Travis McGee
"Gun porn" indeed! I nearly spilled my coffee laughing.

Your post by implication, raised the question "Will the HillaBeast ever forgive S&W?"

Perhaps only slightly less important is the question "Will they care"?
23 posted on 12/16/2003 5:23:23 PM PST by GladesGuru (In a society predicated upon liberty, it is essential to examine principles - -)
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To: Myrddin
From the FR archives:

Taffin Tests the .500 Linebaugh

24 posted on 12/16/2003 5:25:59 PM PST by 45Auto (Big holes are (almost) always better.)
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To: 45Auto
If God wanted me to fire a .50 cal handgun using a cartridge delivering 2600 ft lbs he would have put my shoulder where my hand is.

I traded away my Desert Eagle 44 mag for just this reason. I'm sure I did permanent damage.
25 posted on 12/16/2003 5:26:36 PM PST by mercy
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To: 45Auto
It'll be a cold day in hell when I buy S&W.
26 posted on 12/16/2003 5:27:15 PM PST by mrmeyer ("When brute force is on the march, compromise is the red carpet." Ayn Rand)
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To: 45Auto
Awesome firepower,

But the frame design of the X-frame really isn't all that revolutionary as many of the feature were incorporated into another Wesson's revolver years ago. The Dan Wesson revolvers with their interchangeable barrel and shroud system is exactly as described here resulting in the barrel being in tension and less resultant barrel flex and whip. They (DW) have always had great DA revolvers for
long range shooting. I've got a new DW 741-v8 on order which I hope is in by thursday. A 41 mag which weighs in at 64 ounces (4 lb), full length lug under an eight inch barrel.

BTW, I'm pretty certain the S&W foundry supplies DW's forgings. It seems the two companies work pretty closely together.
27 posted on 12/16/2003 5:27:46 PM PST by bereanway
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To: mrmeyer
I thought S&W was now under new American ownership as opposed to the English group that sold out to the Clintons.
28 posted on 12/16/2003 5:29:31 PM PST by bereanway
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To: 45Auto
I saw one at a local dealers about two weeks ago.

It is nice looking but picking it up it struck me as being too heavy for practicality. Not that I wouldn't want one tho.

If I did have it I probably would buy one box of heavy loads and never completely use it up. I would either load a bunch of sub power loads or buy the same.

The dealer "poor boys" in Defuniak Springs said they had sold a bunch which surprised me considering the price.

29 posted on 12/16/2003 5:29:59 PM PST by yarddog
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To: 45Auto
I saw this gun at a gun show in Baltimore this past weekend. It is a monster gun and weighs over 4 pounds. You need a firm grip just to hold it on target. I can't imagine trying to shoot it with just one hand.

At about $1000, I won't be getting one anytime soon unless Santa leaves it under my tree.

30 posted on 12/16/2003 5:29:59 PM PST by rllngrk33 (Liberals are guilty of everything they accuse Conservatives of.)
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To: Myrddin
I think that top-end loads even in this heavy, ported gun, are going to be like nothing you've ever experienced in a handcannon. I recently read a Taffin article on this beast, and he was not down-playing the recoil from top loads at all. The worst "handgun" I ever fired was a Thompson-Center Contender chambered in .45-70, built by J.D. Jones, with a 14 inch heavy barrel with a Jones compensator. After that, I decided that I would ONLY shoot .45-70 in a rifle! I have a Linebaugh-built .475 Linebaugh chambered Ruger Bisely Blackhawk; and that thing is awesome when loaded and fired with top-end 395 grain hard cast BRP flat nose bullets. Its a bit more manageable when loaded with 300 grain Hornady jacketed bullets, those intended for the .480 Ruger Super Redhawk. Still, these things make really big holes, which is the name of the game.
31 posted on 12/16/2003 5:33:00 PM PST by 45Auto (Big holes are (almost) always better.)
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To: 45Auto
Be sure to get your name and address engraved backwards near the front site...
so when the docs remove the front site from your forhead it will leave a readable tatoo
so they can notify your next of kin... :)
32 posted on 12/16/2003 5:36:29 PM PST by joesnuffy (Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
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To: 45Auto
I wrote New England Firearms, makers of those cheap-but-accurate break-top single shot rifles, asking them to come out with a carbine in this caliber.

I haven't heard back from them yet.

Saw a box of 20 for $32.99 at a recent gun show in Utah. If that's the norm, this gun ain't agoin' anywhere. One salvation might be reloading with cast bullets, though.
33 posted on 12/16/2003 5:36:55 PM PST by Oatka
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To: 45Auto
I'm going to have to make a modification to my xmas list
34 posted on 12/16/2003 5:37:03 PM PST by paul51
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To: Travis McGee
I've always had an interest in this gun:

The .475 Wildey

35 posted on 12/16/2003 5:38:53 PM PST by 45Auto (Big holes are (almost) always better.)
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To: 45Auto
Hmmm...I don't know, it looks kind of flimsy?
36 posted on 12/16/2003 5:39:25 PM PST by semaj ("....by their fruit you will know them.")
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To: semaj
Charles Bronson, in Death Wish III, with .475 Wildey:


37 posted on 12/16/2003 5:40:27 PM PST by 45Auto (Big holes are (almost) always better.)
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To: 45Auto
Oh, man . . . I want to fire it . . . With some hot loads in it . . . Just to see if I really need one. ;-)

(More wrist curls! That's what I've got to do, more wrist curls!)

38 posted on 12/16/2003 5:44:26 PM PST by LibWhacker
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To: cyborg
You would be the undisputed Queen of Long Island....

(not that ur not already)
39 posted on 12/16/2003 5:45:41 PM PST by wardaddy ("either the arabs are at your throat, or at your feet"...at our feet today obviously..)
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To: wardaddy
Not only that, but I will have achieved the heights of street cred not even 50cent hopes to achieve. I will suddenly have plenty of dates with policeofficers, bountu hunters, and corrections officers.
40 posted on 12/16/2003 5:49:25 PM PST by cyborg
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