Top Gun [Smith and Wesson .500 Magnum]

Popular Mechanics ^ | 2003 | CHRIS CHRISTIAN

[MarkL]

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.

When I was younger (and dumber), I really wanted to get a "BIG BOOM" handgun... Sure, I had a Ruger Redhawk, and I did the 300gr JSP load where you fill the case w/ WW296 and put the bullet on, but that huge boom and muzzle flash just wasn't enough...

I wanted to get a big single shot pistol. T/C had their .30/30, 444 Marlin, and 45-70, but I just didn't think that was going to be enough... I really wanted the .375JDJ, reputed to be, at the time, the worlds most powerful handgun cartridge. And it was. 270gr bullets at over 2400fps! It had been used to take down cape buffalo and elephants in Africa!

Before I could get around to buying one of those, I picked up a Star Firestar in .40 S&W. This little, all steel .40 really kicks hard. It's about the size of a pocket .380, and the safety really bites into the bone of my thumb. After about 50 rounds of shooting that gun, I've had enough for one day... After a while, I realized that while it's fun to have a "hand cannon," I didn't really enjoy shooting it that much... And spending serveral hundred dollars on yet another set of dies and accessories really wasn't that attractive.

Mark

[MarkL]

It'll be a cold day in hell when I buy S&W.

The ownership of S&W has changed, and they are not being held to the agreement that they made with the Clinton government.

It's a whole different ballgame now.

Mark

[MarkL]

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!

JD Jones is something else, isn't he?!?!?! I've spoken with him a few times on the phone over the years... There's a reason that his guns are known as "Hand Cannons!"

I believe that it was once said by a famous Colonel, that a handgun is what you use to fight your way back to your rifle." In JD Jones' case, JD must think, "What the hell do you need a rifle for?"

Mark

[Delta 21]

[ChefKeith]

Check this out

[razorback-bert]

It is almost as big as my Di--!!

[Squantos]

Hey .......does yer Mom and Dad know your playing on the puter again Bert ?:o)

LMAO !........Stay Safe !

[Squantos]

My current "work in the boonies" gun is a custom ruger redhawk 44 mag that I feed the 330gr Hammerheads from Garrett Inc to. If the critter is too big for that I'm not sticking around to argue the finer points of the food chain with em.

I do have a Custom .500 Linebaugh Bisley and am looking to have a Redhawk chambered in that caliber also as it has come to pass that I favor a double action revolver vs the single action for a camp/backup handgun when in dangerous game ville.

Of course that is only if I can't lay hands on my rifle or camp shotgun loaded with slugs. IMHO this S&W 500 is just too friggin big to be anything short of a slung hunting handgun. Carried on my waist for any given length of time I'll need hip surgery. That's a huge bitch !!

Stay Safe !

[Richard Kimball]

Why do that? You're not even boycotting the people you're mad at. That's like boycotting Harley-Davidson because AMF acted like a bunch of jerks when they owned them. Harley isn't owned by AMF anymore, and S&W isn't owned by the wienies that kissed Hillary's ankles (took them a week to work all the way around).

[MrJingles]

I gots to know!

LOL! One of the great lines in film history! (And running joke in this FReeper's home!)

[BooBoo1000]

What in hell would you need one of these for. Do you have problems with wild Elephants??

[alaskanfan]

I bought an Anaconda but tired of carrying that thing real quick during fishing season. Now when I'm away from the house I carry a Kimber compact and extra mags.

[Delta 21]

[Squantos]

Sling on my M60 looks like that too........:o)

That thing is too big for me. S&W is sure pushing the advertising on that thing though. My last S&W buy was the 329PD and that is a handfull with "just" 240gr Commercial loads much less anything from my reloading bench. My .500 Linebaugh and 44 Mag Redhawk Ruger will do me for food chain attitude adjustments.

This thing IMHO is just a SSK TC with a cylinder.........:o)

Stay Safe !

[Squantos]

Since S&W doesn't make single action revolvers ?!?!?!? Well damn....just damn..........:o)

Stay Safe !

[alaskanfan]

might as well pack your 870.

[Travis McGee]

I don't get the point, really. You can't wear a 5# gun in a holster on your hip, so that means a sling. If you're slinging it, why not a carbine or shotgun?

Actually, I do get the point. The corporate suits were sitting around the old boardroom table scratching their heads and saying, "Now that the boycott is semi-over, how do we get the shooters to look at S&W again?????"

[Lancey Howard]

I like my little Seecamp .32 - - fits very nicely (and rather inconspicuously) into the pocket of any pants I wear.

[Squantos]

I'm looking at ruger more these days for serious dangerous game rigs. This is my next buy ........

It is the new 77 Magnum in 458 Lott. Kewl part is I can plink with 458 Win Mag and use the "full house" for pokin yogi if I draw a tag next year.

Agree on the handcannon.......TDB ! (too damn big)

Stay Safe !

[Lancey Howard]

Yeah, I was wondering about that, too.
Is S&W okay to buy from again?