Snubby.500 S&W revolver

[Morne]

...and it is a Taurus no less!

my wrist aches

The Taurus revolver fanboy in me craves it. Practicality, sanity and my future ability to use my wrists all scream no.

Discuss.

[BobK]

I went to a S&W event at the LGS, where I got to shoot 6 different S&W models. They provided 6 rounds of ammo for each of the models.

One of the models was the S&W .500 with a 6" barrel. Big heavy gun, not a snubby.

I lasted 3 shots and turned in 3 unused rounds. That was enough for me. The first shot create a good sized blood blister on the inside of my thumb near the palm.

To put this in perspective, I will shoot a couple of hundred rounds per range session with my .44 mag without any issues or distress, so I am not exactly recoil sensitive and I know how to grip a revolver. My .44 mag handloads are throwing .255 gr cast bullets at 1550 fps so these are not light loads (in fact, they are probably slightly over max).

Those 3 shots of .500 satisfied my itch. I have no desire for shooting one again.

[steves 50de]

...and it is a Taurus no less!

my wrist aches

The Taurus revolver fanboy in me craves it. Practicality, sanity and my future ability to use my wrists all scream no.

Discuss.

Go for it, everyone needs to own at least one impractical gun that they won't use much. I don't shoot my 50 bmg much but i'am happy to own one.

[Brian D.]

Clicking the link made my wallet ache, Morne, just seeing an $850 price tag on ANY Taurus product. (Yeah I know how the site works, the figure up top isn't what will be paid.)

Bobk I've mentioned this before but when S&W brought out both the .500 revolver and the Scandium framed Model 29 .44 magnum, I ran into my buddy Jerry Miculek at the SHOT Show and asked how tough they were to shoot. He said the "shock absorbing" stocks on the X-frame guns helped a good bit with recoil but that the 4" Model 329 was purely "brutal" to fire.

Yeah, took me a couple months to try those products out and find that Jerry was spot-on.

[Curzyk]

I lasted 3 shots and turned in 3 unused rounds. That was enough for me. The first shot create a good sized blood blister on the inside of my thumb near the palm.
...
Those 3 shots of .500 satisfied my itch. I have no desire for shooting one again.

I rented the 8" or 10" S&W 500, whichever Black Wing has. ONE shot was enough for me. I could barely hold the revolver up on target, especially since I was bracing for the massive recoil. I found it so unpleasant to shoot, but my little brother loved it and shot it 9 times.

[Mr. Glock]

That may be one of those things you just need to own....

[Sevens]

Bunch of thoughts in no particular order.

I have an 8-3/8" .460XVR and had the same revolver in .500 Mag also. Sold the .500 because it only made sense to keep one and I chose the .460.

I find the X-frames, their porting, weight and advanced grip to be a pleasure to shoot. Loads from a single shot Katahdin .500 barrel on a T/C Encore rifle and .460 from a 14" Encore handgun were both horrendously brutal, awful and painful. I sent 5rds of .500 through that single shot rifle just to prove that I could/would. Worst recoil I've ever felt. The Encore handgun was torture also. But the S&W X-frame revolvers I actually enjoy!

Keep in mind that we're talking factory Hornady and handloads mimicking that ammo. There are some heavyweight boutique cast lead loads that likely go well beyond. But bottom line for me is that just about -ANY- .44 Mag, to me, is awful and I much prefer these X-frames.

Especially a Ruger Blackhawk .44 Magnum... awful. My one .44 Mag is a 7.5" Redhawk and I had a Mag-Na-Port four-port job done to it to tame it. Bobk's 255gr at over 1,500fps sounds evil and hateful. For sure, I would MUCH rather send a jacketed 240gr XTP out of my X-frame at 1,800+. To me -- just far more enjoyable.

To the subject Taurus:
No way. I have no intention of inciting a brand war, but I would expect both the S&W and the Taurus to surrender to abuse at some point. The difference is in the companies that back them. Seems to me that any .500 Mag revolver will NEED factory service if it gets shot a lot. Taurus is one outfit that NOBODY wants to deal with. They have proven countless times that customer service is a black hole.

[yogidave]

...and it is a Taurus no less!

my wrist aches

The Taurus revolver fanboy in me craves it. Practicality, sanity and my future ability to use my wrists all scream no.

Discuss.

Go for it, everyone needs to own at least one impractical gun that they won't use much. I don't shoot my 50 bmg much but i'am happy to own one.

I have shot a 500 and while it was fun, it does leave a bit of a sting. I agree with steves50de that everyone should own 1 impractical gun, I love my AMT automag 30 carbine aka the dragon since it shoots a huge flame when you fire it.

[glocksmith]

I find the X-frames, their porting, weight and advanced grip to be a pleasure to shoot.

I agree with Sevens. They're not all that bad. In the .500, if you use sensible handloads, they're no more punishing than say a lighter framed .44mag, or even the small J and K frames firing .38+P/.357mag. The problem with many people's first experiences with the .500 is that some joker usually gives them the heavyweight Buffalo Bore or CorBon "Bear loads" to fire - which is enough to turn just about anyone off. Using 350 grain XTP's with a 30 grain charge of 2400, or an 18 grain charge of Unique...gives plenty of power without being obnoxious. Also, it is a cartridge which you simply don't try to run through a 100 round session at the range - it was designed as a big bore hunting gun, and not an all-day plinker. At $2 or $3 bucks a pop, that should be obvious

[Mr. Glock]

Recoil is a funny thing. Differs from gun to gun, and person to person.

I just want to see Morne CC that rig.

[Morne]

Recoil is a funny thing. Differs from gun to gun, and person to person.

I just want to see Morne CC that rig.

[djthomas]

Bah... Do a Form 1 on it and then come up with a shoulder stock rig!

[marca]

My dealer said the S&W 500 was a.ridiculous gun. I told him it was wonderfully ridiculous. Why did I get it? Because I can.

[Bruenor]

Shot one at the LGS a few years back, two rounds was enough. I can say I did it, and I'm cured of wanting to buy one.

If I were going to get a pistol of that type I would go for the .460 to have more options on ammo selections..
.460 -> .454 casull -> .45 Colt
.460 if I ever found myself in Brown bear country, and .45 colt for plinking at the range.

[Javelin Man]

.50 Caliber handgun. For when there's a burglar hiding behind the refrigerator. Of your neighbor's house.

A Taurus .480 Ruger revolver is my useless, but fun handgun along with a 7.62 Tokarov pistol to set a BG's clothes on fire.