One of the guys I work with just picked up a "USED" 500 Smith n Wesson w a 6" barrel. I say "USED" because the guy shot a box thru it and that was that. I shot 5 rounds....compensator really works well as it was nothing close to a 44MAG without a compensator. Boy was it loud though. And I tell ya its one hell of a lot of energy coming outa that barrel.

Anyway, what powders? I assume large pistol mag primers will do the trick.

Thanks for the help.

I don't load for the 500 S&W and don't quote me on this, but I remember reading about the use of large rifle primers. I don't know if that matters, though.

I don’t load for the 500 S&W. However, I would recommend that you keep your fingers away from the cylinder face.

I used to post the entire series of pictures of a poor guy whose support hand thumb was next to the cylinder gap. However, folks used to complain how the graphic pictures ruined their lunch. So I will simply post the first, and warn you, the rest will cause a visceral reaction.

The cylinder side blast from one of these things will remove finger parts. Be careful.



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WOW! Thanks for sharing. After firing one of these I certainly believe it! A lot of power thats for sure.

Poor guy. That really sucks.

Nice photos!

Initially, 500 S&W Magnum brass was made to take large pistol primers. Brass of current manufacture takes large rifle primers.

I load for an Encore 500 S&W Handgun and got my best accuracy with H110/Win. 296 and 400 gr. Sierra SportsMaster bullets. Three shot groups off the bench with a scoped handgun go into 1 to 1.5 inches at 100 yards.

I know this isn't the place for this, but I gotta say you just don't shoot a revolver like semi-auto.
I've had blow back from my 480 so keep the fingers
away from the cylinder.

All "newer" brass intended for use with LR primers is labeled "500 S&W MAG R" with the "R" denoting the use large "R"ifle primers.

Older 500 brass is just labeled "500 S&W MAG."

Most of that brass is long gone.

I like to use H110/Win 296 and Lil'Gun as my favorite powders. For bullets, I shoot nothing lighter than 340gr and nothing heavier than 500gr. My factory S&W with 8 & 3/8 inch barrel seems to like 400gr to 450gr best.

Barstooler

I use Lil'gun and the 400 gr Sierra bullet at about 1600 fps from a 6.5" BFR. I've shot a ram and a small boar with the combo, which isn't much of a test, but both animals were drt.

Longshot is nice for reduced loads at about 12-1300 fps.