Anyone have any insight into Freedom Arms' 500 Wyoming Express? Any thoughts on how it compares to other 500 pistol calibers?

I have a Model 83 in 454 Casull, and it might need a big brother.

I guess you don't like the 475?

Performance wise, the 500 We is right in line with the other half-inchers. Once you get bullets this size and weight going around 1000-1200 fps, it's hard to find an animal to stop them and the animals won't be able to differeniate between a Linebaugh, WE, or S&W.

I've been using a .500WE for a little over a year and a half, since it was first introduced. My everyday load is a 350 @ 1350 fps, which is considerably less than its full potential of a 440 @ about 1400 fps. It's accurate, and easy to load, with many different .50 cal. bullets available. As Ms. Hitman suggests, it's in the same power range as the .500 Linebaugh, .500 JRH etc.
As much as I like the .500WE, I'll have to confess that my favorite revolver round for big stuff is the .475 Linebaugh.

Jim I have one of the orginal F/A 555's in 50AE. I like the gun and the caliber (great for whitetails), but the 50AE wouldn't let me shoot the heavy loads (over 350grains) without possibly causing bullet jump and tying up the cylinder.
So I sent my gun in an had a 500 WE cylinder fitted to my gun.
The 500WE allows me to shoot bulets up to 525 without worrying about bullet jump since I can now crimp my loads where as the 50AE (headspaces like a 45ACP)I could not.
As far as power, there are other guns more powerful but I would not hesitate to use it on any game animal that I would use the others on.
One great bullet for the .50 cals is the 420 grain Belt Mountain Punch bullet. This bullet should give great penatration for heavier game.
If you get a 500WE and want some good load data for it, just give me a hollar I have some with various bullet weights.
P.S. gotta love the half-inch bores.
David

If I was converting a FA 83, it would be to a .500 JRH, the 1.4" version of the S&W 500 case.

500 bucks for barrel, cylinder, and finish, or a bit less, done by one of the best gunsmiths in the world, Jack Huntington. Cheaper brass, no belt, and,
if you get a 440 grain slug going 950 fps, it will go through 5 feet of buffalo, with the recoil of a 44 magnum.









First couple pictures are custom shop BFR in 500 JRH, and, the first Ruger conversion, owned by Ed Tilson.

Last is an FA, so done.

GS

GS really like the look of your converted Ruger especially the barrel banded front sight.
How does it shoot? I like the idea of a non-belted case.
David

http://www.freedomarms.com/500weda.pdf
It looks like it should be a very potent round. It shows top end loads from a 7.5" revolver of a 400 at 1589fps and a 440 at 1415fps.
I looked at their site, but didn't see any info on the diameter of the belt.
I'm thinking it should be very similar to the 500 JRH if the loaded length was kept to 1.765"

Performance is similar to the 500JRH, which was origionaly designed for the Freedom guns. At the last Linebaugh seminar the JRH outpenetrated the 475. To me the Wyoming Express is a joke with the belt as nothing more than a gimmick to get it sell in a market where there were already existing cartridges in it's performace range.

If the JRH fails to remain a factory load as it is now and is chambered by BFR in the custom shop,then case can be made from 500 S&W case's. When the Wyoming Express fails from lack of sales and the brass becomes extint,how are you giong to get cases? What other handgun round Has a belt?
Any velocity over 1400 fps with hardcast bullets does not aid in penetration.........The 425 grain JRH with it's perfectly designed 425 grain Flat point at 1384 fps penetrated 50",the 500 Linebaugh with the 525 grain at 1091 fps pentrated 50", the 50 Alaskan also penetrated 50" at 1570 fps....

I talked to Jack Huntington yesterday about the .500 JRH.......I am very tempted!

Jim
A few questions.
What is the bbl length of your FA 454?
Is it scoped.

What bbl length are you considering for the 500WE?
Do you plan on scoping it?

For what animal do you want more power than the 454?
What would be your primary usefor the 50O WE

Tony

Barrel on the 454 is 7.5". No scope.

As for a 500, not sure as to length.

And as to game, the 454 is to me a fine round. But, we are all tempted by bigger stuff. Never know when a T Rex may awake from its slumber...

My idea on a handgun is that it is, for me anyway, a close order weapon. Carried as a backup to a rifle for that "final protective fire" and close shots of opportunity.

I know there are many people that scope a big revolver and make some pretty incredible long range shots. I have just never been able to get used to a scope on a handgun.

Jim
The reason I ask was I consider the 454 to be a good hunting handgun. You can load heavy bullets for big stuff and use 250gr with a scope for deer sized stuff at what I would call long handgun range.

As you know I have hunted a lot with a 44 Mag, and have used a 6" FA in 475 a little bit.

All my revolver hunting has been with iron sights.

I like the 475 and I consider it a very good choice when you consider its power, bullet weight, penetration, and avalibility of loaded ammo and componets.

I just wondered why you liked the 500 WE over the 475?

GS, what did the BFR start life as? I like the 500 JRH, it looks great.

http://www.magnumresearch.com/ Go here, you will pull your hair out making a choice. I have two and want more! Most consistantly accurate guns I ever shot.

You can get the BFR in 50 AE as a stock gun. The BFR Custom shop will make an extra cylinder for the 500 JRH and cut the barrel to whatever length you want.

I did some reading on the 500 wyoming and didn't really like the part about the belt expanding and not being able to chamber the round after(5?) reloads. Anybody know what diameter the belt and base of the case is? It seems like a rim would be a better way to go.

I do remember reading many years back about Linebaugh or Bowen doing a 458 Belted round on a Ruger. I think they cut 458 Win Mag cases and inside reamed for .458" bullets. I think the performance was just under the 475. they also had a 1.6" long version.

If you couldn't get 500 WE cases, do you think that you could have the cylinder cut for a rim and just cut down 500 S&W brass and let the base expand into the belt groove? Or have Hunington make a 500 JRH cylinder for it. It sounds like his work is rather affordable.

Yeah, sounds like a very expensive shooter. I could not imagine throwing out and replacing brass that quickly. I have .44 mag brass that is still going strong after 40 reloads and my .475 brass seems to last forever.
I guess it's like the saying, if you can afford the big McMansion, you can afford the taxes.

quote:

Originally posted by Lar45:
If you couldn't get 500 WE cases, do you think that you could have the cylinder cut for a rim and just cut down 500 S&W brass and let the base expand into the belt groove? Or have Hunington make a 500 JRH cylinder for it. It sounds like his work is rather affordable.

A 500 AE cylender can be rechambered to a 500 JRH. The 500 JRH is a shortened 500 S&W case with a smaller diameter rim and can be fired in the 500 S&W. the 500 S&W rim is too large for the Freed9om revolver.........

A 500 JRH can be built on the Ruger frame and the full Dia. S&W case can be utilized.......

Don't think Jack can rechamber a 50AE cylinder to a 500 JRH? I considered getting a FA50AE, but when Jack said he couldn't rechamber it, it would be over my budget, to get another cylinder. As much as I wanted a FA to convert, I found a 454 BFR locally for a good deal. Took it to the range for a shooting session, and as much as I liked the 454(and owned several FA in the past), I still longed for a .50 cal again. Not as flat shooting as the 454, but I've lately preferred the lower pressures of the .50 cal. Sent my BFR to Jack, and just got it this past Friday. I too like the shorter barrels, especially with my older eyes, plus I like how a short barrel packs. Since I can't see that great at long distances any more, and the whole idea I got into handgun hunting in the first place was a good stalk, the 4" barrel was "my" preference. The 4" octagon barrel has a nice balance. I did want a round butt bisley grip on my BFR, like Jack did on my little alloy bisley, but Jack wasn't able to locate a bisley grip anywhere? So he round butted the BFR grip, and its really not that bad. And I have small hands. I think I've written in another post, on why I went with the 500 JRH? I think I'm biased of Jack's work, being that I've been happy with the guns he has built for me. He is one of the few gunsmiths with a degree in small arms, and when I want something done, he always explains the why's he does things, and also the things that I don't really need. And as been said, he did develop the 500 JRH to be used in the FA, but since FA decided to not use his cartridge, he didn't want to waste his time and money spent on the 500 JRH, so had to look elsewhere, and glad BFR is giving it a go. Have to admit, got some friends that have the 500 S&W's, and are really having a ball shooting Jack's 500 JRH ammo in their guns instead. Not abusive, but still got enough "PUNCH!"

A .50 AE cylinder can definitely not be rechambered to .500WE or .500JRH! The tapered .50 AE case is already too large at the base.