Hi all, I just got my .500 S&W with the 8 3/8" barrel, so I'm going to be fanning the hammer with questions.

Where's everyone getting brass? My dad found 50 unfired Hornady cases, are they made by the same folks that make Corbon cases with a different headstamp? How much difference could there be? This $33 for 12 rounds sucks.

I've never reloaded anything but shotgun shells before, but I've cast bullets for my .58 Zouave Musket, where can I find molds?

I'm going to be using this primarily to elk hunt in sw Colorado so I'm thinking BIG bullet. I will also take it along backpacking/fishing in Wyoming. Same bullet should work fine if the pepper spray doesn't.

Final question: does anyone have any holster recommendations? Something that will work with a pack?

Thanks for any information in advance!!!

Rob Collins
Centennial, CO

This is the standard model 500, 8 3/8" bbl. I haven't shot any factory rounds, only handloads. I've been trying the 350 gr. Sierra HP's with both Lil'Gun and H-4227. I don't appear to be hitting any kind of pressure peaks because the velocities aren't flattening out. Starting at the mid-range loads up to maximum with both powders, the velocities have a steady increase. The problem is that they're slower than what everyone else appears to be getting.

I have not slugged the bore.

I assumed, maybe incorrectly, that you were shooting reloads and had hit the pressure limit early so velocity was down.

What barrel length are you shooting? Have you slugged the bore? Are you, in fact, shooting factory loads or reloads?

The brass I got from Cor-Bon last year used Large Pistol Primers. It has to have a stamp [R] for rifle on it then it uses rifle primers. But no stamp no rifle primers.

I use the Holster I have for my T.C. single shot pistols. It works fine for me.

Hornady brass I hope is good I just ordered some for my 300 Win. LiL'GUN seems to be good right after it is loaded.If it sits around for a while it seems to lose velocity. This is what I think. Cause the last loading I shot was not up to velocity and it was loaded 1-11-04.

BRASS FOR 500 S&W and holsters.

Be aware the brass is made two ways:
One way accepts Large Pistol primers and the other accepts Large Rifle primers. The cases made for Rifle Primers has an "R" stamped on the case head. Hornady cases are made for Large Pistol primers. All but the earliest Cor-Bon cases are made for Large Rifle primers and will have the "R". If you put a Large Rifle Primer in the Large Pistol case, it will stick out slightly above flush, which could cause the primer to detonate when slammed back and forth with all the recoil of that gun. This has happened. I use only Hornady cases to keep them separate. Hornady uses only Large Pistol primers in all their loaded ammo for this round and have never had a problem.

As to the holsters, there are several, but S&W's web site has two very nice ones.

Kingfisher:

What did you use to measure the throats. A standard caliper would read smaller than hole diameter. Really need a small hole caliper.


If it truely is .497 that "could" add to pressure in the cylinder.

Ask Smith what the tolerances are for the throat dims.

It is possible that Smith has increased the B/C gap dims to .004-.010. But, did you tell them what your dims were before or after they gave you their tolerances. Not suggesting anything, just curious.

SW 500 -8 3/8" -cyl gap-.005,throats.499
SW 500-PC 10.5"-- " "-.004,--" " .499
SW 500-PC 6.5 -- " " -.006,--" " .500
SW 500-4" ------ " " -.006--" " .499
I am at work I dont remember if the 6.5 or the 4" had .500 throats.
Sean

Scrollcutter, the cylinder throat measurement was the .497-.498. All 5 appear to be in that range.

I called S&W a few minutes ago and they said that the factory tolerance for the cylinder gap was .004-.010

They are however sending me a prepaid Fedex label to send the gun in so that they can check it out "as a courtesy". We'll see what happens. However, in the meantime if anyone else has any measurements of their gun I'd be intersted in hearing them. I still love the gun regardless, no complaints really... other than the fact that it appears to be a slow gun.