When I first read about the .500 S&W cartridge my thoughts went right to a lever action marlin chambered for this psuedo rifle case. My perfect piece would carry a 16.5" barrel. Well the marlin rifle has failed to appear but I have managed to aquire an Encore barrel chambered in the big shooter. The barrel I found was 20" so I promptly cut the barrel to the desired 16.5" and then recrowned.

Yesterday was the debut firing of my new deer rifle. When unvieled at the local range she was met with several satisfactory "ooohs" and even an "aaah" might have been heard. The load I chose was 40 gr of Hodgdon's Lilgun and a 350 gr Hornady bullet.

Firing is met with a pleasant yet firm recoil. I got a little close to the leupold VX2 scope and the first shot dislodged my hat. I was a little surprised by the level of recoil. This little carbine has the potential to become one of my favorite medium range deer getters. I chronied these loads at 2200 fps and my ballistics program shows a powerful 150 yard effective range (zero) with the mid-range trajectory right at 2" above line of sight. After 160 yards or so it falls off the table so she does have her limits.

For hunting in thick northern Minnesota pine forests she should prove to be a very effective game getter.

My next test was to install the pistol grip and do some shooting. To the surprise of the uninformed, I did not break my wrist, dislocate my shoulder or come back and smack me in the forehead. If I decide to shoot it again as a handgun I will be sure to employ a glove. The Encore does have some sharp edges that become apparent upon firing.

As I suspected the .500S&W is an exceptional carbine length rifle cartridge.

I have it in a NEF with a 22" barrel and it is awsome gun I love it, with my rig I am using a 400jsp and 39.5gr of H4227 getting 1895fps out of that bad boy but getting 2200+fps from a 370gr Hard cast by Castperformace with 44.0gr of Lil'gun...I need a Chronow

What kind of groups are you fellows get at 100 yds/meters...eh?

at 100yards I am getting a 5 shot group in a 1.5" groups with the 400gr SP and the 325gr Barns X I am getting 1" groups all off a bench and with a 1X scope

If a gun maker would offer this in a model 76 or 92 form I think it would be a big hit. I understand this chambering to be a true .500 instead of .510 which inconveniences handloaders, I understand S&w's trying to be politically correct but .010" difference makes it less desirable unless bullet manufactures really come through on veriety. Just an observation. R.

I think a little lever action in the 50 S&W would be a blast. A wonderful saddle rifle.

i'd love to have a minimauser like the CZ 527 in the 500 smith.
7600 remington would be nice as well.

The 1st groups fired from my little big gun were 1.5" @ 100yds. I will be working on those in an attempt to shrink them.

I know I posted negatively toward the cartridge being .500 instead of .510, but if I find an authentic reproduction Winchester '76 or '92 {even a current marlin carbine would do} in .500 S&W I'll buy it reasonably priced of course. R.

Wild West Guns in Alaska makes a lever .500 S&W Mag but it is $1500 so I went with the NEF and LOVE it, I have used this gun for deer hunting and it is VERY efective for it but it is not the best to be taking shoulder shots with it Vitals is your best bet if you want to have meat to spare......

for out at the Range I am shooting some 370gr CastPerformace with 14.0grs of Trail Boss and it has a very mild recoil and can be shot all day long but I would say they are going 1000-1100fps so would make for a nice close range hunting round too. At 150 yards I can hit a 10" steal plate with that load and it makes a very nice thwack so I am going to try this load on deer this year....

Want to make the .500S&W come alive? Try these 700 grain custom cast bullets. I have an 8 3/8" S&W and all I can say is WOW!! I love it I load it up with a stiff charge of Lilgun.


http://www.kdm-custom-bullets.com/

Ranger Rick has some 700gr .500" bullets that are actually affordable!!

http://www.lsstuff.com/ranger-rick/

Guess I will just get a TC rifle until Marlin comes around...

45otto, what make of barrel did you use? We've got a fellow that wants one built on a Wickliffe action. What twist, etc.
Thanks
Walt

I have tryed some of Ranger ricks bullets and DONT recomend them in a rifle I had 4 casses crack and they where brand new horindy cases and this was with a 535gr Keath style bullet I went and used his data and reduced the charge by 2.5grs and still cracking casses So i just dont recomend them in a Rifle the hand gun might work fine but I had lots of problems with the data I recived.......

500MagMan,

Do you think the cases were too soft???? I've shot 535's, 600's and 700 grain hardcast bullets in Starline brass without any problems. I think Starline and Jamison brass are much better in terms of quality. Grizzly Cartridge Co. manufactures ammo for my company and we only use Starline and Jamison.

Here's the 700 grain WFNGC Custom Ammo

those cartridges just SCREAM penetration--like through 2 brick walls, and still get a pass through!!

Those do look nasty! What kind of velocity are we talking here?

He shows over 1300fps on his web site.

http://www.kdm-custom-bullets.com/loaddata.html

I've shot the 700's at about 900fps from my 4" 500 S&W and they were not bad at all. They did hit way high at 50 yards with the rear sight screwed down all the way.

Have you done a chamber cast of your rifle? I'm wondering if it's slightly large or maybe the brass was too hard and brittle.

I put the load data for the heavy hard cast through Quickload and got out velocity predictions very close to the actual chronoed rounds. The pressures from Quickload did not show anything too high either, but then it's only a simulation.

I think that Marlin should make a 500S&W on the new Stainless XLR. I'd buy one if it was under $700.

quote:

Originally posted by Lar45:


I think that Marlin should make a 500S&W on the new Stainless XLR. I'd buy one if it was under $700.

Still patiently waiting...