who hunts with the s&w 500???

[gotAKfever]

tried the handgunning forum for bullet performance info, but no responses. anyone...

[FamilyMan]

Originally Posted by gotAKfever

tried the handgunning forum for bullet performance info, but no responses. anyone...

I don't, though I really like that gun. If you do hunt with it, how about you start? Have you scoped yours? Use the long barrel? Pictures?

[gotAKfever]

7.5" performance center. scoped for longer range hunting, but the particular brand scope I used wouldn't take the abuse, crosshairs fell apart. decided to go with irons instead to shed the extra weight and bulk of a scope and mounts. two moose so far, both taken with hard cast bullets that showed me both extremes of the bullet performance spectrum. perfect mushroom and shatter. hence the move toward jacketed bullets to get more consistant terminal effects. what I'm really after are stories from other hunters to see what bullets have been used, and how well they did. my current top four choices are the 400 Kodiak, 400 Sierra, 400 Woodleigh, and the 350 Hornady. pix later

[catchfish]

I hunted with two guys that used them this year on blackbears, one was the 9" barrel I think, and the other is in an AR-15. It did ok, It didn't seem to perform as well as i thought it would. I'll see if I can get a hold of them to see what they were hunting with.

[gotAKfever]

surprised to hear it didn't perform like you thought. last years moose went all four legs straight up in the air from two 420 gr. rounds. that's an impressive sight. looks like the handgun forum is workin out, so i'll continue over there.

[Vance in AK]

RangerRick should chime in sometime (If he's not out killing something with the 500). I know he's a believer in cast bullets, especially since he owns a business that makes them!
If your cast bullets either mushroom or shatter they are either too soft or too hard. The hardness is very controllable with the alloy mix.

[RANGER RICK]

gotAKfever

Well I will have to step up and say I do !!!
The moment I saw this caliber come to life a few years ago I knew then I had to have it and after purchasing the S&W PC Hunter 10.5 Version there was no turning back .
Yes the Revolver is Heavy at 82 oz add another 1lb for the Leupold 4x28 scope mounted on it and again add another half pound of lead in the cylinder , grand total 6 1/2 pounds .

The revolver is right up there with some rifles such as my 45-70 Guide gun or my Ruger 338 Win Mag Ultra light or my 500 Cyrus CCM Rifle.

My main fire arm on any trip except goat and sheep is my 500 Smith and my rifle is my back up .
Yes I know that is backwards to most but I find it more challenging with my revolver and yes I carry both Revolver and Rifle while hunting .

As for goat I use my S&W XVR 460 with the 14" barrel and this will be my sheep Rig when I make that trek .

I have taken deer on Kodiak ,Black bear ,moose ,elk ,2 Hogs and Caribou and I have hunted twice on two spring Kodiak trips for Bear and have not connected , yet !!!

I have shot only cast bullets out of my Revolver , right at 30,000 of them , yes that's right not a typo 30,000 Plus and most are 700 Grain WFNGC as I do keep a shot log from all my fire arms .
I practice with what I will use in the field .
As for jacketed rounds I have no problem with them at all but why buy when I can roll my own !!
I will be testing some Heavy Jacketed rounds shortly as I develop them around 600-700 Grain .

As Vance stated cast bullet hardness is controlled by alloy and heat treating .
I use cast in my Revolvers and rifles 338 included .

The S&W 500 is not for everyone but for me I really enjoy it .

RR

[gotAKfever]

this is what they have done for me. pm on the way

[RANGER RICK]

Very nice moose.
Was that one taken with the 440 Grain ??

Thanks

RR

[gotAKfever]

rather with the 420 gr. All four legs straight up in the air, an impressive site.