Need opinions from S&W 500 shooters

[backyardsniper]

I am making a dedicated move into handgun hunting. I have owned a Redhawk 44 magnum for a long time and I have a lot of experience with it. However, I am looking to get into a more specialized hunting pistol and cartridge.
The questions I have for any of you with experience with this caliber or these particular revolvers are as follows;
Is there any particular difference in performance between the 7.5" and 10" performance center pistols. I will be running this with a trijicon RMR and I like the fact that the pic rail is machined in and sits lower on the 10" so that is the pistol I'm leaning towards.
Is there any reason to look at any of the other revolvers available. The BFR, or Freedom arms?
Would there be any reason to look into another type of specialized pistol for this task, the task being able to handle large game up to bear, elk/moose, and or even large African antelope such as Kudu or Eland, Wildebeest.
I do reload so I can control power level for training purposes. I plan to use the Sierra 400 grain, at least I think that looks like one of the better options. I live about 15 min from a great outdoor range and can also shoot out to 50 yards in my back yard so having the ability to train and practice with it will not be an issue.
I am looking at the 500 because the 500 seems to have a better selection of heavy duty hunting bullets and since I reload I can control the power level, while it is handy that the 460 shoots the 45 and 454 once I buy the brass and bullets for the 500 I can make training rounds with that.
All opinions and suggestion are welcome.
Thanks.

 

[ChrisRhodes]

I believe the 460 out performs the 500 except for at close range.

BFR is your best bet for an accurate gun out of the box without work. I have always found S&W to require a tune up to get where I want it to be.

 

[Flea21]

Go with the 500. I shoot mine regularly and never regret the purchase. I run an 8-3/8" barrel. It's extremely accurate and tame with the added weight of the longer barrel. Lastly, reload for it so you can enjoy it without hurting your No pocket book too much. Pro tip, Vhitavuori N110 is the powder to run in it.

 

[Dankno]

I own an 8.375" with the original compensator-style muzzle and a 5" John Ross Performance Center with bare muzzle.

Based on my experience with those two, I'm of the opinion that 6.5"-7.5" is probably the sweet spot for handiness vs velocity. The 8" one is right on the verge of too darned long for even a chest rig style holster.

If you're up for using the sling swivels that the 10" models come with instead of a holster you might be on to something that works but I've no experience in the field with a slung pistol.

Either way though, the 500 is a masterclass in handgun hunting, I regularly send 300 grain Hornady FTXs to 2000 fps from my 8.375" with a silly long factory cylinder gap using H110. I've also been experimenting with 185 grain solid copper hollow grain point slugs designed for the 50GI that I have little reason to doubt will also run head to head with the 460 (sectional density being the greatest difference at that point.)

 

[backyardsniper]

I own an 8.375" with the original compensator-style muzzle and a 5" John Ross Performance Center with bare muzzle.

Based on my experience with those two, I'm of the opinion that 6.5"-7.5" is probably the sweet spot for handiness vs velocity. The 8" one is right on the verge of too darned long for even a chest rig style holster.

If you're up for using the sling swivels that the 10" models come with instead of a holster you might be on to something that works but I've no experience in the field with a slung pistol.

Either way though, the 500 is a masterclass in handgun hunting, I regularly send 300 grain Hornady FTXs to 2000 fps from my 8.375" with a silly long factory cylinder gap using H110. I've also been experimenting with 185 grain solid copper hollow grain point slugs designed for the 50GI that I have little reason to doubt will also run head to head with the 460 (sectional density being the greatest difference at that point.)

How much difference in recoil do you see with/without the compensatory? It looks like the 7.5 and the 10 both come with a pretty serious looking brake.

 

[WV Hitman]

I've had a .500 Taurus Raging Bull & Smith for many years. Killed a brown bear at 129 with the Taurus-1 shot. Killed a buck this year at 177 with the Taurus. Both are accurate.
The .500s are powerful, cool handguns, BUT they have a serious amount of recoil & usually weight. I carried both of these in AK on the bear hunt. Not always user friendly.
My go-to powerful revolvers are my FA .475 Linebuagh & FA .454. These are much lighter, unbelievably accurate (3/4"-.454; 11/2" .475 at 100). When the .460 came out I asked my good friend, JD Jones if I needed one. He felt the only benefit of the .460 was with very heavy bullets. I never got one. Did a rhino with the .475. Done deer with the .454 out to 200, 30 turkeys with select bullet.
While I like my .500s, for me the 2 FAs are much more user friendly and go with me when dangerous game are expected in US or Africa.

 

[backyardsniper]

I've had a .500 Taurus Raging Bull & Smith for many years. Killed a brown bear at 129 with the Taurus-1 shot. Killed a buck this year at 177 with the Taurus. Both are accurate.
The .500s are powerful, cool handguns, BUT they have a serious amount of recoil & usually weight. I carried both of these in AK on the bear hunt. Not always user friendly.
My go-to powerful revolvers are my FA .475 Linebuagh & FA .454. These are much lighter, unbelievably accurate (3/4"-.454; 11/2" .475 at 100). When the .460 came out I asked my good friend, JD Jones if I needed one. He felt the only benefit of the .460 was with very heavy bullets. I never got one. Did a rhino with the .475. Done deer with the .454 out to 200, 30 turkeys with select bullet.
While I like my .500s, for me the 2 FAs are much more user friendly and go with me when dangerous game are expected in US or Africa.

I may have to look at the 475. I run a 470 Nitro express double rifle. I wonder if I could use the pistol bullets to load some light weight plinking rounds for the 470. I will do some research on the Linebaugh. How do the single action pistols handle under recoil compared to the bigger heavier double actions? This will be a dedicated hunting rig. I would definitely purchase a separate set up to run as a defense type pistol.

 

[WV Hitman]

.475 handgun bullets do just fine- Sierra for deer, Xs for sort of big stuff( my Cape buff), solids for really big stuff(rhino). I ran my .454 & .475 w/o brakes for years. As my wrists got older I had both MagNaPorted & they are fine. Brakes will make them a little better, but adds to the length. Both my FAs are 7 1/2". Fine for carry. XTPs in the .475 don't get enough speed to perform. They act like FMJs

 

[AussieWriter]

Surprised no-one has mentioned Barnes X's. I use the 275's for deer, but the 325 gn and 375gn also shoot very well. Have loaded the 400gn Sierra's and a few others, but the Barnes shoot best in mine.

 

[memtb]

I believe the 460 out performs the 500 except for at close range.

BFR is your best bet for an accurate gun out of the box without work. I have always found S&W to require a tune up to get where I want it to be.

While I don't own a 500…..I agree with Chris on this one. Reports from friends suggests that the 500, jumps pretty sporty!

I'm running 400 grain, wide metplat, cast, powder coated in my 8 3/8" XVR to very near 1600 mv and getting good accuracy at 100. I've gotten several groups under 3" @ 100 using a 3 moa dot sight

If your a good handgunner, I think that the 460 using the heavies will get you more user friendly performance out to and maybe beyond 150 yards….due to the somewhat flatter trajectory.

To get that long range performance from the 500 using a bullet of similar SD to the 400 from the 460…the recoil will likely be pretty "stiff"!

I also agree with you pertaining to use of light loads…..use full length 460 brass. I'm running 300 grain cast @ around 1100…..making a pretty sweet, low recoil plinking round. JMO memtb

 

[WV Hitman]

Aussie, you're right about .500 Xs. Killed my brown bear with a 375X. Done deer with it out to 150. 275Xs great on deer. 325s decent, too. Taken about 25 deer with these Xs. This year I did a buck at 177 with a 400 gr. Win. Platinum Tip-shot him thru a cedar tree. Limbs split the bullet. He ran 125 yds. Had 2 exit holes!!
The really good deer bullet in .500 is the Sieara 240 gr. HP- totally devastating.

 

[WYO300RUM]

While I don't own a 500…..I agree with Chris on this one. Reports from friends suggests that the 500, jumps pretty sporty!

I'm running 400 grain, wide metplat, cast, powder coated in my 8 3/8" XVR to very near 1600 mv and getting good accuracy at 100. I've gotten several groups under 3" @ 100 using a 3 moa dot sight

If your a good handgunner, I think that the 460 using the heavies will get you more user friendly performance out to and maybe beyond 150 yards….due to the somewhat flatter trajectory.

To get that long range performance from the 500 using a bullet of similar SD to the 400 from the 460…the recoil will likely be pretty "stiff"!

I also agree with you pertaining to use of light loads…..use full length 460 brass. I'm running 300 grain cast @ around 1100…..making a pretty sweet, low recoil plinking round. JMO memtb

When you run 45 LC or 454 Cassul in the 460it fouls up the cylinder chambers and the 460 cases get hard to get in and out..then you have to clean cylinder. I shot both in my XVR just to see what was like once. Never did after that.
I have a Ruger Super Redhawk 454 I can do that in