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Model 500 help...

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CynicallyOptimistic

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Jul 31, 2008
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I'm just completely ashamed that I actually have to do this, but a good friend of mine is absolutely set on buying a S&W Model 500, because he wants "the most powerful production handgun in the world" and he thinks it's some kind of auto-killing super weapon. :banghead:

This would be his first gun. And the first pistol he ever shot. And he thinks he can conceal it inconspicuously. For the love of all that is holy and good, help me shoot this down.
 
He can if he does it right. If he really intends to carry it, I suggest he look into the John Ross edition S&W 500. It's $1395 from John Ross's website.

If he gets tired of full tilt recoil, he can always load up with .500 Special ammo, which in a gun that massive will be like shooting .38s out of an N-frame.


And while it's not an auto-killing superweapon, it is a very potent cartridge that would be very effective for self and home defense.


edit; You should take him out shooting a few milder centerfire pistols just to get him acclimated to the rules and procedures of shooting, as well as to get him used to recoil. He should be able to conceal it pretty effectively with a SmartCarry or similar holster.
 
To each his own. It could be a great experience for him, then again when he see's how much it cost to shoot the mighty 500 he might change his mind but I'd leave that up to him. Guns are a lot like women I think. Some guys like little ones and some like the big ones, I happen to like 'em all. Guns that is!

J.B.
 
And while it's not an auto-killing superweapon, it is a very potent cartridge that would be very effective for self and home defense.


edit; You should take him out shooting a few milder centerfire pistols just to get him acclimated to the rules and procedures of shooting, as well as to get him used to recoil. He should be able to conceal it pretty effectively with a SmartCarry or similar holster.
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Im sorry, but thats strange o_O I would not want to carry something that weighs like a six pack and shoots a blinding fireball the size of Nantuckett. Just those two factors, not to mention potential overpenetration with most if not all .500 loadings available would make it a poor SD weapon.

First pistol he has ever shot??!!! No. I had some guys come out to our range that had the .500 and it was extremely dangerous as a first time gun. People who havent shot dont know safety. The first round, they laugh, and turn to their friends, usually with the gun turning around as well. The first round hit the ground, skipping off into God only knows where. The second round hit a support beam for our "celiing" which required repair to the wood surrounding the steel beam. Thank stars that it didnt richochet.

Too many people have been coming out with these guide guns or .460s or .500s thinking that they are defense guns or that they are perfect for first timers. This is dangerous thinking that will get someone hurt and make the gun industry/owners pay for someone's stupidity.

How to deal with a guy that is hell bent on this: Cant say. Part of me wants to say, go ahead, let him buy the derned thing and blow himself to kingdom come.Let em learn the hard way. But he is a friend, and there is too much at stake (other's lives and such). Guys like this tend to think in extremes (love to hear and believe in stories like all cop cars have nitrous and .22 will penetrate ALL body armor). Try to use a BS story to get him to buy a lower gun. Its lying, but someone has alreay lied to him in making him think the .500 is the best. A lie is bad, but can be made to save others.
 
Try to use a BS story to get him to buy a lower gun.
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Now that's a fantastic idea. Tell him about how 38-44 was designed for deep penetration against body armor and bad guys and whatnot. Since .357mag is more powerful than 38-44, that's the SOOOOOPER gun!!!!
 
If you talk your friend out of buying the gun he is 'set on' owning, his regrets will be your fault. Personally, I'd prefer his regrets be his own fault.
 
It's his money, if he wants the big boomer, he wants the big boomer. Most you can do is be there to instruct him on how to safely fire it. If he doesn't like it, maybe he'll sell it to you at a reduced price :)
 
Education may be the only way. This guy may have to feel it all for himself. You can only try to save him some money and perhaps some pride.

I agree with idea of taking him out shooting. Bring the full range of power you have--start low and finish high (full house load 44mag).

If he will do it, have him shoot the 44mags til he doesn't think it's fun anymore.

Then tell him that Raging Bull from Tarus for 454 Casull flew off the shelves when they first came out. Two weeks, two months later, the shelves were full of 2nd hand Raging Bulls.

They wanted the biggest baddest thing on the block. They got it, then figured out they'd had enough after shooting perhaps not even a full cylinder of the things.

Perhaps they never shot it, but from watching their friends shoot "their buddies big bad gun" they realized it wasn't fun.

I've shot the 454 Casull once from my friend's Freedom Arms revolver...once. Not interested in buying one, let alone shoot his again unless we are shooting 45 Colt!
 
I'd pay to see this guy shoot a cylinder full of heavies on his first attempt at shooting a pistol, EVER. I'd be willing to bet you'd probably need to hire an extra attorney (or 2) if'n you ever had to use lethal force. Kinda' like driving around with a Barret .50 cal in your car to prevent carjacking. Let him go for it. I think it's a really, really big mistake. He'll probably sell it when that new 'macho' smell wears off. I'd bet a pretty good percentage of people who buy these are very much like your freind.
 
Shooting well is more important than shooting big. That said, I'm a proponent of challenging your personal shooting skills.

Take your buddy to a range and make him rent a 500 and record his shooting performance. If he's happy with the cost of feeding and owning the mighty X frame then a salud good for him.
From your description though, it sounds like an ego based decision.. hope I'm wrong.
 
Thank you guys for you're advice, although I'm not really sure he's convinced. He still says - I swear to God, even after seeing the videos - that he wants to buy two and fire them one handed.
Although he's now seen the boondock saints and wants a high-capacity semi-auto. So at least he'll have fired a pistol first.

And bendutro, you're not wrong, completely ego-based, which he readily admits. And disturbingly serious about it. I wouldn't really be worried if I thought he was joking.
 
OK, yes you can carry a .500 in a holster. Why, my Performance Center 10.5" bbl with a red dot carried easy - for the first ten feet. I used a shoulder rig and carried outside my hunting jacket. South Africa 2006. Using 500-gr. Hornady factory loads, I took a very old, almost black, stink bull giraffe. I used a shooting glove, and I'm a large man. My last revolver was a .454, the .500 is a LOT more gun.

If you want to shoot a .500 one-handed, fine, just don't plan on shooting it twice and be sure to see where it lands.

Oh yeah, 'cause I'm computer illiterate, giraffe photos on demand - 18' 6" & 2100 lb.
 
If you want to shoot a .500 one-handed, fine, just don't plan on shooting it twice and be sure to see where it lands.
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I can shoot a full cylinder with one hand, and don't worry about the gun flying out of my hand.
 
I say let him buy it.

You will be able to get a great deal on a S&W .500 & most of a box of ammo after he shoots it the first time!

What else are friends for!

rcmodel
 
Hey Cynic/opt... so you're here on a gun-site... so what do you own/shoot? What's the biggest handgun or rifle you own? Take him shooting with it. Give him at least some idea or at least some experience.
If this hasn't ocurred to you yet, then my next thought is going to be that perhaps "this friend" is you.
What say ye?
 
Ouch 32, I do indeed romanticize the revolver, but the snubby .357 is the biggest I would want to carry, I would neeeever buy a model 500. It's my roommate who wants it.

I'm in college, so owning/carrying a gun right now isn't an option, all I've shot is my dad's Colt Python, S&W MP40, a little raven arms 25acp, and my uncles .45 taurus semiauto. And a couple .22lrs.

So yeah, can't really take him to the range, unfortunately, I am gunless... I confess my naivete, but I'm not THAT bad, haha!
 
C.O., Different strokes for different folk. If one caliber/firearm was the best for all of us, life would be pretty boring....Do any of us here actually NEED all the guns we have? No.... most of us have 'em cause we want 'em. Have we all bought something at one time or the other that didn't pan out the way we thought? Yep, 'fraid so. I agree your roommate needs to learn more about the x-frame befor he plops down the $1000 they generally cost. And yes, he should try to shoot something a tad bit milder before closin' his eyes and pullin' the trigger the first time on such an intimidating hand canon.....but 'ell, maybe he'll let you shoot a few rounds outta it too. If he likes it, great. If not, he can just chalk it up to a learning experience and trade it in on a .coupla .357s.
 
I don't know where you guys get that the 500 mag is such a bad recoiling round.

In the X-Frame, it is no worse than a hot 44 Mag in a lighter frame gun.

Wimps I tell you......:neener:
 
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