Taurus to introduce a S&W .500 clone 4th qtr (vanity)

4/3/06 | diverteach

[diverteach]

Okay all you gun-nuts in freeperland. Having recently purchased a new .357 S&W, while at the gunshop just had to put the .500 in my hands.

For those that have not seen, much less held one yet, it is undeniably a beast of a handgun. Those that have held one in thier hands surely can atest to that.

While briefing through Taurus' website I noticed that they have several .500 models in the "Raging Bull" series due out in the 4th qaurter this year. The S&W model mfsr is $1189 with the Taurus counterpart at $899.

Who out there can say that they've fired one? From the reviews I've seen they've been very mixed as far as the recoil goes. Spec wise it equal to 3 times the power of a .44 magnum but I just can't see it having 3 times the recoil of the .44

People have reported it to be somewhere from a "Not too bad" to "it'll break your wrist bones and make your shoulder sore for a week.

When the Taurus .500 hits the market I'm seriously considering having to get me one.

[diverteach]

Going to get the popcorn ready!

[Brad’s Gramma]

Got a picture? :)

[Tijeras_Slim]

Insofar and my experiences with Taurus, it will make a great doorstop.

[FreeManWhoCan]

Thanks for the headsup on this new Taurus.. I love my .357 Taurus..

[Anti-Bubba182]

[diverteach]

http://www.taurususa.com/imagesMain/H_500MSS2.jpg

[MD_Willington_1976]

Where's their 1911?

[Emmett McCarthy]

I think Taurus has had vast improvements over the past few years. I know I'm happy with my Ultra-Lite .38 Special and I've always preferred S&W, but honestly, I can't see much of a difference any more.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Hmmmmmmmmmm......

Nice and small, for a girl's purse, huh? ;)

[thackney]

RAGING BULL MODEL 500, .500 MAGNUM REVOLVER IN STAINLESS STEEL

[umgud]

I've fired several different offerings from the S&W and have found it to have a bigger push, but not as much bite as my 454 Super Redhawk. My problem with the S&W 500 is its sheer size and weight. This thing is huge and IMHO too big to pack around.

[satchmodog9]

sweet

[StoneColdTaxHater]

I fired the S&W .500. It has a kick like a pissed off mule! My buddy owns it, 2 rounds and I handed it back. It was waaaaay too much gun for me.

[AdamSelene235]

Is there a titanium-scandium ultra-light snub available in .500 S&W ?

[umgud]

If you want a real handgun, try the Thunder 50 in 50 cal BMG.

[diverteach]

that'll work!

[ArmstedFragg]

Is there a titanium-scandium ultra-light snub available in .500 S&W ?

I think that guy over there with the impression of a front sight on his forehead owns one.

[Jasper]

"Where's their 1911?"

Alrighty....gratuitous gun porn coming your way ;>)

/jasper

[umgud]

There's alo a 600 Nitro revolver.

[Servant of the 9]

Since you can buy a lightweight magnum rifle that weighs less than an X-frame S&W or Raging Bull, and balances better, why wouldn't you?

So9

[Gaffer]

I once owned a Taurus PT111. Every time I fired it once, the magazine dropped out. If you want the S&W, buy it. But if you want something that kicks, get a 12 gauge shotgun with a hard pistol grip. That will kick....

[Joe Boucher]

Just let me dream of the ways I'd have used this baby over the years.
Sweeeet.

[VeniVidiVici]

Love the 500 and the new 460 magnum.

BTW, you can buy the standard 8.5 inch 500 for $799. Wonder what that puts the "Raging Bull" at?

[southernerwithanattitude]

Any time the shell caseing is larger than the gun handle you know you are going to have trouble holding on to it!

I want one of the new S/W so bad!

[ModelBreaker]

I see the barrel is ported. Taurus' .357 ported revolver is a great gun. According to my instructor, I qualified Marine expert with it first try--and I atribute that mostly to the porting. It shoots absolutely level--there's no ride up at all.

[yarddog]

When I was in grad school one of the students bought a Taurus clone of the Beretta 92. He sent it back to them for what I thought was a ridiculous reason.

Maybe a week later he phoned them from my apartment and I listened. He talked to some guy named Raul in Miami and asked if they would send him a new one. They guy said OK and in a few days the dealer had it for him.

Really great service.

[mr_hammer]

"Insofar and my experiences with Taurus, it will make a great doorstop."

Hmmm, got Taurus 5 shot .38 that is my go anywhere piece. Love it, love it, love it! Holds a 6" group at 50ft!

[go_W_go]

Bought a S&W .500 PC Hunter, 10.5" for Christmas last year. The abundantly capable compensator on the PC Hunter series drastically reduces the recoil. I am reloading my own rounds as prices on commercial ammo is just way too high. as much as $60 for a box of 20!! As far as recoil, the heavier the bullet, the worse the kick. The largest I've shot so far is a 400 gr. SJSP from Sierra bullets. The recoil is no worse than a .44 mag, HOWEVER, this is, again, for the Performance Center Hunter, with it's large compensator. Reports I've gotten on the standard 8.375" barrel revolver, with it's much smaller compensator, are quite a bit more dramatic than my experience with the Hunter. To quote from one article "...if broken thumbs and strained elbows are your cup of tea...", you get the idea.

Incredibly accurate handgun to 150 yards+!!! Using light loads (275 - 325 grs. of course) It's really only limited to the scopes magnification, and your ability to keep still.

[Chode]

Taurus.500 the worlds SECOND crew served handgun...

[yarddog]

I would love to have one but it strikes me as not a very useful gun or cartridge. If I did have it, I would keep it in my pickup and would use reduced loads.

I can't stand compensators, scopes, lasers etc. on a pistol or revolver. Nothing against those who want them, they are just not my cup of tea. I do think a lighter .50 cal. with four inch barrel and say loaded to maybe 950fps with a 300gr. hp, would make a nice gun for protection.

[CFC__VRWC]

I think Taurus has had vast improvements over the past few years. I know I'm happy with my Ultra-Lite .38 Special and I've always preferred S&W, but honestly, I can't see much of a difference any more.

For every person I've heard sing the praises of Taurus products, I've heard someone else claim that their Taurus is the biggest piece of crap they've ever owned. It makes me wonder what their QA/QC process is like, and makes me shy away from their products.

[cpdiii]

Alrighty....gratuitous gun porn coming your way ;>)

You know how to make a person happy! 1911s always do it better!

[CFC__VRWC]

Let me know when you take that thing to the range, so I can be a couple of counties away that day. :) Magnum Research makes a .45-70 revolver, and I thought that was insane.

[go_W_go]

Understood.

As far as the usefulness, I couldn't disagree with you more. It is as useful as any of my other guns. Definitely NOT a gun for personal protection, BUT, if it's nearby and loaded when you need it, there's no question it'll protect you! (I'd hate to clean up the mess!) It's intended as a hunting weapon for LARGE and DANGEROUS game. So, if you hunt large/dangerous game, then it's useful, but if you don't, you are right, unless, of course, your goal is to turn heads at the firing range.

I, for one, was getting a bit bored hunting with a rifle, and have always wanted to try a bit more challenging hunt. Thought I'd go all out and purchase the .500.

Without the compensator, it wouldn't fire (Hunter series only) because the barrel is held to the frame via the compensator. I found myself, at first, in agreement with your idea of a scope on a handgun. I had no use for it, but after firing the weapon at 50 yards and still hitting the black of a 8.5x11 target, I was curious to find a limit, and now have a nice Weaver Classic mounted. Super heavy duty rings are a requirement!

But, as my grandma always says, "to each his own", the old boy said when he kissed the cow!

[cpdiii]

can't stand compensators, scopes, lasers etc. on a pistol or revolver. Nothing against those who want them, they are just not my cup of tea. I do think a lighter .50 cal. with four inch barrel and say loaded to maybe 950fps with a 300gr. hp, would make a nice gun for protection.

45 ACP will give you the same muzzle energy. as the ballistics you were proposing. Golden Saber™ 185grains 1140fps muzzle 534 ft lbs at muzzle. Why mess with perfection?

[yarddog]

I really like the .45 auto also but it is not perfect. With HP ammo it is about as good as any.

The gun too is really nice. It does have a few things which could be improved on, and in fact Browning did change them on the HP.

The staked on tunnel which holds the spring and plunger for the safety and slide release/hold open has a bad habit of coming loose. The barrel bushing works great but makes it a bit more tricky to field strip.

I will say the 1911 is the easiest gun to detail strip I have ever seen.

[yarddog]

The only time I would use a handgun for dangerous game would be in an emergency and it is just too large to always have with you.

The S&W model 29 is about ideal as a gun you can comfortably carry yet still have an excellent chance of killing dangerous animals. A Ruger Blackhawk would also be useful.

Actually I don't think anyone has to justify his reason for wanting any handgun. If you want it, that is enough reason.

[go_W_go]

"..it is just too large to always have with you"

It's smaller and lighter than a 30-06, and straps across the chest nicely.

"..I don't think anyone has to justify his reason for wanting any handgun. If you want it, that is enough reason."

Agreed!

[Redcloak]

Those of us with bushy eyebrows should avoid this one...

 

[Emmett McCarthy]

I guess it would depend on when the piece they're referring to was manufactured. Some years back, I know they had quality issues. If I'd been comparing semi-autos rather than revolvers, I probably would have stuck with S&W because I've owned so many of their semi-auotos before.

[yarddog]

You are correct, but I don't plan to carry a Rifle around with me all the time I am in the woods. I live in the Florida Panhandle in a rural area, (my nearest neighbor is nearly half mile away).

I usually just carry a .22 auto, sometimes a .380. If I go pretty deep in the woods for a hike, I might carry a light 9mm such as the Beretta model 951.

There are Black Bear, Coyotes, and feral Dogs and wild Hogs but I can't see strapping a .50 cal across my chest, or a 30-06 on my shoulder unless I were actually hunting.

[go_W_go]

"I can't see strapping a .50 cal across my chest, or a 30-06 on my shoulder unless I were actually hunting"

There would be no other reason to carry either one...

[Myrddin]

I opted for the Performance Center Hunter S&W 500 Magnum. It weighs 82 ozs. That helps when launching a big projectile. The Picatinny rail is part of the barrel. A solid mount for the scope that won't slip. The fixed muzzle break is very effective. The X frame puts the recoil straight back into your hands/shoulders. The Hogue MonoGrip is gentle on your palms.

You can get a single action Magnum Research BFR in .500 S&W. I imagine the recoil is a bit more than the 45-70 version I have. If you are a single shot fan, there is a new .500 S&W barrel with "Muzzle Tamer" porting for the Thompson/Center Encore pistol (15", blue, no sights) on sale at MidwayUSA for $249. The 460 S&W barrel is $219.

I'm not a big fan of Taurus. The first one my wife purchased had to go back to the factory for a bad main spring. She had it all of one day and it was gone for 5 weeks.

[Myrddin]

My Ruger .454 Super RedHawk (7.5") has been a very fine revolver. Very easy to handle. I launched some of my hot handloads (200 gr FN over 37 gr W296) in cold weather (subfreezing) from the S&W 460 (ported). The muzzle blast left me mopping blood off my left cheek and left ear.

[Myrddin]

I fired the S&W .500. It has a kick like a pissed off mule! My buddy owns it, 2 rounds and I handed it back. It was waaaaay too much gun for me.

I fired 3 rounds of Winchester 30-30 from a 10 inch Contender barrel last week. I couldn't even get the rounds on the paper. I'm not sure the barrel has ever been sighted-in. Much more painful than the Ruger .454 Casull with a 300 gr/1500 fps Hornady load.

[Supernatural]

I have fired one. A S&W rep comes around a local indoor range and brings one of every gun they make with him/her. For a few dollars you can test fire whatever gun you want.

The .500 is more money to shoot. I think it was about $4 to shoot five rounds.

It kicks. I have shot a lot of .44 full power rounds in my life and the .500 kicks about twice as hard as the .44 mag. Even with the muzzle brake.

You have to be careful it doesn't whack you in the face or hit you in the head during recoil.

But it is not totally unmanageable. You had better stretch your arms all the way out when you shoot it.

[Myrddin]

My preferred "plinker" is a 325 gr Speer GoldDot for the 500 magnum. The factory 275 gr Corbon/Barnes X-bullet ammo feels like a 45 Colt cowboy load in the Ruger .454. A total puffball. Accurate and easy to handle.

My first shell holder from RCBS was the wrong size after the brass was respecified. RCBS replaced it for free. The new brass calls for rifle primers and it has an "R" on the headstamp as a reminder.

[Myrddin]

I carry a 4" 629 loaded with 240 gr PMC JHP when I go hiking around Pocatello. I found some nice Kramer leather for it. It's enough to neutralize a mountain lion without being a burden to haul around on a casual hike.

[umgud]

Ouch. BTW, here is my SRH. I'm going to get me a set of those Hogue grips they use on the Alaskan model. Matter of fact, I'm real tempted to get either the 454 Alaskan snubby or the short version of the 460 S&W.

[TeddyCon]

Here's mine.