S&W 500

i think deaddog has quite a bit of experience w/ this one. i know in the past he has spoken of some thumpers for it. i'm still waiting on useful life expectancy on it before i finally cave and get one.

btw, helluva wife you got there, and welcome aboard!

I've had good luck with 465gr Lead Head bullets out of KS and some 375gr Rem pointed HPs. LiL Gun has worked the best for me H110 was the only other powder I've tried. Start out about 30gr of powder. Remember to check your brass as the first lots that came out used a magnum pistol primer and the new stuff uses rifle primers. This thing needs a HEAVY crimp. I experimented with some Barnes MZ bullets but they have no canelure and had to used as a single shot. The factory ammo I've shot are nothing compared to the spank you can get out of handloads. Pain threshold comes into play after awhile. I have a pile of hot ones that I don't want to shoot but they don't fit into my bullet puller. I've just been feeding them to unsuspecting visitors that want to shoot the thing. Rarely do they want to shoot more than one.

DD

Thanks for the input.  The stuff I ordered was from Cabela's.  385 gr. CLHP bullets, Starline brass, and Lee Carbide dies (I don't think Lee makes a factory crimp die for this yet).  I didn't see if the brass was sized for pistol or rifle.  Since it's Starline, I would guess it probably is sized for the rifle.  I have a good variety of powder that I have accumulated over the years.  Most of it is older but kept cool and dry.  I haven't picked up any new manuals for probably 10 years or so cause I've been loading the same old thing with the same old data and haven't needed to find any new data.  I looked on the internet some but the company I work for has a thing against firearms and blocks those sites on the web.  The data I have been able to get is pretty scarce because of that.  Certainly can't go to any of the powder company sites.  Guess I can wait till I get home and pick up a manual or one of those single caliber collections of data.  Kind of impatient waiting for that I guess.

Hey DEADDOG  >>  I'm gonna maul this Raging Bull purchase over a bit longer.  Just sounds like a nice, affordable way to get into the 500, compared to the other two choices.  And with the velocities you're claiming behind the 465's, a lower intensity load of 1300 - 1400 fps should be easily attainable with that 500 gr. cast bullet.  Would be a smasher !!!

I don't really know what my need for the revolver would be.  I honestly don't see using it out to 150 yds. like you mentioned yours will do.  More then anything, with Taurus affordability now entering the picture, I guess I'd just like having one in the gun safe.  We'll see how this pans out.  Thanks for the info.  Chat with ya later.  >>  klallen

When I had 50 look into costs for the Taurus, it was for the 10" model, with no mention anywhere of any other barrel options available.  I don't know if something is in the works.  On the TaurusUSA web-site they only talk about the 10" offering.  As I'm not looking to really turn up the performance of this handgun, if I were to get one, 10" of barrel really doesn't benefit my needs either.  I talked with 50 a bit about that length and he was of the thinking that it wouldn't be at all objectionable, but he's used to carrying around his TC handcannons, so I suppose a 10" barrel wouldn't much concern him.  Honestly, I think once the base and scope were mounted, the overall weight would probably center pretty well in the hand and not feel all that front heavy, but that's just guessing.  I do think a purchase is in the works if I can get the go-ahead from the boss (read that wife   ).  These Taurus' are affordable.  Chat with ya later.