Smith & Wesson Model 500
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2007) |
| Smith & Wesson Model 500 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Revolver |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Smith & Wesson |
| Produced | 2003 |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | varies |
| Barrel length |
|
| Cartridge | .500 S&W Magnum |
| Action | Double action |
The Model 500 Revolver is a five-shot, double-action revolver produced by Smith & Wesson, firing the .500 S&W Magnum cartridge.
Based on S&W's largest frame, the X-Frame, the Model 500 is the world's most powerful production revolver.[1] The .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum cartridge can fire at incredible velocities and deliver an unusually large quantity of kinetic energy - the most high-powered commercial round weighing 440 grains (28.5 g) has a muzzle energy of 2600 foot·pounds force (3.5 kJ). However, handloaders have experimented with 325 grain bullets at 2300 feet per second, developing 3817 foot·pounds (5.1 kJ) of muzzle energy.[citation needed]
Articles, statements, and opinions vary widely on this firearm. Any of the available bullet weights can be relied on to take game at a range in excess of 200 yards (180 m), a feat matched by only a handful of other handguns.[citation needed]
While firearms of this size can scare un-seasoned shooters with the recoil, the advanced design of the firearm helps in counteracting recoil felt by the shooter. This includes the sheer weight of the firearm, use of rubber grips, the forward balance, and the use of a compensator. (The later is traded for a full muzzle brake on certain S&W Performance Center models.) These additions make the firearm entirely manageable for those accustomed to the shooting of large caliber handguns, but still extreme for an inexperienced shooter.[citation needed]
Variants
There are four versions currently manufactured by Smith & Wesson:
- The standard Model 500 with an 8 3/4 in (222 mm) barrel
- 500S (Short) with 4 in barrel. Weight 56 oz. (3-1/2 lbs)
- 500H (Hunter) with a longer 10.5 in (26.6 cm) barrel
- Performance Center model also has a barrel length of 10.5 in (26.6 cm) and includes improvements to enhance accuracy. [citation needed]
Like most big caliber handguns, the Model 500 is suitable for sport and hunting applications.
There have also been at least a small number of Model 500 "survival guns" produced. These guns, with a 2-3/4 in (51 mm) barrel and no compensator, are intended to be kept in survival kits carried by bush pilots and pilots operating in Alaska and similarly hostile environments. The purpose of having such a heavy round with a snub-nosed barrel is to give survivors of an airplane crash a weapon capable of taking down an attacking bear or other hostile wildlife at point blank range, while conserving necessarily limited ammunition. The short barrel allows the gun to take up less space and weight in the survival kit.[citation needed]
Controversy
When the Model 500 was introduced, it immediately sparked action by gun control advocates. Senator Chuck Schumer claimed that the firearm was finding its way into the hands of gangs and other criminals, and that he did not believe that the firearm would be used for hunting as it was "too heavy". The Violence Policy Center also released a report on the Model 500 calling it the "vest-buster."[2]
Pro-gun supporters pointed out that the firearm was not yet on the market at the time the accusations were made, as well as the fact that it weighed less than most hunting rifles. Despite the fact that subsequent ballistics testing has shown that factory loaded .500 S&W Magnum ammunition is not capable of penetrating body armor of the type used by law enforcement officers, political pressure to ban the .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum cartridge persists.[citation needed]
See also
References
- ^ Dick Metcalf. "Smith & Wesson's Monster Magnum". The Shooting Times. Retrieved 2007-09-13.
- ^ Violence Policy Centre Vest-Buster
