Smith & Wesson Model 500

S&W Model 500 being fired at night

The Smith & Wesson Model 500 is a five-shot, double/single action large-caliber revolver produced by Smith & Wesson, firing the .500 S&W Magnum cartridge.

DesignEdit

The Model 500 was built on the entirely new X-Frame,<ref>'The .500 S&W Magnum: Most Powerful Handgun Round In The World, NRA American Rifleman, June 24, 2020 noting role of Herb Belin in developing the concept of the SW 500 Magnum</ref> which was developed exclusively to handle the immense muzzle velocity and pressures generated by firing of the .500 Magnum cartridge.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> It is among the most powerful revolvers in the world since its original release in 2003, and is marketed as "the world's most powerful handgun" by the manufacturer.<ref name="Sweeney2004">Template:Cite book</ref>

The Model 500 can fire a bullet weighing 350 gr (22.7 g; 0.8 oz) at 1,975 feet per second (602 m/s) generating a muzzle energy of over Template:Convert, roughly twice that of the .50 AE Desert Eagle, and a momentum of 13.7 Newton seconds. Commercial loadings are available in bullet weights ranging from 275 gr to 700 gr.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Model 500 is capable of firing the shorter .500 S&W Special cartridge.

Instead of a traditional barrel, the S&W 500 uses a rifled tube inside a barrel shroud that is secured by tension from the front. This tensioning leads to stability, making barrels less expensive to produce and resulting in a more accurate revolver.<ref name="Sweeney2004"/>

Lockup is accomplished by a center-pin in the rear of the cylinder and a ball detent in the frame.<ref name="Sweeney2004"/><ref name="SupicaNahas2016">Template:Cite book</ref>

The advanced design of the firearm helps in counteracting the recoil felt by the shooter. This includes the sheer weight of the firearm, including a full-length underlug contributing to a forward balance; use of rubber grips; and the use of a compensator. The compensator offers modest recoil reduction, but also increases muzzle blast.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> On certain S&W Performance Center models the compensator is replaced with a muzzle brake.<ref name="Sweeney2004"/>

Like most large caliber handguns, the Model 500 is suitable for sport and hunting applications. Any of the available bullet weights can be relied on to take game at a range in excess of Template:Convert, a feat matched by only a handful of other handguns.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The high energy of these rounds makes it possible to hunt extremely large African game successfully.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

VariantsEdit

Model 500ES: 2.75″ barrel, stainless steel Emergency Survival snubnosed revolver with blaze orange Hogue grips (no longer manufactured as of December 2009).<ref name="SupicaNahas2016"/>
Model 500: 3.5″ barrel, stainless steel with HI VIZ® fiber optic sight.<ref name="SupicaNahas2016"/>
Model 500: 4″ barrel, stainless steel with two compensators.<ref name="SupicaNahas2016"/>
Model 500: 6.5″ barrel, half lug, stainless steel with compensator (discontinued in 2020).<ref name="SupicaNahas2016"/>
Model 500: 7.5″ barrel, stainless steel with muzzle brake.<ref name="SupicaNahas2016"/>
Model 500: 8.38″ barrel, stainless steel with compensator.<ref name="SupicaNahas2016"/>
Model 500 HI VIZ®: 8.38″ barrel, stainless steel with interchangeable compensators.<ref name="SupicaNahas2016"/>
Model 500: 10.5″ Lothar-Walther custom German rifle barrel, matte finish stainless steel with muzzle brake.<ref name="SupicaNahas2016"/>

Other variants are available through the Smith & Wesson's Performance Center. Like all Smith & Wesson revolvers, "custom" variants are available on special production runs with a minimum order of 500 units. An example is the John Ross Performance Center 5″ .500 S&W Magnum, which features a 5-inch barrel with an external muzzle nut instead of a muzzle brake or compensator and a Millet dovetail front sight.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

GalleryEdit

S&W500.jpg
Flingues-p1030121.jpg
Smith & Wesson Model 500 flickr szuppo.jpg
Offhandgroup25.jpg
.500S&W004.jpg
.500S&WMunition2.jpg
S&W 500, 6.5 Inch Variant, Wikipedia -EN.jpg

S&W Model 500, 6.5" barrel variant
Flickr - ~Steve Z~ - S^W 500 ^ NAA Mini.jpg

S&W 500 next to a NAA Mini-revolver
Flickr - ~Steve Z~ - S^W 500 Magnum (3).jpg
SW500 variousTypes PP noBG.jpg

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

Template:Smith & Wesson

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