Should You Buy a Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum? My Thoughts on the Beast!
One of the great joys in life is firing off the Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum. I've shot quite a few guns and have let loose a couple of powerful calibers, including the .308 Winchester and 12-gauge buckshot. As a revolver enthusiast, I've also extensively blasted away with a 357 Magnum, as well as the venerable 44 Magnum.
Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, has neared the "come to Jesus" moment launching the almighty Smith and Wesson 500 Magnum. Every pull of the trigger punishes you, kicking your hand like a mule gone mad. For a split-second, the gates of Hades rips open, unleashing what I can only describe as a hurricane of hate.
Believe it or not, this is my first and only Smith and Wesson revolver. I'm actually quite proud of that fact. A sales rep recommended that I should go for the .460 Magnum, but that personally made no sense. In my book, you either go hard, or go home. And I was going to settle for no 460 when I can jump up to the 500 Magnum caliber.
As you can probably tell, I'm glad I did. When you launch this bad boy, the whole range is stunned to silence. The concussive blast reaches far and wide. This is one of the rare guns where you, as the shooter, feel the enormity of the shockwave.
So would I recommend the Smith and Wesson 500 Magnum? Hell yes, I would! But here are a few things you should consider:
• This ain't a practical gun -- Unless you're being chased by bears and buffalos, I don't see any practical purpose for the Smith and Wesson 500 Magnum other than pure intimidation. Fathers of hot daughters should consider the 500 Mag; others, it's kind of a waste, to be honest.
• You'll scare the tacticool folks -- This is a plus, in my book. Every day I go to the range, I always encounter a tactitard with his decked out AR-15 playing soldier boy. And thanks to the dumb laws in California, every asshole with an AR has a muzzle break. You'll shut these pansies up in no time with a Smith and Wesson 500 Magnum.
• Ammo be expensive, yo! -- See point number one. But also note that you're getting considerable mileage with each trigger pull. That is, for most people, after go through one cylinder (of 5 rounds), that's enough for them. A typical box of ammo is good for 4 cylinders, which is better than a 100 rounds of 9mm, in my humble opinion.
So the decision is up to you. For an unparalleled experience in the shooting sport, go for the Smith & Wesson 500 Magnum. You won't be disappointed!
And as a quick note for San Diego shooters, renowned LAX Ammo has been open for business for several months. Check them out at http://www.laxammosd.com/
Ask for Chase and tell him that Josh sent ya!