I inderstand the feel of a singleaction. That said, the 6.5 smith 500 i have is soooo much more versatile. Its not that big of a revolver and not at all oversized like some of the x frames. Ya want 500 plus grains ya got it, ya want 325 gr barnes at 2000 fps ya got that too and everything in between. Which 500
To have was simple for me and i could have it now. No waits

Will it fit in a reasonable sized holster? I've not seen one in person but always hear people talk of how big the frame is. Power and versitility of that cartridge is unrivaled.

Yes it carries no larger than a super redhawk

Here is a pic of my 6 1/2-inch X-frame next to my 6 1/2-inch Model 29. They are exceedingly bulky in my opinion. The picture doesn't convey the weight difference and it really doesn't look like it's too much bigger. Yeah, this is probably the best compromise in barrel length for the .500 S&W, I will have to agree with Tradmark on this point. I've never warmed up to the X-frame. But, there are obviously folks who like them. Keep in mind the desire for more power (More's Law) led to the creation of the .475 and .500 Maximums (Linebaugh Longs -- and the .500 was the cartridge the .500 Smith was based on). Their popularity was short lived as they didn't seem to kill any better but they do recoil a whole lot more, particularly in a package that weighs a bit more than 3-lbs. IMHO, if you need more than a .500 JRH/Linebaugh/WE, you may be in trouble over your head. Again, JMHO.

[quote=Whitworth] IMHO, if you need more than a .500 JRH/Linebaugh/WE, you may be in trouble over your head. Again, JMHO.

That's about the best statement I've read so far concerning the hand cannon.

Ill post a pic next to a super redhawk. Not a huge diff. For any truly mansized hunter ya wont notice imho.

Id ad that if ya feel
Ya need more than a 44 mag or 45
Colt youre in trouble. You may want more but
If ya need more youre screwed cuz it
Means ya cant shoot

[/b]AMEN![b]
then if i was to hunt buff or bigger I would want a rifle no matter how big a handgun i had. jmho not that ive hunted ether. call me chicken if ya want to.

trademark,
Your last comment pushed me to go with the .45LC and load to its true potential. I've pondered the .454 for quite a while, largely due to a guy named Nate Romanowski, but I don't do what he does.

I "pulled the trigger" on a Bisley this morning. Now just have to pay the man and get it here.

Not to put a monkey wrench into this mix but, I chose the JRC .500 because it's big enough to down load to anything else?

And available now!
There was a time when I waited over four years for Richard Heinie to build me a IPSC gun but, I'm 66 now and don't know how much waiting I can stand anymore?
My $.02, Steve

Nice gun. I like the john ross version. I think youll like the 45 colt and most of my 454 loads are hot 45 colt
Loads. I use the 454 for the extra range, that and the fact i like the freedom arms guns they come in. I reload alot but i also shoot alot
Of factory loads. In fact i just seperated out the brass weve shot
Over the last year. 500 smith 500 rounds, about 200 500 jrh rounds. Just over 800 460 smith rounds, 300 45 colt rounds, 400 44 mag rounds and just over 2k 454 rounds. This was just the factory rounds and not our reloads. I think im gonna need a fa 97 in 45 colt. This thread has inspired me.

Mansized hunter?? Hahahaha! Very good! If someone really wants to earn their man-card, I present to you this gem:



Enough horsepower to make even the .500 S&W look like a weak sister, and completely useless -- save for maybe bragging rights! My point is that there really isn't anything a .500 S&W will do that the slightly smaller .500 Linebaugh/JRH/WE will do (it'll get some more velocity, but I don't think it'll kill any better). Plus, single-actions are just much cooler guns (how's that for scientific?).

Whitworth, is that your 50 Alaskan?

Yeah it is. I am actually considering sending it down the road. To effectively use it, it needs to be loaded down. If you load it down, might as well carry something smaller. Don't get me wrong, it's a somewhat "fun" revolver, but it's just WAY too much of a good thing for only weighing 4-lbs.

I bet that sucker kicks like a mule on steroids when you fire off a full power load.

How exactly is the X-frame .500 more "versatile" than a Linebaugh or JRH? Unless you're shooting beyond 125yds all you're really doing is burning up a lot of powder for no good reason. Personally, I prefer something that fits into a belt holster and doesn't weigh 4lbs. A 4lb sixgun that uses way more powder and pressure than necessary doesn't seem very versatile to me.

Tradmark, why the aversion towards cast bullets? Why do you need a .50 caliber bullet to expand?

As for gunsmiths, the reason Reeder's guns cost less is because you get less. He doesn't linebore, he doesn't open the frame window, he doesn't block the action and he never returns original parts. He also polishes his guns like he's mad at them. I've handled several of his guns and tastes regarding "engraving" aside, they are a fair value. However, they do not compare to the works of Bowen, Huntington, Harton, Clements, Stroh, Linebaugh, etc.. The fact that they might have other guys in the shop is irrelevant. They ALL farm out certain chores like bluing, plating, case coloring, reboring, grips and Bowen even buys his cylinder blanks from a 3rd party. Linebaugh may be the originator of the .475 and .500 cartridges that bear his name but he's far from the only game in town and his guns are fairly utilitarian. Options are also limited with Linebaugh. Bowen is typically considered the best but I can find no reason not to lump Huntington in with him. Which is why he is going to build me a .500JRH and not one of those other guys. He also does his own grip work and rust bluing, both of which are fantastic.

And don't forget about John Gallagher. In fact, I believe he makes octagon barrels for Bowen and Clements. The ones with machined in sight base and ERH lug.

X-Frames... I have a good friend who is also my Pastor and Sheep Hunting Partner. He has a 460 X-Frame, 5ish inch barrel. He's got a nice shoulder/chest rig for it and every time I've been with him hiking, fishing or berry picking in bear country with our wives, his wife has to beg him to pack it. He gets tired of that thing hanging off him. It usually ends up IN his backpack or in a gear bag on the raft. And he's not a wimpy guy.

No matter what any guy says, they are bigger/heavier than a lot of other guns that will poke a hole clean through a grizzly or whatever else you want to shoot. If a guy is gonna pack a pistol all day for several days there are better options. At some point that X-Frame is gonna get left behind.

Back to the original poster. Keep your 45 Colt and get a 500L built! I've currently got a 500L build with Gallagher, own a 45Colt and a 454 Redhawks and am already thinking about how I'm gonna swing my next custom. Maybe a Linebaugh built 5 shot 45 Colt with one of his brass Bisley grip frames.

Yes, Gallagher is also excellent, as are a few others I failed to mention.

Brass Bisley grip frame might be tough to come by.

aversion to cast, bc i've seen too many failures. if the small 5 hundreds of inch matter then why wouldn't 5 tenths of an inch. i've just had much much better luck and more impressive results with an expanding bullet but when DG is in the mix, premium non cast are the way to go imho and also in our ph's in africa's book. also the guide i just used in colorado. he doesn't like them either. getting off topic though, but ya asked. if ya want a solid use a monometal or jacketed like a buster.

whit - i may take ya up on the 50 alaskan.

Being the original poster here I'm pretty impressed with the thoughts going on. Whit, I might be interested in buying your cannon just for the kicks. Pun intended,

I'm thinking that I might have my bisley turned into a 5 shot and then I was thinking about buying a bfr in500 jRH and have the grip turned into a bisley. What sense does this all make? I dunno... Sounds good to me anyway. Any thoughts on the bfr?

Thoughts on BFR: Damn good product that is very strong and though is it big, it is packable. Every BFR that I have had experience with has been very accurate and MRI's customer service is excellent.

Great gun. I think nice grips and the grip slimming that jack huntington does is perfect and possibly a trigger job if its not
Up to snuff. Ive had it both ways with the bfr's. Overall very very great accurate guns

Oh, whit, i mentioned the man sized hunter comment only bc my 105
Lb daughter carried her 629 sw 44 mag with red dot for miles in the mountains. I figured most guys could handle a few
More ounces

I know what you meant, just thought it funny.

the bottom is the monster sized handgun my daughter carries and shoots all the time. i figured a nice size comparison is in order here. the middle gun is a srh 454 7.5" gun. no doubt a single action is just a smaller more compact package but i really don't think the x frame version on the top is just that much bigger, never felt it be so when carrying either but ya know, opinions vary.

Should I stand on my head to view that picture??

I've never found my X-frame overly cumbersome. To be fair though, it's the only handgun I've ever carried hunting, and before then I was used to hauling around rifles and shotguns that weighed twice as much and were many times longer than the 460.

Dang. The pic keeps rotating. Thats awesome!!

My 500 Linebaugh by Hamilton Bowen is built on a Redhawk frame with custom micarta grips. My .45 Colts come in Ruger Blackhawk SS Bisley 5.5 inch, Clement converted blue Redhawk 5.5 inch with minimum chamber dimensions and a plain stainless steel Redhawk 5.5 inch. My lightweight models include two S&W N frames: 6 inch Model 25 and 4 inch mountain gun 625. I say build a 500 Linebaugh on any frame you like by any of the gunsmiths listed here. A lighter frame gun requires some restrictions in loads. A Blackhawk or Redhawk in a big bore caliber has reasonable end weight and very little load restrictions, due to cylinder length with a lengthened frame window and an oversize five shot cylinder. A Super Redhawk in 480 Ruger, chopped to 5.5 inches will pretty well do all that's needed and cost a lot less than a custom revolver, in a nice middle of the road big bore package. The 7.5 inch might be short enough to leave as is. There will be lots of sneers I'm sure but the Taurus Raging Bull 480 Ruger 6.5 inch is not really that bad as it is. Weight is a bit heavy at 3.5 lbs but still packable in a shoulder holster. Around 3 lbs seems to be enough weight in a belt gun in my opinion.

Phone pics can throw a wrench in things if the phone orientation is held flat and not decidedly vert or horizontal

Jack Huntington has worked on 4 of my guns and I couldn't be any happier with the work the price or the turn around time, pretty hard to beat I think

I think it's English walnut. Thank you!