Big 50 arrives

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, I got my NEF 500 S&W and after removing the offensive grabage plastic optical fiber sights that apparently now come standard I installed the scope rail and Weaver 1x3 scope. It was pretty dirty out of the box too, but it cleaned up nice and I'm happy with it so far. I've got some Berry's 350 plated bullets loaded for it and all's I need now is a day without rain! The range is going to be a muddy mess but after last weekend's hog hunt, I'm well practiced in slogging through the stuff



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Looks like it'll shoot good, we shall see!

I may get a set of XS sights for it but maybe not - you can't have the rear installed with the rail in place anyway and there are very few if any hunting scenarios for me where I don't have a backup gun along.

[nemhed]

I thought this thread was about a real gun! . Just joking, that rifle looks like a lot of fun, good choice on optics IMHO.

[Modoc ED]

Why let a little rain stop ya? Do you call off a hunt just because it's raining?

Nice looking gun. Is that a newish or vintage scope?

[mescalero1]

Newish.

[O.S.O.K.]

all new

I just spoke to NEF - I was wondering if I could order a set of the steel sights that they used to put on these - nope, don't offer them. Oh well, I kinda like the way it looks right now anyway.

And nemhed, I wish I could afford a nice Shilo Sharps in 50 cal...

[Grizz]

love it! fun gun to shoot I bet. what's the bullet dia? what's the twist rate?

I think there are peep sights available that will fit that scope base, but don't recall where I saw them.

Grizz

[O.S.O.K.]

Thanks - the bullet diameter is .500 and I don't know the twist rate - and I haven't slugged the bore yet.

NECG (?) I think makes peep sights that clamp onto weaver-type bases... I did think of that, but there's not room to put it on with the scope -but I could certainly site the rifle in with it on and then just keep it in the kit that goes with the rifle...

Grizz, I just did a quick search over on the Marlin Owner's board and found this information:

Twist rates of Handi Rifles:
.17 HMR 1 in 9"
.22 LR 1 in 16"
.22 WMRF 1 in 16"
.204 Ruger 1 in 12"
.22 Hornet 1 n 12"
.223 1 in 12", late models are a mix of 1:9"/1:12", 2007 Marlin produced barrels are 1:9"
.22-250 1 in 14"
.25/06 1 in 10"
.243 1 in 10"
.270 1 in 10"
.280 1 in 10"
.308 1 in 10"
.357 Mag 1 in 18¾"
.357 Maxi 1 in 18¾"
.35 Whelen 1 in 16"
7mm-08 1 in 10"
7.62x39 1 in 9¾"
7x57 1 in 10"
7x64 1 in 10"
7mm Rem Mag 1:9.5"
.30/30 1 in 10"
.30/06 1 in 10"
.300 Win Mag 1:10"
.38/55 1 in 18"
.44 Mag 1 in 38"
.444 Marlin 1 in 38" (original)
.444 Marlin 1:20" (2007 models)
.45/70 1 in 20"
.450 Marlin 1 in 20"
.45 Colt Carbine 1:16"
.45 Colt/410 1 in 16"
.500 S&W 1 in 18¾"

20 ga. 1 in 28"
12 ga. 1 in 35"

----------------------

So the 500 S&W is 1 in 18 & 3/4" which is probably the same as the S&W revolvers? Regardless, should be able to stabalize the heavies just fine. I've not read or seen any reference to problems with the 700 grain bullets at 1300 fps (revolver speed). I probably won't be finding out - I think a 700 grain pill at 1500 fps from this rifle would be a bit much...

[TedH]

Very cool setup. I'll be interested in your range report and then what it'll do to piggie.

[awp101]

I've not read or seen any reference to problems with the 700 grain bullets at 1300 fps (revolver speed). I probably won't be finding out - I think a 700 grain pill at 1500 fps from this rifle would be a bit much...

In a Barrett? No problem. That little thing though...

[deerwhacker444]

That thing is gonna Kiiiiiiiicccccckkkkkk....!

[O.S.O.K.]

That thing is gonna Kiiiiiiiicccccckkkkkk....!

I don't think the 350 grain loads tooling along at 1500 - 1700 will be too awful but if I load some 440's up to 2100+, then yes, it would kick like a mule. I'll probably keep those 440's around 1600 fps.

I did add some weight to the 7 lb.s with the steel Warne scope rail and the scope - probably some over 8 lbs. now but that's still not much for that kind of come-back...

Ted: My 44 Mag Marlin with 310 wfn boolits going 1600 muzzle velocity went through this hog's chest and off-shoulder (blowing the bones to bits) and left the gas check behind for a souvenier. So, I'm thinking an even larger diameter boolit with another 130 grains of wieght and of the same shape going the same speed would do the same only more of it.



Hog was 120 lbs. BTW

[AJMD429]

all new
I just spoke to NEF - I was wondering if I could order a set of the steel sights that they used to put on these - nope, don't offer them. Oh well, I kinda like the way it looks right now anyway.

I mounted a Williams Shorty ramp and bead - I think the barrel measurement was such that the Williams Shorty for a 20 gauge shotgun was the one. The Williams WGRS for the rear I used was also for a different gun but fit just fine. I can find out if you want.

Watch out for 'scope-eye' with that light gun and that scope...

[Lobo]

We will be expecting many, many pix of your successful hunts!!!!!

[O.S.O.K.]

all new
I just spoke to NEF - I was wondering if I could order a set of the steel sights that they used to put on these - nope, don't offer them. Oh well, I kinda like the way it looks right now anyway.

I mounted a Williams Shorty ramp and bead - I think the barrel measurement was such that the Williams Shorty for a 20 gauge shotgun was the one. The Williams WGRS for the rear I used was also for a different gun but fit just fine. I can find out if you want.

Watch out for 'scope-eye' with that light gun and that scope...

I certainly will! And I think I'll just leave this one sans iron sights. I would have put the mid-barrel mount stock steel ones on, but since they're not available, I think I'll just leave it "clean". Thanks!

And Lobo - I certainly hope to have some to share

[Grizz]

thanks for the info.

I think a 700 grain pill at 1500 fps from this rifle would be a bit much...

well, how's that compare to a 12 ga 3" load of lead? Plus, you don't need to get supersonic with that weight of bullet, 900 to 1000 fps would give thru and thru penetration on anything that walks or crawls....

I think that's gonna be a FUN GUN for ya.

Grizz

[Nath]

That NEF looks awesome and them rounds look real big! This is going to be interesting!
Wish we had them over here!

Nath.

[O.S.O.K.]

thanks for the info.

I think a 700 grain pill at 1500 fps from this rifle would be a bit much...

well, how's that compare to a 12 ga 3" load of lead? Plus, you don't need to get supersonic with that weight of bullet, 900 to 1000 fps would give thru and thru penetration on anything that walks or crawls....

I think that's gonna be a FUN GUN for ya.

Grizz

I think so too

Lets see, a 12 guage is 1 1/2 ounce slug right? There's 7000 grains in a pound, divided by 16 ounces to a pound is 437.5 times 1.5 is 656.25 grains for the 12 guage. I think the 12 guage slug is going about 1100 fps right? Something like that. Anyway, this is a little bit heavier but only 50 cal verses what? 70 caliber for a 12 guage? So anyway, the 50 cal's bullets are quite a bit longer for the weight. I do know that the 700 grainer goin 1500 has a muzzle energy of 3500 ft lb.s. The 12 guage at 1100 would generate 1770, or 2100 ft lb.s at 1200 fps, so there's quite a bit of difference in energy... fwiiw.

[O.S.O.K.]

That NEF looks awesome and them rounds look real big! This is going to be interesting!
Wish we had them over here!

Nath.

Thanks. I wish you had them there too.

[madman4570]

I Love it!
That should take care of anything needing taken care of.
Simple/reliable/powerful/cool and boy, that sure is one big hole in the end of that there barrel.
SWEET


Now O.S.O.K.,
You hang on that sucker good, my little 45-70 handi with the punny 405gr@2000fps kicks pretty darn stout,that BIG 50 with those 440gr@ 2100+fps Oh ya she is going to knock ya good. Follow up soon please!

[Rusty]

O.S.O.K. try looking over on the graybeards outdoor forums they have a section there devoted just to handi's. In fact they're broken down as to centerfire,rimfire,shotgun,muzzleloaders and classifieds. All things Handy in the world. There's bit quite a bit there about the .50's too.

John Taffin did a test on the 50 and I got the impression it had more recoil than he was comfortable with.

[Buck Elliott]

Single shot mode will likely work great for that combo... You won't be in a big hurry to shoot again, anyway, even if you could...

Twist rate of the .500 S&W revolvers is hard to measure, because the originals, at least, had what amounts to a gain-twist barrel. The first S&W .500s that came into this neck of the woods had very rough, crude barrels, prone to fouling with factory ammunition. That put off several prospective buyers.

Among those first guns was a specimen that had the barrel just split, from breech to muzzle, after about 20 rounds...

[O.S.O.K.]

Wow, sounds like they got off to a rough start!

Mine has standard rifling and looks very smooth - but that will remain to be seen...

If its anything like my 45-70 Handi, I will be well pleased.

And just because this thing can be loaded up to elephant load levels doesn't mean I'm going to!

[JReed]

Way cool I look forward to the range repot.

[FWiedner]

That thing looks like a rotator-cuff injury to me.

But then, I'm old and kinda squishy...

O.S.O.K, You gonna practice speed-loading that big single-shot for follow-up on critters that are faster than you?

[86er]

I'm pretty sure a 500 S&W is a .49 caliber and not a true .50.

[Stan in SC]

I have a Handi but in 45/70.Great guns.

Stan in SC

[Blaine]

But then, I'm old and kinda squishy...

They have a pill for that, now......

[JReed]

I'm pretty sure a 500 S&W is a .49 caliber and not a true .50.

Nope its a true .500. Unlike most that are .510-511.

O.S.O.K.
If the recoil is to stiff just add 16oz of lead shot in side the bolt hole in the stock that should help tame it a bit.

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, the bullets are .500" - jacketed ones anyway... and the bore should be the same. I'll slug it tomorrow and see. A 50 cal round ball should work fine.

And I have to say that my .338 Win Mag Ruger doesn't weigh much more than 8 1/2 pounds and it gins up close to 4000 ft. lb.s at the muzzle and its not too bad off-hand. It is brutal off the bench though.

[pokey]

needs a name, how about


THUMPER

[peabody]

O.S.O.K. try looking over on the graybeards outdoor forums they have a section there devoted just to handi's. In fact they're broken down as to centerfire,rimfire,shotgun,muzzleloaders and classifieds. All things Handy in the world. There's bit quite a bit there about the .50's too.

John Taffin did a test on the 50 and I got the impression it had more recoil than he was comfortable with.

rusty ? do you get pop up's from graybeards outdoors ? im a thinkin ? bill's site gave me a virus.

had to re-do everything, and start over.

[peabody]

I have a Handi but in 45/70.Great guns.

Stan in SC

stan, i have a 45/70 handi too.

i like it alot.

[Ysabel Kid]

Congrats! Looks like a whopper!

[86er]

I'm not trying to be snotty but it is a .49 caliber, and thereby uses .50 caliber bullets. The ATF standard is that you cannot manufacture a handgun caliber over .50. A 1/2 inch pin mustn't drop freely though the muzzle. The .500 has a .49 land and .50 groove. So in "American cartridge nomencalture is is a .49 caliber (just like .30 caliber is .308). I think S&W should have made a REAL .50 caliber that is .50 lands and .510 grooves. It would still pass the test, the .500" pin would not fall through (due to the lands of course). I'm not slighting the cartridge or OSOK's nice rifle, just making a point about S&W being overly conservative with their cartridge.

[O.S.O.K.]

Spot on Joe. But now I feel somewhat less of a man



Pokey - I was thinking of calling it "Buck"

BTW, speaking of Buck - Buck Elliott - were you talking about the Handi-Rifles chambered for this caliber or the S&W Revolvers? It just ocurred to me that I may have missinterpreted your last post...

I'm trying to picture a Handi-Rifle with the entire barrel split - I think you were talking about the revolvers...

I saw several that had been fired once or three times that were for sale in the local funshop I was told that this is very common with the X-frame smiths.

[madman4570]

For some reason I was thinking that the S&W 500 was classified as a "sporting" caliber and isn't regulated by NFA
I am pretty sure that the NFA considers actual true bore size as being measured Land to land.
And assume that the bullet size would indeed be required to be slightly larger than the dimension measured grove to grove.

Guess it's over my head on this topic,so I will just say(that's one big bore)whatever.

[O.S.O.K.]

Centerfires all apply. Muzzleloaders do not - which is why we have all of the 54, 58, 62 and larger caliber models of front-stuffers.

[madman4570]

Thanks!

[AJMD429]

I remember confusing an old (pre-1970's) chronograph back then with some .30-06 "accelerators" that had a 55 grain .223 bullet in a .30 cal sabot in a .30-06 case. I want to try a similar thing in my Handi - maybe some 200-grain .357 bullets in a .50 cal sabot. Why...? No good reason, just to see if I could re-produce a sort of ".358 Ultra Short Magnum" without a separate gun.

[Modoc ED]

I'm not trying to be snotty but it is a .49 caliber, and thereby uses .50 caliber bullets. The ATF standard is that you cannot manufacture a handgun caliber over .50.< That's the key. It can't be manufactured OVER .50 but .50 is just fine. A 1/2 inch pin mustn't drop freely though the muzzle. The .500 has a .49 land and .50 groove. So in "American cartridge nomencalture is is a .49 caliber (just like .30 caliber is .308). I think S&W should have made a REAL .50 caliber that is .50 lands and .510 grooves. It would still pass the test, the .500" pin would not fall through (due to the lands of course). I'm not slighting the cartridge or OSOK's nice rifle, just making a point about S&W being overly conservative with their cartridge.

[RKrodle]

That thing looks like a rotator-cuff injury to me.

But then, I'm old and kinda squishy...

You and me both!

Hey Jak, that's a sweet looking little rifle, it should put a whacking on just about anything you care to go after. Good luck with it and I look forward to a range report.