500 S&W Magnum Ammunition

History of the .500 S&W Magnum

The .500 S&W Magnum is the most powerful production handgun cartridge in the world.  It was introduced at the 2003 SHOT show as a result of collaboration between Smith & Wesson and Cor-Bon to create a hunting cartridge that would be effective for use on all North American game.  This cartridge not only does that, but is capable of taking a large variety of African game as well.  With muzzle energies exceeding 3000 foot pounds the .500 Mag. doubles the energy of the mighty .44 Magnum.

The .500 S&W Magnum cartridge manufacturers offer a wide variety of bullet choices for the consumer.  These cover the gamut from traditional soft point to the LEVERevolution bullet made by Hornady.  The bullets range in weight from 265 grain up to a 700 grain hard cast bullet.  Several manufacturing companies offer reduced recoil loads for the .500 Mag. some shooters describe this reduced recoil sensation as similar to a .44 Mag.

Originally available in the S&W Model 500, the S&W 500 Mag. can be found in several revolvers and single shot pistols, as well as single shot and pump rifles.  With a wide variety of ammunition on the market, the S&W .500 Magnum can be custom fitted for the hunting task at hand.  Whether the game is hogs in Texas or Moose in Alaska, the .500 S&W Magnum is a great choice!