Smith & Wesson Model 500

The Model 500 Revolver is a newer revolver produced by Smith and Wesson on their X-frame

The 500 is the most powerful production revolver in the world today, firing the massive .500 S&W Magnum. The .500 cartridge can fire at incredible velocities and deliver an unusually high quantity of kinetic energy - the most high-powered commercial round weighing 440 grains (produced by Hornady (28.5 g) has a muzzle energy of 2600+ foot·pounds force (3.5 kJ). However handloaders have experimented with 500 grain bullets developing 3000+ foot·pounds (4.1 kJ) of muzzle energy.

Warmly greeted by firearm-enthusiasts, it has been back-ordered since its introduction in 2003. Articles, statements, and opinions vary widely on this firearm. It has been described in magazines as the most versatile hunting firearm on the market. As with its wide range of bullets it can hunt smaller game, or in the 440 grain (28.5 g) variant can be used to kill much larger species. Any of the available bullet weights can be relied on to take game at a range in excess of 200 yards (180 m), a feat matched by only a handful of other pistol-type firearms.

While firearms of this size can scare potential shooters with the recoil, the advanced design of the firearm helps in counteracting recoil felt by the shooter. This includes the sheer weight of the firearm, use of rubber grips, the forward balance, and the use of a compensator. (Traded for a full muzzle brake on the performance center model) These additions make the firearm entirely manageable for those accustomed to the shooting of large caliber handguns, but still extreme for an inexperienced shooter.

Additionally, the Model 500 has been produced in four known varients:

The standard Model 500 with an 8 3/4 in (222 mm)barrel

Model 500S (Short) with 4 in (102 mm) barrel

Model 500H (Hunter) with a longer 10.5 in (26.6 cm) barrel

The Performance Center model also has a barrel length of 10.5 in (26.6 cm) and includes improvements to enhance accuracy.

There have also been a small number of Model 500 "survival guns" produced. These guns, with a 2 in (51 mm) barrel and no compensator, are intended to be kept in survival kits carried by bush pilots and pilots operating in Alaska and similarly hostile environments. The purpose of having such a heavy round with a snub-nosed barrel is to give survivors of an airplane crash a weapon capable of taking down an attacking bear or other hostile wildlife at point blank range, while conserving necessarily limited ammunition. The short barrel allows the gun to take up less space and weight in the survival kit.