500 S&W rifle for deer

[NE_hunter]

I was just wondering if a rifle chambered for 500 smith and wesson would be good to use on deer with in 100 yards, or is it just over kill?

[Bowhunters]

From what i've read on that caliber the Hornady 350 gr. XTP bullet is great on deer and pigs, that bullet is supposedly available in other brands of ammunition besides just Hornady if you buy your ammo.

From tests i've seen you can expect 3 shot groups of around 1" at 50yds and around 2-3" at 100yds and for a handgun load that isn't bad at all.

Depending on how hot the load is you can expect around twice the killing power of a 44magnum but from what i've read that bullet still does a very good job on lighter powered loads for reduced recoil.

[NE_hunter]

What kind of range would i be able to get out one. Would i be bale to shoot past 125yds or not? Do you think that a scope designed for a muzzleloader or shotgun could handle the recoil of the rifle?

[Bowhunters]

I used the Ballistic information from the Hornady factory ammo using that same 350gr. XTP hunting bullet I told you about earlier and it has plenty of knockout power for Whitetails, Pigs and even Black Bear out to 200 yards, the bigger question in my mind is will it be accurate enough at that distance.

From what i've read it will likely shoot 3" groups at 100yds, that means it will likely double that to 6" or worse groups at 200yds and for most hunters that is likely going to be considered as borderline acceptable, being off 6" from the scopes crosshairs can be a miss or worst yet a wounded animal.

A rifle should do better than that so those groups may have been from a pistol, I don't recall that it said the weapon used when doing that shooting.


Here is some info on expected bullet drop (Trajectory) for that round, as you can see below clearly it does ok out to 200yds but when you start shooting longer distances the bullet really drops off.

Trajectory @ 100 yd. zero - (+0.8"-50yds)---(0.0"-100yds)---(-15.6"-200)---(-58"-300yds)

Trajectory @ 150 yd. zero - (+2.5"-50yds)---(+3.4-100yds)---(-8.9-200yds)---(-48.2-300yds)

Setting 100yds or 150yds for zero would be something for you to decide but I would probably use the 150yd zero myself.

So it has good trajectory out to 200yds before a big fall off at 300yds and the 'TKO' chart shows that it has plenty of bullet, velocity and energy to kill Whitetail, Pigs and even Black Bear out to 200yds but I wouldn't push it any further than that.

As far as a scope for your rifle, as long as you get a large rifle scope of a good brand name made to work on a magnum rifle or slug gun you should be ok. Most large rifle scopes for deer rifles and slug gun scopes are made to be tough enough to withstand recoil from a magnum gun.

One thing I would do is probably consider a scope in the 3X or 6x variable power area, you really don't need a big zoom level 10X, 14X, 20X scope on a rifle for just out to 200yds unless you find a great deal on sale but i'd go quality over zoom level.

Maybe also look at getting a scope that has a 40mm objective lens, they tend to suck in more light so you can see deer more clearly in the early morning and evening right up to legal shooting times where small objective scopes often have problems with having enough light to see clearly early and late when light is marginal. I've used both over the years and the difference can be shocking.

[ironhead]

On your scope,,,i would avoid the Tasco's and Simmons. I have owned a few of those and higer recoil is very tough on them. I had a high end Simmons that a .308 knocked a lens out on the third shot. I never had any luck at all keeping Tasco's zeroed in to my kind of precision. Redfield, and Leupold are very good quality that i have had extremly good luck with. You can get a good deal on them at your local discount store. My advice i always give is to get the best you can afford.

[NE_hunter]

Would I be better of going with a 45-70 gov't rather then a 500 S&W

[Bowhunters]

Would I be better of going with a 45-70 gov't rather then a 500 S&W

Yes, you probably would, the .45-70 has been a popular caliber with some for a long time so there is a lot more different ammunition available for it with just about every brand of standard flat nosed or hollow point ammuntion available and many are probably lower recoil also.

Using flat nosed or hollow point ammo both the 45-70 and the .500 S&W are both about the same in trajectory and killing ability and are good out to 200yds.

There is also some new 'flex tip' ammo that is available now, it is a soft nosed pointed tipped bullet that will allow you to load pointed tip ammo in the tube magazine on a lever action .45-70 rifle.

That 'flex tip' ammunition will allow you to shoot deer, etc. up to 300yds as it is a lot more ballistically efficient than the regular flatnosed or hollow point ammo, it is faster down range and flatter shooting.

That .45-70 caliber is probably just as good on game as the .500 S&W, I know its also considered as a pretty good Elk gun so it has to be pretty good.


What gives, you sounded pretty set on the .500 S&W before?

[NE_hunter]

I went back to the gun shop today to pick up the 500 and i spotted a 45 70 that they just got in. It just got me thinking whether the 500 was the right gun to get it or not.