# 500 S&W lever gun



## Texaspredatorhu (Sep 15, 2015)

Bighorn Armory is building these gorgeous rifles is 500 S&W, 460 S&W, and 475 and 500 linebaugh, and 454 casull. I love the idea just wish they had one with a straight grip to it. I emailed asking about a 1866 in 500 S&W, waiting to hear back!

http://www.bighornarmory.com/catalog/1/big-horn-armory-products/


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I don't seem them as being very practical unless you have Grizzly Bears where you live.

They really won't do much that a 44 magnum won't don't other than add excessive recoil.

They are nice looking rifles though.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

and if you have grizzly your probably better off with a rem 870 or mossberg 500 with slugs any way , cheap , easy to clean , low cost ammo, no screws to back out.


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## Texaspredatorhu (Sep 15, 2015)

I couldn’t agree more, it’s a want not a need!


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

Never know when you might need to shoot a Buick


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## Texaspredatorhu (Sep 15, 2015)

Fishindude said:


> Never know when you might need to shoot a Buick


Or a burglar behind your neighbors refrigerator!


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

well if you get one looks liek CFE-BLK might be a sweat powder for the 500 s&w max velocity at 9,000psi lower pressure than the others 

it has certainly been a nice powder in 300blkout


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## outgunu (Sep 14, 2006)

Crazy high price for something that will get banged around in the woods!


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## Texaspredatorhu (Sep 15, 2015)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> well if you get one looks liek CFE-BLK might be a sweat powder for the 500 s&w max velocity at 9,000psi lower pressure than the others
> 
> it has certainly been a nice powder in 300blkout


I haven’t looked at data on it yet. I have used cfe 223/blk both and I am very impressed with both powders.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Fishindude said:


> Never know when you might need to shoot a Buick


My M1A will crack a Buick's engine block using 7.65 NATO with AP projectiles.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

where are you finding the 7.65 nato all I can find is 7.62 nato


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

opps.  Meant 7.62 

Half the time when I discuss one of my wife's revolvers I call it a .455 Casull.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

yeah I do numbers fairly well , but names ,not very well at all


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## Texaspredatorhu (Sep 15, 2015)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> yeah I do numbers fairly well , but names ,not very well at all


It seems like every other day a new cartridge is being released, Nosler did 5 relatively quick, federal just released the 224 Valkyrie which they are pumping a ton of money into marketing, and so many other wild catters in the AR platform!


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

98% of people can't out shoot a 223 or 308 for range I am not sure they really need 224 Valkery or 6.5-300weatherby but hey if that is how they make money so I can keep shooting boring old cartridges so be it


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## Texaspredatorhu (Sep 15, 2015)

I built a 6.5-300 weatherby not long ago. Loaded 200 rounds for it and sold it! Great shooter, but like you said, most people will never be able to shoot to the limits of rifles like that.


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

Texaspredatorhu said:


> I built a 6.5-300 weatherby not long ago. Loaded 200 rounds for it and sold it! Great shooter, but like you said, most people will never be able to shoot to the limits of rifles like that.


I'm curious as to what you're using for a barrel contour??

I'm in the process of putting together a new barrel for my RPR, current .243 barrel has just over 900 rds through it.

Ordering the reamer next week; 6mm SLR/S (For AICS mag length with 115s) and am corresponding with Southern Precision Rifles (Greg Young) for a 26" Bartlein 5R 7.5 twist barrel. Question is.......which contour?? I'm stuck between a MED Palma and a REM Varmint, leaning towards the REM Varmint.

Anybody have any serious preferences between one or the other??

Thanks,

Chuck


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## Texaspredatorhu (Sep 15, 2015)

Chuck R. said:


> I'm curious as to what you're using for a barrel contour??
> 
> I'm in the process of putting together a new barrel for my RPR, current .243 barrel has just over 900 rds through it.
> 
> ...


Honestly, I have been using the sendero from proof research for the last dozen or so builds I have done. I get a good deal on them and they are accurate. Would I say they are bench rest barrels, iffy, but for light weight long range hunting rigs, they can’t be beat. When I did run all steel barrels it was based on use, heavies on rifles that are used mainly for target and lighter on hunting rigs. Depending what your use for the rifle is should dictate the contour. You can take a sporter barrel and make it a tack driver at 1000-1200 with ease, it’ll get sketchy after round 3 but it’ll do it cold bore all day.


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

It's being set up for the PRS game, hence the heavier profile for the longer strings. It's still shooting well with the .243 barrel, but it won't last. It's about a 3 month turn for a custom barrel, so I'm starting now with the intent of having it ready to go this summer. I've looked at the Proof carbon, but at $900 per and a barrel lasting about 1.5 -2 years it adds up pretty quickly. the weight of steel isn't really an issue when you're going 30+ yards to the position.

Thanks,

Chuck


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

have you looked at having it Nitrided , it is supposed to make the metal as hard as it can be with no effect on accuracy from the untreated barrel like chrome can sometimes have.

it is supposed to add greater barrel life , without sacrificing any accuracy


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

I've sent the question of to Bartlein to get their take on it. Currently Krieger doesn't recommend it for their barrels:



> No. There have been many praises of this surface hardening treatment applied to rifle barrels in relation to extended barrel life, easier cleaning, non existent copper fouling. However there are some concerns that must be understood if you move forward with this.
> The temperature that the steel is brought up to during this process is within the range that can remove the temper from the steel if not properly finished potentially causing the steel to become dangerous and not contain the pressures your cartridge will produce. Any heat treating process done after the rifling process can lead to bore and groove dimensions and uniformity being changed.
> Also, the salt bath nitriding process produces a very hard surface finish. If the barrel is not broken in prior to this process being done, it will never properly break in. If the barrel is broken in there could be traces of copper left in the bore (even in the pores of the steel) and it will react with the nitriding process in the form of pits or corrosion in the barrel where it reacted to the copper.
> 
> The person or company you choose to do this operation must be aware of these items and should assume responsibility for what happens to your barrel as all of these operations and procedures are out of the control of Krieger Barrels, Inc. For these reasons, we do not recommend salt bath nitriding.


https://www.kriegerbarrels.com/faq#salt

Consensus is the best time to have it done is within the 1st 50 rds after break-in. IF I decide to do it, I'm looking at H&M to do the work.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

that's interesting the article I was reading was saying Criterion will soon be doing their own nitrided barrels 
https://www.shootingillustrated.com...the-pros-and-cons-of-nitride-barrel-finishes/


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

Heard back from Bartlein...no surprise they also don't recommend nitriding their barrels.

Also did some additional research. The apparent method is to break in the barrel to the tune of about 50 rds, clean it thoroughly, then send it in for nitriding. When it returns apparently some of the guys that posted said they'd spend a couple hours thoroughly cleaning the barrel before remounting and performing a load work-up. 

I'm on the fence, but have some time before I decide.


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## Texaspredatorhu (Sep 15, 2015)

Chuck R. said:


> Heard back from Bartlein...no surprise they also don't recommend nitriding their barrels.
> 
> Also did some additional research. The apparent method is to break in the barrel to the tune of about 50 rds, clean it thoroughly, then send it in for nitriding. When it returns apparently some of the guys that posted said they'd spend a couple hours thoroughly cleaning the barrel before remounting and performing a load work-up.
> 
> I'm on the fence, but have some time before I decide.


As far as I’m aware the precision guys don’t run nitride barrels. It ain’t a poor mans sport either. I’m ok burning a barrel out versus longevity. Most of my rifles are designed and set up for long range but are not shot near the amount competitors do. the competitions I do are maybe 150 rounds in a weekend and it’s a course instead of a known distance range, more lifelike if you will. I would stick with the bartlein in 5R, once you find the right load, you won’t be disappointed. If your worried about the life of the barrel, cartridge up and find the velocities and trajectories you want in the middle of the spectrum instead of max loads and 10% over. My wife runs a 6.5-284, yes a 6.5cm could do the same but this one does it with less “effort”. The 6.5-300 I recently built, I would expect that barrel to start opening up groups around 700-1000 rounds. But it’s best group was .380 and the average was .440.


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## Chuck R. (Apr 24, 2008)

Probably the approach I'm going to take.

I'm already attempting top add barrel life by going to the 6mmSLR VS. .243AI or reg .243. When you add in mounting a barrel, breaking it in, unmounting, shipping both ways, nitriding, then cleaning, remounting, it's a chitload of work. New barrels when you can mount them yourself aren't "too" outrageous.


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## Dutch 106 (Feb 12, 2008)

OK I know talking about a beautiful custom rifle like those, practicality is very much secondary, still I;l stick my 2 cents in here So will the 454 casull shot 45 colt as well? and my spell checker doesn't know something as important as casull! or didn't.  

Dutch


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## Texaspredatorhu (Sep 15, 2015)

Dutch 106 said:


> OK I know talking about a beautiful custom rifle like those, practicality is very much secondary, still I;l stick my 2 cents in here So will the 454 casull shot 45 colt as well? and my spell checker doesn't know something as important as casull! or didn't.
> 
> Dutch


It will and if you have a 460 it will shoot all 3


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