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Post by Lee Martin on Jun 4, 2012 8:16:34 GMT -5
I just finished a 100 round session with my 500 Maximum and thought I'd post some impressions. The load was my standard 38.0 of AA1680, 525 WFN. 1,330 fps over the chrono. Now why would I volume work a gun like this you ask? The answer doesn't involve affinity for pain so no jokes please. For years I've heard how ungodly these things are to shoot. Hell, some smiths won't build them because they don't want to proof test. More than one author describes the recoil as right at the brink on human tolerance. Others suggest it's past human tolerance. The drama goes on and on. I guess we've heard this before though. First with the 357 in the 30's, the 44 Mag in the 50's, and the 454 in the 80's. Here's my take. Yes, they kick hard. Yes, they come back at you, especially in a light gun like a Ruger Maximum. Yes, everyone doesn't perceive recoil the same. But these guns are very shootable with practice. And yep, I said practice. Maybe I'm the exception but I'm getting better with my 500 Max as the round count climbs; and that includes prolonged sessions. I see it like building a fast drag car......seat time is everything. I just don't understand how folks spend 3 - 4 grand on a custom only to shoot a few cylinders a year. Don't be afraid of the damn things. Load them like they were intended to be loaded and start denting primers. If you can master one of these, everything else will seem tame. In fact, my other gun that day was a 475 BFR. Put a 100 through that too and felt like I was loafing. I'm not trying to rant here, but we have quite a few 500 Max owners on this forum.....I encourage you all to work with them. -Lee www.singleactions.com"Building carpal tunnel one round at a time" |
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Post by whitworth on Jun 4, 2012 8:26:29 GMT -5
Bravo! I agree completely! Practice, practice, practice, and then, practice some more. I am not one who subscribes to practicing with plinking loads. Since I hunt withe these guns, I practice with the loads I hunt with -- otherwise I believe, I would be doing myself a diservice. Where am I going with this? I intend to take a lot of game with my Max and that particular load having blooded it a couple of weeks ago. I too have trouble wrapping my head around folks forking over their hard earned cash and the letting these guns collect dust. Like buying a fast car, garaging it, and then putting around in it when you drive it. I just don't get it. I would have joined you had you called......  |
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Post by Lee Martin on Jun 4, 2012 8:34:12 GMT -5
I would have joined you had you called...... We'll go again soon Whit. Plus I took Friday off to get this done. I just haven't had time to reload your brass. Heck, I hardly have time to keep mine straight. -Lee www.singleactions.com"Building carpal tunnel one round at a time" |
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ChrisO
.30 Stingray
Posts: 226
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Post by ChrisO on Jun 4, 2012 8:48:08 GMT -5
Lee & Whit,
You guys posts are always interesting! I was just over on photo-bucket and watched Lee shooting his .500 Max.
It looks to kick hard but not like I've read over the years. Now the .50 Alaskan looks like you definitely need to practice to get used to it.
Although my Wife's Grand-Mother used to say "You get used to hangin if you hang long enough"!
Your are absolutely right about how people perceive recoil!!
Take care!
Chris
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Post by whitworth on Jun 4, 2012 9:23:13 GMT -5
Lee & Whit, You guys posts are always interesting! I was just over on photo-bucket and watched Lee shooting his .500 Max. It looks to kick hard but not like I've read over the years. Now the .50 Alaskan looks like you definitely need to practice to get used to it. Although my Wife's Grand-Mother used to say "You get used to hangin if you hang long enough"! Your are absolutely right about how people perceive recoil!! Take care! Chris Chris, don't let Lee fool you. He makes it all look easy. His technique is to never "let it ride." He uses lots of muscle tension to control the recoil. The Maximum kicks hard -- real hard, but iut is not insurmountable in the least. To tell the truth I had expected more when I shot it the first time. Now, the .50 Alaskan is another situation altogether -- bring a hardhat....... ;D |
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Post by hammerdown77 on Jun 4, 2012 9:32:40 GMT -5
I've noticed in comparing your shooting videos with some others on the web (specifically, 500 Linebaugh), there is quite a difference in the way the gun recoils (or the way the shooter allows the gun to recoil). In some of the other videos, these shooters allow the gun to come back and almost over their left shoulder (if they are right handed), whereas the recoil of the gun in your videos looks more like a typical 44 magnum, basically up and back, just with more travel than a 44 mag. Is this a function of how tight the gun is gripped, position and bend of the arms? Or is this an off the bench dynamic, vs. offhand (the videos I'm thinking of are with the shooter shooting offhand). Here's an example of a feller shooting a 500 Linebaugh and letting it come back a bit more. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPBmGUlF8XM&list=UUCcaRxBcZQjormJ8qk4FFuA&index=2&feature=plcpwww.youtube.com/watch?v=WSQvfNXzuYQ&feature=channel&list=UL |
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dmize
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,825
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Post by dmize on Jun 4, 2012 9:42:30 GMT -5
I think a lot of the youtube videos are hyped for dramatization.
Like the ones with "Grandma shooting my 500 S&W!!!!!!!" A normal person realizes quickly that she aint popping a cap on a case full of H110.
And same the other way,like the video on here of the blonde kid with the goofy hairdoo letting it come over his shoulder and taking two steps backwards. "impress" the audience or scare people around out of shooting it.
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Post by pageophile on Jun 4, 2012 9:44:12 GMT -5
Not to disagree with WW but I find great value with plinking loads. I look at them as a quick warm-up weight before hitting the heavy lifting. For my BFR in 45-70, I start with 405gr "trapdoor" loadings. A few cylinders of that and I've got a good handle on the BFR compared to the 44MAG preceding it. Then I fill the cylinder with modern 350gr loadings. Compared to the "light" loadings they are night and day. The beginning loads get me warmed-up and ready for the big show. While I can't see using plinking loads exclusively on a high power hand gun (why both with a 44MAG if you only shoot 44Spl loads) they are a great way to "limber" up. YMMV  |
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Post by whitworth on Jun 4, 2012 9:51:02 GMT -5
Is this a function of how tight the gun is gripped, position and bend of the arms? Or is this an off the bench dynamic, vs. offhand (the videos I'm thinking of are with the shooter shooting offhand). That is exactly what it is as I explained. Lots of grip tension keeps it from moving around a lot. My groups tighten considerably when I limit movement. |
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Post by whitworth on Jun 4, 2012 9:55:13 GMT -5
Not to disagree with WW but I find great value with plinking loads. I look at them as a quick warm-up weight before hitting the heavy lifting. For my BFR in 45-70, I start with 405gr "trapdoor" loadings. A few cylinders of that and I've got a good handle on the BFR compared to the 44MAG preceding it. Then I fill the cylinder with modern 350gr loadings. Compared to the "light" loadings they are night and day. The beginning loads get me warmed-up and ready for the big show. While I can't see using plinking loads exclusively on a high power hand gun (why both with a 44MAG if you only shoot 44Spl loads) they are a great way to "limber" up. YMMV For me, an 800 fps plinking load doesn't prepare me for hunting with a load that runs 1,400 fps. The recoil difference, the point of impact, sight setting etc. are profoundly different and I think that to become truly proficient with a gun/load, one has to practice with the load they intend to hunt with. That way you master the trajectory, the recoil, etc. This is what works best for me. I find that load and then get real intimate with it. I might add that my interests do not lie in punching paper or breaking rocks. I do partake, and enjoy it, but my primary pursuit is hunting. JMHO. But again, this is what works for me and everyone needs to do what is comfortable for them. |
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Post by pageophile on Jun 4, 2012 10:09:28 GMT -5
I might add that my interests do not lie in punching paper or breaking rocks. I do partake, and enjoy it, but my primary pursuit is hunting. JMHO. But again, this is what works for me and everyone needs to do what is comfortable for them. Sadly in Canada handgun hunting is not allowed  However, if your occupation has you sharing a lot of time with toothy critters, you can get a ATC (Authorization To Carry). It does require a lot of paperwork and passing a proficiency test with what you are going to be carrying. Generally it's only trappers and forestry/oil workers that get approval. The governing body overseeing this doesn't allow Auto-Pistols and favors DA Wheel Guns in 44MAG + |
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Post by hammerdown77 on Jun 4, 2012 10:22:16 GMT -5
My groups tighten considerably when I limit movement. I've noticed that when shooting heavy 45 Colt loads with a plow handle grip (SBH dragoon I have on a short barreled Blackhawk, or standard XR3-RED), grip tension consistency is much MUCH more critical from shot to shot, as opposed to a Bisley. With a Bisley I can get a little more lax in that consistency shot to shot, and still shoot decent groups. With the plow handle however, and it's propensity to roll more in the hand, unless I'm consistent I get lots of vertical stringing. Or just shotgun pattern groups. |
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Post by hammerdown77 on Jun 4, 2012 10:28:54 GMT -5
I think a lot of the youtube videos are hyped for dramatization. Like the ones with "Grandma shooting my 500 S&W!!!!!!!" A normal person realizes quickly that she aint popping a cap on a case full of H110. And same the other way,like the video on here of the blonde kid with the goofy hairdoo letting it come over his shoulder and taking two steps backwards. "impress" the audience or scare people around out of shooting it. I know the videos you're talking about, and I agree with that, but the gent shooting the 500L in those videos I posted appears to be an experienced big bore shooter and I believe he is also a member here. I think his is just a different technique than Lee's. Notice the gun comes completely out of his support hand. Lee looks like he wraps the support hand thumb over the top of the firing hand and bears down hard, so it's unlikely the two hands will ever lose contact. |
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Post by Lee Martin on Jun 4, 2012 10:41:40 GMT -5
Lee looks like he wraps the support hand thumb over the top of the firing hand and bears down hard, so it's unlikely the two hands will ever lose contact. My hold is 100% attributable to Ross Seyfried. Way back in the late 80's or early 90's he did a piece on accurate shooting and controlling recoil. I mimicked that hold and have used it successfully ever since. Ross gave me more than a grip though....he's largely responsible for my Seville affliction. After reading his "Buffalo Gun" article in 1986 I got hooked on those Ruger-like SAs with the long hammer spur -Lee www.singleactions.com"Building carpal tunnel one round at a time' |
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dmize
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 2,825
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Post by dmize on Jun 4, 2012 10:44:19 GMT -5
Oh I agree with you in that the guys in your posted videos appear to know what they are doing. Especially when the one guys hits the fired case with the Casull. That is the same exact stunt I pull on my son with his 44.
It would be extremely difficult for me to grip a gun the way Lee does. And yes my 500JRH looses contact with my support hand too.
And I did not do a very good job of wording my first reply, The video I was referring too was posted here,as in a forum here, a couple months ago,not either of the ones you linked too.
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However, if your occupation has you sharing a lot of time with toothy critters, you can get a ATC (Authorization To Carry).