Weapons

See This Gun? It Is So Powerful You Can't Take It To Many Ranges

In 2003, Smith & Wesson announced a new handgun and caliber that would rock the firearms industry, cementing its position as manufacturer of the most powerful handguns in the world. The company released the .500 Magnum cartridge and Smith & Wesson Model 500 handgun. The revolver holds up to five half-inch thick cartridges, each of which packs the same energy in foot pounds as a .308 rifle cartridge.The .500 Magnum round typically weighs between 275 and 500 grains, or .62 to 1.14 ounces, and generates a huge range of foot pounds of energy, from 932 to an astonishing 3,032 foot pounds. By that standard, the .500 Magnum is easily twice as powerful as the .44 Magnum. At speeds of up to 2,075 feet per second, .500 Magnum is generally faster than .50 Action Express. In fact, with the right ammunition loads, .500 Magnum compares favorably in energy to the .308/7.62x51 rifle bullet. A typical .308 bullet will have a weight of 168 grains (.38 ounces) and deliver 2,650 foot pounds of energy. At 350 grains, a similar .500 Magnum round will weigh more than twice as much and deliver 2,491 foot pounds of energy. The rifle bullet’s advantage is that, travelling 1,200 feet per second faster than the pistol bullet, it has substantially better range.