OH Lordy! Just heard about this new CUSTOM lever action from the folks at Wild West Guns up in Alaska. They also offer this rifle in several other calibers including:

.500 Linebaugh, .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .454 Casull

If you can't wait 'til Marlin or Winchester or maybe Rossi offers this one, here's your chance to be the first in your woods.

http://www.wildwestguns.com/EStore/MasterGuideOrder/WWG04/wwg04.html

http://www.outdoorsbest.com/shotshow/story2_0219/

........"The Marlin-type action is CNC machined from 17-4 PH stainless steel, the same steel used in Casull revolvers, and boasts useful features like an ingenious fast Action Hammer Safety, WWG Ghost Ring Sight System, and the rifle is available in take-down or standard configurations."

http://www.wildwestguns.com/EStore/MasterGuideOrder/WWG04/MODELO4.jpg

I have a bad case of the hots for one in .454

My hope is to get down to Anchorage in the next few months to do a personal inspection.

(It takes alot to get me to Anchorage by the way ;*)

Scotty

I have a bad case of the hots for one in .454

My hope is to get down to Anchorage in the next few months to do a personal inspection.

(It takes alot to get me to Anchorage by the way ;*)

Scotty


Scotty, check this NEW Marlin out...

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/bigBore_levrAction/1895RL.htm

They're offering it in 480 Ruger & 475 Linebaugh now... NOT 454, but not nearly as expensive either! Rossi offers a Model '92 ~ 454 Casull (and 480 Ruger) at about $500 I think...

http://www.legacysports.com/product/info_puma.htm

GOOD LUCK!

Gowge...

I have been doing my best to wear out a Legacy .454 for almost a year now. No luck so far. I have grown very fond of the Casull on a rifle platform (waaaayyy to much for me in a handgun!!) and think the Legacy is as good as life gets for now.

Thanks for the links.

Scotty

What would the ballistics be for the .500 out of a 16 inch barrel? I don't even know what bullets are offered for it right now, but I'd expect them to be on the heavy side.

What would the ballistics be for the .500 out of a 16 inch barrel? I don't even know what bullets are offered for it right now, but I'd expect them to be on the heavy side.

SFT, they're impressive enough from the long barrel of the S&W, and can only be better from a rifle - besides, it's easier (for me at least) to shoot the rifle accurately. ;)

The 440gr bullets typically used are right at an ounce apiece. This is 12ga shotgun slug territory my friend. If it performs as well as a very accurate slug, then it's doin' a very good job.

There's a buncha' articles on the 500S&W revolvers and shows ballistics for different weight bullets. The most recent and one of the best I've seen thus far, is John Taffin's test that includes ballistics for some loads from the 12" Encore. I highly recommend you save the article to a file for future reference.

See: http://www.americanhandgunner.com/columnsTT.html

His final paragraph in the article about powerful handguns -

"...........The .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum has one major use and that is the hunting of large and/or dangerous game. It’s more powerful than anything we have seen heretofore. This means it should do anything the .44 Magnum, Heavy .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .480 Ruger, or .475 Linebaugh can do and do it more decidedly. My prophecy of 10 years ago fell flat. Surely I can now safely say we cannot get any bigger. If we do, don’t call me. I have reached, perhaps over-reached, my limit."

(Edit) Another related article on: http://www.americanhandgunner.com/columnsHPT.html#Anchor-TRY-35326

Loading The .500 S&W A Zillion Ideas

By Charles E. Petty

"By far the hottest topic for handloaders in the coming year is what to do with the massive .500 S&W Magnum. Early-on Hodgdon published a very comprehensive package of load data with bullets from 275 to 440 grains and with a broad assortment of their powders. I began working with them right away and quickly reached one very strong conclusion: If you want maximum loads use Lil’Gun, and for sensible loads you can’t beat Titegroup. I’m sure other data will come along but Hodgdon is a trusted source of pressure tested loading data so I’ll stick with them for now. It’s available on their web site at www.hodgdon.com or by calling (800) 622-4366.


In a previous column, we talked about some problems in loading, related to primers and the change in specifications to use a large rifle primer. Both Starline and Cor-Bon brass now have a headstamp with “R” to indicate rifle-sized primer pockets. Even though the diameter of large primers is the same for both rifle and pistol the depth of the pocket is not. If you try to put a large rifle primer in a pocket meant for pistol size it’s highly likely the primer will not seat flush with the cartridge rim and this is a recipe for all manner of unpleasantness in a heavy recoiling gun.


There is always a perception that magnum cartridges require magnum primers but that’s not the case here. A standard rifle primer is a pretty substantial firestarter and I see no need for even hotter primers."

Hogdon has a web page dedicated to this new cartridge with lotsa' data:

http://www.hogdon.com

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/pistol/500swmag.php

Some of the (MAX) loads listed are definitely bone crunchers! They were all documented out of 10" test barrels - not rifle barrels...

GOOD LUCK!

You do know S & W has a 500 out in a 10 1/2 barrel. Comes with sling.

You do know S & W has a 500 out in a 10 1/2 barrel. Comes with sling.

For the gun or your arm after you shoot the thing! :eek:

Well got to see/hold one in a gun shop locally and really thought the sling should be something to hold it up while you shot.

Does anyone have any idea what the cost of the WW 50 cal rifle or Marlin 480 is?

Taylor,
If you click on the link Gowge provided for Wild West, they have an email or phone # that you can contact them. Fair warning, the WW 50 won't be cheap.

Is it me, or has the 500 linebaugh dropped of the face of the earth?

HKW

Taylor,
If you click on the link Gowge provided for Wild West, they have an email or phone # that you can contact them. Fair warning, the WW 50 won't be cheap.


Yea, none of their custom rifles are cheap - especially this newest model which is the sole example in 500 S&W right now. I emailed them a while back to ask about pricing and performance data - so they referred me back to their website... ;)

"Hi we have no performance data yet, we are still taking pre orders and testing....keep looking at our web site...
WILD WEST GUNS, Inc.
7521 Old Seward Highway
Anchorage, Alaska 99518
(907)344-4500
1-800-992-4570
Please visit our Web Site at www.wildwestguns.com for pricing and information about our products, our full line E-Store, new and used firearms and loading data.
We are proud to announce the WWG Model 04 Lever Action rifle in 500 S&W and 454 Casull. Details on our website.
PLEASE NOTE: DUE TO THE FACT THAT OUR CUSTOM WORK IS LABOR INTENSIVE AND IN
HIGH DEMAND, WE DO NOT GUARANTEE ANY DELIVERY DATES."

Please post anything you learn about this new rifle. Maybe we just need to ring'em up and ask?

They will be going for around $1500 and wont hit the streets for a couple of months. I guess Jim had the only one at the shotshow. One thing to add, it isnt built on a marlin action. It is all custom made. Its based on the marlin (for looks I guess) but the innards are totally different for the pressures.

I stop in WWG's all the time and have been thinking of getting one, but for the price I'd just get a 50alaskan. More power at the same price.