Practice & target
Full-metal-jacket, plated, lead, and wadcutter bullets describe different constructions. Grain weight is projectile mass; it does not state a powder charge or guarantee recoil.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · RIMMED CENTERFIRE
.500 S&W Magnum
A large, rimmed .50-caliber revolver cartridge with a wide span of factory bullet weights. Bullet mass and construction are especially visible differences within its factory offerings.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 1.900–2.250 in
48.260–57.150 mm - Case length · max
- 1.625 in
41.275 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.500 in
12.700 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.560 in
14.224 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Rimmed centerfire
- Bullet specification
- 0.5000 in / 12.700 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 5 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 275–500 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.500 S&W Magnum is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 500 S&W Mag. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
.500 S&W Magnum and .50 Action Express use different cases and are separate chamberings.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
Smith & Wesson unveiled the .500 S&W Magnum at the 2003 SHOT Show as a new, very large revolver-and-cartridge system. Original factory ammunition was produced by Cor-Bon, making the launch a coordinated firearm and ammunition introduction rather than a revolver waiting for a cartridge market to develop around it.
The design attracted attention well beyond established handgun hunters, partly because its size and performance visibly surpassed familiar magnum-revolver expectations. It also marked a new stage after cartridges such as the .454 Casull had already established the market for specialized hunting revolvers. Its subsequent factory ammunition covered different bullet weights and intended uses, so the name alone never described one fixed performance level. The cartridge’s historical role is the deliberate expansion of the commercial hunting-revolver envelope, with a firearm built around that much larger cartridge rather than an adaptation of an ordinary service revolver.
Historical sources: Sierra: .500 S&W Magnum cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Expanding factory bullets
JHP, XTP, FTX, HST, and similar product names refer to particular designs. Muzzle energy alone does not show expansion, penetration, or reliability in a particular firearm.
Specialty load families
Reduced-recoil, subsonic, monolithic, and heavier-bullet offerings are product-specific. A +P marking is a pressure category where standardized, not simply a heavier bullet. Follow the maker’s exact product and firearm guidance.
In the cited .500 S&W Magnum examples, bullet weights are 275, 300, 325, 500 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
275 grains
1,660 fps
BARNES EXPANDER
300 grains
1,950 fps
FTX ®
325 grains
1,450 fps
FUSION SP
Compare all 5 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FederalP500XB1 | 275 gr 17.82 g | BARNES EXPANDER | 1,660 fps 506 m/s | 8.4-V in | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| Hornady9249 | 300 gr 19.44 g | FTX ® | 1,950 fps 594 m/s | 8½ in | Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗ |
| FederalF500FS2 | 325 gr 21.06 g | FUSION SP | 1,450 fps 442 m/s | 8.4-V in | Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗ |
| FederalP500SA | 325 gr 21.06 g | SWIFT A-FRAME | 1,800 fps 549 m/s | 8.4-V in | Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗ |
| Hornady9252 | 500 gr 32.40 g | FP-XTP ® | 1,300 fps 396 m/s | 8½ in | Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.500 S&W Magnum: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 275 gr Federal BARNES EXPANDER | Federal | 0: 1660; 25: 1544; 50: 1435; 75: 1337; 100: 1249 |
| 300 gr Hornady FTX ® | Hornady | 0: 1950; 50: 1653; 100: 1396 |
| 325 gr Federal FUSION SP | Federal | 0: 1450; 25: 1357; 50: 1272; 75: 1198; 100: 1134 |
| 500 gr Hornady FP-XTP ® | Hornady | 0: 1300; 50: 1178; 100: 1085 |
| 325 gr Federal SWIFT A-FRAME | Federal | 0: 1800; 25: 1677; 50: 1559; 75: 1449; 100: 1350 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .500 S&W Magnum?
A large, rimmed .50-caliber revolver cartridge with a wide span of factory bullet weights. Bullet mass and construction are especially visible differences within its factory offerings.
What diameter does .500 S&W Magnum use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.5000 inches (12.700 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
.500 S&W Magnum and .50 Action Express use different cases and are separate chamberings.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
The downrange view uses the exact manufacturer catalog records shown in the source table. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values use linear interpolation between the displayed source points. Calculated energy uses the listed bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Skives & petals: read the jacket construction →
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 67 ↗
- Sierra: .500 S&W Magnum cartridge background ↗
- Smith & Wesson: .500 Magnum introduction, 2003 ↗
- Federal · PDF p. 60 ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 191 ↗
- Federal · PDF p. 61 ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.