The New England Firearms Handi-Rifle is a remark- able offering in ...

is more in the 1,300 fps range. Now thefun loads are becoming more serious,and the recoil pad doesn't do the jobquite as well, so we can we startreaching for the Pact Magnum shoulderpad if we are going to do any extendedshooting.Getting SeriousLoads in this category start to showthe real capabilities of the .500 S&WMagnum in a rifle. My two powders ofchoice and their amounts are 30 grainsof H4227 or 32.5 grains of AA5744 with370-, 400-, and 440-grain gas-checkedbullets from CPBC and/or Oregon TrailBullets, the 440-grain Keith Bulletsfrom Dry Creek Bullet Works, andSierra's 400-grain JFP. With these loadsand bullet choices, muzzle velocities arein the mid-1,400s to high 1,500s. All ofthe bullets have wide, flat meplats(noses) and smack with great authoritymatched up with deep penetration. Allresults are in the accompanying chart,however, a few of note are the heavierbullets, the 400-grain Sierra and 440-grain CPBC and Dry Creek bullets all ofwhich group well under 1" at 25 yards.This means when up close situations caneasily become nasty, a bullet can beplaced with surgical precision.Heavy Duty Factory LoadsThe .500 S&W Magnum has onlybeen around for little over three years,however, the ammunition companieshave not wasted any time in providingfull-house loads. The Smith & WessonModel 500, as one might expect, wasWWW.GlINSMAGAZINE.COM••the first sixgun chambered in the largestof all Magnum sixgun cartridges. It isalso now offered by Magnum Researchin their single action BFR revolver andSSK offers custom Encore barrels,which, by the way, are superbly accuratein the .500 Magnum. As this iswlitten I know of 10 factory loads all ofwhich perform well, and in some casesexceptionally well, in the Handi-Rifle.When we start pushing 400-grainbullets at 2,000 fps from a six-poundrifle, life is not all that pleasant. Onedefinitely does not simply lay theforearm on a sandbag and pull thetrigger. If that forearm isn't held on tothis little rifle can jump right out of yourhands.I definitely would not want to shootmany of these off the bench withoutusing the Past Magnum Recoil Padavailable from Battenfeld Technologies.This is a most handy item to havearound and mine stays in the pickup.The Handi-Rifle picked up about 300fps muzzle velocity over the same loadsfired from a revolver.Buffalo Bore offers three loads forthe .500 and they have always beenknown for offering full-house loads.Two of these are a 400-grain jacketedf1atnose at 2,035 fps and a 440-grainLFNGC at 1,925 fps. They also wiselyoffer a "mild" loading of the same 440-grain bullet at 1,500 fps. Cor-Bon wasthe first to market with .500 loads. Theirloading with the 275 Barnes hollowpointbullet clocks out at nearly 2,100fps, while their 400-grain JSP and 440Hard Cast are right at 1,950 fps. Notmuch needs to be done, anywhere, anytime,that cannot be done with one ofthese six loads.Hornady has three jacketed loads allof which shoot well under 1" at 25yards. The [ust is the 300 Evolution,having the same polymer tip as the levergunLEVERevolution loads recently5ZPS( wtP8~ 370~/0,0 ()fJ1tO UCI!f