.50 caliber handguns

Muzzle flash and cylinder blast from a Smith & Wesson Model 500 fired at night.

A .50 caliber handgun is a handgun firing a bullet measuring approximately .5 inches (12.7 mm) in diameter. Historically, many black powder pistols fired bullets with diameters well above ½ inch. However, following the development of smokeless powder, the focus shifted to smaller-diameter bullets propelled at higher velocities, and the development of .50 and larger calibers in handguns became uncommon.

In the twentieth century, several new cartridges of half-inch diameter were developed, with the .50 Action Express (1988) being the first to achieve wide popularity.^[1] The diameter was further popularized by the development of the .500 S&W Magnum in 2003.^[2]

There are automatic, revolver, single-shot, and bolt action .50 caliber handgun designs. Handguns of this caliber tend to be larger and heavier than most others of their type, for both structural integrity and absorbing the recoil associated with firing these rounds.^[2]

Despite being featured in many video games and action films as the weapon of choice for some members of elite military and law enforcement units, these guns are in reality used primarily for hunting, target shooting, and silhouette shooting.^[3][4]

Examples

A custom made .50 Alaskan five-shot single-action revolver built on a BFR frame. The cylinder can also accommodate the 0.3 inch longer .50-110 Winchester cartridge.
(Left: .50 Alaskan, Right: .50-110 Winchester)

Largest industry-produced revolver: Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 500 built on the company's indigenous X-Frame. This one sports a 7.5 inch barrel. Ammunition varieties of 275 grain through 600 grain and larger is available.

.50 Action Express

• Israel Military Industries Desert Eagle
• Arcadia Machine & Tool AutoMag V
• LAR Manufacturing Grizzly Mark V
• Freedom Arms Model 555^[5]

.50 GI

• Conversions for the Glock 20/Glock 21
• Guncrafter Industries Model No. 1
• Guncrafter Industries Model No. 2
• Guncrafter Industries Model No. 3

500 GNR

• Gary Reeder Custom Guns Ultimate 500

.500 Maximum

• Ruger Bowen .500 Maximum

.500 S&W Magnum

• Smith & Wesson Model 500
• Smith & Wesson Performance Center John Ross 5" .500 S&W Magnum
• Taurus Raging Bull Model 500
• Magnum Research BFR
• JTL-E .500 S&W Magnum 12"
• Gary Reeder Custom Guns Ultimate 500
• Taurus Raging Bull

Other

• Ruger Bisley (.500 Linebaugh)
• Magnum Research BFR (.50 Beowulf)
• Freedom Arms Model 83 .500 WE (.500 Wyoming Express)
• Triple Action Thunder (.50 BMG)

See also

• 12 mm caliber
• List of handgun cartridges

Notes

1. Shideler, Dan (2011). Gun Digest 2011. Krause. p. 368. ISBN 978-1-4402-1337-3.
2. Van Zwoll, Wayne (2006). Hunter's Guide to Long-Range Shooting. Stackpole Books. pp. 335–339. ISBN 978-0-8117-3314-4.
3. Hartink, A.E. (2002). The Complete Encyclopedia of Pistols and Revolvers. Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books, Inc. pp. 165–167. ISBN 978-0-7858-1519-8.
4. Taffin, John (2005). "The Desert Eagle of Magnum Research". Guns Magazine 30 (8).
5. Hartink, A.E. (2003). The Complete Encyclopedia of Pistols and Revolvers. Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books, Inc. pp. 132–134. ISBN 978-0-7858-1871-7.