Whether you’re interested in a new truck gun (stored safely, of course), or just want a compact firearm for range days, you’ve probably considered AR platform pistols for the job. Not only are they portable, but they’re fun, effective, and reliable. If your hesitation has been about caliber, it might interest you to know there are larger bore options available. The Big Horn Armory AR500 500 Auto Max Pistol is a big-bore gun made to be compact, accurate, and reliable. Here’s our take.
What is the Big Horn Armory AR500 500 Auto Max Pistol?
The BHA AR500 Auto Max Pistol is an AR platform pistol, chambered in the admittedly large 500 Auto Max cartridge. This pistol is the next iteration of the 500 Auto Max family of guns that started with a rifle. With the launch of an AR pistol in this caliber, Big Horn Armory makes it possible to keep your big bore but take it with you far more easily.
What are the specifications of the 500 Auto Max pistol?
First, we’ll mention that this pistol ships with a buffer tube, meaning it doesn’t have a brace and therefore does not require a tax stamp. It’s an AR platform pistol with a 10-inch barrel with a 1:24 twist rate. The muzzle is threaded, so it’s suppressor-ready, which does require a tax stamp. An M-LOK-compatible forend makes it easy to add lights and lasers, and a full-length Picatinny rail makes it simple to mount an optic. Since it’s a pistol rather than a rifle, you might find a red dot sight is preferable to a full-on optic. In that case, an optic might be ideal.
Other features include a match-grade Rise Rave 140 trigger. This is a single-stage trigger with a factory pull weight of 3.5 pounds. The action is made from 7075 aluminum and is hard anodized for durability and longevity. It has an integral rear swing swivel mount, so it’s possible to put a single-point sling on it right away. The pistol has an empty weight of 8.1 pounds. Available magazines are 5 or 9-round capacity. Big Horn Armory produces this pistol with a black finish, but you could certainly have it Cerakoted if you chose to do so.
What is the 500 Auto Max?
The BHA AR500 Auto Max AR Pistol is basically a rimless 500 Smith & Wesson. Only minor changes were made to allow the round to work on this platform. President and CEO of Big Horn Armory, Greg Buchel explained the creation of the round:
“The .500 S&W Magnum, while a fine revolver cartridge, really comes into its own realm when chambered in a rifle. Chambering it in the AR platform created some challenges that required us to rethink how the .500 S&W could best be solved by slight changes in the case design. Removing the rim allowed it to work properly in existing detachable box magazines. The result of this is the .500 Auto Max cartridge.”
The bullet diameter of the 500 Auto Max is 0.5 inches. Grain depends on the specific load but can technically be anywhere from 275 grain to 700 grain, meaning these are substantial bullets capable of creating quite a wound cavity. Companies like Buffalo Bore and Underwood tend to load it with 350 to 440 grain bullets which do just fine on target whether you’re at the range or on a hunt.
How does the AR500 Auto Max Pistol shoot?
This is the fun part. I used a variety of loads including Buffalo Bore 500 Auto Max 350 grain JHP and Underwood Ammo 500 Auto Max 420 grain Xtreme Penetrator. Thanks to the availability of components, it’s possible to hand-load this as well.
You might be wondering how best to fire this gun. I found that it runs well standing up and shooting offhand and can also be run from the bench using a sandbag. At this time, the most recent ATF ruling was that it’s legal to shoulder an AR pistol. You will find that a buffer tube isn’t exactly forgiving when it comes to felt recoil. Whatever you do, take the felt recoil and muzzle rise into account.
The 500 Auto Max in an AR pistol platform does generate some rather significant recoil. It’s definitely possible to brace yourself and deal with it. But the amount of felt recoil means it’s not going to be the ideal AR pistol for everyone. Recoil aside, the pistol is seriously fun to shoot. At the range, it’s accurate on target, although not a precise gun. And if you’re hunting it’s great on feral hogs. You could use it on deer but the lack of precision and potential meat loss make it an iffy one for deer season. It might be best left as a predator and pest gun.
I recommend this gun, because of its reliability and effectiveness. Regardless of load, the pistol cycled consistently and although you’re not going to get sub-MOA precision out of it, it’s accurate enough to get the job done (whatever that is). Thanks to its 0.5-inch diameter bullets, bullet weight, and energy transfer, the AR500 Auto Max Pistol creates an enormous wound cavity, meaning predators don’t go far at all. And if you prefer to shoot paper with it, it’s just one of those flat-out fun guns to run.
Should you get an AR500?
Guns are all about personal preferences and needs. If a big-bore AR platform pistol is something you want or need, you should be taking a closer look at this offering from Big Horn Armory. That goes for everyone from ranchers handling predator problems on their property, to sport shooters looking for some fun!
This is an enjoyable big bore to shoot but it’s definitely a bit of a niche firearm. If you have a love of big bores or the desire for a larger caliber AR-pistol, this is the gun for you. You might find it’s more cost-effective in the long run to go ahead and start handloading, but in the meantime, there’s plenty of factory ammo available. Go ahead, add a true big-bore AR pistol to your collection. You know you want to.
