.500 Bushwhacker
| .500 Bushwhacker | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Comparison of the .500 Bushwhacker (L) to the .500 S&W cartridge (R) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Handgun | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of origin | United States | |||||||||||||||||||
| Production history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Designer | James Tow and Keith Tow | |||||||||||||||||||
| Designed | 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | TII Armory | |||||||||||||||||||
| Produced | 2022–present | |||||||||||||||||||
| Variants | .500 Bushwhacker Magnum | |||||||||||||||||||
| Specifications | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent case | .375 Ruger | |||||||||||||||||||
| Case type | Semi-rimmed, straight | |||||||||||||||||||
| Bullet diameter | .500 in (12.7 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Neck diameter | .525 in (13.3 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Base diameter | .530 in (13.5 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rim diameter | .560 in (14.2 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rim thickness | .059 in (1.5 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Case length | 2.45 in (62 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Overall length | 2.95 in (75 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rifling twist | 1 in 15 in (380 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Primer type | Large rifle | |||||||||||||||||||
| Maximum pressure | 60,000 psi | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ballistic performance | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Test barrel length: 10 in to 14 in Sources: TII Armory (275 gr), (310 gr), (340 gr) (400 gr), (510 gr), | ||||||||||||||||||||
The .500 Bushwhacker is a .50 caliber semi-rimmed revolver cartridge developed by TII Armory for the Magnum Research BFR revolvers. It is currently the most powerful revolver cartridge in the world, offering a similar level of ballistic performance to African dangerous game rifles, such as the .404 Jeffery and .450/400 Nitro Express, yet from standard length handgun barrels. Given comparable barrel lengths, it is nearly twice as powerful as the .500 S&W Magnum. A 10-inch barrel revolver chambered for the cartridge is capable of penetrating 103 inches of 10% Clear Ballistics gel. A 24-inch barrel rifle chambered for the round can penetrate 127 inches of the same medium. A 14-inch .500 Bushwhacker revolver can exceed 3,000 ft/s (914.4 m/s) with select loads.