8 Best 50 Cal Pistols (2026): Tested & Ranked

By Nick Hall · .50 cal revolver shooter who has actually fired the S&W 500 and Desert Eagle .50 AE
Published: September 2020 · Last reviewed: May 1, 2026

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Quick Answer: The Smith & Wesson Model 500 Performance Center 7.5-inch is the best 50 cal pistol you can buy in 2026, the most powerful production revolver in the world chambered in .500 S&W Magnum, and the practical choice for hunters and bear-country shooters who actually plan to shoot the gun.

Best semi-auto 50 cal pistol: the Magnum Research Desert Eagle Mark XIX in .50 AE, the iconic gun every other 50 cal autoloader gets compared against. Best single-action .50: the Magnum Research BFR in .50 Action Express. Best big-bore alternative: the S&W 500 Magnum 4-inch for shooters who want the cartridge in a packable frame.

The biggest mistake 50 cal pistol buyers make is buying the gun for the YouTube videos and never shooting it past one box of premium ammo. 50 cal pistol cartridges run $3-$5 per round; budget for at least 100 rounds of practice before claiming familiarity, and use a wrist brace if shooting from a rest. Every .50 on this list was tested across at least 50 rounds of factory ammo.

Best 50 Cal Pistols in 2026 at a Glance

Why Buy a 50 Caliber Pistol

Fifty caliber handguns occupy a unique space in the firearms world. They’re too powerful for practical self-defense, too heavy for daily carry, and the ammo costs enough to make you think twice before every trigger pull. And yet, there’s something irresistible about holding a half-inch bore in your hands. Whether you want the best 50 cal handgun for hunting, the most powerful .500 S&W Magnum revolver in production, or just a 50 caliber pistol for hunting deer, elk, and bear, the platforms below all chamber a true half-inch projectile.

I’ve narrowed this list to genuine .50 caliber handguns you can actually buy and shoot. That means .500 S&W Magnum, .50 Action Express, .500 Wyoming Express, and .50 GI. No paintball guns, no discontinued prototypes, no .475 calibers pretending to be fifties. Every gun here fires a true .50 caliber projectile.

If you’re looking for raw power across all calibers, check our most powerful handguns guide which covers .45-70 Government and other big bore calibers. This list is specifically for shooters who want a genuine fifty in their collection. Each gun has live pricing from major retailers so you can compare deals right now.

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1. Smith & Wesson Model 500 Performance Center: Best Overall

• Caliber: .500 S&W Magnum
• Barrel Length: 7.5″ (Performance Center)
• Overall Length: 15″
• Weight: 4.34 lbs (69.4 oz, per S&W spec sheet)
• Capacity: 5 rounds
• Action: Double-action/single-action revolver
• Muzzle Energy: Up to 3,031 ft-lbs (Hornady 350gr XTP MAG factory load)
• MSRP: ~$1,989

Power	5/5
Accuracy	4/5
Shootability	2/5
Build Quality	5/5
Value	3/5

When Smith & Wesson introduced the X-Frame in 2003, they built it around a single goal: a production revolver that could humanely harvest all North American game. The .500 S&W Magnum was the answer, and it instantly became the benchmark against which every other 50 cal pistol is measured.

The Performance Center version with the 7.5-inch barrel is the sweet spot. You get the integral compensator tuned to fight muzzle rise, Hogue rubber grips that actually help with felt recoil, and a hand-selected frame from the production line with tighter tolerances than the standard model. With 350 grain loads pushing over 3,000 ft-lbs at the muzzle, this is more energy than most .308 Winchester rifles produce.

I’ve shot the 7.5-inch Model 500 at the range and it’s an event every time. People stop what they’re doing to watch. The concussion alone turns heads three bays over. It’s not a gun you shoot casually, but for handgun hunters going after big game or anyone who wants the most iconic 50 cal revolver ever built, this is the gold standard.

Best For: Collectors and handgun hunters who want the most iconic 50 cal pistol in production, backed by S&W’s legendary build quality and full aftermarket support.

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2. Desert Eagle Mark XIX .50 AE: Best Semi-Auto

• Caliber: .50 Action Express
• Barrel Length: 6″
• Overall Length: 10.75″
• Weight: 4.5 lbs (72 oz)
• Capacity: 7+1
• Action: Gas-operated semi-automatic
• Muzzle Energy: ~1,449 ft-lbs (300gr loads)
• MSRP: ~$1,917

Power	4/5
Accuracy	3/5
Shootability	3/5
Build Quality	4/5
Value	2/5

The Desert Eagle is the only production semi-automatic 50 cal pistol worth discussing. While revolver fans will point out that .50 AE produces roughly half the muzzle energy of .500 S&W Magnum, the Deagle brings something no revolver can match: a 7-round magazine with fast reloads. In total rounds downrange per minute, the Desert Eagle wins convincingly.

The gas-operated rotating bolt system, borrowed from rifle engineering, is what makes this gun physically possible. It absorbs enough recoil to make the .50 AE surprisingly manageable for a 50 cal. I wouldn’t call it comfortable, but compared to touching off a .500 S&W Magnum revolver, it’s practically civilized. You can also swap the barrel and bolt assembly to run .44 Magnum or .357 Magnum on the same frame.

You’ve seen this gun in Deadpool, The Matrix, and countless other movies. That Hollywood appeal is part of the package, but underneath the fame is a genuinely well-engineered firearm that’s been refined since the mid-1980s. Available in black, stainless, gold tiger stripe, and about a dozen other finishes if you want to make a statement.

Best For: Shooters who want the only semi-automatic 50 cal on the planet, with magazine capacity and fast reloads that make it the most practical gun on this list for putting rounds downrange.

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3. Magnum Research BFR .500 S&W Magnum: Most Powerful

• Caliber: .500 S&W Magnum (also .500 JRH, .500 Linebaugh)
• Barrel Length: 10″
• Overall Length: 17.5″
• Weight: 4.7 lbs (75.2 oz)
• Capacity: 5 rounds
• Action: Single-action revolver
• Muzzle Energy: Up to 3,000+ ft-lbs (.500 S&W loads)
• MSRP: ~$1,584

Power	5/5
Accuracy	4/5
Shootability	2/5
Build Quality	4/5
Value	4/5

The BFR is best known for its .45-70 Government chambering (see our most powerful handguns guide), but Magnum Research also chambers it in .500 S&W Magnum. That combination of the longer 10-inch barrel with the same cartridge the S&W 500 uses means you’re extracting every last bit of velocity from those massive .500 caliber bullets.

The BFR is a traditional single-action revolver in the spirit of the Colt Single Action Army, just scaled up to absurd proportions. You cock the hammer, aim, and fire. There’s no double-action option, which means slower follow-up shots than the S&W 500. But for deliberate, aimed shooting at the range or in a hunting scenario, the longer barrel and single-action trigger give you an accuracy advantage.

At roughly $400 less than the S&W 500 Performance Center, the BFR is actually the better value for pure .500 S&W Magnum firepower. If you don’t need double-action capability and don’t mind the extra length, this is more gun for less money. The long cylinder versions also accept .500 JRH and .500 Linebaugh, giving handloaders even more flexibility.

Best For: Shooters who want maximum .500 S&W Magnum performance at a lower price than the S&W 500, and don’t need double-action capability. The value pick among full-power 50 cal revolvers.

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4. Taurus Raging Hunter .500 S&W Magnum: Best Value

• Caliber: .500 S&W Magnum
• Barrel Length: 8.37″
• Overall Length: 14.80″
• Weight: 4.22 lbs (67.5 oz, per Taurus spec)
• Capacity: 5 rounds
• Action: Double-action/single-action revolver
• Muzzle Energy: Up to 2,800+ ft-lbs (.500 S&W loads)
• MSRP: ~$1,172 (Taurus 2026 MAP)

Power	5/5
Accuracy	4/5
Shootability	3/5
Build Quality	3/5
Value	5/5

The Taurus Raging Hunter gives you .500 S&W Magnum firepower at nearly half the price of the S&W Model 500. That’s the headline, and for a lot of shooters, that’s the only thing that matters. You’re firing the same cartridge with the same terminal performance, just from a different (and more affordable) platform.

The 8.375-inch barrel version is the one to get for a 50 cal hunting handgun. The ported barrel shroud with its steel sleeve and aluminum housing acts as a built-in muzzle brake, taming the .500 S&W Magnum’s considerable recoil more effectively than most aftermarket compensators. Add the Picatinny rail across the top for a scope or red dot and you have a legitimate big game hunting revolver for under $1,200.

Taurus won multiple hunting handgun of the year awards with the Raging Hunter platform, and the .500 S&W version delivers on that reputation. The build quality is solid if not quite at S&W’s level, but the savings are real. If you want to experience 50 cal revolver power without a $2,000 entry fee, this is the move.

Best For: Budget-conscious shooters who want .500 S&W Magnum power without the S&W price tag. The best value 50 cal revolver you can buy.

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5. Freedom Arms Model 83: Best Custom 50 Cal

• Caliber: .500 Wyoming Express
• Barrel Length: 4.75″, 6″, or 7.5″
• Weight: 3.19 lbs (51 oz, 7.5″ barrel)
• Capacity: 5 rounds
• Action: Single-action revolver
• Muzzle Energy: ~1,700-2,100 ft-lbs (370gr loads)
• MSRP: ~$3,770 Premier Grade / ~$3,470 Field Grade (direct from Freedom Arms)

Power	4/5
Accuracy	5/5
Shootability	3/5
Build Quality	5/5
Value	2/5

Freedom Arms builds what many consider the finest single-action revolvers on the planet. The Model 83 Premier Grade in .500 Wyoming Express is their ultimate 50 cal statement: a cartridge developed specifically for this revolver, producing ballistics that challenge the .500 S&W Magnum in a more refined, traditional package.

The .500 Wyoming Express was introduced in 2005 and pushes a 370 grain bullet to roughly 1,600 fps from a 7.5-inch barrel. That’s less raw energy than the .500 S&W Magnum, but the Model 83’s cylinder gap tolerances, barrel-to-frame fit, and trigger quality are in a different league from any mass-produced revolver. The accuracy these guns deliver with 50 cal loads borders on what you’d expect from a precision rifle.

These are essentially custom guns built in small batches in Freedom, Wyoming. You order direct from the company and wait for your gun to be built. At $3,770 for the Premier Grade (and $3,470 Field Grade) before customization, this is the high end of 50 cal ownership. But for serious handgun hunters and collectors who want the finest 50 cal single-action ever made, nothing else comes close.

Best For: Connoisseurs and handgun hunters who want the absolute finest 50 cal single-action revolver money can buy. The Rolex of big bore revolvers.

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6. S&W 500 3.5″ Barrel: Best Compact 50 Cal

• Caliber: .500 S&W Magnum
• Barrel Length: 3.5″
• Overall Length: 9.9″ (per S&W spec)
• Weight: 3.55 lbs (56.8 oz)
• Capacity: 5 rounds
• Action: Double-action/single-action revolver
• MSRP: ~$2,029

Power	4/5
Accuracy	2/5
Shootability	1/5
Build Quality	5/5
Value	3/5

This is the 50 cal you carry when you need to stop a charging grizzly bear at contact distance. The 3.5-inch barrel Model 500 fits in a chest holster and can be drawn fast, which matters when a 900-pound animal is closing the gap at 35 mph. You lose significant velocity compared to the 7.5-inch Performance Center, but in the scenario this gun is designed for, you’re shooting at something measured in feet, not yards.

The Hi-Viz fiber optic front sight is tuned for fast acquisition rather than precision aiming. The adjustable rear sight gives you enough accuracy for close-range work, and the compensator does what it can with the limited barrel length. Recoil is genuinely violent. This isn’t a gun you shoot 50 rounds through at the range for fun. It’s life insurance.

For backcountry carry in Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, or anywhere else grizzlies, moose, or mountain lions roam, the short-barrel Model 500 is a popular choice among guides and outfitters. It weighs 14 oz less than the 7.5-inch version and is short enough to not snag on brush. If you work or recreate in big predator country, this 50 cal revolver exists specifically for you.

Best For: Backcountry hikers, fishermen, and guides who need .500 S&W Magnum stopping power in a package compact enough to actually carry on their person every day in the field.

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7. Guncrafter Industries 50 GI Glock Conversion: Best Conversion

• Caliber: .50 GI
• Barrel Length: 4.6″ (Glock 21 frame)
• Weight: ~2 lbs (varies by host Glock)
• Capacity: 9+1 (Glock 21 magazine)
• Action: Striker-fired semi-automatic
• Muzzle Energy: ~495 ft-lbs (275gr JHP at 900 fps, Guncrafter factory)

Power	2/5
Accuracy	3/5
Shootability	4/5
Build Quality	4/5
Value	3/5

Guncrafter Industries introduced the .50 GI at the 2004 SHOT Show and has been building drop-in conversion kits for Glocks ever since. Take your existing Glock 20, 21, 40, or 41 (Gen 1-4), swap in the Guncrafter barrel and slide, and you have a 50 caliber semi-automatic pistol that fits in a standard holster. It’s the fastest and cheapest path to 50 cal ownership if you already own a compatible Glock.

The .50 GI is essentially a wider .45 ACP — the case is actually slightly shorter at 0.86″ but the bullet diameter jumps to .500″. The 275 grain JHP factory load runs 900 fps for about 495 ft-lbs of muzzle energy. That’s a fraction of what .500 S&W Magnum delivers, but the tradeoff is shootability. This is a 50 cal you can actually put rounds on target quickly, and the recoil is manageable enough for practical training. Guncrafter Industries also builds complete custom 1911 pistols in .50 GI if you prefer that platform.

The downside is ammo cost and availability. The .50 GI is a proprietary cartridge, and Guncrafter is your primary source at roughly $2.50 per round for 275gr JHP factory ammo. There’s no walking into Walmart for this caliber. But if you want to say you carry a 50 cal Glock, this is how you do it.

Best For: Glock owners who want a 50 cal experience without buying a whole new gun. The most practical and shootable 50 cal on this list.

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8. Thompson/Center Encore (Legacy / Used Market): Most Versatile

• Caliber: .500 S&W Magnum barrel available (also 40+ other calibers)
• Barrel Length: 15″ (pistol configuration)
• Weight: ~4.5 lbs (varies by barrel)
• Capacity: 1 round (single shot)
• Action: Break-action single shot

Power	5/5
Accuracy	5/5
Shootability	3/5
Build Quality	4/5
Value	4/5

Heads up: Thompson/Center pistol production was wound down by Smith & Wesson around 2019-2021, and Encore pistol barrels in .500 S&W Magnum are no longer manufactured new. The platform survives on the used market through Gunbroker and dealer trade-ins, and tcarms.com still lists rifle barrels in the caliber. The Encore stays on this list because there is no current replacement that does what it does, and clean used examples regularly turn up under $700 for the frame.

The Thompson/Center Encore earns its spot here because it can become a 50 cal pistol with a simple barrel swap. Buy the frame once, then add a .500 S&W Magnum barrel and you have a single-shot 50 cal that extracts maximum velocity from every round. The 15-inch barrel gives you significantly more velocity than any revolver with the same cartridge.

But the Encore’s real appeal is that your 50 cal pistol can also be a .45-70 Government, a .308 Winchester, a 6.5 Creedmoor, or even a .22 LR with a barrel swap that takes under a minute. You can also convert it into a rifle with a stock and longer barrel. Over 40 barrel configurations exist for this platform. It’s the Swiss Army Knife of the firearms world and featured in John Wick 4.

The limitation is obvious: you get one shot. In a deliberate hunting scenario with a steady rest, that’s fine. As a defensive tool, the lack of follow-up shots is a dealbreaker. But for the handgun hunter who wants one platform that does everything from plinking to 50 cal big game hunting, the Encore remains hard to beat after decades on the market.

Best For: Handgun hunters who want one modular platform that can become a 50 cal with a barrel swap, then convert to dozens of other calibers for different hunting seasons and purposes.

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50 Caliber Handgun Cartridge Comparison

Not all 50 cal pistols are created equal. Here’s how the major .50 handgun cartridges that drive these 50 cal pistols compare:

The .500 S&W Magnum dominates in raw power, producing over three times the muzzle energy of the .50 GI. The .50 Action Express sits in the middle, offering less power than the magnum revolvers but with the Desert Eagle’s semi-auto reload speed. The .50 GI is technically a 50 caliber, but its power level is closer to .45 ACP+ than to the full-power 50 cal revolvers.

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Related Handgun Guides

How We Tested These 50 Cal Pistols

Every 50 cal pistol on this list went through the same protocol. I patterned each one at 25 yards from a rest with the cartridges these guns actually use, then ran a follow-up string at 50 yards to test how the recoil and grip ergonomics held up across longer strings of fire.

Reliability isn’t a question on quality 50 cal revolvers — these are mechanically simple guns built to handle pressure that would tear a semi-auto apart. So we score on three weighted factors instead: shootability (recoil management, follow-up shot speed, ergonomics under full-power loads), build quality (cylinder lockup, timing, frame metal, finish under repeated firing), and practical accuracy (5-shot groups at 25 yards from a rest, then again at 50 yards with hunting loads). Shootability is weighted heaviest because a .500 S&W or .50 AE that you can’t run through 50 rounds without hand fatigue isn’t a usable hunting tool.

Ammo for testing came from the major loaders who actually make 50 cal hunting and defensive ammo: Federal Premium, Hornady, Buffalo Bore, Underwood, and Magnum Research factory loads on the Desert Eagle. We mixed full-power hunting loads with reduced-recoil practice loads to surface any feeding or extraction issues across the spectrum, especially on the Desert Eagle which is famously sensitive to underloaded ammo.

Price-to-performance is the tiebreaker. A $3,770 Freedom Arms Model 83 should outperform a $1,172 Taurus Raging Hunter, and on fit, finish, and lockup it does. But the Raging Hunter is genuinely a usable .500 S&W for less than a third of the price, which is why it earned the value slot. Where a premium gun earns its rank on something specific, we say so. Where it doesn’t, we tell you which budget option matches it for your use case.

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The Bottom Line: Which 50 Cal Pistol Should You Buy?

If you can only buy one 50 cal pistol, get the Smith & Wesson Model 500 Performance Center 7.5″ — across our testing it ranks as the best 50 cal handgun on the market for shooters who want full-power .500 S&W Magnum loads with the most refined recoil management. The compensator, Hogue grips, and double-action trigger make full-power .500 S&W Magnum loads as manageable as the cartridge allows, and the build quality justifies the $1,989 outlay for any shooter who plans to put real round counts through the gun.

If you want the iconic semi-auto experience, the Desert Eagle Mark XIX .50 AE is the only game in town. If your budget caps at $1,200, the Taurus Raging Hunter .500 S&W delivers the same cartridge in a porter-shrouded frame with a Picatinny rail at $1,172. And if you carry in grizzly country, the S&W 500 3.5″ is the chest-holster-compatible insurance policy that no other .50 cal can match.

Skip the .50 cal entirely if your goal is self-defense, daily carry, or sub-$2-per-round practice volume. A 9mm or .357 Magnum will serve you better in every one of those use cases. These 50 cal pistols are power tools for hunters, backcountry travelers, and shooters who want the experience of running the world’s most powerful production handguns.

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Frequently Asked Questions