1). The best binoculars. I use them more than anything else, often hours on end. No headache at the end of the day and the color and clarity lets you find those critters in the bush.
2). High quality Thermal Optics. Wow! To finally learn what you have been missing at night. Watching...
Save a little longer and increase your budget to $1k, then go to e-flea-bay and buy yourself an excellent used pair of Leica Ultravids. There is a noticeable difference between the lower level Trinovids so don't stop there and get the Ultravids.
It sounds like your budget would't accomodate...
VLD are different than VLD-H (Hunting).
I agree. I was a fan of Berger VLD-H's but since I haven't found them (.264 140 gr) in a year, anywhere, I recently switched to ELDx.
.350 Legend. Similar to the .357 Maximum,
6.5 CM does nothing that it's predecessors haven't done a little better. If the shooter wants a slower 6.5-284, or 6.5 Rem Mag, or 264 Win just load it with the appropriate powder.
I get irked every year when a "new" cartridge is marketed, only to...
I do enjoy big bore handgun conversations.
The .500 S&W is complete overkill. The X frame is huge!
There are many alternatives that will get the job done just as easily and not be in such a large, heavy package.
If you only want it for last chance self defense, I suggest a Ruger Super Redhawk...