460 smith&wesson

[SidecarFlip]

Flip, it's good to hear you are doing well.
As to the 460, I might buy one eventually, but I'm not sure. I'm putting together/ rebuilding a 7rum right now, so it'll be a while before any other toys enter the basement. Just picked up a Vortex and some rings for it today. I'd like a bit better scope, but other bills are calling too.

Voretx isn't a bad scope, I have a couple Vipers from the early days. I lean toward Swarovski now. Theit bino's sold me on glass quality.

 

[Reloder28]

I currently own/hunt with:
45 Super in a 1911
45 LC Ruger 7.5" Hunter
454 Casull Model 83 Freedom Arms 7.5"
460 S&W Performance Center XVR 7.5"
480 Ruger Blackhawk 6.5"

Really like them all. Can't seem to get enough of the hand-cannons. I run 250 XTP's in the 45 LC at 1200 fps. Plenty fast for decisive terminal performance. Really love the 460. I don't load it hot, no need for that. A 250 at 1500 is plenty fast.

Of course, the 1911 45 Super carries very nicely. I run 200's @ 1285.

 

[SidecarFlip]

be using my 460 for Michigan deer in the fall. It had to go back to the mothership last year for some issues, but all is good now. Hard to beat S&W service. I don't load hot either. Mild charge of Lil Gun.

 

[Reloder28]

Same with me SideCar. Sent mine back immediately due to a lousy trigger sear engagement. Came back baby booty smooth. It's all good now.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Same with me SideCar. Sent mine back immediately due to a lousy trigger sear engagement. Came back baby booty smooth. It's all good now.

I had a couple issues actually, was shooting to the right consistently and was exhibiting a sporadic no ignition issue. Sent it back with the scope mounted (25 year old Burris LOE glass pistol scope) and they installed a new tube and basically gutted the frame and started over and they shot it quite a bit as well. reset the forcing cone to cylinder gap as well. Different gun that when it went. What amazed me was the trigger pull. The trigger is lighter than my dad's reworked 44RM. It's sweet now. I was surprised that didn't scrap it and do a reissue with my serial number but they didn't. Only beef I have is they screwed up the knurl a bit on the cylinder rod but I can live with that. I have it sighted in at 100 yards, what a fun gun to shoot, glad I bought it. So are my shooting companions, they like to shoot it too. Too bad it's insanely loud but I wear Walkers Game Ears so not too bad really. When I tell people it's zeroed at 100 yards, they look at me like I'm nuts because it's a wheelgun. I tell them it's a short barreled rifle.

Not for everyone but suits me just fine plus the straightwall case is legal here in Southern Michigan and Indiana for deer now.

 

[jbs2014]

Hey guys,

I'm looking in to getting a revolver for hunting. I have settled on 460s&w for the caliber, just not sure on which barrel length I should go with though. Is there much of a difference in velocity between the 10.5 and the 14'' barrel? For those that have hunted and taken game with one how was its performance on game? I plan one using it on hogs and deer mostly and if the opportunity come up maybe an aoudad or two

I have not had the opportunity to hunt with mine as of yet. But next trip up to Tuscon I'm taking it with me in case I see a coyote on the backroads I take. But I have not had a single issue with the weapon. Functions very well. The four die set hornady makes for it has no issues.

Mine seems to give the most accuracy with .454 cassul ammo I run through it. Dirties up the cylinders a bit more but it groups well

 

[sparkyv]

I just bought a X frame in 460 S&W 8 3/8 "" bbl. I have a 8" Colt Anaconda Both guns are "Bad to the Bone " I'd say the x frame ( With out looking at the specs) feels about 20% heavier. I've shot 20 rounds through it so far.New Star line brass LRMprimer 39grs of H110 300 gr Hornady XTP bullet. 1 st shot I asked my self "Just what was I thinking " BUT because I've been shooting a 44 magnum nearly 40 years.The 2nd shot felt less then the 1st and so on. I fired all 20 rnds in about 20 minutes and "Its all Good " If you like big bangers go for it . I just bought some 200 gr bullets. I'll let ya all know how those recoil . But for me there is NO turning back I love my X Frame !

I'm glad I am reading this thread. I'm new to the 44Mag, but am interested in the 460SW as my next step up in power. This honest feedback will be useful towards my decision. Thanks!

 

[J E Custom]

I'm glad I am reading this thread. I'm new to the 44Mag, but am interested in the 460SW as my next step up in power. This honest feedback will be useful towards my decision. Thanks!

I started with a 44 Mag and thought it was all I would ever need for hunting. I soon found out that it wasn't for everything and all situations.
So I up graded to the 454. It worked well for my uses and I was happy for many years until I shot my brother in-law's 460 S&W. I was amazed at how it shot and the fact that It recoiled less than My 454 or my 44 mag.

the 200 grain Hornady loads are nice in the big pistol, but don't let anyone tell you that the heavy loads (300 + grains) are not exciting.
The 325s are my go to bullets and at 1955 ft/sec will do a number on hogs and deer and any other game you want to try it on.

J E CUSTOM

 

[sparkyv]

If it's braked, it will have little recoil and little muzzle climb so scope wise you won't have an issue. I can shoot my 460XVR offhand. I equate the recoil to shooting a .38

I looked at both the 460 and the 500 S&W for more power than my 454.

No question that for sheer power the 500 has the most, "But" for overall performance, I chose the 460 for many reasons. I also chose the 8.5" barrel for portability and at a very small lose of velocity. The fact that it could also use 45 LC and 454 Casull ammo made it attractive but was not the deciding factor. My 460 comes with the S&W muzzle brake and believe it or not is easier on me than my 454 was.
J E CUSTOM

WOW! With my M629 I can tolerate pretty hot loads, so you guys are giving me a confident sense that I should be able to handle the recoil of the 460. So good to know.

 

[SidecarFlip]

WOW! With my M629 I can tolerate pretty hot loads, so you guys are giving me a confident sense that I should be able to handle the recoil of the 460. So good to know.

I don't 'feel' much recoil difference between the 200 grain Hornady factory loads and the 300 grain hand loads. On my long barrel XVR, the brake evens everything out pretty much.

 

[KyCarl]

I had one of those S&W 500's with a 10 inch barrel it came with swivels for a sling.
You need a bi or tri-pod to shoot it with any kind of accuracy at all. Ammo costs an arm and a leg. It kicks hard and is very loud! I traded it away! I have 7.62/308 pistols
that hold more and shoot faster that would work in a pinch..

 

[SidecarFlip]

I had one of those S&W 500's with a 10 inch barrel it came with swivels for a sling.
You need a bi or tri-pod to shoot it with any kind of accuracy at all. Ammo costs an arm and a leg. It kicks hard and is very loud! I traded it away! I have 7.62/308 pistols
that hold more and shoot faster that would work in a pinch..

I 'test fired a 500' that one of my hunting friends has. Not impressed. The 460 is much tamer. It is basically impossible to shoot offhand but I lay it on the ledge of the blind when shooting deer, not a big deal. On the bench I use the supplied with bi-pod or a pistol rest. My 78 years old buddy shoots it offhand, one handed and he is pretty good with it.

Rounds aren't that expensive when you hand load. I look at ammo cost as not relative anyway. My Barrett 50 isn't a cheap date either and neither is my 338 Lapua. All relative (ammo cost wise) to what you want to shoot.

Next handgun will be a Desert Eagle in 50 AE. I like big bore guns, long or short.

 

[memtb]

sparkyv, To attempt to add to your comfort with considering going to the 460 (X Frame, ported). It is "much more" comfortable to shoot than my 629, when the 629 is loaded "hot". My wife's comment on her first cylinder-full downrange with the 460...."That's not bad at all"! Recently, I had my 14 year old (inexperienced handgun shooter) shooting "max load" 400 grain hard cast. He was pretty comfortable, and shot pretty well!

With the firearms weight, and the porting......it's a "***** cat" for the shooter, but lethal on the receiving-end! However, muzzle blast is "lethal" to the shooter! memtb

 

[J E Custom]

The design and weight realy help the recoil in the big 460 S&W.

One of the worst recoiling revolvers I have owned/shot was the Ruger in both the 44 mag and the 454. the design of the grip, size and its location makes a huge difference. I don't recommend a short barrel big bore pistol for hunting because of muzzle rise and total recoil. I have not shot a long barreled 460 Like Sidecar flip has, but it should actually be better about muzzle rise and squeezing a few more ft/sec out of the round.

I built a bolt action rifle for the 460 S&W Round and was astounded by the increase in velocity. 2400 in the pistol and 2900+ in the rifle with the same 200 grain Hornady. the downside to the 200 grain load is that somewhere between 200 and 300 yards the accuracy falls off hence the heaver bullets for longer distance. The 250 grain FTX seems to be a good compromise in the pistol.

Like many, the recoil is more manageable in the x Frame smith. The worst recoiling pistol that I own is a Thompson Center Contender in 444 Marlin. The 265 grain loads at speed develop 64.2 ft/lbs of recoil and over 3 times the recoil of the 460,s 1800 to 1900 ft/lbs of recoil.

So I find the 460 S&W very manageable and fun to shoot

J E CUSTOM