Stepping up the horsepower?

Status
Not open for further replies.
H

horsey300

Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2016
Messages
3,349
Location
Wyobraska
Ok, so from recent threads and continual learning, I've got more questions for hunting class guns. I've got the lower bases covered with 10mm (1911), .327, .357, and .41 magnum. Obviously there's no such thing as too many guns, so let's skip that. Watching @MaxP on Big Iron sure doesn't help! I just saw the bovine bash today and LOVED it!!!! Now I'm looking to step it up a lil, no interest in .44 mag or .45lc. Right now I'm torn between the .460 and the .480, one concern I have, if I go with the smith, is the smith platform itself (which is double sided as I like the idea of all the features bipod and scope etc). I've always gone ruger for brutal strength. Another plus I see for the .460 is the recoil level. For serious duty I'd plan on either Lehigh or aframes, but I'm thinking for deer that hornady and deepcurl would be sufficient.
Now my thoughts on the .480..... 1.RUGER!!!!!
2. Recoil doesn't HAVE to be heavier than the .460.
3. Barnes are available
4. Larger diameter coming into play and SLIGHTLY heavier weights with the bullets I'd consider for serious work.
5. The sectional density from one 325 to another favors the .460 but is that a big deal?
6. The .460 325 swift claims 1955 with lil gun, the .480 claims roughly 400 fps less, does this matter much in the practical world? (Excluding the obvious implied recoil and range extensions, I plan every handgun shot to be 100 yds less as at this point for me it's more for the experience and less for the "dropped an elk at 200 yds with this revolver" story).
General queries include:
Is the .480 crippled with a 300 Lehigh or 275 barnes?
In what scenarios would the .480's extreme end weights come into play?
In what scenarios would the .460 be "not enough gun"?
Obviously I love my rugers, never looked hard at Smith past carry weapons, should I be giving smith more credit?
Do the smith features actually outweigh the ruger? Both can utilize scopes, both can be braked I suppose, so is a bipod mounted revolver in and of itself more useful than novel? (Realistically, I'm good either carry a stick of some sort or shooting sitting rested on my knees).
I'm truly split between the two, so honest input for or against either is greatly appreciated!
 
The me the size of the 460 and 500 is a put off, they're really big guns. If I were serious about going big bore, just go all the way and get a 500 S&W and if you like single actions, get a BFR...it's a like a Ruger on steriods. The 480 is a great choice but you're going to be more limited on bullet options, the big heavy loads will shine more on bigger game but it really depends on what you hunt, however on the positive side you do get a normal sized gun with a 480. Everyone is different, to me I don't see the point of the .460, I'd rather have a 454 Casull. Between the 454 and the 480, there's almost nothing you can't kill with proper bullet selection and placement. There is also the 500 JRH, basically a shorter (454/475 length) .500 S&W, it'll get you a big bullet in a more normal sized gun, Magnum Research offers their BFR in 500 JRH, so I'd look heavily into the 454/475/500JRH BFR's.
 
It depends on whether you want a single action or a double action.

Personally, I do not care for the feel of a single action particularly with heavier recoiling guns. Notice, I said "personally".

I have an S&W 460 XVR and it satisfies all my desires for a monster hand gun. I'm sure the difference between the cartridges would be minimal or non-existent at best.
 
I bought a SW 460 (a had to have gun) They thing was BRUTAL, so unless you have some big game hunting in mind, it wasn't fun to shoot. I bought it over the 500 as it could shoot other calibers but I have a 45 Colt so why bother? It is honking big ass gun!
 
I don't like the x frame, mainly because of the size. I too admire ruger for it's rugged durability and all business appearance . when I "needed" a big brutal revolver I settled on 454 casull, it truly is about the limit for most normal humans as far as recoil goes. Moderate loads can kill just about anything, you get 6 shots and if you step up the velocity it can help with trajectory. I typically load 300 grain ftp mags at 1400 fps cause they're cheap (relatively) and common in my area. There are better bullets but you pay for them. Also load 360 grain gas checked Oregon trail over h110 for some hard kicking loads. The lower end gives you 45 colt performance which is still all most would ever need.
I've been toying with the idea of getting a 500 jrh thanks to the influence of @MaxP , and I will get one sooner or later. I also think the 480 ruger is great for general use, the components are not as common and selection is not as good so it's a reloaders caliber for sure. I skip right over the 44 mag, not that it's a bad choice but 357 mag brings me to the bottom end of 45 colt power and the 44 mag I had was an inbetweener that didn't fit any role.
460 mag is wicked. No doubt it's all you would need but the guns are bigger and I have reservations regarding their lockwork - I won't get into that.
Luckily we have @MaxP , he's forgotten more about this than I'll ever know. I'm sure he'll be along soon, never seen him skip a big bore revolver post - I doubt he can help himself. A lot of other true experts here too, I'm just a guy with a case of magnumitis and experience of just 13 years in the world of big revolvers.
Good luck.
 
I spent some time with an 8 3/8-inch XVR a number of years ago. I tested it and hunted with it. IMO, the BFR in .460 with a 7 1/2-inch barrel balances WAY better and can be easily shot offhand (and it will push the same loads considerably faster...). That said, the .460 and the .480 are two entirely different animals. Both are fully capable o taking really big game when loaded properly (that is always the caveat). I have owned a .480 in one iteration or another since 2001 and to this day the biggest animal I have killed was with a .480 Ruger (loaded with a 330 grain LeHigh solid). It is fully capable and I am confident in its capability - terminally speaking. The .480 is limited by its case capacity. It will never be a barn burner with heavy bullets, but has some speed potential with some of the lighter weight offerings. That said, even when loaded heavily, it doesn't abuse the shooter too much -- it does mete out abuse (it's disingenuous to claim it doesn't), but I have found it tolerable for even the more sensitive.

The .460 is a beast. I didn't cotton to it when it came out but slowly warmed to it over the years, particularly when good bullets became available to withstand the stellar impact velocities it is capable of and also I was never a big fan of the X-frame. Too clunky for me. I believe the .460 is on another plain as far as terminal performance is concerned. It can push meaningfully heavy bullets at velocities that actually do make a difference. If there ever truly was a do-everything cartridge that isn't a compromise, the .460 is it. It will knock the proverbial snot out of even the largest animals and it is a whitetail killing machine with few equals.

So, it all depends on what you are looking for. By necessity, the .460 will be housed in a super-sized package and they are extremely loud. The .480 is gentler, easier to pack and it will get the job done in no uncertain terms. Also if there ever was a cartridge that is seemingly made for heavy cast loads, the .480 is the one. You won't be producing the velocity to necessarily overtax cast bullets. I know I am oversimplifying here a bit, but just want to open a dialogue here.
 
I personally belong to the "big and slow" camp. My experience has been that a hole all the way through is the most reliable, and the bigger the hole, the better. So I really like the idea of the .480 Ruger. I realize, of course, that the "fast and light" folks take their fair share of game and I am not knocking them or the .460, but if I was starting from scratch as a handgun hunter, I think it would be with a .480.
 
.38 Special said:
I personally belong to the "big and slow" camp. My experience has been that a hole all the way through is the most reliable, and the bigger the hole, the better. So I really like the idea of the .480 Ruger. I realize, of course, that the "fast and light" folks take their fair share of game and I am not knocking them or the .460, but if I was starting from scratch as a handgun hunter, I think it would be with a .480.
Click to expand...

I wasn't talking light and fast, but heavy and fast and it's a lethal combination.
 
"...to this day the biggest animal I have killed was with a .480 Ruger (loaded with a 330 grain LeHigh solid)."

Max,

You left out what that critter was. I'm just curious? (smile)

Dave
 
It was during last year’s Bovine Bash (episode 3 of Big Iron) and it was gayal (this is the “domestic” version of a gaur) hybrid that tortured the scales at 2,600-lbs. My previous record with the .480 was a water buffalo I killed in Argentina that weighed in at about 1,500-lbs.
 
MaxP said:
I spent some time with an 8 3/8-inch XVR a number of years ago. I tested it and hunted with it. IMO, the BFR in .460 with a 7 1/2-inch barrel balances WAY better and can be easily shot offhand (and it will push the same loads considerably faster...). That said, the .460 and the .480 are two entirely different animals. Both are fully capable o taking really big game when loaded properly (that is always the caveat). I have owned a .480 in one iteration or another since 2001 and to this day the biggest animal I have killed was with a .480 Ruger (loaded with a 330 grain LeHigh solid). It is fully capable and I am confident in its capability - terminally speaking. The .480 is limited by its case capacity. It will never be a barn burner with heavy bullets, but has some speed potential with some of the lighter weight offerings. That said, even when loaded heavily, it doesn't abuse the shooter too much -- it does mete out abuse (it's disingenuous to claim it doesn't), but I have found it tolerable for even the more sensitive.

The .460 is a beast. I didn't cotton to it when it came out but slowly warmed to it over the years, particularly when good bullets became available to withstand the stellar impact velocities it is capable of and also I was never a big fan of the X-frame. Too clunky for me. I believe the .460 is on another plain as far as terminal performance is concerned. It can push meaningfully heavy bullets at velocities that actually do make a difference. If there ever truly was a do-everything cartridge that isn't a compromise, the .460 is it. It will knock the proverbial snot out of even the largest animals and it is a whitetail killing machine with few equals.

So, it all depends on what you are looking for. By necessity, the .460 will be housed in a super-sized package and they are extremely loud. The .480 is gentler, easier to pack and it will get the job done in no uncertain terms. Also if there ever was a cartridge that is seemingly made for heavy cast loads, the .480 is the one. You won't be producing the velocity to necessarily overtax cast bullets. I know I am oversimplifying here a bit, but just want to open a dialogue here.
Click to expand...
If we run the .460 the barrel will be 7.5 so we're either looking at the almost 5 lb performance center or a bfr. Not THRILLED with the idea of a 5 lb handgun, BUT the implications for recoil from a 5 lb handgun make it into something the missus would appreciate slightly more lol. 325 gr of a frame at 1900 has a very strong allure, as does every other load I can envision. Wearing ear pro is normal even when hunting here, so blast isn't a huge issue. That being said, the .480 still calls to me as well, and while I know that just about everything on the earth has been taken by some flavor of .45, the .480 too seems like a tamed brute that either of us could handle well. The cast loads don't hold much allure, we practice with what we hunt with, and I plan on hunting (anything larger than Bambi) with bonded, partition, or copper loads. I feel either would be suited well to any environment I can foresee, but the .480 (due to platform) seems more portable. The .480 seems much more user friendly, between the two, which would be less daunting to someone who claims to be recoil shy (I say claims as she pops full tilt 158s outta my 4.2 sp101 like a .22 but says my .41 is "scary" lol)? I'm thinking eventually we'd have at least 1 of each, but for the time being, this would be a shared weapon. Also, if each were using similarly built projectiles, does the weight advantage or velocity advantage take the lead in terminal performance? (Talking Lehigh here) the merits of both seem quite difficult, and the pros and cons to me seem fairly balanced so looking for anything that makes me say "duh go with this one!" has been rough! We're both adamant about practice and marksmanship so realistically, I suppose, which is most enjoyable to master? The more portable .480, or the pseudo-rifle .460? As I said, eventually both will likely be in the stable, and as you've pointed out, I've found no performance compromise from the cartridge numbers, so maybe this is more of a platform issue, and I'm still stuck lol. In bfr for each it's still a tossup, bfr vs srh isn't much better. For myself, I lean heavily towards a single action, but don't hate double/single. She's at home with literally anything she's picked up so far, loved the cattleman, the 1911, and even enjoys the sp101. She likes the aesthetics of both the vxr pc and the bfr (though slightly favoring the smith). I feel that the range of the .460 could absolutely be put to use here, but if it's "scarier" than the .480, she'll never touch it and half the fun will be lost.
 
I already owned, cast bullets and reloaded a 45 Colt, so the .460 was the easy option for me. Realistically there's not much the 480 can do that the 460 can't, other than the weight difference of about 1 lbs… The 460 is a much more versatile gun with the option for the other cartridges it can shoot and wide variety of bullet weights. You seem to think the Ruger would be the stronger gun, but I haven't ever heard of anyone having problems with the durability of the X Frame.

Personally I found the Hornday 200 grain rounds fairly easy to shoot, loading up 350 grain lead bullets at 1,500 FPS were much heavier kicking IMO. Can she hold a 4.5 lbs gun steady enough to shoot accurately? Most men complain that the XVR is really "nose heavy" i.e. the gun weighs too much for them...
 
I know that bullets like the copper/bronze solids and the Swift A-frame have somewhat changed how we look at things compared to cast bullets and older jacketed bullets but I cannot compartmentalize the cartridge and the platform. I always 'need' to find a balance between size, weight and performance. For me, the .460 offers nothing but a lot of what I don't need in a package that is heavier than is necessary. The added velocity may result in a harder hit on game but it doesn't allow us to take anything bigger than what we can with standard length (~1.2" to 1.4") cartridges from the .44Mag through the .500Linebaugh. It extends effective range but at the cost of a substantially heavier sixgun with a lot more muzzle blast. So my preference is to utterly disregard the .460 and .500S&W cartridges, out of a handgun anyway. Seems like the race was to develop bigger and badder cartridges when all we really needed were better bullets.

IMHO, the .480 deserves to be way more popular than the S&W cartridges. It fits into .44Mag sized guns and delivers a lot of performance with only a little more recoil. For a hunting gun, I'm a big believer in the Super Redhawk.

There have been reports of range rental X-frames shooting loose like the N-frames often do but most people don't shoot them enough with heavy loads to find out.
 
MaxP said:
I wasn't talking light and fast, but heavy and fast and it's a lethal combination.
Click to expand...

Sorry, Max. I was in a hurry when I posted that and hadn't read your piece. Mine wasn't meant as a response to you but rather a general comment.
 
reddog81 said:
I already owned, cast bullets and reloaded a 45 Colt, so the .460 was the easy option for me. Realistically there's not much the 480 can do that the 460 can't, other than the weight difference of about 1 lbs… The 460 is a much more versatile gun with the option for the other cartridges it can shoot and wide variety of bullet weights. You seem to think the Ruger would be the stronger gun, but I haven't ever heard of anyone having problems with the durability of the X Frame.

Personally I found the Hornday 200 grain rounds fairly easy to shoot, loading up 350 grain lead bullets at 1,500 FPS were much heavier kicking IMO. Can she hold a 4.5 lbs gun steady enough to shoot accurately? Most men complain that the XVR is really "nose heavy" i.e. the gun weighs too much for them...
Click to expand...

The X-frame has the same inherent weaknesses as the N-frame. They have been known to stretch. But the .460 is definitely as versatile as they come.
 
Last edited:
CraigC said:
I know that bullets like the copper/bronze solids and the Swift A-frame have somewhat changed how we look at things compared to cast bullets and older jacketed bullets but I cannot compartmentalize the cartridge and the platform. I always 'need' to find a balance between size, weight and performance. For me, the .460 offers nothing but a lot of what I don't need in a package that is heavier than is necessary. The added velocity may result in a harder hit on game but it doesn't allow us to take anything bigger than what we can with standard length (~1.2" to 1.4") cartridges from the .44Mag through the .500Linebaugh. It extends effective range but at the cost of a substantially heavier sixgun with a lot more muzzle blast. So my preference is to utterly disregard the .460 and .500S&W cartridges, out of a handgun anyway. Seems like the race was to develop bigger and badder cartridges when all we really needed were better bullets.

IMHO, the .480 deserves to be way more popular than the S&W cartridges. It fits into .44Mag sized guns and delivers a lot of performance with only a little more recoil. For a hunting gun, I'm a big believer in the Super Redhawk.

There have been reports of range rental X-frames shooting loose like the N-frames often do but most people don't shoot them enough with heavy loads to find out.
Click to expand...


But, they do kill faster, further, better than the "lesser" cartridges. Yes there is a price to pay in the platform, but you wouldn't want to shoot either big Smith cartridge in a 3-lb revolver! They massively create more damage and that's undisputable as long as the right bullets are used. I am able to carry and shoot them from a variety of positions including offhand and realize some can't, but again that is one of the prices to pay. But don't for a moment think they aren't at the top of the food chain.
 
I love my 460 XVR PC as it can be whatever you want it to be . more of a push for recoil with a high hold on the grip like I do.ive shot 357s with full power loads that came up more on the shot.never has it ever hurt my hands shooting it,ring your ears yes ,but a big heavy,accurate,powerful puddy cat far as I,m conserned.galco shoulder holster an take it hunting .
 
I'll say that I have no horse in this race. I have a Super Redhawk in 44 magnum and with the loads I make for it, it is plenty recoil for me. I've shot a 500 S&W...3 times and that was all it took for me never to want to try one again.

But...I'll admit that I have always been intrigued by both the .480 and the .460. Both are super cool rounds, with the 480 obviously being the oddball of the group. I'd say the 460 is far more versatile being able to run 45 Colt, 454, and 460 through it. That's a ton more factory ammo to choose from vs 480 Ruger.

If I were going to buy one...I'd get the 460 for sure.
 
98s1lightning said:
Have you fired each caliber and revolver platform to test drive before you buy?
Click to expand...
No, and therein lies a good portion of the dilemma, in my part of the state, we're the only people my game warden has met even interested in handgun hunting lol! Even holding the vxr would be a challenge round here, hunting handguns collect a LOT of dust on the shelves. We've fired many smiths and rugers, and fondled even more, but after the decision, whatever we choose will be ordered in, even the srh is only found in .44.
 
I'll never own a handgun bigger than a Blackhawk.... if I need anything bigger I'll take it in a lever action rifle.

I like the idea of the 460, just not the platform.... I'd sell some of my own body parts for Big Horn in 460...I like wheel guns, but lever action carbines are my true passion in guns... always have been.

If it were me ... and it may soon be.... I'd get a 454 Ruger.

It can be loaded to tolerable recoil levels and still put the thump on just about anything.

And if you want to impress your range buddies with who's got the most recoil...load it full tilt and hang on tight.

All that said...of the ones you asked about....the 480 all day long and twice on Sunday, for me.
 
Last edited:
Also.... to clarify.

I can and have shot the X-frame in both 460 and 500...its not shooting them that is the put off for me....its carrying them.

Really heavy piece of hardware...I know they need to be... but I just don't want to carry it.
 
If I buy another large frame, big bore revolver it will be an 8" bbl S&W .460. I wish they made a version without the muzzle brake. The versatility of shooting .45 Colt, .454 Casull or .460 is really appealing.
 
Ridgerunner665 said:
Also.... to clarify.

I can and have shot the X-frame in both 460 and 500...its not shooting them that is the put off for me....its carrying them.

Really heavy piece of hardware...I know they need to be... but I just don't want to carry it.
Click to expand...

Something to consider for sure. For my .454 Ruger SRH I bought two chest rigs, one to carry it scoped (it's ginormous:)) and one without scope.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Saggins
  • Locked
480 Ruger worth getting?
2 3 4
Replies
75
Views
24K
Rodentman
Rodentman
F
  • Locked
Longevity of big bore revolvers, .480 Ruger, .454Casull, .460S&W, .500 S&W, etc.
Replies
9
Views
4K
50 Shooter
5
T
  • Locked
40 rounds through a .480 Ruger...
Replies
6
Views
925
tex_n_cal
T
C
  • Locked
need help deciding....
Replies
22
Views
783
capitolpeak
C
J
  • Locked
.44mag 4" S&W 329 OR .454/.480 2.5" Ruger Alaskan for trail gun
Replies
16
Views
2K
Stainz
S
Back
Top