For really heavy game, think about it, the .460 puts up some unGODly energy levels. Haven't really looked at it, but it's rifle like. Yes, kenetic energy kills. Even the Facklerites back down from rifle ballistics saying "apples and oranges". They admit rifle energy produces tissue destroying shock. I've seen it dramatically in a 7mm Remington Magnum. Energy is less factor at pistol energies, the Facklerites say no factor, I say there's some, but I know it's less important than getting enough penetration. You don't have to worry about penetration even on big bad game with the big boomers using heavy cast flat point bullets.
That said, I have absolutely no use in Texas for anything bigger than my .45 colt. I'm not one of those boomer guys, but I'd love to have a Freedom Arms in .454, fantastic quality gun and not as HUGE as those X frame Smiths. Carrying one of those things, you might as well be totin' a TC Encore, lighter, more accurate, and can get it in longer range, more powerful rifle calibers. My main hunting gun is a .30-30 Contender. I never need more'n one shot and it kills quite quick at least to 90 yards (my longest shot). If you like revolvers, deer hunting, a .44 mag is plenty to the ranges I tend to shoot. Practically speaking, I can't shoot accurately enough off most field rests past 100 yards to take a shot. Lots of range work has convinced me of this, so I like to limit my shots inside 100 yards with even the contender, even though off the bench it's 1.5 MOA and can kill to 200 yards. It's harder to steady a pistol for a shot like that in the field than a rifle, that's the challenge of pistol hunting as I see it. For revolver guys that hunt deer/hog/black bear, there's really no need to use anything bigger than the .44 magnum. Those big boomers are an answer to a question I never asked. They're probably great for guys looking to try brown bear or African game with a revolver, but how big a market is there for THAT? Most guys that buy the things have that Tim Taylor macho thing going on. IMHO, .460, .480, 500 is pretty useless in the lower 48.
Its just alot of meat and muscle to push through with a few bones here and there.
