.460 S&W Mag recoil

[Franco]

I might be in the market for a 460 but looking for honest feedback about recoil. I had concerns last year when I bought a 629 classic .44 mag 6" and I read alot of posts talking about hammers in the forehead, broken wrists, way too much recoil, etc. Turns out that my medium size body (5' 9", 170lbs) can shoot full load 240 gr Hornadys in my .44 with absolutely no problem. In fact, I enjoy it very much. There is recoil but it's very very manageable. Now that I'm investigating the 460, I am reading the same stories (guy fell over when he shot it, uncomfortable recoil).

Just so we're being specific, I am looking at the one with 8 3/8" ported barrel.
Thanks in advance.

 

[NavyLCDR]

It's not really the bad. I used to shoot multiple cylinders full of hot handloads at an indoor range..

It's not so much the recoil that you have to get used to as the muzzle flash!

Additionally, you can shoot .45 Colt and .454 Cassul in it. The Colts are about like shooting 9mm's in a steel frame gun!

 

[kanook]

I've got one and love it. It seems to bother the other people at the range more than it bothers me. When you shoot it double up on your ear protection, It's LOUD.

 

[Franco]

Thanks for your input. I think I just might have to spend the $1,200 and be done with it... I reload so shooting expense isn't as much of an issue.

 

[BCRider]

Factory ammo CAN be punishing. But really the beauty of this sort of gun is the ability to reload to suit yourself.

The local "Rent-a-Gun" range has a .460 and shoots custom reload rounds through it. I don't know what bullet weight but the powder is full loads of H110. The H110 seems to have a slightly slower burn to it which produces pretty decent full power rounds but that do not so much whack your hand as push it really hard. I've shot .454 Casull rounds from this same gun and frankly it's not fun. At least not for more than one. But these "slow burn" .460's are great fun, do not punish the hand and wrist the same and the slower burn produces the most MAGNIFICENT flame show you've ever seen. If there is a small penalty in bullet speed it's well worth the trade off to get the extra comfort. And if you ARE hunting with it then reloading would allow you to produce good hunting as well as good sport shooting rounds that do the best for both applications.

 

[buck460XVR]

My youngest has been shooting my Compensated Hunter .460 with full house loads since he was 14 and weighed 100 lbs. Developing loads for it, I've shot loads hot enough that I had to push the cases outta the cylinder with a screwdriver and I still don't know how the 'ell you'd hit yourself in the head with one. Go for it..............

 

[farscott]

I used to shoot 240-grain, 1200 fps .44 Magnum loads at the range for fun. No problems with recoil with those loads in a Ruger Redhawk. Moved up to a Freedom Arms 83 in .454 Casull and shot the FA 260-grain, 1800 fps JHP factory load. I shot the same load in a T/C Encore and broke one of the screws holding the front sight base to the barrel during the initial shooting session. That was and is my recoil limit. Perhaps I could shoot the .460 in the heavy X-frame, but I have no desire to know. The .454 does all I need or want in a reasonably compact package.

After a few injuries not related to big-bore handguns, I stopped shooting .454 for a few years and only got back into it in 2007. I now load only the .454 with a 250/255-grain bullet to about 1100-1200 fps, and the recoil is not an issue.

 

[Franco]

Reloading 460

Thanks for the reloading tip. I use H110 for my .44 mag 240 gr reloads and love it. I get quite the flame thrower just from that. I'm sure it will work fine with the 460 as well. The local gun shop owner told me that it's not so much the recoil of the 460 that's an issue (although admitting that it's more than the .44) but it's the shock wave from the explosion and the sound. He advises eye and double ear protection....

 

[C-grunt]

I havent shot the .460 but did shoot a .500 once. The Xframe is a big beast and it was surprisingly not to bad with that .500. Ive shot 44mags that were worse. It did have some serious recoil, but the heavy revolver soaked up a lot of the "smack" and made it more of a big push.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Shot one last week. Fist shot I was scared of it and flinched expecting recoil above and beyond a 454. After that first shot? No bad at all-

With the Houge grips and the muzzle brake, I actually consider a stout 44 mag load in one of my redhawks rougher on my wrists and arms by a good margin, and a Casul SRH kicks much harder with full tilt loads, IMO. The brake coupled with those special grips seem to take most of the bite out of the recoil. Although the blast/shockwave will make you take notice for sure.

 

[rodensouth]

My wife can empty the chamber on my .460 4-inch performance center that has the little key- holed muzzle brake and hit plates at 15 yrds. We only did that a couple of times so we could work through the nice flinch she acquired.
She still handled the recoil well(controlled the gun), and she weighs a buck and a quarter.

It is definitely a handful, but I agree that I've felt snappier .44 mags.

 

[Snowdog]

I don't own a .460 but reload for a buddy who does.
This power-junkie friend of mine has settled on 300gr Hornady XTPs over 42grs of H110 which I consider a hot load. As nasty as the muzzle blast is, recoil seems like it should be far greater.
The greatest impression the .460 left me with was when we tried it out at a nearby indoor range. Each shot felt like an IED went off somewhere in the joint; it was absolutely distracting to say the least. According to the fellow running the range, two customers left "early" on account of us. It's now an outdoors only revolver. But again, recoil isn't painful, it's the blast that gets me.

 

[Franco]

42 grains is a hot load according to Hodgdon's data. (only .5 gr below max). You're description is confirming exactly what a local gun sales guy told me re: the IED experience. Thanks all for the feedback. I'll report back my experience after I buy one and shoot a few boxes.

 

[buck460XVR]

42 grains is a hot load according to Hodgdon's data. (only .5 gr below max).

sure is.........Hornady's max for their bullet is 39.2 and Lyman's is 38. Speer's max for a 300 grainer is 36. I push my 300 grainers with Lil' Gun and save the H110 for the 240s.

 

[BCRider]

....when we tried it out at a nearby indoor range. Each shot felt like an IED went off somewhere in the joint; it was absolutely distracting to say the least. According to the fellow running the range, two customers left "early" on account of us. It's now an outdoors only revolver......

That's a true shame because with the huge BOOM! and flames it's a great show piece when shot indoors.

At my indoor range we DO warn the shooters a few alleys to either side when the .460 is carted out. This generally makes everyone stop and watch more out of curiousity than annoyance. Often they end up selling more rounds to those who's curiosity needed satisfaction...

The loads they use are reloads using medium levels of H110. It's a great powder for putting on a great show but it also seems to build pressure more slowly which really helps with turning the crack to more of a big push. I've tried the same fellow's 500 reloads that also use H110 and they have this same way of pushing instead of punching.

 

[barbarian]

I jumped to the 8" XVR from a 357 mag - largest thing I ever fired up to that point. Prior to shooting it the first time I was really second guessing my decision. The first time I shot it I wore a shooting glove and I was so tensed up that I completely missed the berm at the end of the shooting lane - the bullet went into the woods (the range is in a heavily wooded and sparsely populated area). I don't hunt with it - I just wanted something that would really get my attention - and it CERTAINLY does that.

After I realized my hand and wrist weren't broke nor was I bleeding I thought what is the big deal about recoil with this gun. It is NOT AT ALL painful to shoot. The recoil is a hard 'slow' push rather that a quick sharp snap. With heavier bullets the muzzle tends to rise more - it has come up 45 degrees when shooting off a rest with 335 grain gas checked cast bullets over 41 grains of Lil Gun. The factory 200 grain Hornadys don't rise as much but have noticeably more muzzle blast. I have found I no longer need a shooting glove.

The muzzle blast is amazing- it gets me flinching more than the recoil. The gun is a real hoot to shoot! However, it is difficult for me to shoot well. Even though I reload it is not inexpensive to shoot (for me). This limits the amount of practice - it would take a lot of practice for me to gain any proficiency with this weapon.

After that first shot I knew I made the right decision in getting the 460. For me this is a great round in a great gun! It is a blast to shoot. I am sure you will enjoy it immensely! Have fun and stay safe.

Barbarian

 

[BCRider]

Yes they certainly do get your attention

I've shot around 10 or 12 .460's now and have almost managed to control the flinch. I've also shot a few .500S&W from a revolver and some 30 rounds from my own TC Encore 15 inch barrel rifle. The factory stuff has a fair wallop.

But neither is anywhere near as bad as the two .454 Casull rounds I've shot. THOSE both left my wrist sore and set me back on my heels in a fine style!