.460 S&W Questions
- Thread starter KCJ
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It is true. There are no "factory" single action revolvers chambered in 460 S&W. Perhaps Bowen or Freedom Arms might do custom, not sure though.
Edit to add:
I just checked Bowen and Freedom Arms, neither mentions either .460 or .500 S&W. Never noticed that before.
Edit to add:
I just checked Bowen and Freedom Arms, neither mentions either .460 or .500 S&W. Never noticed that before.
buck460XVR
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Magnum Research makes a BFR in .460 in a 7.5 and 10 inch barrel. And yes, it will shoot .45Colt and .454 also.
https://www.magnumresearch.com/Firearms/Magnum-Research-460-SandW-Revolver-75-inch-Barrel.asp
https://www.magnumresearch.com/Firearms/Magnum-Research-460-SandW-Revolver-75-inch-Barrel.asp
Grumulkin
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You can shoot 45 Cold and 454 Casull cartridges in a 460 S&W Magnum but there is a problem. The shorter cartridges will foul the cylinder ahead of them making extraction difficult if you then shoot 460 S&W Magnum cartridges in it. Some have said it shooting short cartridges will "ring the cylinder" which would be a permanent problem. That is contested by some and I don't know if it's really true.
The 460 S&W Magnum cartridge is rated for 65,000 psi by SAAMI. If you try to approach that pressure in either a single or double action revolver with a dirty or rough cylinder, ejection of cases is going to be quite difficult.
CopperFouling
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The .460 S&W is too long for the Freedom Arms cylinder.
OP:
Are you planning to buy one? My friend has a Thompson single shot (an Encore, I think) in .460 S&W, which he reloads. I ask because he only loads .454 Casull to moderate amounts, and the recoil is quite...brisk.
45_auto
Member
My 460 shooting 45 Colts has been my granddaughter's favorite pistol for a couple of years now. She shoots it off a tripod since she can't hold it up.
Probably been at least a box of 45 Colts through it every other month, so about 600 in the last couple of years. No problem with cylinder ringing. After shooting the 45 Colts, 460's don't slide in and out quite as easily until the cylinder is cleaned, but don't even come close to sticking.
Probably been at least a box of 45 Colts through it every other month, so about 600 in the last couple of years. No problem with cylinder ringing. After shooting the 45 Colts, 460's don't slide in and out quite as easily until the cylinder is cleaned, but don't even come close to sticking.
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Grumulkin
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The reason they don't come close to sticking is because they don't come close to 65,000 psi.
Zaydok Allen
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Buck summed it up.
45_auto
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grumulkin said:
If they're not running at 65,000 PSI as claimed, what pressure do you think they are operating at? Recoil-wise, they sure do feel like somewhere around 65,000 PSI. Do you have your own pressure testing equipment?
You're claiming that the reloading manuals and manufacturers are lying to us about the operating pressure of their ammo?
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buck460XVR
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Sticky extraction is why much of the latest factory ammo and reloading recipes have been adjusted to stay below 57,000-58,000 PSI. Hodgdon recipes are fairly stout and even their highest pressure is 57,000 with a 300 grainer. Earlier ammo and recipes were a tad stouter, but often led to stuck cases, especially some of the P.C. models which tended to have tight throats. Thing is, a .460 does not have to be loaded to max to perform.
dickydalton
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But Buck, If I didn't want the max of a 460 I would have just bought a 454!
45_auto
Member
Good info. My standard 460 load is a 300 grain XTP over 42.5 grains of W296. Shows as a max load on the Hodgdon data, I never paid any attention to the claimed pressure, I guess I figured that since it was a max load they would have run the pressure up near max.
I don't think the ammo manufacturers are loading up to the SAAMI max (which is just under 62,000 psi) either. The .454 generally isn't loaded to its maximum by ammo manufacturers either. No real need. With modern powders, they are getting good velocities without having to push the envelope. CorBon used to load the .454 really hot, but I don't know what they are doing lately.
Grumulkin
Member
In my opinion, downloading the 460 S&W Magnum is like castrating one's prized breeding bull. In my Encore, my load gets about 2,350 fps with 250 grain SST/ML bullets out of a 15 inch braked barrel. Per a Quick Load calculation (which I'll agree isn't as precise as pressure measuring equipment) the load approaches 65,000 psi (not 62,000 psi) which is the SAAMI maximum and which the Encore will take just fine. The Encore also has a more powerful extractor than you'll get with a revolver trying to eject 5 shells at the same time so ejection isn't a problem.
In a revolver to eject shells you will either need the pressure to be less than the SAAMI maximum or the chambers will have to be highly polished (like Freedom Arms revolvers) and very clean. In the Freedom Arms revolvers you're only ejecting one shell at a time; in double action revolvers 5 at a time which is harder. If you don't have difficult extraction in a double action revolver shooting 460 S&W Magnum cartridges it's highly unlikely you're at the SAAMI maximum pressure.
In a revolver to eject shells you will either need the pressure to be less than the SAAMI maximum or the chambers will have to be highly polished (like Freedom Arms revolvers) and very clean. In the Freedom Arms revolvers you're only ejecting one shell at a time; in double action revolvers 5 at a time which is harder. If you don't have difficult extraction in a double action revolver shooting 460 S&W Magnum cartridges it's highly unlikely you're at the SAAMI maximum pressure.
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dickydalton
Member
I load Hornady 300 XTP Mag bullets over Hodgdons maximum load of Lil'Gun and they should be doing about 2100 FPS. The empties don't fall out of the cylinder but are not overly tight. I get the same (not velocity) with 360 WFNGC cast Performance bullets.
I am sure that I am below SAAMI maximum pressure but the primers are flat.
I am sure that I am below SAAMI maximum pressure but the primers are flat.
Zaydok Allen
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Cheesemaker
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I load my 240XTPs with 47.5gr H-110. Hits you hard and shoots real straight/flat.
Get some primer flattening too. Tried to measure the velocity, with the Leupold scope dialed in to far(close), hit the aluminum upright of my chono. Turned it into a U-shape, left some copper on the upright. Chrono undamaged. Replaced the upright & good to go.
Still need to chrono these again. They shoot well.
Get some primer flattening too. Tried to measure the velocity, with the Leupold scope dialed in to far(close), hit the aluminum upright of my chono. Turned it into a U-shape, left some copper on the upright. Chrono undamaged. Replaced the upright & good to go.
Still need to chrono these again. They shoot well.
I don't know where it will end up, but mine isn't going anywhere!
I like mine a lot. I bought it because I thought it was a cool gun, I wanted to learn to shoot it well, and it filled a nice spot in the upper end of my magnum handgun collection.
I've been very happy with it. Last time I took it to the range there was a father/son group next to me shooting a rifle at the 100 yard range. When we went down to change targets they looked at my target and exclaimed "that's more accurate than our rifle!"
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