I had my doubts on whether practicality was abandoned when Smith & Wesson came out with the .500, so when the .460 S&W came out, I thought it was a step back towards a more sensible definition of a handgun. Pointed bullets at over 2,000 fps seemed a good idea, if you could get it to work out of a revolver.
That opinion changed when my brother purchased a new .460 S&W with an 8 3/8" barrel. I think we have reached the limits of practicality and kept on going with this revolver.
I believe my Winchester Model 94 carbine would be handier to carry and quicker to get off an aimed shot with in the field. The muzzle blast is the most obnoxious event I have ever had with a firearm. Mind you, not the recoil (that was surprisingly less than anticipated) or the noise, but the actual blast. The blast from the cylinder gap caused one of the sandbags out at the range to split open in two places. The muzzle brake caused the shooters on one side to pack up and leave, which was embarassing.
I also believe the revolver won't hold up long term, at least with full power loads. (In this case Hornady 200 grain ammo) The walls at the mouth of the cylinder actually look like they were burned. I don't mean discolored by powder residue, but like steel that has been scorched enought on a grinder or overheated during cutting on a lathe or a mill to lose its temper. (I used to be a tool & die guy for years). I hope I am wrong, but it did or doesn't look good, and I am wondering if this gun is going to have a life span equivalent of what you would expect with a Bic disposable lighter.
Now the part for which I DO NOT blame the design of the revolver. Because of its hefty weight my brother decided to use a two handed hold he invented just for the occasion. This had his offhand clutching the revolver in front of the trigger guard, over the cylinder gap. The very first round sent him to doctor's office, who sent him to the surgeon for a determination on surgery. He will be off work for two weeks, as the hand was not just burned, but beat up pretty bad by the blast. It was very hard for the doctor to understand that much damage wasn't the result of a bullet actually going through the hand.
Having grown up around Blackhawks, Colt SAAs. and a few mortal size S&W revolvers, I think my brother suspended common sense for one shot, worrying more about taming the recoil, (which as I said, wasn't as bad as anticipated, but still not enjoyable.) and really done a number on himself.
Now, we as a group are not recoil shy, as we spent all yesterday firing 3 1/2" 10 and 12 gauge turkey shells at the patterning board, including some Nitro Company loads, which are the heaviest we could find. That was fun in a perverse way, but the .460 Smith really wasn't in any way, and no one really cares to shoot it. The accuracy was very good though, and the single action trigger was excellent. Double action seemed it could use some attention.
Now the $64 question is, what purpose is this gun going to serve that can't be handled with a Freedom Arms .454 or Ruger Redhawk in .45 Long Colt? The Thompson Contender has calibers that trump it performance wise, if utmost performance is the goal. I know we can fill it full of .45 Long Colts and plink away, but you can do that with a .45 LC revolver.
Please don't condemn this as a hatchet job on the Smith & Wesson. I would accept the gun as if I didn't have concerns on whether it will hold up for several thousand rounds, but I am guessing it won't with .460 ammunition. If anyone has any encouraging words, please post them here, because I think my brother is regretting this purchase big time, even without the hand injury. If anyone has put a considerable amount of ammunition through one of these and it is holding up okay, sound off so I can relay the good news.
That opinion changed when my brother purchased a new .460 S&W with an 8 3/8" barrel. I think we have reached the limits of practicality and kept on going with this revolver.
I believe my Winchester Model 94 carbine would be handier to carry and quicker to get off an aimed shot with in the field. The muzzle blast is the most obnoxious event I have ever had with a firearm. Mind you, not the recoil (that was surprisingly less than anticipated) or the noise, but the actual blast. The blast from the cylinder gap caused one of the sandbags out at the range to split open in two places. The muzzle brake caused the shooters on one side to pack up and leave, which was embarassing.
I also believe the revolver won't hold up long term, at least with full power loads. (In this case Hornady 200 grain ammo) The walls at the mouth of the cylinder actually look like they were burned. I don't mean discolored by powder residue, but like steel that has been scorched enought on a grinder or overheated during cutting on a lathe or a mill to lose its temper. (I used to be a tool & die guy for years). I hope I am wrong, but it did or doesn't look good, and I am wondering if this gun is going to have a life span equivalent of what you would expect with a Bic disposable lighter.
Now the part for which I DO NOT blame the design of the revolver. Because of its hefty weight my brother decided to use a two handed hold he invented just for the occasion. This had his offhand clutching the revolver in front of the trigger guard, over the cylinder gap. The very first round sent him to doctor's office, who sent him to the surgeon for a determination on surgery. He will be off work for two weeks, as the hand was not just burned, but beat up pretty bad by the blast. It was very hard for the doctor to understand that much damage wasn't the result of a bullet actually going through the hand.
Having grown up around Blackhawks, Colt SAAs. and a few mortal size S&W revolvers, I think my brother suspended common sense for one shot, worrying more about taming the recoil, (which as I said, wasn't as bad as anticipated, but still not enjoyable.) and really done a number on himself.
Now, we as a group are not recoil shy, as we spent all yesterday firing 3 1/2" 10 and 12 gauge turkey shells at the patterning board, including some Nitro Company loads, which are the heaviest we could find. That was fun in a perverse way, but the .460 Smith really wasn't in any way, and no one really cares to shoot it. The accuracy was very good though, and the single action trigger was excellent. Double action seemed it could use some attention.
Now the $64 question is, what purpose is this gun going to serve that can't be handled with a Freedom Arms .454 or Ruger Redhawk in .45 Long Colt? The Thompson Contender has calibers that trump it performance wise, if utmost performance is the goal. I know we can fill it full of .45 Long Colts and plink away, but you can do that with a .45 LC revolver.
Please don't condemn this as a hatchet job on the Smith & Wesson. I would accept the gun as if I didn't have concerns on whether it will hold up for several thousand rounds, but I am guessing it won't with .460 ammunition. If anyone has any encouraging words, please post them here, because I think my brother is regretting this purchase big time, even without the hand injury. If anyone has put a considerable amount of ammunition through one of these and it is holding up okay, sound off so I can relay the good news.
Maybe it's just me, but I've always found a healthy muzzle blast... well.... soothing... 
