S&W 460XVR, You man enough?

[Fun2Shoot]

Yeah, this S&W is a monster caliber:

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...d=10001&productId=27970&langId=-1&isFirearm=Y

I was offered the chance to put some rounds down range recently using this .460, 82oz shootin' iron. When being asked if I wanted to shoot it , my first thought was: Don't pass up the chance! I said "let's go" in two heart beats.

I have owned and shot a Ruger .41mag and have thousands of rds through a .357mag Ruger Security Six, so this 460XVR should be managable I told myself.

The gun was AWESOME! The front sight is Hi-Vis and the trigger was light. This is not a range report, so I'll just say that the recoil compensator on this beast is outstanding. There is virtualy no muzzle rise from firing it. The whole recoil of the .460 comes straight back through your palm, arm and shoulder. Suprisingly managable and very pleasant, considering the power that is unleashed. The heavy weight of 82oz's helps too.

All in all, it made for a very memorable day at the range.

 

[Jbar4Ranch]

I have a pair of X-frame .500's, but no .460 yet. In the 8 3/8" .500, I can shoot a 275 grain Barnes at nearly 2200 fps, a 325 grainer at 2000 fps, and a 710 grainer at 1200 fps. (That one gets your attention!)

 

[Majic]

You man enough?

Nope!! If the handgun generates bullet velocity of a rifle and is so large and heavy that it have sling swivels then I would save a lot of money and just buy a rifle.

 

[king.460]

Best handgun I've owned. Like it so much I...

adopted the name I killed my 2nd whitetail with it yesterday using 300 gr. .454 ammo. Can't wait for the .460 ammo availability to improve. Finally found some Corbon .460 ammo in 275 gr. but that's about it, except for the 395's, and I'm just not up to firing those yet! Yessir, you got yourself a heck of cannon!

 

[rnr4me]

Hi Guys.
I just got http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=14776&langId=-1&isFirearm=Y THIS version of the 460XVR as a Christmas present a couple weeks early. It's the 8 3/8's model. Looks like a regular N frame, just over sized.

I took it out that nite for a few shots before it too dark. I shot 10 rds of .454 and 10rds of .460. I agree. It wasn't near as bad as I thought it might be. I've shot and owned a .44 mag for years, so big bore doesn't really bother me, but I was wondering how it would be. I shot at some filled water bottles and by the time I was done, I was just giggling like a little kid cause I was having so much fun. I just had iron sites on it so the only bottle I hit w/ the .460 disinegrated. It left just the base and everything else was gone! A couple seconds later, the lable came floating down from about 30' in the air. That got me really laughing. I only had on my old muffs and the sound wasn't any worse than the .44mag.

It was just one fun gun to shoot. I've got Monday off too, so I'll go put some more rounds thru it. My wife even said that she'd give it a try. I may stick with the .454 for her. Maybe one .460. All in all, I love this gun. I'll be hunting mulies next fall. Gotta get it scoped first.

 

[shermacman]

rnr4me
Great first post! Reminds me of the first time I fired a full-house-party hand loaded .44 mag...
Grinning from ear to ear is a good thing!

 

[MCgunner]

so I'll just say that the recoil compensator on this beast is outstanding.

That's a good thing. Wow, weighs as much as some rifles. How practical. However, you can't argue the horsepower! It outweighs my contender WITH scope. I have a .30-30 hunter barrel on that thing, with compensator that really works well, too. But, I'm pushing a 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip about what that cannon is pushing a 275 grain load! Now, I feel sure I've got more in reserve at 200 yards, but still, there's not much that walks this continent that has a chance against that thing. Now, question is, what's the working pressure and could it be chambered in a light carbine, say, a Marlin 336? Move over, .45-70!

 

[rnr4me]

Thanks Shermacman. It is just plain fun.

So, thought I'd post a short update. My wife and I took the S&W out to put a few rounds thru it. My wife was up to shooting this gun, so I started her off with a cylinder of .454's. She's very aware of flinching and even with the 3lb single action trigger pull, she could feel herself starting to flinch. She was able to stop and control the flinch. I'm pretty impressed. The compensation on the S&W works well and she could handle the .454. When I took her up to the .460, we found out that she's too small to handle it. She says that it hurt her wrist and even to her elbow, so she only shot 2 rounds. But she hit what she was aiming at. It did make her step back a couple steps. We both laughed at the videos after we got back home to watch them. Pretty cool huh?

 

[king.460]

What grain in the .460 did you have your wife shooting? If it was the 395, she should file papers on you...

 

[rnr4me]

What grain in the .460 did you have your wife shooting? If it was the 395, she should file papers on you...

Naw, they're the factory Hornady 200's. The ones w/ the red tip...

As for filing papers, we've been married for 27 years, so I'm hoping that won't happen. But I DID teach her to shoot, so I'd better be a good boy.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

S&W 460XVR, You man enough?

Give me a break! The one i shot had no more recoil then a .44 mag. and bottom line is it will kill nothing any better then a 44 mag or .45 colt. To me its the most useless cartridge anyones come up with in a handgun yet. Someday people will learn that you gain power in a handgun with caliber and bullet weight not with speed.

 

[flip180]

I took one for the team too.

There was a guy a few months back at the range with one on these and was giving everybody a test drive with it. I can say first hand that it is no pussy cat but, it isn't the end of the world either. I'd love to have one but, I'd rather have a gun that wouldn't kick my ass after five rounds. I was charged after shooting the first couple of rounds but, I was ready to hand it back after the fifth shot .

Flip.

 

[Moonclip]

I don't know, I'm a girly man I suppose as I don't like shooting a SP101 or a 4" S&W mod 29 or even a Glock 27 with the short magazine much.

The 460 appeals to me more than the 500 though and I just love the idea of the gain twist rifling just like on the Carcanos!

 

[sc1911cwp]

I can buy a Porsch or other mega buck car, but I'lll stick to something that drives slower and costs less even though I can afford it. RIGHT

 

[sc1911cwp]

So long.

 

[Redhawk1]

I own two 500 Mags and three 460 Mags. They are all great guns and a blast to shoot.

 

[sc1911cwp]

Redhawk, Did you get a chance to hunt with it this year?

 

[tc300mag1]

I got the 500 in the 4" and ordered up a 460 in a 5" cant wait to pic it up

 

[Redhawk1]

I took my 460 Mag out deer hunting, but I did not get a shot. But I did take a black bear with my 6 inch 500 Mag, one shot and bear dropped on the spot with a 370 gr. cast bullet. I an think of taking my 460 on my black bear hunt this year.

 

[king.460]

ATTN: Redhawk...

What grain(s) have you settled in with for the .460? I know you are a reloader and I am not, but just picking your brain on this one. I'm still waiting on the Corbon 325s to arrive (back ordered for 2 months) before settling on a particular round. I'm like you-- I don't want to shoot anything but the full .460 ammo in The Beast, but, in all honesty, the Hornady .454s in a 300 grain group better than anything I have tried, and I have two whitetails in the freezer compliments of the.454. The 275 gr. Corbon shoots pretty good, too. I have 8 1/2 months and a lot of range time before the 1st Illinois gun hunt but I hope to settle on a particular round well before then.

Your insight is appreciated...

 

[Redhawk1]

king.460, I have been shooting the Hornady 240 gr. XTP Mag's with great accuracy out to 100 yards, I have also found a load that I can switch between the 240 gr. XTP's, and still have the same impact area with Nosler 260 gr. Partitions. These are the two main bullets I am reloading for in the 460 Mag. The accuracy is extremely accurate and consistent. I am now playing with some 300 gr. hard cast gas check bullets I got from Range Rick in Alaska. The good thing is, I have two of the 460 Mags and I shoot the 240 gr. Hornady and the 260 gr. Nosler Partitions out of and the other 460 Mag is going to be used with the 300 gr. cast bullets. That way I don't have to keep adjusting my scope for different loads. I do the same thing with my 500 Mags. One gun shoots one round and the other shoots another round. My 4 inch 500 Mags gets the heavy 440 gr. for back up bullets and the 6 inch shoots whatever I am using to hunt with.
I did just get my 454 Casull TC Encore barrel rechambered to 460 Mag, so I will have to work up a load for that gun also.
If you need any help when you start reloading let me know, I would be more than glad to help you out.

 

[sc1911cwp]

Redhawk1,

I've been shooting mostly 45LC from my 460PC. I'm going to condition myself to shoot the others gradually. I shoot about every other week so I get some good pratice in. Since I also reload, I can keep the costs down and the range is but 10 minutes away. I've never shot .454 to date but will work into the load as time goes on and I get brass and dies. I believe when hunting season rolls around here in August, yes it goes till January, I'll be ready. I just bought some 460 brass and shoot about 4 new rounds every time I go to the range. I'm waiting for Dillon to market the conversion plate in about another month. They will not be selling dies, so I'll need to look elsewhere. One thing is for sure, shooting a 200grain STS sure cleans the crud out!

 

[Redhawk1]

kb4ifs, I quit shooting 45L/C and 454 Casulls in my 460 Mags. I did not like having to adjust my scope for the different rounds. I have a bunch of 454 Casull rounds and will slowly shot them up. But I love the full house 460 Mag loads. Good luck reloading and I hope you find a great set up as I did.

 

[Cosmoline]

What's all this "82 oz" nonsense? I keep seeing ounces used in reference to the X-Frames.

It is a FIVE POUND revolver. FIVE POUNDS. That's as heavy as a carbine, and far more difficult to pack around. I like the cartridge, but I'm not thrilled about the concept of the 500. I'd like to see the cartridge in a short rotary action carbine.

 

[454c]

Amen.The Redhawks/super reds and the Smith N-frames were allready heavy enough.