No recent activity on this thread, but here goes...
I actually found this thread while searching for information on the 460 XVR, and it played a part in my decision to buy one. I have several other guns, and have been shooting since I was a kid. Like most men, I like more power. You know, faster cars, stronger trucks, more powerful power tools, guns, etc.
So now I have this 460 XVR, and I bought some Hornady 200gr plastic-tipped bullets, some Colt .45's, and a few different 454 Casull rounds for it, and brought out a new piece of 1/2" mild steel to see what kind of penetrating power we're really talking about with these rounds. Over the years, we've shot with a 7mm, '06, .270, .44 mag, ,22 mag, 9mm pistol, etc, all the normal rounds a homeowner usually has in his arsenal. So I was really interested to see what 'the mighty casull' would do to it. Any guesses?
I took my Blackhawk .44 mag along, too, just for a reference.
The 300gr Casull makes a pretty good gouge in that steel. Of course, the 200gr 460 makes a much deeper, larger one, the Colt .45 doesn't even scratch it; the .44 mag makes a respectable dimple in it, etc. And now the point of this post:
I decided to buy some reloading equipment, as a logical next step, considering a dollar per shot for factory ammo, or more, it seemed the right thing to do. Problem is, I never did this before. Reloading looks pretty simple, but I don't quite think I'm aware of the dangers of loading shots too hot.
All I have been able to reload so far is .45 Colt ammo; the 460 shell won't fit in my shell holder, and the primers I bought are too big for the Casull case. So I decided to see how hot I could load the Colts.
At
http://www.reloadammo.com/45cload.htm M. D. Smith says 10 grains of Unique is an ultra-hot load. But when I had measured that out and dumpted it into the case, I saw it was only half-full. So I put another grain, total 11, and went and shot it. Pop. So I took the shell back to my reloading bench, and filled it up to 15 grains, and back out and shot that.
Upshot is, I found I can put 20 grains of Unique in that shell...and then the .45 Colt begins to act more like a Casull round. (Factory)
And I found the shells expanded to fill the load holes in my gun quite tightly. So I backed it off, and instead of loading 20 grains, I dropped it to 17. So now I have dozens of Colt .45 rounds loaded to 17 grains of Unique powder; not, to my mind, as hot as they can get, but way hotter than recommended. I know a lesser gun would possibly be damaged, but we're talking about the S&W 460 Large Frame XVR here, right? Is all I am risking some split cases, shorter case life? Or am I really risking life and limb?
Need some advice from some reloaders if I can get it.
Thanks.