Smith & Wesson Performance Center .460

I posted a while back asking if anyone had any experience, not necessarily with the caliber, but with the .460 Performance Center revolver with the 12" barrel. I've been occasionally checking in to see if anyone has added any real pertinant information about the gun itself but no such luck. So I'm asking again to see if things have changed. Does anyone have experience with this revolver?

My experience with this revolver is not too happy: blowed up after third round of the second cylinder shot (8th round), the first time the owner and me go to the range with the handcannon. My friend - the owner - was so traumatized that resumed to shoot again after two months. But, I want underline, this was probably an exception: I'm sure other .460 guns are perfectly safe to shoot... doubting, however, if I've to buy a .460 I should take a BFR.

El Che, was this a handload or factory load?

Don't have the 12" 460 but my 10.5" model is accurate and not to bad to shoot. I have fun shooting it the only concerns I have is in the optic department. fixed leupold holds up fine now I moved to a variable burris for a little more distance, and if it doesn't hold up I will buy the variable leupold.
good luck with your 460
james

I have the PC 7 1/2" barrel and have never had any problems. I have only shot factory rounds from it. It's very accurate and fun to shoot. I've taken 2 hogs and 1 deer with it so far.

I have the Burris 2x7 E-dot on mine and that has held up fine so far.

Between the 10.5 and 12 inch barrel models, I think I like the looks and balance of the 10.5 inch model but the velocity loss, 2 extra ounces and I'm sure the increase in noise are not appealing to me in the least. I've talked to a local gunsmith and also one at smith and wesson and both said that both revolvers are equally as accurate. The big difference being velocity (not much, probably <100fps, but I want as much speed as I can get. That is why I'm getting this caliber.) and volume. Is permanant hearing loss after one shot while in the woods something to worry about with the 10.5 inch compensated model? My uncompensated SRH casull was bad.

I would never shoot a .460 without hearing protection. I wear the Walker Quad Muffs when I hunt. They enhance noise and then protect your ears when you shoot.

200 grains Hornady factory ammo.

My friend shoots a PC 460 and loves it, I put a Leupold 2X on for him, very accurate..Shoot 45 Colts for fun, 454 Casull for 2 legged varmints and the 460 when you are really serious..I shoot a 4" 500 with Burris Fastfire on it, 400 gr. JSP..Enjoy..ElDee

Liv2Hnt,

I haven't shot my Comp Hunter without muffs, and don't plan to...

Like MIHunter, I bought the Walker Power Muffs for hunting, and carry a pair of plugs as a backup...the ringing in the ears while hunting with my 44 was enough for me. And the 460 is much louder...

I read on Shooting USA's website today that someone had shot both the 12" PC hunter and 8 3/8" (really 7.5 due to compensation) standard model .460s through a chronograph with ammo from the same box. The loads were 275 gr Corbon and the difference between both revolvers in terms of speed was 5 fps! Is this even possible? I would think this site has to be somewhat reputable but something doesn't seem right here. Here is the link if anyone wants to look.

Shooting USA

For you guys with .460s, especially the 10.5" and/or 12" models, what kinds of velocities are you getting and with what loads?

it is very possible because at some point you reach diminishing returns. If it were a 30-06 and you shortened it 4" you'd see a bigger difference but cartridge design (straight wall vs bottleneck) case capacity and operating pressures will all affect actual velocity variations as will projectile weight and design. The 460 is probably reaching maximum efficiency around the 8"-10" mark.

Rod is on track. Also remember that the barrel cylinder gap looses pressure more than a closed breach firearm. The longer the revolver barrel the longer the bullet is in the bore and the longer pressure is lost from the barrel cylinder gap. At some point you will reach a point of diminished returns and the friction of the bullet in the bore will reduce speed. Like Rod said 10-12 inches might be that point.

Friday I made my decision between the 12" and 10.5" compensated models and I decided to go with the 12" for three reasons.
1) Increased Velocity (or so I assume)
2) Lighter (only 3 oz)
3) Less volume

Because no one I've talked to, e-mailed or read about including the gunsmiths at S&W, knew anything about either Performance Center revolvers...(one guy from Smith even tried to tell me that the S&W website and both the 2007 and '08 product catalogs I have were misprinted when stating that the 12" and 10.5" compensated models were both equal (18") in length. He insisted with 100% certainty that the 12" model was at least 20" in overall length.) ...I had to make a decision based on my own experience and knowledge. Considering the fact that I have only handled, not fired, both of these guns, my knowledge is limited at least for these two firearms.

I've read of guys getting 2550-2650fps with the 200gr XPBs out of a 15" contender and 2700fps out of a 20" Katahdin barrel. Obviously there will be some velocity loss out of the b/c gap but from what I just stated, one would assume that longer is better; better meaning more velocity. Personally talking to guys that have fired the 10.5" model, they tell me that the fire cloud coming out of the end of the barrel after each shot is one impressive site and feeling. To me, I see that fire cloud as wasted powder that, if contained in a barrel, pushing the bullet out of the gun for another 1.5 inches (and not allowed to escape out of a compensator) would certainly have to increase your velocity. I could understand that if after shooting this caliber out of a 10.5 inch barrel and seeing only smoke exit the muzzle behind the bullet, 10.5 inches of barrel (or less) would be the cut off for producing maximum velocities. However what comes out of the muzzel of a 10.5" .460 sure as hell aint just smoke.

The only real way to know is to shoot and chrony the gun when I get it. I hope I don't regret getting the 12" over the 10.5" gun. Its only money, right?

I had saved another site to my favorites a while back when I was doing some initial research on the gun/caliber. I was looking through my favorites list yesterday and went back to that site. Here is the link to the page at Shooting Times Magazine:
Smith & Wesson's Best Big Game Gun

They have posted (on the second page) velocities shot with handloaded 200gr XPBs and factory loaded Corbon 200gr XPBs. If you look at the posted velocities for those two loads in both the 12 and 5 inch X frame models, you will realize something as I certainly did. I am almost certain the differences seen in velocity are direct results of the choosen powders' rates of burning. Corbon's choosen powder being a faster burner and the H110 used in the handloads being a fairly slow burner (which we all know). This would cause the Corbon loads to be faster in the 5" and slower in the 12". Also causing the handloads to be faster in the 12" and slower in the 5".