Posted By: Chance Weldon
Newest addition - 14" Model 460 Performance Center - 04/10/2016 9:39 PM
Wednesday afternoon, my sister and I decided to make a short trip over to the local hunting store. As I was browsing the reloading supplies, one of the guys who works behind the gun counter called my name. I didn't immediately respond since there's a guy who works there that shares my name. However, he called me again and told me to come over. He said that the rest of the employees had been talking about me that morning because something had arrived that they knew I'd like. He picked up a black nylon Smith and Wesson carrying case from behind the counter and unzipped the end, then began to pull the revolver out. It seemed like it took forever for that barrel to completely emerge, but eventually that massive fish gill style muzzle brake came into view. As if I couldn't be thrown even more for a loop, I looked at the blue tag hanging from the trigger guard and saw the used box marked, $1000 written on the price line. I had to have it.
I don't know if I ever mentioned it here, but after shooting the Encore, I began to contemplate sending my 460 to Smith and Wesson to upgrade it to a Performance Center version, if such a thing was possible. It was, as I discovered, but not for a price I was willing to pay.
Here was my opportunity to own one. So, Friday afternoon, I walked back in the store with my 460 XVR and a Mossberg 835 shotgun. Long story short I negotiated a deal and walked out with a slightly used 14" S&W Model 460 Performance Center.
Yesterday, I set up a target and chronograph to see what it could do. I only had three factory Hornady rounds and eight handloads, so I decided to just use what I had to get it sighted in initially at 25 yards. The chronograph gave the following results:
200 grain FTX Hornady factory load velocity - 2493 fps.
240 grain XTP-Mag and 47.5 grains H110 handload velocity - 2374 fps.
With actual load development, I could probably break the 2400 fps barrier with the 240 grain XTP-Mag and possibly approach 2550 fps with a 200 grain bullet.
The absolute best part about it, however, was that the recoil was noticeably less than my 8 3/8" Model 460. It was only marginally worse than my 300 Win Mag Encore, which I find easily manageable.
This gun definitely puts the "performance" in S&W Performance Center.
I don't know if I ever mentioned it here, but after shooting the Encore, I began to contemplate sending my 460 to Smith and Wesson to upgrade it to a Performance Center version, if such a thing was possible. It was, as I discovered, but not for a price I was willing to pay.
Here was my opportunity to own one. So, Friday afternoon, I walked back in the store with my 460 XVR and a Mossberg 835 shotgun. Long story short I negotiated a deal and walked out with a slightly used 14" S&W Model 460 Performance Center.
Yesterday, I set up a target and chronograph to see what it could do. I only had three factory Hornady rounds and eight handloads, so I decided to just use what I had to get it sighted in initially at 25 yards. The chronograph gave the following results:
200 grain FTX Hornady factory load velocity - 2493 fps.
240 grain XTP-Mag and 47.5 grains H110 handload velocity - 2374 fps.
With actual load development, I could probably break the 2400 fps barrier with the 240 grain XTP-Mag and possibly approach 2550 fps with a 200 grain bullet.
The absolute best part about it, however, was that the recoil was noticeably less than my 8 3/8" Model 460. It was only marginally worse than my 300 Win Mag Encore, which I find easily manageable.
This gun definitely puts the "performance" in S&W Performance Center.
