Does any body have any real shooting/reloading experience with the .460 S&W Mag cal? More specifically this cartridge in either the PC 10 1/2" Compensated Hunter or 12" Magnum Hunter. Im replacing my faulty SRH .454 with one of these two pieces.

when I had my standard 460XVR I was loading a 260gr Nosler Partion over 46gr of H110 for 2000+ fps and 1.5" groups at 150yds with a Leupold 2.5-8x

Liv2hnt 460,

Bought my .460 just after Christmas, which for me, means after hunting season. Just been punching paper, and inantimate objects, which will hopefully change after October. I went with the 10 1/2 inch PC model, topped with a Leupold 2.5x8 to take advantage of the long-range capabilities of the cartridge.

As far as shooting, I have been "plinking" with the 200 gr Hornady SST rounds, based on feedback from other 460 owners, and from a cost-perspective. Will continue to use those into hunting season, as they should be awesome on thin-skinned, deer-sized game.

Love the PC model - great trigger, and surprisingly good balance for such a big handgun.

Between the two PC models, anybody know which is a more accurate gun? The Magnum Hunter will obviously be faster but is it as accurate at the comp hunter?

HOO-YAA, someone that would rather have accuracy over velocity.

I guess it depends on the PC model. If I get another 44Mag it will be a PC because I can get a competition barrel in it. BUT I don’t know if all PC’s have competition barrels.

I own the standard model and was never able to get the groups that were written up in the gun mags.My best 100yd groups,using factory ammo, were with the 200gr SST ammo and I`ve tried every factory brand that was offered at the time. If I was now buying a new S&W 460 I would go with one of their PC models,however, then you read about the fantastic 150yd groups that Wapitirod made with his handload using 260gr Partition bullets. For me the bottom line is that this is a very powerful and at times imtimadating handgun that I have to give a lot more range time to give a fair evaluation about this handgun....Now I have to find the range time. Good luck, James

I'm not positive, and please anyone correct me if I'm worng, but although it doesnt speccify on the S&W site, I believe I read somewhere that both the magnum hunter and compensated hunter have Lothar-Walther Custom German Rifle Barrels . The comp hunter's barrel is however suspended in the shroud between the compensator and breech. The mag hunter has no full length barrel shroud therefore must shoot differently than the comp hunter. I am just curious which will be more so. TCman, don't get me wrong, I like velocity; more velocity, more power; but absolutely... hitting what I'm aiming at is number one. If I find out that both guns are equally as accurate, I'll be buying the non compensated model.

I couldn't agree more!

James, try that handload I mentioned, I used Starline brass and Winchester primers. I'm not that great of a shot but off the bags I was consistently grouping under 3" with a few under 2" as I mentioned. I'm still a firm believer as I stated in another post that light for caliber bullets like SST aren't as good as a heavier bullet with a higher ballistic coeficient. I'm no hot shot reloader with bottleneck cartridges but straight walled revolver cartridges I've loaded everything from the 32 H&R to the 500 S&W and every revolver I've had liked heavier bullets, even my 32 preferred 115gr cast bullets designed for a 32-20 over any of the lighter bullets designed for the cartridge and my 500S&W did best with 400-440gr bullets, my 475's 400-425gr and so on. just my opinion for what its worth

I agree with you Rod. My 480 SRH was OK accuracy with the 275gr XTP's, did well with the 325gr XTP's, but the accuracy really comes in with the 400's. I have some heavy cast bullets here but have yet to try them in the 480.

I had a real hard time getting a good load for the 275gr pills in the 480. I tried several powders and even swithced a few brands of primers. Accuracy just did not get what I was looking for. I have a couple good loads for the 325's and I got a hugh supply back when Midsouth ran a special "blem" sale. With shipping I got them for $0.16 each.

I have shot about 350-400 down range and at critters. I wish I had bought more than 1,000 of them when I had the chance.

Wapitirod,for the most part my expierence has been the same as yours, not only is the BC higher,but there is more bearing surface to help in stablize the bullet.

Exactly wheelguns and that was a point I had made in another post, it seems especially true with big bores but actually applies to all. I've noticed that manufacturers are trying to turn all of these big bores into "express" cartridges like the 275gr barnes for the 500, to me that doesn't make any sense. I'm more than happy with my 475's running 1200-1400 fps with 400gr+ bullets and they will kill anything on the planet, in fact because of the wrist problems I'm having I'm getting ready to try some loads with HS6 that data puts at 1000-1100fps with a 425gr bullet and that will still handle anything in North America.

can anybody give me some reloading info. for the 460. i just started reloading for it a couple of weeks ago. i bought the 7 th. edition hornady reloading manual. i also got some info when i bought my lee dies & went on the hodgdon web site. does someone make a book on reloading just for the 460? any information would be really helpful.

http://www.loaddata.com lists 190 loads for the 460 but it is a subscription service but it is the most comprehensive list of data I've found to date.

I've been buying the Hornaday 200 grain loads since getting my 460 XVR a month ago and I didn't notice until after I got home that the most recent box is now labeled the 200 grain FTX load. The other's I've bought were the SST version, I know because I've still got the boxes. Does anyone know why they've made this change and what it means to the load? I checked the Hornaday website and all it shows is that the 460 bullet comes as an FTX version.