Hi Guys, I hope you can settle an argument for me. What is the largest caliber Encore handgun barrel that has been made. I read on another forum that someone actually has a 15" 458 Lott barrel. That must be a handful.

I saw a 470 Nitro Express from SSK in a 15" Encore a while back on Guns America. It was waay over priced but JD will build you one if ya want.
I have the 416 Taylor which is the 458 Win Mag necked down. And yes, I imagine the 458 Lott is a handfull. The Taylor isn't too bad though, if you're used to big stuff.

470 Nitro Express? WOW! I have a 458 Lott rifle and can't imagine the recoil from an Encore handgun in that caliber. The 416 Taylor is a caliber I have been interested in for a while. Who built yours, and who makes dies? Thanks

SSK built mine and the dies I ordered from Midway or Midsouth - I forget. SSK can also provide the dies.

I have a pair of "large caliber" barrels on the way from OTT. The first is a 458 Win Mag,,SS 15" with an OTT brake and the second is a 50 Alaskan..that will also be a 15" SS with OTT brake. The 458 "should" push a 500gr at 1800fps easily. I think between these I won't need to go much bigger. Of course should a really sweet deal on a .470 come along.....

TOMC: You were the one (tcj) over on Accuratereloading forum that doubted us over there saying that large guns were being made. Why did you decide to come over here with the question? Think the people on this forum are more honest than over there?

not sure but i saw one on e-bay that should be WICKED ...7mm STW 15"custom barrel...ifn i only had some cash ...jim257

oops i forgot my ? what is a 50 alaskan?i have heard of them but have no clue what kind of beast this is.jim257

I am simply doing what YOU suggested, checking it out for myself. Have a problem with that???

TomC: Your reply on Accuratereloading was kinda smart. Here it is: "Do you actually know anybody who has shot a 458 Lott in an Encore pistol??? I didn't think so. I doubt anybody would even chamber an Encore rifle for the Lott."
Like it was a statement meaning I was lying. Do I personally know anyone with a Lott that has shot it? No. But I have a 458 Win Mag and the Lott only beats it by very little in the same barrel length.
Did I say I had a problem with it? No. But if you want to make it a problem we can on private messaging and keep it off here.
When you know very little of what you are talking about as you surely do it would be nice if you would take some time and do some checking for yourself rather than ask a question and then act like we are lying simply because of your own lack of knowledge or disbelief because you cannot envision anyone else firing a caliber like the Lott.

Whatever

I got one for you, Van Horn in Arizona will make you a 500 Nitro Encore barrel!!! I've been thinking on a 470 Nitro Encore pistol barrel for some time. This is not a preposterous idea at all. I find recoil much more managable in a hangun than I do in a longgun. Cheers guys, no need to lower the friendly attmosphere of this family forum. Air differences through Private Message in the future.

Chris, You would definately win the "cahonnes" trophy for shooting a 500 Nitro handgun. I had no idea an Encore would handle something like that.

chris i agree with you,i can handle handgun recoil alot better than riffle or shotgun.(i think that 300 ultra mag i had a few years ago kinda reminded me of that ,also had a old springfield 30-06 about 18 years ago that really hurt to shoot)i guess that is why i like my ruger 257 roberts so well,then i "discovered "hunting with a handgun! i do not like a 30-06 riffle,but in my 15"encore...i love it ,454 is sweet,44 mag is cool,kinda like to have a striker in a short mag or a 500 smith !
but i figure the 454 is plenty of gun for my hunting and as long as the 7-08 and 257 kill deer why spend the money,besides the '06 needs a scope and i would like a 3x12 burris on my 257,oh yeah i need a burris on the 454...gees im a needy person arent i...jim257

Tom those old Nitro Express cartridges were designed to operate at fairly low pressure, many originally used with black powder. So even though modern powders are being used they still don't run up in pressure like an Ultra Mag or WSM or something like that will.

Gary's right I understand that pressure on the Nitro Express cartridges are no problem and Van Horn makes a nice fishgill brake that would really take care of the extra recoil. (I believe SSK chambers them in Encores as well) I'm with KYODE on this one; when you already have a 300WM Encore, you have to look pretty high in caliber class to outdo it in practical performance. the 470 Nitro will be for when I take my middle daughter on our African safari that I've promiced her and she won't let me forget!