Was wondering the .460 S&W Mag or .475 linebaugh which would be a better caliber in an Encore barrel for big game.

I like my 460 S&W encore. 12" barrel ported. The 460 gives more bullet options. I prefer the jacketed HP's in this setting. For the 475 , I perfer the WFN hardcast bullets which I like in revolvers. It's personal preference I reckon, but that's my train of thought on those 2.

For big game? The bigger hammer..... .475 all the way......

I would go with the 460 S&W. It is very close to 45/70 ballistics in a pistol. You would have a great selection of bullets with the 45 cal. If you want heavy bullets for large game there are plenty of them. The trajectory and ballistics of the 460 are superior.

X2!!!!!!!

They both will deliver on big game, the 460 will reach a little further than the 475, but the fatter bullet also has it's advantages. I can shoot the 475 without a brake, the same can't be said for the 460. A 12" 475 Linebaugh would make a fine hammer.

I like the 460. You have a greater variety of bullets. I have the Smith XVR. If you get one from th T/C custom shop go with a 12 in. bl. with a muzzle brake.

My vote goes to the 460. I agree with everything Franchise said.

Ballistics?? Shoots a bit flatter, but unless you buy into the muzzle energy myth, the .460's got nothing on the .475. I have shot game with both and seen a bunch of game taken with both, and despite the paper ballistic advantage the .460 enjoys, the .475 hits harder. The .460 is versatile, but even the .454 looks more powerful on paper, but a .475 it ain't. I'm not a light-for-caliber bullet guy, so all of the lightweight bullet loads don't appeal to me -- they work great on thin-skinned game, but that is all I would limit them to. At the end of the day, it's still a .45. Not trying to be contrary or combative, but I don't understand the logic behind the superior ballistics statement.

Whitworth: "At the end of the day, it's still a .45."

Do you mean a .475?

I'm not speaking for Whit, but the 460 is a .45.

I was talking about the .460...... I understand why folks have embraced a chambering that gives you the option of also using .45 Colt and .454 ammo, but at the end of the day, I think if you want to step up to something bigger, diameter is the way to go. Just my humble opinion.

I'm not sure what ballistics chart you are looking at but a 454 doesn't look superior with any load to the 460. One of the most potent 454 loads is w/ 360 gr. bullets. The 460, because of the case holding more powder can shoot the same 360 gr. bullet faster and harder. You do know that the 460 can be handloaded to be much more powerful than it's 200 gr. factory loads right? Ballistics include trajectory-the 475 Linbaugh is one hell of a round, but it's range is limited due to it's rainbow like trajectory. Jamesfromjersey loves his 475, but will tell you he's not a fan of the 475's trajectory. Versatility I believe plays a big part in this debate. If you like the 475 caliber, why not go with the 475 Maximum. All the great attributes of the Linebaugh, but more velocity and power. Remember the question was for an Encore not a revolver. I would like to see a write up on what animal is too tough for the 460 S&W and not the 475 Linbaugh. At one time the 454 was king, then the 475, and now the 500 S&W. If larger frontal area is what is wanted the 50 Alaskan can shoot a heavier "bullet weight" & larger diameter projectile. That is if bigger is always better.

Anyone up for the 500 Max??? (LOL)

BTW, I wouldn't make the funny if I didn't actually have one... IN AN ENCORE!!!!

I was comparing the .454 to the .475 -- not the .460. How far are you planning on shooting game with a handgun? 18-inch drop at 200 yards is not that rainbow-like in my opinion and "flat trajectory" and handgun really shouldn't be used in the same sentence. Those light bullets get pushed around by wind a lot more than the heavies and, they scrub off speed a lot faster as well as they don't carry much momentum.

Why not the .475 max? Because the additional velocity isn't necessary. More speed isn't the answer. I have a .50 Alaskan (the revolver in my signature) that is able to make the .500 Smith and the .500 Maximum go run and hide. That said, it doesn't work any better than my .500 Linebaugh. I use a 525 grain bullet in the Linebaugh at a scorching 1,100 fps. I use the same bullet in the Alaskan at 1,575 fps (verified by the chronograph). Even with a good muzzle brake, the .50 AK is nearly uncontrollable at these levels. At the Linebaugh seminar a few years ago, my .50 Ak with that load penetrated 51-inches. My .500 Linebaugh load (same one I mentioned earlier) went 50-inches. All that recoil, speed, and blast just aren't necessary........ I don't worship at the alter of velocity and muzzle energy, that is why I am not a big fan of those two Smith & Wesson offerings. They don't kill any better when you jack the velocities up in my experience.

With this being said-what make the 475 better than the 480 if it's not more powder for increased velocity.

It's not. You're looking at this from the wrong perspective. You can drive the same weight bullets as the .475 but the price is higher pressure. Ross Seyfreid figured out the same thing with the .500 max versus the .500 Linebaugh -- it wasn't about pushing bullets faster, but doing the same thing with lower pressure -- with lower recoil and less wear and tear on both the shooter and the firearm. Call John Linebaugh and ask him what he feels is the optimal velocity for the .475, etc. -- he'll tell you about 1,200 is optimal.

1, Thanks for realizing that I was trying to be funny! We have to realize that we find what fits "us." Just because Jack O'Connor loved his 270 and it is my dream of taking a Grand Slam with it doesn't mean that is what someone else would take, or more importantly, that every user on this forum even has the desire to embark on this task...

2, Mr. Whitworth, Can you PM me with some loads for your 500 Max?? PLEASE!!!

TCMan,

I'd recommend you talk to John for loading data on the .500 max. I believe anything that would work in one of the revolver conversions would do just fine in an Encore/

As for the rest of the discussion; I am of the opinion that those who push the faster, lighter for caliber loadings for game read too much and do not have much or any actual or practical experience shooting game. Fast and light is best reserved for backpacking and prairie dogs.

Do not talk down the .475 for it's so-called rainbow trajectory. 500 yards hits are rather consistent with this round once the sight alignment is correct and the heavier bullets do not lose velocity as quickly as the lighter projectiles.

If an individual likes a .460, more power to them; but it just a .45 and will never be a .475 despite how it's loaded.

I'm with Hitman on this one. The velocity numbers look great on paper but don't translate to the same in the game fields. It may flatten you out slightly but not enough to matter in the distances that you hunt with a revolver. Leave the velocity to the short rifles that a lot enjoy to hunt with. The wider/heavier slugs work wonderfully well on game at 1000 fps and even slower. My 475 rarely gets pushed over 1050. It can but I don't need it, haven't found anything yet that can stop that slug so no need in beating me or the gun up for more of something that is un-needed to be honest. If that doesn't make sense, stop reading and start shooting more game and I think it will become very clear very quickly. Just my opinion......

youins are talkin(peein) about two completely different classes of cartridge/gun imo. ENCORE was the original post. a 460 in a closed breech encore will do 2600...2700fps??, if my memory serves me well and by reports of others.

The original question was asking which would be better in an encore ? The 460 or the 475. My opinion was based on more bullet choices in the 45 cal. Making it more versitile. IMO
My on preference would be for neither of these rounds. I guess it really depends on what this gentlemen is going to hunt with this round and where. I really like big bore rifle rounds in single shot pistols.

The original question was which caliber would be better for big game in an Encore barrel. So I still say .475 Linebaugh is going to outshine the .460 by a great deal. If one is using a Encore for big game, why not just stop on up to a .416 Taylor and quit messing around?

Interesting opinions all...but MS Hitman's recap of the OP's question begs clarification from Jeffx: what do you mean by big game?

My opinion is from shooting and the taking of many head of large game ( Water Buffalo, Yak, Nilgai, Russian and Feral Boar, lots of deer, rams, and goats, not to mention lots of varmints). There are many on this site with greater experience, but I have seen what rounds will take large game and can make my statements with experience. Ed Folmar is exactly right - hit'em in the right spot and both rounds will do the job.

460(45 cal.) or .475,either are still big calibers and will do the job quite effectively as long as the right bullet is used for the game,large or small.Both are great calibers,and if you could communicate with the deceased game,I bet they wouldn't know the difference that a .45 cal. hole or .475 hole let their air out,they still died quickly with correct bullet placement.

John you are exactly right. Interestingly enough John Linebaugh designed the 458 MAXIMUM. Which is based on a shortened 45/70 case. This round pushes a 325 gr. bullet at 1750 fps. John himself states this to be his most versitile round, saying it knocks the spots off of leopards. Good enough for me. This round mirrors the ballistics of the 460 S&W. Very Interesting.

I like big slow bullets so I lean twards the 475, the 460 may be more versitile but hey who cares :p I never followed logic when picking my rounds HAHAHA!!!!

Call John and talk to him. He has revised his thinking quite a bit over the years. At the advent of the .475 John L. was advocating maximum loads which ammounted to a 420 gran bullet at roughly 1,400 fps. He has since revised that to the 1,200 fps range basd on years of observation on game and shooting.

Leopards have always responded more to high velocity projectiles, but those same loads don't work well on large bovines and other animals that can stomp you.

I recieved my my first 475 in 1988 an shot the first Moose and Grizz ever taken with a 475. I taken and seen game taken witmany different calibers including 45-70 rifles and the 475 Linebaugh with 420 grain hard cast LFN bullets taken a back seat to none.

The OP asked about Big Game and to me that means Moose Buffalo Big Bears, etc IMHO the 475 is the bigger hammer the 460 is still just a 45 caliber and the visual indication of the bullet impact is greater by a good margin

Jeff, I`ll bet you never thought your question on caliber choice would start a discussion with 30 replies....I`ve been around a few campfires where the question of whether one caliber is better then another for specific size game, had lasted long into the night and at the end it was shot placement that won out. I would think either of the 2 calibers you mentioned, with bullet weight matching the game, would be a fine choice.By the way, have you made a decision on which one you would like in an Encore??