S&W 460

[rosharb]

My brother bought a used S&W 460 and it came with two compensators. One for shooting lead bullets and one for jacketed bullets. The local gunshop has a used one that I am interested in buying but only has the one compensator. Do all new 460s come with two compensators or is the secoumd one an option? Thanks

[Redhawk1]

If it is a removable comp you get 2, if it is a permanent comp you will only get the one.

[HL]

Just wondering, why would you need a separate compensator for Lead bullets? If it works for one, it should for the other, shouldn't it?

[Redhawk1]

NO. The porting on the comps are what the difference is. You want to be able to remove the comp. If you shoot lead bullets thought the jacketed comp, the top ports will get filled with lead and make it almost imposable to remove, if you can remove it at all. I did and do how ever shoot both lead and jacketed in the comp made for the lead bullets.

[Bitmap]

My experience is that shooting lead bullets through the jacketed compensator results in chunks of lead flying out.  I got a scratch just below my throat that way.

I think the fixed comps only have vents in the top while the interchangeable ones have vents in the sides and top.

[Redhawk1]

Again, the removable comps have ports on the sides, but the jacketed comp has added ports on the top. At the top there are posts in the shroud and that is where the problem comes in for the removable comps. If lead get in the ports on the top it fuses the comp to the barrel shroud. With the gun with the permanent comp, it is not a problem, because you are not going to remove the comp and there is only ports on the top.