.45LC Buffalo Rifle to .460S&W

[oldfort]

This is my first post. I have an Laminated Ultra Varmint in .243 with an extra .204 Barrel. I have been wanting a Buffalo Classic, but the .45-70 has the long 32" Barrel. Now I am noticing the short Buffalo in .45LC. I am leaning toward one of them. I thought that this might be the forum to ask for some help.

I have been reading about the versatility of the .460S&W by also shooting the .45LC, .45 Scofield, and the .454 Catsul.  Questions:

Can the BC .45LC be reamed to handle the .460? If so, is that a .45LC reamer or does it need to be a .460?
Does anyone know someone that does that work reasonable?
If I were to buy the BC .45LC, could I send it in and have it fitted for the BC .45-70 barrel like I did for the .204? Thanks in advance.

[briannmilewis]

Take it away Tim, the Guru of the 45LC to 460 S&W conversion...he will be along shortly.

[quickdtoo]

Welcome oldfort! Well, actually there are a few members here that have rechambered their 45LC Carbine barrels to Casull or 460S&W, I know CW did his to Casull and Gendoc did his to 460 as I did, I did mine myself by hand with a rented reamer, 4D has a reamer, dunno if Elk Ridge has one yet or not, I had to wait over a year for 4D to buy one, I was the first to use it when he finally bought one. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, site sponsor Wayne York of Oregunsmithing has done several 460s, he be glad to help you out. If you want to do it yourself, just follow the directions in the FAQs and Help sticky for reaming the 357mag to Maxi, there's more info in the reamer rental sticky too. As for performance, I get almost 2900fps with the 200gr Hornady factory ammo in mine, accuracy isn't great tho, 2-3" 100yd groups is the best I got, 250gr handloaded SSTs were a little better, but those are the only two loads I've shot in it, I want to try 2400 with the 250gr SSTs some day, that seems to be the go to accuracy load for Encore 460s.

Tim

[cwlongshot]

Tim's is correct, (as usual)
 I did mine to 454 Casull. It shot well as a 45Colt. It still shoots well in 45Colt but doesn't shoot the same loads well. Meaning I had to work up different loads to find what it liked after the rechambering. Once I found the new loads it shoots just as well as it did before re-chambering.

But I lucked onto a great load with my first attempt in 454. It shoots almost one hole @ 50 yards. I've only shot a couple different hand loads all shot OK, but none as well as my first attempt.

I have been shooting and hot loading 45Colts for more than a decade. I was "uncomfortable" +P+ loading the 45Colt to get the new Hornady FTX 250Gr slugs to expand. SO, I chose to go to 454. I have a couple 45/70's so quickly ruled out the 460. Besides I shoot far more 45Colts and the long jump for the Colt in the 460's chamber doesn't lend itself the the best accuracy. The minimal difference between the 454 and 45Colt was more appealing.

CW

[gendoc]

and the other side of the story....
yes i have a 45/70, but i like it performing @ 1985 fps.
so i rechambered a cr-45lc to .460sw  so i could play with
heavy/slower performance, and the .460 is a blast @ 1100-1250 fps. once i find a
load at what i have a use for.... no sence in changing.
another reason to get a nudder handi !!!!