Author Topic: Whats the range of a 460 s&w? (Read 4428 times)

ecgate · « **on:** January 02, 2011, 06:42:30 AM »

I am looking at getting into hunting whitetail deer with a T/C Encore pistol and would like to know the range of a 460 S&W. Can I shoot a deer at 200 yards or is that pushing it. I want something that can reach out for long range hunting so if anybody has any suggestions that they think would be better than a 460 s&w please let me know. And it has to be a straight walled case. Thanks

stimpylu32 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 02, 2011, 07:40:44 AM »

From looking over the Ballistic charts , using a 300g bullet @ around 1900 fps , you would have to use a 13" hold over with a 100 yard zero to be dead on at 200 yards , that load would also deliver in the range of 1050 ft-lbs of energy to the target .

Will that kill a Deer , ya sure , can you hold steady enough to get a good shot placement on a Deer at those ranges out of the ave. handgun & shooter , maybe , but not likely .

If your looking at that long of a shot being needed , I would re-think my choice of weapon , or your location of hunting , sure the silley-wet guys do make shots at those range's , however you may not be able to get the type of rest that they use in normal hunting situations .

stimpy

irold · « **Reply #2 on:** January 02, 2011, 11:29:31 AM »

Good reply , Stimpy

We have to be realistic. Maybe if ya hunt from some sort of blind where ya actually have a sandbag type rest, ( most of us don't have that luxury ) 200 yd shots are probably OK.

Not sure of your experience with a handgun...the 460 in the Encore is not for the recoil shy hunter. With the closed breech it really packs the punch...remember, for every action there is an opposite reaction ! Don't underestimate the 44mag in a 12" Encore. According to my chrony , I was getting over 1600 fps from mine. ( 240 XTP over W-296 )Plenty for 75 to 100 yd shots for whitetail.

Actually to answer your question...I'm sure the 460 will shoot well at or beyond 200 yd. (mine was sighted in for 50 yds )Its whether you can shoot it well enough to use it to its full potental (sp?)

regards irold

buck460XVR · « **Reply #3 on:** January 02, 2011, 11:51:02 AM »

...as been said already, the .460 is more than capable of making a 200 yard shot. The accuracy of mine @ 100 yards still amazes me. The question is, are you capable?

Catfish · « **Reply #4 on:** January 02, 2011, 12:54:58 PM »

If you have good enough accuracy, a good rest, a range finder and a scope with target knobs I figuring at least 400 yrds. If you have never shot a 460 shoot one before you buy one. There is alot more felt recoil on my 460 than there is with my 500. I was going to hunt this year with a 460 but could not find a load that shoot to suit me.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 02, 2011, 05:47:59 PM »

I had several S&W 460 Mag, and had them sighted in 3 inches high at 100 yards, at 150 yards I was still able to hit a 4 inch clay target with no hold over. At 200 yards I held 3 inches high and was on target. That is with a 240 gr hard cast bullet. I was shooting of a bench rest. I took one deer at 145 yards with the gun and did not use any hold over, just put the cross hairs on the front shoulder and let it rip. I was in a tree stand with a shooting rail.. I would not attempt an off hand shot at that range.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #6 on:** January 03, 2011, 06:42:41 AM »

anyone that knows me knows im an avid handgun hunter but personaly i dont believe in shooting much past a 100 yards with any handgun scoped or not. Theres just to much room for error and just because you can hit targets all day off a bench at those ranges doesnt mean it will hold true when the pressure of shooting at a live target in the field. If i am going hunting and figure the range is going to be longer then a 100 yards i put the handgun away and take a rifle.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #7 on:** January 03, 2011, 06:55:00 AM »

Quote from: ecgate on January 02, 2011, 06:42:30 AM

I am looking at getting into hunting whitetail deer with a T/C Encore pistol and would like to know the range of a 460 S&W. Can I shoot a deer at 200 yards or is that pushing it. I want something that can reach out for long range hunting so if anybody has any suggestions that they think would be better than a 460 s&w please let me know. And it has to be a straight walled case. Thanks

Maybe you should ask in the TC Handgun forum.

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/board,24.0.html

Tim

Quote from: Grumulkin on August 14, 2010, 07:24:23 PM

If you look at various load manuals for 460 S&W data, you will become confused. The reason is that some manuals limited the load because their bullet won't hold up to the velocity the 460 S&W Magnum is capable of. In other cases, it's because they want easy ejection from revolvers which are obviously different than the Encore.

This 200 yard group shot with my Encore 460 S&W Magnum handgun measured about 1.5 inches. When plugged into Quick Load, pressure approached the SAMI maximum for this cartridge. Muzzle velocity is about 2,350 fps.

The load also works on Zebra and other stuff.

Catfish · « **Reply #8 on:** January 03, 2011, 09:49:24 AM »

Lloyd, I think this is the first time I have ever had a small disagreement with anything you posted and I`m not real sure I do now. I do feel that 95% of the people that handgun hunt should not take a shot past 25 yrds do to their ablity. But a good hunter and shooter should be limited to the range of the gun, assuming his ablity is up to that. To me it is a matter of not taking shots that you are not sure of. When I am taking long shot I am set up with a good rest, usually a by-pod. I also carry a range finder so that I know the distance, I learned along time ago that I was not as good at judging distance as you have to be at longer ranges. I do pass up alot of shots because I don`t have time to get everything done, but when I shoot I very seldom miss. But then I could tell storys about hitting thing I did not see $:-\$ Like a big horse weed I rember, that that one was only a 75 yrd. shot.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 03, 2011, 11:24:25 AM »

Lloyd, I agree. I spent a lot of time with my S&W 460 Mags. And I would take longer shots with it. I have sold all of my S&W 460's and just stick to my 45 Colt, 475 Linebaugh and 500 mag. I use my handguns for short range hunting anymore, under 100 yards. Actually more in the 50 yard and under area.

I have more fun using my handguns like I use my bow. No more scopes on my handguns, just open sights and red-dots. Just my personal preference.

roger460xvr · « **Reply #10 on:** January 05, 2011, 02:55:43 PM »

I feel safe staying within about 100yds...

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #11 on:** January 06, 2011, 12:23:00 AM »

catfish id be a balded faced lier if i told you ive never shot any game over a 100 yards with a handgun. ive take a couple whitetail at a bit over 200 with a 7waters scoped contendor and the longest open sighted shot i made was a whitetail doe at 175 with a 44mag. Now i was younger then and i guess i thought i had something to prove. At the time i did have a perfect rest and time to settle down and really consentrate on the shot. All those animals were taken cleanly but it wouldnt bet a plugged nickle that i cound do it a 100 percent of the time. It was told to me by one of the best handgun shots i know that the proper range for hunting is determined like this. Take your gun to the range with the load your using for hunting. Shoot it off the bench and shoot it in all the field positions you might call on it to be used. Find the range you can put all 6 bullets into a 6 inch circle a 100 percent (not 99) of the time in all positions then cut that range in half and thats what you should limit your hunting range too. That factors in for elevated heartbeat and other things that may crop up in the field. To many people make those limits for themselves and then see a big 8 point buck and just can resist throwing lead at it. To me a doe taken cleanly at a 100 yards or even 25 is more of a trophy then a 10 point buck that you gut shot and chased in pain for a half a day. Also my limitations are MY limitations. I have no right to tell anyone what theres are. Ive been an avid bow hunter for 25 years. I have NEVER shot a deer at a range longer then 25 yards. WHY? because im not good enough with a bow and know it. I know guys that routinely take deer at 50 with bows and probably do a better job of it then i do at 25. Thats the trick to it. you have to KNOW your limitations. You have to check your ego back at the range. Nothing will increase your heartrate faster then taking a shot your not sure of and then theres the old saying that if you have to ask DONT

Quote from: Catfish on January 03, 2011, 09:49:24 AM

Lloyd, I think this is the first time I have ever had a small disagreement with anything you posted and I`m not real sure I do now. I do feel that 95% of the people that handgun hunt should not take a shot past 25 yrds do to their ablity. But a good hunter and shooter should be limited to the range of the gun, assuming his ablity is up to that. To me it is a matter of not taking shots that you are not sure of. When I am taking long shot I am set up with a good rest, usually a by-pod. I also carry a range finder so that I know the distance, I learned along time ago that I was not as good at judging distance as you have to be at longer ranges. I do pass up alot of shots because I don`t have time to get everything done, but when I shoot I very seldom miss. But then I could tell storys about hitting thing I did not see $:-\$ Like a big horse weed I rember, that that one was only a 75 yrd. shot.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 06, 2011, 03:53:29 AM »

Lloyd that is some great advice.

Yesterday I had a buddy that only shoots his handgun right before handgun season, just to check the sights and see how he does. He shoots at 25 yards only. Well he had a shot at a doe the other day at 44 yards and missed. He went to the range and shot the gun once again at 25 yards. 2 shots hit close to center, and the other 2 shots were not on the paper. He ask me what was wrong with the gun or load.. I told him let me see the gun, I loaded up 6 shots and shot all 6 shots in a 2 inch group off hand at 25 yards. I told him nothing was wrong with the gun or load, it was the guy behind the trigger.

I told him, about the same advice you just gave. I told him to shoot his gun at 50 yards and get real proficient with it. Once he can hit a pie plate at 50 yards with all six shots, then when hunting don't shoot anything over 35 yards. He ask me why only 35 yards. I told him is adrenalin and excitement would not let him shoot as accurate, for several reasons. Then I told him, he needs to shoot is gun a hell of a lot more then once a year.. ..

That is what I find with a large amount of handgun hunters, they think because they can sit at the range and shoot OK and I use OK loosely., that they will go fine in the field. Then I try to tell them the further they shoot, that not more steady they have to be, at a distance the movement of the gun movement is multiplied by 15 to 20 times more at longer distances.

At 25 yards a slight movement of the gun may not show much, but at 75 yards that same movement will throw off the point of impact off by a Hugh margin.

jays375 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 07, 2011, 02:30:57 PM »

Redhawk1 why did you sell your 460?Just wondering I haven't had mine long and just starting to work on loads for it.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 08, 2011, 02:18:14 AM »

Quote from: jays375 on January 07, 2011, 02:30:57 PM

Redhawk1 why did you sell your 460?Just wondering I haven't had mine long and just starting to work on loads for it.

I bought 5 of them, it was something I just had to have. I had 2 of the PC 7.5 inch, a 5 inch a 10 inch and a 8 3/8 inch. I did the same thing with the 500 mags, but only bought 6 of them...lol. I sold just about all of my S&W X-frames except one 500 mag. Which I am going to keep. I got into custom handguns, and decided I did not need all them S&W X-frames

I thought I just had to have the 460 Mag so I could shoot my handgun out at long range. But after a few years of doing it, it was not really why I got into handgun hunting over 36 years ago. I much more like the up close and personal aspect of handgun hunting. Personal choice only. I don't see anything wrong with long range handgun shooting, as long as the person is capable, and actually practices long range handgun shooting.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2011, 01:27:37 AM »

guys that have seen me post in the past know im not a big 460 fan or even a 454 fan but thats not saying that either would make a top shelf gun for a handgun hunter. Its just that most of the big advantage they claim over rounds like the 44 mag and 45 colt are just marketing crap. Keep the range to what you truely are capable of and they kill just fine.

DANNY-L · « **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2011, 01:07:15 PM »

This is some good reading from different angles.

Sverre A. · « **Reply #17 on:** January 09, 2011, 01:14:34 PM »

Ballistictabells is one thing.

Will a revolver give accuracy out to 200 yds?

Sverre A. · « **Reply #18 on:** January 09, 2011, 01:25:45 PM »

"believe in shooting much past a 100 yards with any handgun scoped or not"

I`m almost agree.

In my head - I have come to - shooting with my FA 454:

Open sights: Max 40 yds
Doctersight: Max. 70 yds
Scope: Max. 120 yds

But in different "situations" - I have added some yds $:-\$

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2011, 02:53:23 AM »

Quote from: Sverre A. on January 09, 2011, 01:14:34 PM

Ballistictabells is one thing.

Will a revolver give accuracy out to 200 yds?

Short answer is yes!

ecgate · « **Reply #20 on:** January 10, 2011, 02:30:19 PM »

Thanks for all of the input. I think I'm going to pick up a 460 and see what I can do with it.