Anyone load .460 S&W, .454 Casull, or .45 Colt?

[Downzero]

My friend just bought a S&W .460 and wants to kill some deer with it. Whatever bullet you're using, I'd like to hear about it.

It seems that he options are a heavy, hard cast, gas checked bullet, a Hornady XTP JHP, or a Nosler Partition. I'm tempted to just tell him to use the lead bullet but I'm open to suggestions.

I've heard that a deer won't expand most hollow point bullets as well. Any thoughts?

 

[Grumulkin]

Re: Anyone load .460 S&W, .454 Casull, or .45 Colt

In answer to your question; yes, all of the above. This Red Hartebeest was taken with a Thompson/Center Encore chambered in 460 S&W Magnum. The bullet used was a Hornady 250 gr. SST/ML (the ML stands for muzzleloader) bullet.

I presume that since you friend has a 460 S&W he is more interested in 460 S&W loads than in 454 Casull and 45 Colt loads. I would have the following suggestions/observations to make.

1. I think way too much is made over bullet expansion. Our forefathers killed stuff with plain round lead balls which didn't expand at all. If you put a .451 or .452 in. hole (i.e., no expansion at all) in a vital organ of an animal it will die. That said, having used Hornady bullets out of handguns on big game, I can say with confidence that Hornady bullets impacting a deer at 460 S&W velocities will expand just fine. I haven't used Nosler handgun bullets on big game but I'm confident that they would expand as well.

2. Do not fall for the temptation to use 45 Colt or 454 Casull brass for "light loads" in a 460 S&W chamber. There are better ways to get light loads. If you use short brass, eventually erosion of the chamber will make extraction difficult if you ever again want to use 460 S&W brass. You can also "ring the chamber."

3. I don't crimp for Encore loads but loads for a revolver must be crimped and the crimp must be VERY good or the bullets will move out of the cases under recoil. I would recommend a custom made Lee Factory Crimp Die for this operation. This die can be used on bullets without a cannelure. By the way, 460 S&W revolver loads are the only loads for which I resize new brass because if I don't, neck tension isn't enough to hold the bullets under recoil.

4. If you scope a 460 S&W Magnum, or a 500 S&W Magnum for that matter, you better use a good scope or it will be trashed in a few shots. In fact, mine has even broken a Leuopld but at least with their lifetime warranty, its repair cost me nothing but postage. Scope mounts must also be very solid; I use SSK Industries 4 ring T'SOB mounts.

 

[Handloader]

Re: Anyone load .460 S&W, .454 Casull, or .45 Colt

I load for a Ruger 454 with Hornady XTP/Mag bullets. They seem to work well, but have not shot over a chrony yet. I did use some Winchester Supreme and had 17 inches of travel in a wild hog (frontal shot in the head from 20 yards, through the skull, through and under the spine, and found bullet under pelvis near the ass end of the hog). Expansion looked just like the picture, BUT I hit a LOT of bone in that shot. I use the 300 grain Hornady XTP .458 in my Savage muzzle loader over 66 or 67 grains of N-120 at around 2300-2400 fps(yes it is a smokless powder muzzle loader), and the results are devestating.

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: Anyone load .460 S&W, .454 Casull, or .45 Colt?

Down,

Also, if you use the lead bullets at 460 or 454 velocities, you will get lots of lead build up. I wouldn't recommend it. Use the jacketed bullets. I hunt with a 44 mag, and the JHP bullets expand fine.

Chad