I just bought a 14in version of the 460 and was surprised to see it is a traditionally rifled barrel. If gain twist rifling is so important to the xvr why didn't they use it in the longer version? My other one shot cast bullets very well by the way. Will I have any issues with cast bullets and this gun? I imagine not as long as they are hard and heavy enough.

All three of my 14" have gain twist.

How did you determine yours has a fixed twist rate?

It was used for margin gain in velocity and increased accuracy.

The 460 works just fine with a fixed rate as any one with a BFR can attest to though in my testing I come up a little shy on velocity out of either of my BFRs compared to same Barrel length to my S&Ws. It is also faster at 16.

Due to it extra long cylinder; 3" copmared to 2.3") you can shoot some really big lead- I have posted pic of 740 bullets here before.

Cast bullets work just with the 460. Just like every other gun they need to be sized correctly for the gun.
If you push them hard they will need to gas checked for best results.

Good luck and be safe
Ruggy

My 10 1/2'' 460 PC Hunter also has gain twist rifleing
lf in doubt about rifleing type simply put a 44 and 460
side by side... The difference is seen lmmidiately

MK1 eyeball granted it was obvious in my 8 3/8 gun in the 14 it looks like traditional cut rifling with uniform twist and grove depth throughout.

The depth of the grove is the same throughout the twist regardless of twist.
The longer the barrel the more subtle the change of rate is.

If you think you have one that is not fixed twist rate I would call S&W and verify.

These are Lothar barrels and the computer controlled process is very precise.

Good luck and be safe
Ruggy

Good point. as far as the height of the lands I noticed in my 8 3/8 it was very noticeable that the lands started almost even height with the grooves and then got taller on the way to the muzzle.

S&W manufacture the barrels for the 8 3/8" and 5" uses EDM per my communications.

Lothar uses a different process, they furnish the PC barrel.

I would speculate that account for different appearance.

I went and looked at several barrels (all lengths) again to confirm that there is a difference in appearance as you stated.
All the PC barrels depth appears same front to back.

Later
Ruggy

I believe you have your info backwards.
I owened a 8 3/8s limited production smith. The production guns (I called smith and talked to the PC center) are Lother- Walther barrels made in germany with a gain twist.
The PC barrels are made by smith and do not have the gain twist.