Well, I'm picking up my X frame this Saturday before I head back to my command as a late 21st birthday gift to me. I got it for a hair over a thousand and pretty excited to try it out. I mainly plan to plink with it, shooting mainly 45LC's and loading it with some 300 grain federal i picked up for when I go into the woods or for when hunting season starts.

I'm curious to see if this was a bad choice for a first gun. I'm sure the recoil won't be that bad, and the only real issue I heard was the internal lock actually locking up the gun with stupid heavy loads. This is my first revolver, and firearm (I don't plan on open carrying much, if at all) for a while before I buy an AK. Any advice? Useful accessories to buy? Any mods I should try out?

Are you in the military? How much have you shot before? I'm guessing 45 Colt will be pretty mild in the gun and will be a good way to get the basics down. Shooting full strength 460 loads probably isn't a good place to start, but the gun isn't a bad choice assuming you aren't looking for something to carry open or concealed.

I'm sure people have bought corvettes for their first car.... is it a good idea? Maybe, maybe not.

Welcome to the forum from Pennsylvania!
Sounds like you thought about the purchase and how you intend to use it, so the decision seems to have footing.
Diogenes was known to criticise cultural conventions, and was certainly his own man, so go forth and do as you see fit.
I think you will enjoy it. Personally I prefer K-frames, and an occasional N-frame.
Please let us know about your experiences with your purchase. And a couple pictures will be good too.
Being your entry into firearms, please also be safety conscious.

It's a great gun that is one of the most versatile of all revolvers. You can shoot 45 Colt, 454 Casull and 460 Magnums.

If you reload, you're better off.

If you're going back to the base, you have to follow protocols since firearms aren't allowed.


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It's an unusual first choice...most start with a model 500 and go up from there.

If you are a new shooter, that is different from being a new handgun owner with lots of shooting experience. If the former, a Hunter's Safety, basic marksmanship or concealed carry course may help you with the basics of gun handling. Starting with light loads is a good idea in either case. Happy shooting!

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

For Reddog and the rest, I'm currently serving in the Navy, and I do have a place to keep it thankfully. Thanks for the replies so far yall, I think I'm just nervous a bit for my first gun haha. I feel like before I know it I might just add a J-frame to the collection to!

Wouldn't have been my suggestion, but since you have it and appear to have a game plan - enjoy! One caution: If you shoot a lot of .45 Colt through it, you may have carbon build up in the chambers that will make loading .460s tough. Brownell's sells a .45 chamber brush (different from a bore brush) that will help clear the carbon. Thanks for your service.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

Wouldn't recommend that thing as a first gun for anybody.
Don't mean to sprinkle on your drill formation, just saying it's not a good choice there.
Denis

It is a great gun. I have never heard of it as a choice for a first gun, but you know best. I never really looked, but I suspect the ammo is above average in cost. Be sure to clean it when you use it and don't let anything turn you off to shooting. It is not a gun that I would train rookies on.

I love my 460XVR, but I had my 4" 686 357 mag long before I bought the 460. In fact my revolvers went from 357 to 38 special, to 44 mag than 460. I have them all still.

Yeah, I went in a gradation up to the 500, then got a 460.


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In hand-gun, I started at .44 mag and many would have said that was a poor choice or something that needed 'building up to'. Granted, I got a .629 Classic with 6 1/2" of tube and full lug, so the recoil really wasn't a big deal at all. Also, .44 mag to .45 Longs you might be touching off in the .460 is completely comparable, and prob even softer in the big x frame, BUT from there into the .460's..... it's completely apples & oranges comparison. The .460 can and will ring your bell! Be SURE to wear adequate to excessive ear protection! Many prefer to wear plugs AND cuffs. For hunting, I think the .460 is the pinnacle of hand-gun options, so, great decision. For range-fun and 'plinking'? Wellll, I don't know about the plink, but you'll for damn sure be able to 'reach out and touch' something! I hope your local range has a long yard, because that's where that gun is going to earn its keep. Enjoy! Don't horrify the neighbors.

I think it's terrific, as long as it's something that works for you. No one gun can do it all.

With that said, when I was still coaching, my standard practice was to work up from the lowly .22. #1 it's cheap, #2 it helps you work on fundamentals. No one flinches from .22 recoil out of a full sized target pistol. Then usually graduate to a 9mm and then, if they want, .45ACP and on up. It's pretty obvious but no matter what you still have to hit what you're aiming at. If you don't practice because of cost and/or recoil, you won't get proficient.

I think the main "accessory" you'd look at is a scope or a red dot. Leupold FX-II scope or Ultradot 30mm red dot would be my choices. Both come in a silver that should match the stainless 460 nicely.

When you get your AK, get an Arsenal unless you fancy yourself a hobby AK gunsmith.

Personally I think its a great choice. It's very versatile. I handroll my own ammo so I use 460 brass and any 45 ACP projectile when loading with Trailboss for a very mild load (comparable to 45 Colt). For my heavy loads I use 300 grain XTP MAG and H110. It produces a percussion boom that my 500 S&W can't even compare too and the muzzle flash is actually blinding! I'll tell you this...I LOVE SHOOTING THAT GUN!!! I run about 100 Trailboss mild loads and about 50 full 460 magnum loads through it every week at my local range.

Anyways, I've always been a wheel gun guy and I like big bore magnums. Enjoy your new gun!!!
Mike C.

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629-500-460V
M&P 45-SD9VE