460 xvr compensated vs non compensated

Greetings
I am contemplating my next firearm and am trying to decide between two of the Performance Center 460's the 10.5 compensated and 12'' straight barrel. As no one stocks them around here I will have to buy without holding or shooting.

My primary use will be to use for hunting big game such as elk and of course bear protection. 90% of my shooting will be in an indoor rifle range practicing. I have done all the research and the basic question comes down to balance and the trade off of muzzle blast vs recoil. or whether to get the compensator.

I shoot my 44 with big loads with no problem and the 375 H&H and 45/70 rifles do not bother me either. The non ported also has rails on the bottom. I fear that the non ported will be unpleasant to practice with and too front heavey and the ported will have me deaf and breathing lead.

Any expereinces with these guns out there? Thanks

Just from being around them at the (outdoor) range, you are going to need ear plugs plus very good muffs every time you shoot them, or you are going deaf in a hurry.
The ported ones run everybody else off the line.

Comped/muzzle brake handguns have their place, just not around me.
I guess for competition they're ok but for everything else I can't stand the d**n things.
Biggest downside to me regarding my 4" 500 (besides the IL) is that ugly thing with holes in it stuck on the end of the barrel.

kschatzle said:

Greetings
I am contemplating my next firearm and am trying to decide between two of the Performance Center 460's the 10.5 compensated and 12'' straight barrel. As no one stocks them around here I will have to buy without holding or shooting.

My primary use will be to use for hunting big game such as elk and of course bear protection. 90% of my shooting will be in an indoor rifle range practicing. I have done all the research and the basic question comes down to balance and the trade off of muzzle blast vs recoil. or whether to get the compensator.

I shoot my 44 with big loads with no problem and the 375 H&H and 45/70 rifles do not bother me either. The non ported also has rails on the bottom. I fear that the non ported will be unpleasant to practice with and too front heavey and the ported will have me deaf and breathing lead.

Any expereinces with these guns out there? Thanks

Click to expand...

I have the 8.38” production version 460 with as Smith calls it the “interchangeable compensator”.
I also shoot (2) 500 Magnum guns, a 4” and the 8.38” production guns with comps

The 460 is an excellent hunter, shoots flat like a rifle, and you will like it for that.
Referencing the .44 Magnum is not even worth mentioning in this realm.
(No Offence implied)
If you had experience with the 454 Casull, this would be a starting line reference as to the powder and recoil level, comp or no comp.
Most of the load manuals I reference for these guns list the recoil as either “severe” or “punishing”
Be prepared for “serious” recoil and muzzle blast regardless of model with full power loadings.
You didn’t say whether you do or were planning on Handloading for it.
This could make all the difference in the world as with some of the faster rifle powders I load I notice the blast wave on some of the hotter heavy bullet loads is not as severe using the compensator.

IMHO all of these X frame guns should not be pursued unless the owner is going to Handload for them. Not only from the ridiculous pricing on ammunition needed to feed these monsters but the accuracy potential is only “scratching the surface” with factory loadings.
\
You say you will be shooting this indoors?
This may exacerbate the impact as well, whether actual or perceived.
(I would avoid shooting my X frame guns indoors if at all possible)

The non-ported model you site weighs just a tic under five pounds!
This will help in managing the recoil department, but I suspect full power loads are not that different in real shooting from a ported gun.
It can be hard to quantify these things for an individual.
Anytime you are lighting off cartridges with as much as 50 grains or more of powder in them in a handheld platform you are going to have some “recoil to manage” no matter how heavy the gun is.

My suggestion would be to obtain the model that best suits the “primary goal” of the reason to obtain the gun FIRST.
Then decide if the ported or non-ported gun is a decision that needs to be made
A little more or less recoil and or muzzle blast is something training will mitigate for the most part.
Besides while I can and do shoot relatively long strings with my X frame guns doesn’t mean you have to…the guns are extremely accurate with the right loading so high round count should not be necessary.
Good Luck

They do shoot very well and wish mine did not have the muzzle break on it. You cannot hunt with one without ear protection like you can with a rifle that has a break on it.

I hate muzzle brakes! Whether a howitzer or a pistol! The blast and noise from the brake is worse to me than the recoil. So I bought the 12" version and it is a HEAVY revolver as has been pointed out. Yes, it recoils; however, it is certainly not the stuff of the lore & legend that has been posted. I have fired everything form the 225 grain loads up to the 395 grain Cor Bon loads. Supposedly, the gain twist barrel reduces torquing but I have never fired anything except this one and I don't have another .460 as a reference point - I would gladly accept donations towards this. Regardless, of whether or not you get a braked version, you will want hearing protection even when hunting. The noise from even the 12" is truly deafening. I use the electronic muffs whenever I hunt with it. I double up with muffs and plugs when at the range.

devildog66 said:

Regardless, of whether or not you get a braked version, you will want hearing protection even when hunting. The noise from even the 12" is truly deafening.

Click to expand...

Exactly.

kschatzle....I was in the same dilemma as you when first contemplating an X-Frame. I went with the 10.5'' comped model thinking since I would use it more at the range than hunting, it would only make sense to reduce recoil. I also figured either model would be deafening without hearing protection. I was correct on both points. Having shot both, I can honestly tell you ther is little difference in the noise level, but then, I have never intentionally shot either without hearing protection. The comped model for me was easier on my wrist and forearm(yes the shockwave travels all the way up your arm) and even my youngest son was shooting full house load outta it at the age of 13. Both guns because of their weight need a solid rest to be accurate, but accurate they are. I use a shooting stick with mine in the woods and like devildog, always(and I mean always) use hearing protection when hunting. One time I took my muffs off while hunting to answer my cell phone. Halfway thru the conversation with my oldest a deer presented a shot and without thinking I just set down the phone and raised the gun. Never again.