Good afternoon! I am a new forum member (first post) and wanted to ask you about a few things regarding the 14 inch XVR. I received mine new about one year ago. Initially, I was shocked at how inconsistent and how inaccurate my shots were at 15 yds 25 yds and so on with 45LC, 454 C and slower versions of .460 ammo.
Regarding 45C and Casuall consistenance, it would be expected they are not going to be as accurate due to the additional free bore the bullet has to travel.
My barrel was rotating to the point where the shroud nut unscrewed itself and the barrel was touching the cylinder. Long story short, it went back to S&W and they ultimately replaced it.
I have had 460 barrel tension come lose, if this happens you should not continue shooting - it need to be corrected. I believe it related to several factors, not tensioned enough at factory and overheating the gun.
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The new (identical) 14" XVR had the same accuracy issues
As stated above this is inherent in the design. All guns shoots most accurately with the cartridge they were designed for. If another cartridge is capable to be safely fired it is a compromise at best form the design.
One year later, I have determined a few things that I feel are facts, but I wanted to put some feelers out there and get some thoughts. Regarding the barrel rotating, the force of the rifle spin (think Newton on this one) is causing the barrel to rotate left. About 100 rounds later, mine has stopped rotating (approx 15 degrees total) and I am maintaining a .102mm BC. 14" XVR specific, has this happened to anyone else?
Your barrel should not rotate if the tension has been set corrected. Yours may have reached the correct tension by shooting but this dangerous. Note also that as the barrel rotates the BC changes.
Barrel tension also effects accuracy of the gun.
The accuracy issue for me is this... Again, specific to the 14" model (looooong barrel)... Anything slower than 2,200 fps and I'm all over the place. Now, the Hornady FTX's? I am 2 inch groups at 100yds all day long (Leupold VX-3 and Leupold PRW mounts, forward in the rails at 30 in-lb). Does velocity and recoil really have that much impact on, well, impact?
Bullet weight and velocity effect point of impact- simple physics.
Heavy bullets tend to print higher, the longer the barrel the more obvious it becomes- they are in the barrel longer and are effected more because of this.
These effects are well documented and discussed in the handgun community- more so with the big bore revolver crowd.
Getting good with the 460 take lots of practice- by lots I mean 50 to 100 rounds a session and shooting at least once a week.
Take up reloading if you don't already- this will increase the amount of shooting for your dollar spent.
Quite shooting the shorter cartridges-if you want reduced loads -load them in 460 brass- in my mind reduced recoil load defeat the purpose of owning a 460 in the first place - and they won't facilitate development of skill required to master the 460.
One day I hope I get their myself.
Good luck and be safe
Ruggy
