reloading 460 for deer hunting

[Seabee Chuck]

Picking up a new 460 PC revolver, 7.5" barrel this week. Need some advice on what works best as a reload to hunt deer out to 125-150 yds. Have many confusing articles, and still no real conclusions on bullet wt., brand, style, etc. Fast burning powders vs slow.

I am hoping for answers from those who have actually taken deer with this revolver. I am not against using factory ammo either, but am able to reload to save $$$$.

Never reloaded for the 460, but have a lot of experience with .44 mag, and a few wildcats.

 

[Imissedagain]

We hunt with fishing rods in South Florida, but all our handloads, with the 460, use Starline brass.
Check the archives here and until the experts chime in,
type for a web search, "460 Smith Wesson hunting deer."
I found lotsa information.
As fas as optics, the Leupold 2.5-8X32 is no longer available.
The Hunters can also help with sight solutions.

 

[Seabee Chuck]

Thank you for your answer, and your service to our country. Hope your FL area has been spared the severe weather that has happened to FL this past 6 months.

 

[ruggyh]

Confusion because there are so many options.
Thin skinned critters will fall to lightest bullets out of the 460, assuming proper shoot placement.

Bullet construction is more important than the weight.

I would caution that the 200 FTX is the poorest choice as it opens to fast in my option and ruins meat as result of the excessive wound channel.

I personally like monolith constructed bullets-regardless of weight.

Nothing wrong with jacketed bullets that are actually designed for the pressure and velocity and pressure generated in the 460 cartridge.
Hornady 240 XTP MAG, 300 XTP MAG, Swift offers 260, 300, 325 A_Frames
Barnes Buster at 325 grain are all suitable for hunting.

In the monolith bullets Barnes has 200, 225, 250, 275,
Cutting edges has 240 to 300 options

My personal favorite for the type of hunting I do is the 260 CPS from North Fork Technologies.

I have used all the bullets mentioned above with success on game animals.

This is not a comprehensive list but rather those I know will work.

For powder I would recommend you start with H110 which will work well over the range of weight mentioned above.

IF you load Barnes bullets A#9 works well and load data for the 200 and 275 are Barnes. Off coarse H110 works also but #9 seems to produce most accurate load for the 200 grain.

N110, 2400, Lil Gun, 4227, Enforcer, 1680, 5477 all can be used.

Once you choose a bullet PM me and I willsend you more refined data.

 

[venomballistics]

Deer can be taken with a 357.
That said, I cannot imagine much from the 460 not working.
220 - 350 grain flat or hollow point loaded at or above 454 casul energy levels will pretty much bag anything north America has to shoot at

 

[ruggyh]

....

Its too much gun without a butt stock

Maybe for you, the revolvers works just fine for me.

 

[venomballistics]

anything you find in the lyman cast bullet book 4 is good enough for moose and squirrel if you have the ability to shoot the thing accurately.

Its too much gun without a butt stock

not for the sportsman. That's the segment these X frame leviathans were designed for.
Outside this role, it's delightfully ridiculous. The muzzle brake takes most all the punishment out of it, though it'll be tricky to drive home from an indoor range between the sun spots from the flash.
Wanna see a fun debate ... ask about 357 mag whitetail loads.
What will become apparent is the need to finesse the 357 into the role. 460 and 500 need no such consideration. they're just going to work even if some refinement is desired as experience grows.

 

[Imissedagain]

The OP was asking about loads for 125-150 yards.
That might be even beyond the rang of 357 in a Winchester, for deer.
Maybe 75 yards or closer with a handgun.

 

[venomballistics]

actually the answer changes seasonally on that forum of illiterate spellers.. changes every year based on how a specific member does with his handgun. I believe, as i havent been over to that forum for maybe 3 years now, but they were advocating the old alliant loading data for dewc moving over 1,000fps as the ultimate 357 magnum deer load in handgun OR rifle..

Thus highlighting the virtues of these leviathan class X frames