Popular .460 Mag vs. unpopular S&W .500

[Lumpy]

If you really want the biggest hand cannon out there, why not go for the S&W .500? But it seems to be relegated to the novelty gun niche, while people who are seriously into big bore revolvers like the .460. As far as I can tell the .460 has two things going for it: higher muzzle velocity and accepting a variety of rounds. Is that the big draw?

[LumberZach]

The 460 also chambers and fires .45LC as well as .454 casual. Cheaper/lighter shooting ammo while still having the big cannon. I think that's about it. There may be some better ballistics, but it is probably negligible at revolver distances.

[Seismic Sam]

If you really want the biggest hand cannon out there, why not go for the S&W .500? But it seems to be relegated to the novelty gun niche, while people who are seriously into big bore revolvers like the .460. As far as I can tell the .460 has two things going for it: higher muzzle velocity and accepting a variety of rounds. Is that the big draw?

Just out of curiousity, do you have any sales figures to support that viewpoint?? The DE 50 has been around for nearly 30 years, and they just keep selling in 50AE year after year. It's pretty much the same for the 500 Smith, with I believe 4 or 5 barrel lengths to choose from.

As far as the 460, it is notable in that it is the fastest production round ever sold in a pistol, which is remarkable because it has to compete against the .221 Remington Fireball and the 256 Win mag in the Ruger Hawkeye. No small task for a big 45 caliber pistol. As far as being able to take game at 200 yards, the 460 has the edge over the 500 with scoped guns, but the 500 still has the knockdown and stopping power that people fishing and hunting in Alaska want.

As far as the old multiple caliber argument goes, I smell fish and today ain't Friday. Are you REALLY gonna shoot a 45 Long Colt in a 460?? What in God's name for, unless you want your friends to call you a pansy?? Slightly less pansyish with the 454 Casull, but again why do you want to?? Less power and worse trajectory with those short rounds in that humongous long cylinder, so you're giving away part of those two cartridge's performance just to shoot them in the 460. And let's not trot out the old "save money" red herring, because you wouldn't buy a 460 to begin with unless you wanted the incredible performance that went with it, so if you really wanted to save money you would have just stuck with your 45LC or 454 to begin with.

As far as I'm concerned, they both have their niche, the niches are somewhat different, and you can pick whichever one you want. As far as popularity, I don't know which one is leading right now, and unless I see some hard sales figures from S&W I'm not going to believe that either has a large edge over the other.

[Squib Joe]

Just out of curiousity, do you have any sales figures to support that viewpoint??

We sell about 1:1 460SW and 500SW revolvers

The hunters buy the 460

The guys that want "the biggest they can get" buy the 500

As far as the 460, it is notable in that it is the fastest production round ever sold in a pistol

I think many of the AR-15 style pistols would have this beat.

[Slayer_MN1]

Your right Joe, But the 460 is the fastest production round DESIGNED to be fired from a handgun. Of course my 15" XP100 In 284Win is faster but it is "supposed" to be a rifle round.

[Rodentman]

They're both a lot of fun. The 460 packs quite a punch, be assured of that.

[Deputyhiro]

Have both the DE50, and the SW460. I hunt with the 460, and the DE is the novelty gun. Fun to shoot, wouldnt hunt with it. Definately wouldnt carry the turd. Just a fun conversation piece to pull out at the range. I get a kick out of watching newbies shoot it more than anything. I have shot 45LCs out of the 460. Didnt see the fun in it. Shot a deer at 50yds last year with the 460. I want to meet the guy that can hit at 200yd with it. Had a scope on it, prefer open sights.

[crbutler]

If you are hunting deer/elk the .460 is great.

If you are after bear or moose (or bigger) the .500 S&W is a better choice. Heavier bullet, better penetration.

I don't see one as more popular than the other, other than in some gun rags.

I have always wondered about the folks who claim velocity is the only way to shoot long range... If you know the range, and have the windage, lower velocity works just fine. My longest ever game shot was with a .375 H&H with a 300 grain slug. The .308 is not a high velocity gun, but out to beyond where you should be shooting at game the target boys have been using it for decades.

[aht_six]

If you really want the biggest hand cannon out there, why not go for the S&W .500? But it seems to be relegated to the novelty gun niche, while people who are seriously into big bore revolvers like the .460. As far as I can tell the .460 has two things going for it: higher muzzle velocity and accepting a variety of rounds. Is that the big draw?

What makes you think the .460 S&W is more popular than the .500 S&W?

I've never seen any actual sales data. But from my experience, I would have thought the .500 S&W is the more popular of the two.

[BigBlue]

As far as the old multiple caliber argument goes, I smell fish and today ain't Friday. Are you REALLY gonna shoot a 45 Long Colt in a 460?? What in God's name for, unless you want your friends to call you a pansy?? Slightly less pansyish with the 454 Casull, but again why do you want to?? Less power and worse trajectory with those short rounds in that humongous long cylinder, so you're giving away part of those two cartridge's performance just to shoot them in the 460. And let's not trot out the old "save money" red herring, because you wouldn't buy a 460 to begin with unless you wanted the incredible performance that went with it, so if you really wanted to save money you would have just stuck with your 45LC or 454 to begin with.

Have you actually shot any of the three calibers? Doesn't sound like it. First, the 454 Casull is not 'slightly less pansyish' than the .45 LC. At least from the kick and noise department it is much more similar to the 460 than the .45 LC. I don't know the ballistics. But I highly doubt you'd fine someone that would call it a 'pansy' round. Second, there is a nice benefit to being able to shoot multiple calibers from a 460 revolver. Not everyone is trying for optimum trajectory or ballistics all the time. Sometimes guns are just for fun. The .45 LC is a LOT cheaper and a LOT easier on the hands and can be a lot of fun to plink with. No need for full-house 460 rounds all the time. Flexibility is a nice thing, as it is with the .38 special in a .357 or a .44 special in a .44 mag.

Those are the reasons I went with a .460. Well, plus the fact that my brother has a .500 so I can shoot it if I really want to hurt my fingers a lot.



BB

[Lumpy]

If you really want the biggest hand cannon out there, why not go for the S&W .500? But it seems to be relegated to the novelty gun niche, while people who are seriously into big bore revolvers like the .460. As far as I can tell the .460 has two things going for it: higher muzzle velocity and accepting a variety of rounds. Is that the big draw?

What makes you think the .460 S&W is more popular than the .500 S&W?

I've never seen any actual sales data. But from my experience, I would have thought the .500 S&W is the more popular of the two.

Just my personal observation; I see a lot more .460s at gun shows than the .500

[Rodentman]

Both are fun. I have no issue shooting 45 colt and 454 Casull out of the 460. The 460 and 500 are pretty large cartridges:

[lizard55033]

http://youtu.be/bKD9hjuHH1Q

Something a bit bigger!

[gunsmith]

http://youtu.be/bKD9hjuHH1Q

Something a bit bigger!

Looks like that will blow your head 'Clean Off'

[FJ540]

I love the look on his face just before he pulls the trigger.