What would you by SW .460 or a .500

[Henry Shooter]

Evening Gang
Just did some overtime and have a little coin to spend. Looking at a pistol, revovler. I like the SW 460 and the SW 500 but I can buy only 1. So I ask you, "What would you buy, and Why?"

Thanks guys.

[maschronic]

well, i have shot both. i own a S&W500. rounds for the 460 is cheaper than the 500. the 500 is more powerful than the 460. it kicks more.

this is my opinion when it comes to 460 vs 500. at this point, it is powerful enough for anything you want to shoot at. with that said. it is all about man points. i bought the 500......just because. no real reason...just because.

do yourself a favor and get the 500!!

[jumbopanda]

Like maschronic said, either one will be powerful enough for whatever you want to shoot at. .460 will be a little cheaper to reload for, .500 gets you a few more macho points. .460 doesn't kick as hard, so that may also be a factor if you're not a big guy. But then again, if you reload (which you should if you shoot either of these calibers), you can always reduce your loads.

I was considering a Magnum Research BFR in 460 or 500, but then I decided that a Ruger Super Redhawk in .454 Casull was plenty for me.

[battleship]

Someone was selling a 4 inch 500 not so long ago here on calguns, for a very reasonable price.

I own one myself and its always a crowed pleaser at the range. Fun gun, unless your looking to hunt i would go with a short barrel version, but not to short, you can get it in a 2.5 inch barrel, the recoil on that must be insane.

Start at the top, buy the 500.

[TerryAR15]

I own both calibers... Get the S&W 500!

P.S. S&W 460 is more accurate and it is a flatter shooting round!

Really depends on what you are going to do with it. If you wanted a acurrate Hunting caliber for farther distances I would go with the S&W 460 both for just plain fun and hunting get the S&W 500 besides its a EGO thing to have the biggest caliber!

-Terry

[Futurecollector]

S&W .460.... you can shoot .45LC and .454 I like being able to have on gun shoot 3 calibers....

[rkt88edmo]

If new, John Ross .500. Otherwise i would look for the best deal on whatever I can find used, these beasts show up regularly used .

[wash]

Before the .500 S&W, I bought a Magnum Research BFR in .475 Linebaugh.

I really wanted a 5 shot Ruger Bisley in .480 Ruger but Ruger doesn't make that and having a smith make one is a lot more $$$ than the BFR.

I like it. It's probably way more durable than any double action revolver. The ballistics aren't as good as the S&W but for a cartridge that has a documented 48" penetration through an elephant skull (hot hunting round, but still...), how much more do you need?

One more thing, while it is a big gun, it's not the extended cylinder model like the 45-70 BFR. It's not much bigger than a plain Blackhawk so it looks relatively normal. I've always thought the S&W's looked way too large. On the negative side, the smaller size, lighter weight and lack of a compensator probably means it kicks harder than the S&W.

[BrowningTBolt]

Out of a 10" barrel, the Hornady 250 grain SXT round was clocking 2500-2800 FPS at the muzzle!!! That kind of velocity and power and the ability to shoot 45 LC and 454 Casull out of the same gun is the primary reason I chose the 460. Amazing caliber.

[Beelzy]

Here's the poop....

The .500 mag Rocks, however the .460 will shoot multiple cartridges.

[wash]

I'll agree.

.44 magnum was the king of the hill for a long time, then a few people decided that they needed more power. The first step was five shot cylinder .45LC Ruger Blackhawks shooting hot loads.

Next came the .454 Casull, .500 Linebaugh and .475 Linebaugh and even the Linebaugh magnums based on a .357 Maximum Blackhawk frame. All were custom guns with hard to find ammo, then Ruger and Taurus started making factory .454's and it became the standard among the big bores.

S&W came to the party late and answered a question that no one really asked. For hunting, the .44 Magnum has pretty much done it all. Anything the .44 Magnum hasn't done, the .454 Casull certainly has. Factory Hornady loads for .475 Linebaugh are roughly 1 2/3 the muzzle energy of a factory .44 Magnum load. If you need much more than that, you really should get a rifle.

Of course, for me the .475 Linebaugh is a novelty and my gun safe has room for a little novelty in it. I just like the fact that it will do everything that you could reasonably expect from a handgun without looking like a cartoon.

[hellraiser]

Advantage of the 500: Can deliver slightly more ft-lbs at short ranges. Completely unclear what one could possibly do with all these ft-lbs. For self-defense and tactical shooting, the amount of energy delivered is complete overkill,

SOLD !!!

.50 = cool

i think people forget that sometimes shooting is done for "fun"....

[Noobert]

If you are going to all out, why settle for less the biggest?

[retired]

There is (unless it is sold) a 460 for sale in the firearm forum. It is the smallest barrel size (2 and something inches). The owner said he bought it in Aug. and hasn't fired it.

I don't know the owner, just saw the ad while checking the forum and was wondering what the recoil would be like.

[Jonathan Doe]

I guess I am not man enough to just settle for my 44 Mag. But, it does everything I need it for.