Light loading .460 S&W Magnum

[Jason Singh]

Hey Cal Gunners,

I recently bought a 460 XVR, and I love it. I took it out shooting today(for the first time). I shot 45lc. 454 Casull, and the 460s. The 454 casull rounds were NOT bad at all, I shot 50 rounds and had no pain in the hand. The 460 S&W was not that bad either, but DAMN my whole upper body felt the recoil, and the initial shock of the round is crazy. Shot 10 rounds, LOVED IT. Pain was about a 4 out of 10. Again not bad at all. I think that grip on the gun makes a HUGE difference.

Anyways, on to the Question. I need some information on reloading the 460 S&W rounds. I have a couple questions:

1. How do I load this caliber to a less recoil? I have heard of using the "trailboss" powder, and reloading it to 45lc data. Well the reloading data, using trail boss suggests to use 230 and 250 gr bullets, what about the depth and col of the bullet? do I use the 45lc col for the 460, because obviously the 460 casing is much larger? What about grains?

2. Will trail boss always have less recoil? For example the trailboss for the 460 S&W Mag recommends 325 gr and 395 gr bullets, will the recoil using trail boss over a different powder be less using the same bullets?

3. I am assuming trail boss will not give me the highest possible velocity, what is a good powder if I want high velocity?

4. If you have used trail boss personally, what is the highest velocity you have gotten?

I have reloaded using the lee press. Any information or insight would help.

[TKM]

45LC. End of problem.

[Jason Singh]

45LC. End of problem.

that is not helpful.

What about the COL? I want to use 460 casings.

[tikitavi06]

http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Trail-Boss-data.pdf

See link for reloading reduced loads with Trailboss

[pacrat]

that is not helpful.

What about the COL? I want to use 460 casings.

It was helpful whether you realize it or not. Why load 460 cases to 45lc levels in the exceedingly more expensive 460 cases? Which due to case capacity will create excessive unburned powder because the pressure levels are too low. And using a much more expensive powder to do it with.

20 cents apiece

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/28971

64 cents apiece

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/17857

You trying to impress the range chickies with how big your case is?

[GILMORE619]

I've loaded 255 cast PC boolits with unique and powder pistol for some light shooting 460 mag. You've really got to scour the net for loading info. There's a calguns user that goes by White rabbit and he's done a bunch of testing. I'd do a search for some of his post on 460Mag.

Trail boss is easy to load. Your basically filling the case to just below where your going to seat your bullet. You do not want to compress the donuts. I've used trail boss on 500mag but not on the 460.
Hodgdon long shot is a mid range powder I've used on 500mag and 460. It's not a case filling powder like H110 but it's a couple hundred FPS slower than H110

You might want to look into a heavier bullet going slower.

If you only just shot the thing today for the first time today, you still have a bunch of time behind the trigger to figure out what you want to get out of that 460.
I'll look at my load data tomorrow and get back to you

[MongooseV8]

Never use another cartridges load data to substitute for something else. If you cant find any printed load data for the 460 dont experiment. Also it sounds like you need to do more research as the wrong c.o.a.l. is the best way to blow your hand off.

[Swagman00]

Trailboss is a good choice with a light cast slug and fills the case nicely, but I found the lightest recoil load came with BLC-2 under 440 gr. pills in my 500. The only thing I can mention to beware of is an incomplete burn and it will leave a "sandy" like material in the bore/surface in front of you.

At the other end of that, AA#9 kicked hardest. H-110 was a close second with a MUCH larger flame.

[tonyjr]

There are some lighter polls out there . I bought some solid copper 200 gr for the 50 AE . I blew it , the were too long .
I traded them for FMJ .
I would check out who sells molds for it and ask them .
FYI - some people use regular primers in the 50 AE loads . The magnum one burn a little longer and less unburnt powder .
I would go to S&W website and email them .

[ruggyh]

1. How do I load this caliber to a less recoil? I have heard of using the "trailboss" powder, and reloading it to 45lc data.

Reduce the weight of the bullet and/or reduce the velocity

Assuming you mean in 460 brass you would load to 460 data
If you read the Trailboss data sheets you will find that 100% case fill is a very reduced in the 460 Cartridge.

The advantage of loading in the 460 case is you will not leave carbon (and other debris) in the camber, which would potentially create ejection problems when going from short (45C and 454 Casull) case to long cases

If you have 460 brass load in them - Trailboss is not going to effect brass life.

Well the reloading data, using trail boss suggests to use 230 and 250 gr bullets, what about the depth and col of the bullet? do I use the 45lc col for the 460, because obviously the 460 casing is much larger? What about grains?

Crimp in the cannalure until you full grasp any ramifications of doing otherwise
The OAL (when mentioned) is a bench mark describing how the round was constructed. If you use the same projectile your OAL should be very close to that described- any difference would be from difference in trim length of the brass or position you crimped in the cannalure- top or bottom.

Following the load data and load development practice described in your loading annual- if you don't have one you should get one and read it before anymore loading.

2. Will trail boss always have less recoil?

Yes

For example the trailboss for the 460 S&W Mag recommends 325 gr and 395 gr bullets, will the recoil using trail boss over a different powder be less using the same bullets?

Typically yes
It would depend on the powder and load level
I urge strong caution in using fast powders in large volume cases. Bad things can and do happen very quickly.

My position is if you have to ask you are not yet knowledgeable enough to try to produce reduced recoil rounds in this manner

3. I am assuming trail boss will not give me the highest possible velocity, what is a good powder if I want high velocity?

As stated above to reduce recoil one has to reduce the velocity.
Simple physics -

H110 is good typical powder for 460 for regular loading.
Best powder choose is usually dependent on the bullet weight and type you are loading. In 460 they range from A9, 2400, H110, 4227, and N110.
For reduced loads TrailBoss and Tinstar.

4. If you have used trail boss personally, what is the highest velocity you have gotten?

with 250 copper 1250 fps
I word of caution here - use all powders as manufacture recommends
With TrailBoss the biggest consideration is don't do compressed loads.

I have reloaded using the lee press. Any information or insight would help.

Presses are just tools. Learn how to adjust your dies properly and the press is of little actual consequence with handgun cartridges.

I don't want to start a red-blue war in your thread but will always recommend you buy the best your budget allows. That goes for all things in life.


Not all 45 bullets are suitable for velocities obtained by 460. Know the operating range of your bullet and dont overdrive them. In some instances jacket failures have been documented


There are plenty of thread about loading 460 done here in the past
Would suggest you look through past threads, and many more on the S&W forum

Be safe
Ruggy

[wbunning]

Your questions sound like you would like to get maximum velocity with minimum recoil. Those two are strange bedfellows in a revolver. You are kind of stuck with one or the other.

You should also know that not all powders can be safely downloaded to below minimums shown in the data. Some are more prone to detonation than others when downloaded. I've never witnessed a detonation personally, but apparently it does happen. On the other hand, just because lighter loads are not shown for a given powder/bullet combo doesn't necessarily mean they are unsafe..it may just mean that the combination was not tested and the authors don't know the result. When you download, you should do it as a reverse ladder in small steps, if you do it at all. But first do some research on the powder to figure whether it is a safe one to load lighter than published minimums.

My recommendation is that since you have a firearm capable of shooting multiple calibers, that you work up loads in the smallest usable cartridge to use as your light recoil rounds. I.E., use the smaller volume .45LC cartridge as others have suggested. Follow the published data for minimum loads for that round. You'll get safer, more efficient use out of the powder, and that massive frame of the .460 will soak up a lot of that energy for you. I do this all the time with shooting .44Russian out of my Super Redhawk .44Mag, and with .38Colt loads out of the .357.
Then, when looking for velocity, follow the published data for a lighter bullet in the 460 case, starting with published minimum and working up to what feels prudent to you without seeing excessive pressure signs.

[Whiterabbit]

IMO, always use 460 cases in a 460 gun. The chamber fouling changes things, even if you have loose chambers like a BFR. (loose chambers don't affect the great accuracy, just make it so you can chamber and extract a 460 after shooting a bunch of 45 or 454, but still, it's nice not to clean the chambers). If you have a S&W, it can make chambering and extracting actually harder. Not so good.

You can follow standard rifle loading practices for trailboss in a 460 case. Comes out to like 10-12 grains of powder. near zero recoil. You can use any bullet weight you want. Accuracy is fine at 10 yards. I've never bothered to shoot TB loads farther than that, if I want to reach out, I want downrange energy too. Or else I'm using too big a gun to shoot too weak a round, and may as well shoot a 357.

Plenty of options for loading down a 460. Longshot, 4198, trailboss, are all great options. I'll bet I could make bluedot work. AA#9 can work, but magnum primers are needed, it's not ideal.

------------

Frankly, What worked best for me is to use the "one load, one gun" theory with the 460, to develop a muscle memory for how the gun behaves in recoil. That in turn cements grip form, consistency, and helped me with downrange results. shooting 100 yards with a pistol offhand is tough as your target size shrinks.

So my trailboss loads are used for hand-outs for new shooters at indoor ranges and shot to 5-10 yards since they don't recoil. I'll seat any old bullet and don't care much about charge weight from 10-12 grains because you can spit into the case and it'll be accurate at 10 yards.

Don't you feel stupid shooting a 45acp class cartridge in a 5 pound handgun? Just use a gun you could actually strap to your waist, right? That was the conclusion I came to. Use the 460 when I want to shoot 460. Though I always keep 30-50 TB loads around....