454 in 460 Brass

[dk17hmr]

I bought a bag of 460 S&W and trimmed some down to 1.380" for my 454. Question is what primer to use, Large Rifle or Large Pistol? Plan is to use full power loads.

[CB Hunter]

First post, but I have been loading for 50 years.

What do you hope to accomplish? When the .454 was relatively new I thought I might be able to get a little more out of a .45 Colt Blackhawk by trimming .454s to Colt length. Found that the same load was actually slower in the .454 case, had to load heavier for the same velocity! Possibly the SRM compared to the LPM primer, both Federal.

That said, use whatever the primer pockets are for. Just to satisfy your curiosity try the same load with LR and LP primers and chronograph them. You will find a lot less difference than you would expect. Maybe a little higher SD with the rifle primer.

[dk17hmr]

Hope to accomplish not using Small rifle primers. I hate it, 454 is a big case should have a big primer.

[Frozone]

The 460 like the 454 was designed for Rifle primers.
1: They are ~.006" taller, so the pocket is that much deeper.
2: The rifle primer is far better suited to the high pressure of both those cartridges.
There is a very good chance of rupturing the pistol primers. That is very hard on firing pins.

This reminds me of the guy who has to have a gun that is capable of shooting .1 MOA but he can't hit the broad side of a barn from the inside.

[44man]

I bought a bag of 460 S&W and trimmed some down to 1.380" for my 454. Question is what primer to use, Large Rifle or Large Pistol? Plan is to use full power loads.

Large pistol magnum is best. LR has too much pressure.
I used the Fed 155 with over max loads with great results. .460 brass allowed me to work up with 296 without squib loads. Starting loads with 296 would not ignite and powder and boolit would be stuck in the bore with the SR primer and .454 brass.
I even tried Fed 150 primers without a problem but the mag primer gave me superb accuracy.
If you are worried about the primer, use CCI's.
If you fool with LR primers, reduce your loads and work up. The added pressure of the primer alone might drive boolits out of the brass before lighting the powder good.
If you load faster powders you do NOT want a LR primer.

[Lloyd Smale]

I believe the case is cut for pistol primers. Ive been doing the same and loaded all of mine with cci 350s. I figured to get a step up from small rifles a mag primer would be the logical choise and none are hotter then ccis. If any pistol primer is going to light off large cases full of ball powder the 350 will. Ive got about 500 rounds loaded right now with identical loads with both the cci 350 and ww small rife primes using 110, 297.820 and 4227 using various heavy 45 molds and when the snow finally goes this spring ill let you know how they compared

[ole 5 hole group]

I'm mainly using the WLP primer in the 460 case. So far I've tried the Fed 150 and WLP with N-110 powder - shot one group with the CCI-BR-2. Here's a few targets at 25 yards - rested for both 45 Colt & 454Casull. I've still got the targets and the BR-2 primer gave me a 1.4" verticle group, with the last 3 shots in a bug hole measuring .22"- powder charge was 26 grains of N-110. I'll try a few other powders (IMR-4227, N-120, Lil'Gun and Accurate 1680) maybe this weekend. I've got a scope ordered, so maybe I'll find a great load, as my eyes aren't as good as they once were using iron sights and I know the BFR can do better. This spring I'll be able to chronograph the loads - there was a "felt" difference between the WLP and the CCI BR-2 in the 454 Casull but the difference between the two primers in the 500 Smith and 500 Linebaugh Max was between 25fps and 35fps with the CCI BR-2 having the velocity edge and I couldn't tell the difference from either felt recoil or muzzle blast.

[dk17hmr]

Loaded up some this afternoon with WLP primers, 25gr of H110, with a 345gr flat nose in Starline 460 S&W brass trimmed to 1.380". Also 6 with 370gr Keith, 22gr of H110, in the same brass with same powder.

These 2 loads were better than anything I have ever shot in the pistol with 454 brass....I am going to size this brass and get it reloaded tonight to try out the same loads again this weekend.

I am saving the other 32 rounds in the bag as it came because I have an itch for a 45/410 Handi Rifle and a case full of trailboss and a cast bullet might make a good combo for a truck gun.

[Whitworth]

Large pistol primers are what I would use, personally.

[44man]

Loaded up some this afternoon with WLP primers, 25gr of H110, with a 345gr flat nose in Starline 460 S&W brass trimmed to 1.380". Also 6 with 370gr Keith, 22gr of H110, in the same brass with same powder.

These 2 loads were better than anything I have ever shot in the pistol with 454 brass....I am going to size this brass and get it reloaded tonight to try out the same loads again this weekend.

I am saving the other 32 rounds in the bag as it came because I have an itch for a 45/410 Handi Rifle and a case full of trailboss and a cast bullet might make a good combo for a truck gun.

I done tole all a you long ago!
The SR primer is a mistake and an accident ready to happen with a reduced starting load of ball powder. Why someone hasn't blown up a gun working loads is a mystery. Even worse if someone just tries to go bang fast for fun. The funny thing stuck in the bore just does not like to get kicked too hard.

[Bucks Owin]

If any pistol primer is going to light off large cases full of ball powder the 350 will.

You ain't kidding! Using stout charges of W296 in .45 LC, I saw nearly 100 fps difference between a 350 and a WLP...

[ole 5 hole group]

Well, I made it out today – borrowed a friend’s 2X scope – I’m sure glad I ordered the 2.5X8X32, as a 2X is better than my ole eyes but not much better for shooting – just can shoot faster, that’s all. Maybe it’s just me not use to shooting a revolver with a scope but my groups didn’t get much better and I always managed to throw one round to hell & gone. My 454 BFR has a 6” barrel and with accurate 1680 powder it shot well but threw quite a flame out the end of the barrel. That’s the only powder that has ever done that with this revolver. Everything is shot at 25 yards rested with a 2X scope – when the snow goes I’ll test the better loads at 50 & 100 yards with a scope that I think will be better for me and we’ll see how the ole gal does that those yardages. Anyone else got some decent loads they want to share?

[ole 5 hole group]

I also shot a bunch of different loads in 45 Colt today - They shot well but with the scope I found the .452 sized bullets shot as well as the 453 and my BFR has .4535 throats. Here's one target that was pretty typical, except I normally kept the flyer a little closer - I called all 5 good, so can't explain that particular group.

[felix]

Looks like one bad cylinder hole???? ... felix

[Groo]

Groo here
The 460 is cut for large rifle primers [for the pressure you know]
The original 454 was a large primer [being a longer 45colt case {I have some}]
then changed to small rifle ..
I guess to handle the pressure[ever seen low power 454 factory loads???]
As I have FA revolvers in 454 I have never used any but full or almost full power loads
with 296 and so not run into problems with the light stuff. [used Unique for light stuff]

[ole 5 hole group]

Looks like one bad cylinder hole???? ... felix

I was thinking the same but I'll know for sure when I get my Leupold scope and a better rest. That 2X scope at 25 yards leaves a lot to be desired but I should have been able to shoot at least one group without a flyer, but then again, I've always found it hard to shoot a 5 or 10 shot ragged hole with a revolver, even when I had good eyes, so maybe it's just my poor gun handling. It's kinda like when I shot 2700 and I'd touch one off at 50 yards and my heart would sink, as my timing appeared to be off, as the pistol started it's recoil when my sights were perfectly aligned coming off a solid 7 into a marginal 8 - but when I leaned back into the spotting scope there was a big ole X - sure felt good to be wrong.