Who reloads the .460 S&W?

[Blackwater]

My son has one, and it's a real beast! I can't shoot it. I already have a permanent ringing in my ears and do NOT want to make it any worse. That thing is LOUD! He shoots it well, but I don't want him ending up like me, with tinnitus, and that gun will likely cause it quicker than anything else I can think of.

So, I'm wanting to reload for it, AND, if possible, to load it to a tamer level, in hopes of protecting his hearing. Has anyone done any milder loading for this caliber? And can you use .45 LC and .454 brass in it? The only thing he's shot with it were a pair of rattlesnakes he and the grandboys and my cousin ran across while the rattlers were mating - a sight I'd have liked to have seen. He blew the first's head clean off, but spent the other 4 rds. and didn't cut a feather. Had to send one of the boys back to the house for his .357 to do the other one in. They were just too close to the house NOT to kill them. He didn't have ear plugs, and I'm sure the muzzle blast is the reason for those 4 subsequent misses. it's a real bear!

Anyway, who loads the .460 to a milder level, I can't find any Unique or 2400 loads for it, so any data you can provide would surely be appreciated, and thanks for any help with this one.

[palabman]

You can shoot .45 Colt and .454 Casull out of it. You will probably have to clean out the ring left in the cylinder by the shorter rounds to get the .460's to chamber after.

When I shoot my Ruger Alaskan .454 Casull I double up on the hearing protection with the foam inserts and muffs. It is loud with that short Alaskan barrel.

[Tatume]

You will not protect his hearing with lighter loadings. Even 38 Special target loads will cause substantial hearing damage. Only correct hearing protection will reduce damage. I wear E.A.Rsoft 33 dB plugs and 21 dB Peltor muffs. Notice I said and, not or. This is how you protect hearing. All firearms will damage your hearing, quickly if precautions are not taken.

[w5pv]

I have a lot of hearing lost from being around the big guns when I was in the Army,now when I shoot I use the foam ear plus a set of ear muffs.It is a bit over ill but I want to keep what little hearing that is left.Tell him to use hearing protection when around any loud noises.when it is really bad you miss a lot of things that people say.

[Tatume]

W5PV de KB4OPR

Combining muffs and plugs is not over kill. If I take off my muffs to talk to someone, and then fire a shot with only the 33 dB plugs, I feel it!

Take care, Tom

[Blackwater]

I've been using plugs and muffs for quite a while now, except when hunting. When going to put up stands, I always carried plugs, and usually muffs, so when I used my .44 to "limb" a tree as minimally as necessary to have clear shooting openings, I'd not be worsening what tinnitus I already have.

I'm thinking I'll likely just go with .45 LC for "snake loads," etc. They'll kill most anything we have here, and might not bounce a sasquatch, even, though I'd really hate to try that one. If you see me at the range, you'll have to remember to talk LOUD if ya' wanna' be heard!

Thanks. Got plenty of LC data, and there's just no need for full power loads in that gun around here, unless you want to aim dead on at very distant targets, and he just doesn't have the time to hunt like he'd like to these days, and just uses his 7 mag for that.

In my neck of the woods, and at least partially due to my hearing problem, I'm leaning toward lighter .44 mag loads these days just because anything heavier really just isn't needed, though the velocity factor makes expansion more likely with softer bullets on deer. For anything else, .44 Special +P's are all that is needed. A buddy once put a 250 gr. Lyman Keith bullet clean through a buck whitetail full lengthwise with his 4" S&W 624 using 7.5 gr. Unique. Placed the bullet between the hams, and it went out the front of the chest.

[Love Life]

Something to look into is a quality set of electronic ear plugs. If I am romping with a gun I have them in. They allow me to hear naturally, and even have an enhanced hearing setting, but shut off loud/sharp noises. A bit expensive, but worth every penny in my opinion.

[osteodoc08]

Having owned a 454 Casull SRH, I've found that full throttle 45 Colt loads out of a Ruger are plenty for me. If I can't get it done with that, I'm better off with a rifle.

That being said, double up on plugs/muffs and let the lead fly if the 460 is his thing.