45 Colt or 460 S&W for Encore

[bdicki]

I'm thinking of a new barrel for an Encore. I want a 45 Colt but might be missing something if I overlook the 460 S&W. This will be a carbine length barrel most likely from MGM. I know the brass will be harder to find and more money for the 460 but would it be worth it? I don't want a 45-70 as I sold all of my 45-70 stuff and am setup for the 45 Colt with many molds. So what should it be 45 Colt or 460 S&W?

[pietro]

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AFAIK, the .45 Colt will chamber/shoot in a .460 S&W chamber, much like shooting .22 Shorts in a LR chamber - the best of both worlds.


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[Vann]

+1 for the 460. That's going to be my next barrel then I can shoot 45 colt, 454 carsull, and 460 s&w from the same barrel.

[M-Tecs]

With the 460 S&W you can shoot 45 Colt and 454 Casull so that may be an option. I don't have enough experience with 45 Colts in a 460 chamber to comment on accuracy. Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.

[Tatume]

If my plan was to shoot 45 Colt I would have the barrel chambered for 45 Colt. Accuracy with 45 Colt ammo may suffer from the long 460 S&W chamber. Compromises rarely provide optimum outcomes.

[bdicki]

If my plan was to shoot 45 Colt I would have the barrel chambered for 45 Colt. Accuracy with 45 Colt ammo may suffer from the long 460 S&W chamber. Compromises rarely provide optimum outcomes.
My plan was never to shoot 45 Colt in the 460 chamber, but to load the 460 up to max or down to 45 Colt levels.

[NavyVet1959]

With the .460SW, you can down-load it to .45LC ballistics, but you can't necessarily up-load the .45LC to .460SW ballistics.

Go big, or go home. :)

Now, if I could just mount my .50BMG barrel on my Encore..........

[Tatume]

I'm thinking of a new barrel for an Encore. I want a 45 Colt but might be missing something if I overlook the 460 S&W.


My plan was never to shoot 45 Colt in the 460 chamber, but to load the 460 up to max or down to 45 Colt levels.

You may understand why I thought you wanted a 45 Colt?

[bearcove]

What do you plan on using it for? 45 colt in a carbine barrel is plenty for hunting in the lower 48. A 454 casull will come close to a 45-70 trapdoor load. Don't know what you can do with a 460 but you might not want to shoot many of them.

Unless you are going to Africa the 45 colt or 454 should be fine. Easier to load down with a smaller case.

Flat shooting try a 260 or 7-08......

[LUCKYDAWG13]

my vote goes for a 454 this is at 100 yards and my castboolit 149316

[bdicki]

Flat shooting try a 260 or 7-08......
I have a 270 and a 308 Encore rifles and Contender 30-30 pistol and carbine, also a 444 Marlin Contender carbine already.

It looks like the 460 has a 300 fps advantage over the 454 with a 300 gr bullet.

[bearcove]

If you want the extra 300 then thats an easy choice.

[Bonz]

I would definately go for the 460 magnum.

[BCRider]

More room in the casing along with a higher pressure rating ups your options. I vote for the .460 barrel.

What a hunting rifle that would be for the new straight wall cartridge states!

[RobS]

More room in the casing along with a higher pressure rating ups your options. I vote for the .460 barrel.

What a hunting rifle that would be for the new straight wall cartridge states!


I could see the 460 S&W shine very well for the rifle however with the shorter barrels of a Encore or a revolver the slower powders may not burn as efficiently. An another option might be the 454 Casull as been stated however that round has a small rifle primer which I've never been a huge fan. An Encore with a 475 Linebaugh chambering may be a thought.

[Whiterabbit]

I don't care about efficiency of the slower powders in my BFR. I care about downrange accuracy. And, in my 16" twist barrel, I get it with VERY slow powders. if I am blowing 60% of the powder out the muzzle, so be it. I have accuracy.

I would say don't discount the 45 colt, if you are set up for .452 and NOT set up for .458. My best rounds for 460 use .460 caliber boolits. Sized to .452 of course. .4525 to be exact. There aren't many heavy for cal boolit molds above 300 grains, but 425 grains works nicely in my BFR.

So if you are NOT set up for 45/70 casting anymore, do consider the 45 colt. Everything under 300 grains will almost certainly need a gas check.That is also a thin field of molds.

[bdicki]

I could see the 460 S&W shine very well for the rifle however with the shorter barrels of a Encore or a revolver the slower powders may not burn as efficiently.

Encore barrel will be 24 inches from MGM.

[Whiterabbit]

I mentioned I don't care about efficiency. I should have also mentioned that I care, in addition to accuracy, about "beating" the 454 casull in power too, otherwise the 460 is a waste, may as well run 454.

If you plan to load down the 460 to 454 levels, may as well chamber in 454 and take advantage of cheaper brass. That was my take. And why I stopped downloading it. The guns weigh to much to make for a practical 45+p

[bdicki]

Maybe I should rethink this and gear up for a 45-70.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

what is it that you wish do to with your new barrel ?

[bdicki]

what is it that you wish do to with your new barrel ?

Shoot cast and maybe hunt a little.

[NavyVet1959]

I would go with the .45-70. The brass is probably easier to find than the .460S&W. And since you're talking about a single shot rifle, you shouldn't be losing brass very often.

[bdicki]

45-70 barrel, brass, and mold ordered. Need to get a sizing die and scope mount.

[Tom W.]

I don't know how badly a 460 recoils in a rifle. but I kept my .454 Casull encore pistol about two years before I sold it. It was too much for me. Hot loaded .480 ruger with 400 gr. boolits or .44 mag loads w/ 310 grain boolits in my Super Redhawks were nothing in comparison.

[nhmikel]

Either way... I have a 45-70 & 460 S7W barrel for you should you decide

[Barr]

Replying to an old thread here, I find myself w the same question. Will a .454 Casull be reasonably accurate in the .460 chamber and will the .400” throat before the rifling cause a lot of buildup or accuracy issues?