.460 weatherby

Hello dear all big game hunters!!

shall highly appreciate the comments on a Weatherby .460 Weatherby M rifle, would like to gather information on its practical performance in Africa as have just procured this exquisite Mark V deluxe rifle lately.

Regards

Monish

A fast round with astonishing ballistics, but quite punishing as far as recoil. I'm not really one to judge the recoil, as I've only fired one round of the .460 Weatherby out of a Mark V Deluxe. I found it (as I recall) stouter than my 458 Lott by a good bit.

My only suggestion is to use high quality bullets in the loadings in order to hold up to the high velocity.

Thanx! no doubt the recoil is tremendous but the impact and the velocity too is amazing, just like to gather information on its killing power practically, so that can use when am next in africa for a safari
Thanx again

Too much noise if you ask me... definately does hurt the animal on impact but leaves you a little jarred as well. I am not a big guy so definately not my choice of gun, but seen it sit very well with an Italian PH who is high on the scale in both height and weight. Never use a gun that makes you think about the recoil! Thats what i love about my .470NE. It does not kick, but pushes lightly enough that when the gun comes down again, you are right on the target and ready to unleash the second dose of grainage to end the show. All in fluidity. It is an amazing feeling to have a gun that sits and fits well. A gun that allows you to be the one in control and dictate things.

I do agree Ryan, I have fired may be around 20 odd rounds at the targets, the shoulder does takes the beating, but I believe its a matter of practice, agree with you the .470 has a smoother recoil may be due to the breech loading, but this cannon of a rifle .460 does hits hard both ways and its a beauty in belted magnums.

monish said:

Hello dear all big game hunters!!

shall highly appreciate the comments on a Weatherby .460 Weatherby M rifle, would like to gather information on its practical performance in Africa as have just procured this exquisite Mark V deluxe rifle lately.

Regards

Monish

Click to expand...

HI MONISH. FIRST FORGIVE THE CAPS. I HATE USING SMALL LETTERS. NO DISRESPECT MENT. I BOUGHT A 460 WBY ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO. BACK THEN THE CARTRIDGES WERE A LITTLE FASTER. THAT RIFLE REALY TOOK A SHINE TO STOMPING MY REAR END. AND I MEAN IT GAVE ME A GOOD THRASHING. IT BECAME A SAFE QUEEN. BUT I NEVER LOST MY ADMIRATION FOR THE ROUND. SO RECENTLY I SPOKE WITH ART ALPHIN WITH A-SQUARE RIFLES. HE USES A HEAVIER RIFLE WITH A WIDER BUTT RECOIL PAD AND RECOIL REDUCERS AND SLOWS THE BULLET DOWN TO TRY TO TAME THE BEAST DOWN. HE IS MAKEING ME ANOTHER. CANT WAIT TO GET IT. THE TROUBLE WITH THE MARK 5'S IS THEY ARE A BIT TOO LIGHT FOR SUCH A WICKED ROUND. THE WEIGHT TAMES THE BEAST. HERE IS A PEARL. IF YOU DONT WANT TO BUY AN A-SQUARE THEN HAVE SOMEONE PUT A LIMBSAVER BUTT PAD ON THE RIFLE. I PUT ONE ON MY 378 WEATHERBY AND IT TAMED IT DOWN FROM A FIERCE BEAST LOOKING TO KICK SOMEONE'S REAR TO ONE THAT WAS EASY TO SHOOT. I NEVER DID PUT A LIMBSAVER ON MY 460 THOUGH BUT NOW I AM GOING WITH A-SQUARE. NOW LISTEN MONISH. THERE ARE MANY MANY WONDERFUL RIFLES OUT THERE. THE 460 IS JUST ONE OF THEM. AND YES IT IS FUN TO TRY TO TACKLE THAT BEAST AND IF YOU READ THE RELOADING MANUAL "ANY SHOT YOU WANT"CRAIG BODDINGTON SAYS THAT IS ONE OF THE FEW ROUNDS THAT CAN FLATTEN A CAPE BUFFALO AT 10 PACES.(GIVEN A GOOD SHOT PLACEMENT OF COURSE). HOWEVER THE 375 H&H IS THE NUMBER ONE RIFLE IN AFRICA FOR HUNTERS CROSSING THE BIG POND TO AFRICA BECAUSE IT DOES NOT KICK SO BAD AND CONSEQUENTLY CLIENTS HIT THEIR TARGETS MORE OFTEN. IT IS CONTROLABLE AND EVERY ONE AND THEIR COUSIN HAS A CARTRIDGE FOR IT IF YOU LOSE YOUR BULLETS. BUT IF THE BIG FIVE IS THE MAJOR PART OF YOUR MENUE THEN CRAIG BODDINGTON AT A SAFARI GUN SHOW SAID IF THE BIG 5 ARE PART OF THE SAFARI THEN ANY OF THE 416'S WOULD BE A GOOD CHOICE. PRESENTLY I AM GIVING THE 416 REMMY A WORK OUT JUST FOR FUN AND IT IS REAL FUN TO SHOOT. BUT YOU KNOW ANY RIFLE FROM A 375 H&H UP YOU CAN USE FOR THE BIG FIVE AND THEY ALL HAVE THEIR POSITIVE POINTS. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO TAME THE 460 BEAST DOWN THE MORE POWER TO YOU. BUT DONT FORGET THE LIMBSAVER.
HAPPY HUNTING
WINCHESTER JAKE

Hi Jake,

Thanks a tonne for all this exquisite descriptive write up. No doubt the 460 WM is a monster with a tremendous impact power . I enjoy using it on the target shoots, the wallop is astounding but yet to put it to practical field usage & maybe this rifle of mine would not ever see the real killing fields as our arms law does not permit us , the hunters to take our rifles abroad for safaris, so I have to have my game taken with all borrowed rifles , and it is really very sad that I cant use this Goliath to knock down a dagga boy .........

The 375 H&H is the EMPEROR I have the Weatherby Mark V Deluxe in this famous caliber chambering, prior to this I was using the Browning Olympian grade , with this cartridge you have all the confidence to survive in the dangerous situations in the wild....

Thanks

Monish

Damn shame you couldn't bring that 460 down-under and "harvest" a few buff with me Monish.

I've not yet seen a 460 in action in the field on thick skinned game.

Would be interesting, especially so with some of the premuim grade bullets being made these days, built to withstand extreme velocities.

My wildcat .500, currently being exported from the U.S generates similar terminal ballistics.

Gotta love them big bores !

Somthing to look at...

Monish

WINCHESTER JAKE, has a bunch of good information to use.

I would like to add on...Purchase the largest recoil pad - have your gun smith add a adjustable recoil plate on your current stock, do not let him trim the plate down. There are a bunch of great recoil pads to try to assist you. i like Kick-ezz pads and another is gooey-pad - go with the 1 1/8 inch or 1 1/4 inch style...you will notice a reduction in felt recoil right a way, and i do mean the first shot...have the plate then ground to fit the recoil pad you select or go with both. i am able to change recoil pads on my rifle's and shotgun's to match the length of pull i want depending on the clothing i am wearing...

if you do not shorten your stock, All this will do is add about 1/4 to 1/2 inch to your length of pull...

Stock fit makes a great difference... if i can shoot the gun with out a pad i will gradually lengthen the stock to where i am comfortable...i have spacers that allow me to lengthen the stock and change the pitch either up or down to help reduce the recoil of the gun i am setting up and shooting. it takes time, however the outcome is what i am looking for.

Trigger pull makes a great difference in your shooting performance. Have it fine tuned and polished to the poundage you prefer. I always check mine with a trigger pull gauge. Do this say 5 times and the trigger pull should be the same fore each try...if not it need to be polished...Titanium coating is another way to go to make your triger pull consistent and smooth...


Shooting T-shirts and polo shirts and shirts have recoil pad pockets in them and you are able to add limb-saver pads and they come in different thickness...you could try that as i know individuals who are recoil sensitive and use them all the time...

I am not sure if this will help you or not...it works for me...

Recoil Reducedrs

Monish

I forgot the recoil reducers.

There are dead mule and mercury reducers that i have tried. stay with the Mercury style'

Your rifle stock will accommodate two. one 16 ounce and one 10 or 12 ounce. this will add about 1 1/2 pounds to your rifle and really help you out...

Make sure the installer puts these in parallel to the bore of the rifle and not at an angle.

Then obtain rubber washers or make rubber washers for BOTH end of the reducer and add a cut to fill the gap oak or birch dowel. Leave no space between the dowel and the recoil pad.

Important: the above on the washers and dowel will reduce the chances of the reducer leaking due to recoil moving the reduced back and forth.

On the pistol grip side i like to put a steel flat washer and then the rubber washer for a better surface for the recoil reducer to sit flush against.

have fun...

+1 Well, I agree 100 percent with you James.Grage, a good recoil pad and a mercury reducer will go a long way to tame recoil.

Hi Paul,

The hunting DVD was terrific , thanks again I have seen it more than 20 times by now , hoping to be hunting the big buffs with your 500( please do post the snap of your new monster) very soon .
Its really sad that all our rifles are just show pieces and they adorn the gun rack. Firing the big bores does intoxicate you to the level which none of the best scotches can LOL.
The import of cartridges for quite known big /small bores is banned in this country except 375H&H,.30-06 270,256,22 & 7*57. The other rounds we have to procure from ardent big bore fans who imported the rifles & the ammo prior to 1984, as since then there is complete ban on import of any firearm. Sad damn sad.......

see you soon.

Monish

Hi James,

Thank you so much for the all the wonderful advice & suggestion in regard to taming the monsters. Here in my country the gun smithing, manufacturing of ammo & firearms , import of spares, etc. are not designated independent/ individual business & occupation, but are regulated very strictly by the the Government through the Ordnance Factories. We the firearm owners do have to abide by the permission granted as per the law to get one's firearm repaired or fabricated. Its a irony but have to live with it.
I personally had been using quite few big calibers from my early age, so the recoil fear factor does not exist any more & I believe it does seem to match with my 6.3 ft. frame . My 460 has regular Weatherby recoil factory fitted pad & it does quite a good job. have used more than 50 rounds on the target range & the shoulder seems to settle to the wallop.
The nastiest caliber that I ever fired off my shoulder was the .577 Cordite express DBBL hammered rifle & man , that was a canon with no recoil pad but a mere brass plate , shoulder took all the sting , but its fun firing these Goliaths. India does have very fine rifles still in the collections of various prominent Royalties.

Thanks again James for all the advice, I wish I could adhere to it , but the law would not LOL.

Monish

Hey Monish, glad you enjoyed the disc.

It was all filmed in the field with very basic equipment and probably not as "polished" as I would like, but the intent was to present the conditions and the animals we hunt.

My .500, and new Lott, are still under the Export process.
Pics of the .500 and info have been posted in the "Ultimate Stopper" thread.
The Lott, which will be a spare to the .500, is almost identical in make-up to the .500, just different calibre.
I had the Lott made to replace my current one, and so that should something happen to one, I have an immediate replacement, as I operate in an area which requires two days driving to get to the nearest decent gun-shop.

It really is a crying shame you cannot travel with that .460 but, by all means, when you do come Down-Under you can use either my .500 or the Lott.
You will find that calibres of this ilk to be impresively effective on buffalo in all circumstances.

Cheers,
Paul.

I've got a CZ 550 in 500 Jeffery. It weighs 11.5 lbs with scope and sling and I shoot 570g TSX's at 2410 fps. Offhand it's a blast to shoot. I won't shoot it from the bench without a lead sled. It's very accurate (sub MOA). Hopefully "Baby" my 500 Jeff and I are Africa bound in a few years.

I would imagine the recoil from the bench is fierce!

Colorado, that's one serious looking "baby" you have there !

What scope do you have on it, and have you fired many rounds with it ?
(just wondering about how the scope is coping with that cartridge).

I had George Hoffmans .460 Wby on a big Mauser action on loan for some time. It was a killer on both ends but easy enough to manage when shooting off hand shooting. Later I sold the gun for George as his cancer bills mounted, wish I had bought the gun as he was a dear friend. His wife Mary sent me his cartridge belt and knife. I filled it with .416 Hoffman ammo and it hangs in my office..

The .460 Wby is a viable DG rifle if you can shoot it and pack it all day..I'll stick with the 404 Jefferys or .416 Rem even a .375 H&H.

Ray Atkinson said:

I had George Hoffmans .460 Wby on a big Mauser action on loan for some time. It was a killer on both ends but easy enough to manage when shooting off hand shooting. Later I sold the gun for George as his cancer bills mounted, wish I had bought the gun as he was a dear friend. His wife Mary sent me his cartridge belt and knife. I filled it with .416 Hoffman ammo and it hangs in my office..

The .460 Wby is a viable DG rifle if you can shoot it and pack it all day..I'll stick with the 404 Jefferys or .416 Rem even a .375 H&H.

Click to expand...

I agree with Ray on this one, and I also handled that rifle the day Ray took it home! If that rifle had been chambered for anything other than the 460Wby Mag I would have bought it on the spot that day.

George was also a friend of mine and I would love to have owned and hunted with his rifle, but not chambered for that cartridge. At least that rifle was not a Weatherby made rifle, but a CRF big Mauser.

A few years ago I won $8ooo.oo worth of new rifles on a Super Bowl pool. One of the rifles was a Weatherby 460 Wb Mag rifle, and I traded it to the gun store owner for a well used pre 64 Win mod 70 chambered for 375 H&H he had in stock on consignment and never even took that thing out of the store!

Some folks like the Wby Rifles and a few even like the 460 Wby Nag cartridge but I'm not one of those folks. IMO the last good rifle Weatherby made was built on a FN Mauser action, and the only cartridge they have made that interests me is the 340 Wby Mag, and the 240 Wby Mag both on CRF actions! I know that I commit a sin saying anything derogatory about old Roy's push feed rifles, and his 460 Wby Mag cartridge, but I simply do not like the style of the rifles, or the PF action, or the IMO useless 460 Wby Mag cartridge. If you want to see what most PHs thinks of the 460 WBY MAG rifle, just watch the look on his face when you slide that pimped up cannon out of the soft case when you get to camp! Especially if it is fitted with a muzzle brake!

WELL FOLKS THE TIME HAS COME

WELL DO I HAVE A STORY TO TELL YOU. ART ALPHIN WITH ASQUARE BEGAN MAKING MY RIFLE BACK IN 2010. I ASKED FOR THINGS HE HAS NEVER DONE TO A RIFLE. FIRST WAS TO LENGTHEN THE BOLT HANDLE SO MY THUMB WOULD NOT HIT THE SCOPE. FIBER OPTIC IRON SIGHTS FROM NEW ENGLAND CUSTOM SHOP. A GRIP CAP WHICH ASQUARE USUALLY NEVER DOES. A BARREL BAND. A 1700 DOLLAR PIECE OF TURKISH WALNUT I SUPPLIED AND SENT THEM FOR THE STOCK. WELL JUST LIKE WINCHESTER AND MARLIN THAT WENT UNDER AND REORGANIZED AND OPENED AGAIN THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ART. ART WENT UNDER AND SHARPS RIFLE COMPANY TOOK OVER. WELL SHARPS ALSO HAD MONEY PROBLMES AND TEMPORARILY WENT UNDER. BUT DURING THE ENTIRE PROCESS THEY WERE PROFESSIONAL. I JUST RECIEVED MY RIFLE FROM ASQUARE/SHARPS RIFLE COMPANY. IT WAS BREATHTAKING. THE WOOD WAS AAAA GRADE. THE ACTION WORKED LIKE GREASED LIGHTNING. MY THUMB DOES NOT HIT THE SCOPE. BALANCED PERFECTLY. NOW AWAITING AMMUNITION TO TAKE THIS BEAUTIFUL BEAST OUT FOR A SHOOT.

WILL LET YOU KNOW AS SOON AS I SHOOT IT.

WINCHESTER JAKE