The Model 460XVR is one of Smith and Wesson’s Extra Large Frame revolvers.
A few of the features of the Extra Large Frame 460XVR –
-The highest velocity revolver in the world – 2330 FPS/200 grain
-The most powerful .45 caliber revolver in the world – 2400 lbs/ft
-The 460 is a multi-caliber revolver and will also fire .45 Colt and .454 Casull making it extremely versatile.
-“Gain-twist” rifled barrel means superb long-range accuracy (beyond 200 yards)
What that means is that the rifling twist slowly increases along the barrel. This allows the bullet to engage the rifling fully and gradually increase its spin avoiding deforming of the projectile and making a more accurate shooting gun.
-Interchangeable compensators to accommodate every load.
The XVR comes with two compensators, one to be used with jacketed bullets and one for lead, meaning you can load almost any projectile this gives hand loaders many more options than just the factory rounds. This is very useful when shooting the .45 Colt as a lot of cowboy loads use lead. It’s also helpful for those that cast their own bullets and want to experiment with lead. I have not shot lead out of the pistol so I don’t know how bad it will lead up – or if it will at all.
The compensators work very well due to the large volume of gas that this round creates. If a bystander is directly behind the shooter the blast is very mild. Standing off to the side is a different story. Anyone watching can feel a quick flash of heat if they are off to the side and the concussive blast will cause some people to re-think standing next to you when you’re shooting. I make it a point if I am at a range to move as far away as possible when shooting the 460, but inevitably someone will come try and set up next to me. Most of the time when I give them a heads up they will move down the bench a little. The ones that don’t usually do after a few shots. I was at an outdoor range with separated stalls in the rain one day and the muzzle blast knocked all of the water off the edge of the overhang and caused one guy to walk over and ask if I was ok. Always fun to wake everyone up a bit at the range. He ended up taking me up on the offer of a few shots and he left with a smile
The fit and finish are fantastic and there is no rattling parts or flaws in the finish. Everything seems tight and well put together. The double action trigger is very smooth and the take-up and pull go all the way through without and grinding or hitches anywhere. The single action is very crisp and very light. Of my revolvers the XVR has by far the best trigger and I don’t see any need to play with it or have it adjusted. The huge grips that come with the revolver are also very good. They are soft enough to give you traction but firm enough to handle the recoil without letting your hands slip. They are also well shaped and give the shooter a good platform to get a steady grip and aim. I originally had planned to swap them out but after the first range day I decided I liked them too much to change.
I really like the fiber optic front sight it allows for fast acquisition and quick follow-ups. I have seen scoped XVRs and I like the idea of it, but in practice for me there would be no real advantage. I am only using it for range time currently and mostly only using it on steel plates. A red dot could help me acquire plates faster but the recoil on the XVR, although very manageable, is not exactly the best choice for timed target shooting.
The recoil is mild to heavy depending on the load but very manageable. Due to the weight of the pistol the grips and the compensator shooting it is very enjoyable. I have had everyone from experienced to newer shooters, men and women try it and handle it fine – I do give a run down on what to expect to people because it is a handful and I do not let first time shooters shot it. Its recoil will cause new shooters to flinch and it can cause bad habits.
Due to the size of the 460 case it is possible to double charge this round, depending on the powder used there is enough case volume that the powder will not spill out. I have seen pictures of a double charged round having been fired. The cylinder was in multiple pieces, the frame ruined and luckily no one was seriously injured. Like many high volume cases care needs to be taken when reloading so that double charges are avoided. If you have a double / no charge sensor for your press I suggest you use it.
I have been able to find once fired brass online without too much trouble and it is decently priced. I have yet to be at the range with someone who does not save their 460 brass so I have not been able to source any free brass like I can with the 45, 40 or 9mm brass I usually get to collect because other shooters won’t use it. New brass was expensive last time I checked but I have 5 loadings on some of my brass with no real signs of wear or any cracked necks. I expect the primer pockets will loosen up before anything else happens. Since it is a straight wall case it’s very easy to load for. I do not crimp and I have had no problems with the projectiles backing out. I made a dummy round, measured it and left it in the cylinder for 12 shots and the projectile had not budged inside the case. Neck tension will be enough to hold the bullet in if it is set correctly.
Hornady has several loads in their reloading manual using various powders. I like H110 personally as it meters well and has been very accurate I can bang a steel plate at 25-50 yards consistently and have hit out to 100 yards off hand, I really want to bench this pistol and see just how far I can hit accurately. I have not had a chance to push it further out than 100 yards yet though. On paper it shows good groups using a variety of loads – and you can see where you hit easily. I can also use H110 for multiple calibers I load and I like the versatility. It will produce a large flash, even in the day light and a loud concussive muzzle blast.
The only two projectiles I have used are the 200G FTX and the 300G Hornady XTP Mag. Both have been very accurate using midrange loads and not being bench rested. The 200G FTX has lighter recoil and seems to edge out the XTP Mag accuracy wise. The XTP has a much stouter recoil but when it hits the steel plate it really rings it. I do want to get some more projectiles to play with but I feel the two options I am using now will cover most if not all of my shooting needs.
I do eventually want to put some different rounds to the test against ballistic glass. I have no idea what it will do but I think it would be fun to test alongside some different calibers. Hopefully I can do that in the near future and get some video. I have sourced some of the glass but just have not had the time to order and test it. My AR500 targets handle the round with no problem but it will knock target stands over and will leave some good dings in the steel but it has yet to do any real damage, although I am wondering if the stress fractures starting at the 90 degree turns in my AR500 plate are from constantly shooting it with the 460.
One side note – I have noticed the screws on the pistol will back out a bit after extended range time. Part of my cleaning routine is to snug all exposed screws up and just make sure none have backed out at all. I think checking screws is good practice for all fire arms though. Cleaning the stainless finish is also very easy and makes the cleaning process that much faster. When I load Blue Dot it seems to run very dirty in this application so the ease of cleaning is appreciated. H110 seems to be a cleaner burning powder so there is even less cleanup when I am using it to load.
This is a very fun revolver and I have shot about 400 rounds through it and enjoy it immensely. It is very accurate; it always draws a crowd and never fails to impress both spectators and people who want to fire a round downrange. I take the 460 with me on every range trip, even if just to shoot 5 or 10 rounds I find it’s a good stress reliever. Eventually I will probably hunt with it as well. I think for wild boar it should be more that sufficient to knock them down in a hurry.
Now I just need to find a .500 S&W to round out the collection and to experiment with.
Check out my review on Youtube for more videos, pictures, and information.