S&W 460 "issue"

[fzr confused]

After a long wait trying to find the 460 I wanted I just gave up and picked up the plain Jane 8 3/8" version a few months back. Now I finally made it to the range yesterday with it and put 50 rounds down the tube. I started off with 5rds of 460 and man I LOVE it! Fireball burned some of the hair off my hands haha. Then 10rds of 454 which was still pretty nice, but not as impressive. Followed that with 25rds of 45lc which as most know was pretty pathetic out of a gun that weighs this much lol. After that I went back to the 460 rounds and was having a hard time extracting the spent casings. Now I know the casing expands in the chamber/cylinder when fired, but I have never had a hard time extracting casings in my other (smaller caliber) revolvers before. Now this only was happening with the 460 shells, 455 and 45lc go in and out no problem. I know the 460 is a lot more powerful than the others, so I assume the casings expand a little more (tighter) than the others, but is this common? At first I thought that maybe there was build up in the cylinder from the smaller rounds and that was causing the 460 shells to stick, but even after a good cleaning they were still hard to get in/out but was a little easier. New/unfired rounds have no problems going in or out.

Is this a common issue? Or is maybe the cylinder slightly out of spec? The first 5rds of 460 came out with some effort, but much easier than the later rounds.

[panzermk2]

Where any of the 454 or 45lc lead cast bullets? If so I bet you still have a ring of lead in the front of the cylinders.

[fzr confused]

The 45lc was the cheap lead bullets yes. I will have to check that out. Is this common to happens? And what is the best way to remove the lead, carb cleaner like I clean the FsN chamber?

[srt-4_jon]

Just a good scrub should be enough. If not, Hoppes sells a lead remover. I have read using a chore boy scrubber works great as well.

[fzr confused]

I did what I THOUGHT was a good clean, I'll try another scrub down and see how it goes. Thanks guys!

[fzr confused]

Would a bore snake be sufficient? Or should it be a wire brush?

[blueorison]

just use dentist tools if you have it on hand, or a hard-bristle toothbrush.

[fzr confused]

I've got a set of brushes and very flimsy picks.

[jibbs]

As the others have stated, you just have to clean each of the cylinders really well. I also have a 460, the 460V which is the 5 inch version. I use it with new shooters to let them feel some power yet not smack their head with it. Going from 45lc and 454 makes its harder to extract the 460. Material builds up and makes them stick.

I reload mine so I haven't had the problems of the 460 sticking by themselves (probably because I'm not pushing it to the max which I'm not), but have had terrible times getting them to extract after extended sessions with the smaller rounds. I also shoot a S&W 360 but almost always shoot 38+p, which makes it extremely hard to extract the 357 mags when I wanna punish myself. Its the bane of the wheel gun.

I use a wire brush fyi, but I too am looking for a better alternative. Trying the nylon ones these days but I cant give you an answer one way or another. Not enough use to tell yet.

[fzr confused]

thanks! yea at first i thought it was the gun just getting too hot since i was shooting them pretty quick and reloading and shooting them again, but then i got to thinking lol.

[Kilibreaux]

I'd say very few people load the .460 or the .500 anywhere near their potential. The .500 has an operating pressure of 60K psi and the .460 goes even higher to 65K psi, yet I have seen only a few loads that exceed 50K and those deliver stupendous power.

Anyway...this story highlights the fallacy of buying the .460 as opposed to the .500 based on the rationale that the .460 "can" shoot the 454 and the .45 Colt. The shorter rounds of course leave hard deposits on the chamber walls that makes it difficult if not impossible to jump back to the longer cartridge without diligent cleaning which may not be feasible under field conditions. I guess the notion of using three different cartridges in the .460 appeals more to the person who does not load their own ammunition, whereas most handloaders will simply load the full-length .460 case to suit.

BTW this is not new...same problem arises with the .357 and .44 magnum...and I would expect the .45 Colt when guns so chambered have numerous rounds of .38 Spl, .44 Spl, and .45 Schofield, followed by the full-length cased, higher pressure ammo. Full house .357 magnum loads are notoriously hard to extract with clean chambers so a ring of fouling at the tip of the case makes the problem worse....not to mention that such buildup changes the pressure profile of longer-cased ammo.

I see little point in trying to deliberately load down the .460 to .45 Colt factory spec considering how little recoil 1000 lb-ft KE loads produces.

[flyingirish04]

I have zero problem with 45LC to 454 in my Ruger. Zero. And I don't necessarily clean after every firing, and I have never had to scrape out cylinder other than bore brushing each one.

I shoot a bunch of 45LC through it too. End every day at range with it with 20 of my heavy reloads 400 grain hard casts in 454. No problems. Come to think of it, never had problems with my GP100 or my Smith shooting 357, 38 Special and Special +P.

Very interesting about your observation. I won't be buying a 460 anytime soon. Too bad, was looking at a Lew Horton PC model one of my buddies wants to sell.