Manufacturer Smith & Wesson | Place of origin United States Barrel length | |
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Cartridge .460 S&W Magnum, .454 Casull, .45 Colt, .45 Schofield Action double-action/single-action | ||
Smith & Wesson Model 460 is a large bore five-shot, single-action/double-action revolver by Smith & Wesson chambered for the .460 S&W Magnum cartridge. It was designed as a hunting and dangerous game defensive revolver for use in Africa and Alaska. The revolver is built on the company's largest and strongest frame, known as the X-Frame, and represents a joint effort between Smith & Wesson, Hornady, and Cor-Bon.
Contents
Design
The basic design of the Model 460 is based on the other X-frame revolver, its counterpart, the Smith & Wesson Model 500, a .50 caliber revolver.
Aside from the .460 S&W Magnum cartridge, the revolver can chamber .454 Casull and .45 Colt ammunition. Smith & Wesson states that Model 460 XVR (XVR stands for X-treme Velocity Revolver) is the highest velocity production revolver, while being the most powerful .45 caliber production revolver in the world, launching a 200-grain (13-gram) bullet at 2,330 feet per second (710 meters per second), generating 2,416 foot-pounds force (3,276 joules) of muzzle energy.
This revolver uses gain-twist rifling - it starts with a slow twist of 1 turn in 7000254000000000000♠100 in and gradually speeds up to 1 turn in 6999508000000000000♠20 in to accommodate the high pressure of the round.
The S&W Model 460 won the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence Handgun of the year Award when it debuted in 2005.
Variants
Smith & Wesson offers several variants of this revolver. Some with short barrels like the Model 460 ES are intended for use in survival kits in small planes should they crash land in Alaskan Bear Country while others with barrels as long as 14" are intended as a primary hunting arm.