Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 460 weatherby ???

hi guys
the local shop called yesterday with a 460 trade in. i really like the rifle (its big, heavy and generally a man sized rifle)
this is a deluxe weatherby on the floor plate it says custom shop i not familiar with weatherby this is a beautiful rifle. my biggest question is recoil. i have a 50 alaskan built on a 71 action and i manage that recoil ok how much more is this weatherby going to be? can anyone tell me about the weatherby's??
thanks in advance chris

ctw,
If you'll do a search, you'll find some good discussions on it, pro and con.

I have one and bought it cause it was an absolute steal (<400$) from someone who was disenchanted with it. I load it down to the 2000-2200 fps range and it's fine to shoot. It's Mz braked and good recoil pad. It'sabitch with full house Whtby loads, for sure and I take no pleasure in shooting those.

Having said all of that, when I do get to Africa, I'll bring my .375 H&H.
Old Toot

Recoil with factory loads in a 12 pound rifle is 99 foot pounds, or 2 1/2 times a .375 from a ten pound rifle. It's in another universe from .375s, .416s, and even .470 NEs. And not really to good purpose, since the same bullets at 2300 will kill anything that lives on the planet today. If it's a steal, you can always load it down, and you will always be able to say "mine is bigger than yours" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Might want to check out the "detached retina" thread first, though.

_
Steve,
I think it's the type of recoil ft/lbs more than the # of ft/lbs. For some reason, I found the .378 Whtby mag to be even worse (full loads). A couple of shots and I'd had enough.

I have a friend in Ak. whose a Type A and has one (.460 W and for years). He is the type of person that loads things to the point that when you have to whack the bolt to break it after firing, he backs off a little until it does break. Why, I dont know.

To date, he has scorched the hood paint of his wife's new(then) Expedition, caused the same vehicle's front winshield to spider web, set the grass on fire while trying to shoot prone (and had to call the fire department) and broke his right collar bone when shooting it at a moose that crossed in front of his 4whlr and was going near vertical up a mtn side. He killed the moose.
Old Toot

Old Toot, that was one of the most humorous posts I've read in quite a while. I hope he has good life insurance.

FWIW my wife has shot both 378 and 460(shes about 5 feet and 125) and she didn't care for the 378 at all but said the 460 wasn't all that bad.Mind you not mild but very workable.

Its all subjective though. I'm still working on a 458 win for a friend and keep getting all these warnings of recoil and collar bones etc..... They just don't buck that bad to me.

If I were to find one cheap I'd buy it in a hearbeat to have an play with a bit.

Jeff

ctw
Let no one kid you the recoil from a 50 Alaskan on a mod 71 is a whole world apart for the recoil of a 460 Weatherby mag

But! if you can find a 460 Weatherby for under a grand ..Buy it
and after your done crying from the pain of recoil sell it to me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Here's how it work's 10 round's fired from the 460 will get
you a black and blue sholder 20 round's and your arm's going to go numb two box's fired through it will dislocat the cornia
of your eye. The 460 is not ment as a "after noon shooter"
and it's not! a bench rest rifle. ? that is unless you really like pain <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />.

One more thing ? i do hope you have stock in one of the powder companys becouse your going to need it .
the 460 eat's powder like there no tommorrow.


Have fun guy <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

O one more thing if you are still goning to buy it i do make and sell 600 grain and 650 grain and 700 grain .458 bullet's
just for the 460 Weatherby Mag. 0.050 -0.065 guilded jacket's

Not your normal chipmuck bullet <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I suppose its more about the Weatherby rifle/chamber. In that I mean the rifle is typically a nice work of art, especially when offered in the Deluxe 378, 416 or 460 versions. In any event, it will surely cause conversation at the range or in the field.

I have shot the 378 Wby, the 458 Win, 500 NE and the 50-3-1/4 Sharps smokeless. Of all, the last one kicked like a mule, as it only weighed 9.5 lbs. Recoil was upwards of 96 ft-lbs with 600 grain bullets at 2200 fps and 750 grains at 1900 fps. The average 458 Win will lay a 62-65 ft-lb lick on your shoulder, the Lott with 500 grainers will typically add another 5 ft-lbs. The 378 Wby was a real boomer with around 75 ft-lbs of recoil.

Recoil, for the most part, is something that can be dealt with if one develops proper balance, tucking of the firearm to shoulder properly, stock fit, and knowing how to freely allow the muzzle to rise from the bench or when shooting off-hand. It takes practice and will power. One can actually get pretty fatigued after discharging 5 rounds with any of these chambers. Again, it takes skill and work. Accidents will happen if someone with no shooting experience is left to discharge a chamber with this much recoil. This is were collar bones break, dislocated shoulders and torn/badly bruised bicep muscles can be had (many of inexperienced shooters tuck the gun between their shoulder ball socket and their upper bicep muscle, OUCH!), not to mention getting kissed in the cheek and loosing some teeth or jaw damage or getting gouged by the scope, which will typically cause a deep cut and stiches. I think you get my drift on the serious nature of handling these type chambers.

Guess the one at the shop your looking at has no brake on it, since you did not mention that. If a brake is offered, recoil will be drastically reduced, however muzzle blast and report will be significantly greater. Kind of a double edge sword.

If it was a good price, I suppose it might be tempting to own, however, it is overpowered for anything and not exactly practical, as such, I would imagine most of its time would be spent in your safe and be brought out to show. After all, why do you think it is a good deal, I would guess because the demand factor for real world use is rather low.

rossi

_____________-
41Keith,
I didn't mention that he has his own airplane. I spoke with his wife at Christmas and through the conversation asked was he still flying. She said - "Oh, yes indeed, all the time, and every now then he does it in his super cub".

He's a great individual and is an accomplished pilot with many hours behind him. He does few things 1/2 speed and nothing halfway. He just likes that .460 Whtby too much.

Put two of M. 71 50 Alaskan's against your shoulder and pull both triggers. That ought to give you an idea of what full-house Weatherby .460 loads will feel like.

That said, and having fired both back when I was much dumber, I'd say that the .460 is more manageable - or less painful, depending on how you look at it - than the .378. The .378 hits with just slightly less force, but much, much quicker. It's kinda like comparing being hit by George Foreman (.460) v. Mike Tyson (.378). Foreman hits slightly harder (more mass, reach, etc.), but Tyson is much, much faster.

After using both, I will not fire either again unless someone actually does clone a T-Rex, and only then if I can't get a CJ-7/pick-up rollbar mounted M-2 .50. Until then, you can have 'em.

You can really tell that guy's that have owned a 460 from those that have not <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My 35x378 kicked like *ell my 378 kicked like *ell
my 460 Just plain flat out Kicked like *ell

My Marlin GS is So sweat even with full house load's
it's no were near half that of the 460 Weatherby.

And i still get to drive 400 grainer's at 2000 FPS <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
A 460 Weatherby Mag is kinda like dropping a bolder from
a cliff on to your game ..If you miss your game's gone for the day maybe two if you hit it ..?Well just make sure you brought your bag of cracker's to speard your game on <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Same goes for the 700 Hubel Express and the 700 Nitro Express <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Over kill. really fun to own but unless your hunting Rhino <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I have had 2 460's and I really like them.
I load 105 grains of H4350 extreme behind a 500 grain hornady RN and use it for everything.
Best rabbit gun you can get.

Buy and enjoy.

Charlie

My 35x378 Liked 114 grain's H 4831 and 250 grain bullet

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Rabbit's ? Ah ! Cracker's and Rabbit pasted Lol

If you like the rifle, it's reasonably priced and you handload, get it. The beauty of a big case is it can be downloaded. Look at 450 Rigby data, essentially the same round sans belt, but loaded to lower velocity/pressure. A 500 gr bullet @ 2300-2400 fps will kill any critter you'll hunt as dead as it will ever die, and the gun will be worlds more shootable then the same bullet @ 2600 fps.

I haven't had a chance to fire a 50 AK or a 460 W, so can't compare the recoil. I do have a 458 Lott and a 500 Jeffrey, and know what happens when a big gun moves rearward against your shoulder <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I also know how much more enjoyable downloads are from fullpower <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I had one for about 12 years. Mine had a set trigger and iron sights with satin finished stock. It said Custom Shop on the floorplate, too. I think they all had muzzle breaks. Mine had many little holes. I think it was called a Pendelton break.

I mounted a 1.5X5 Leupold on it and had no trouble with the scope ever. I hear they can be hard on scopes. I used really light weight QD rings I bought from Kimber when they were in Oregon.

It was fun to shoot but it does kick like nothing else I have ever shot. I've never shot a 378 and hear the recoil is faster. I'm not sure how you could really tell. Most of what I shot was Hornadys 350 grain 458's off the bench. A light load bullet wise, but I'd load them close to the top. They shot really good with H380. I suppose I ran about 700 rounds through it in the 12 years I owned it.

When I'd touch one off from the bench, the muzzle would climb about 70 degrees. You have to catch it on the way down. It's quite an experience. A lady friend who went with me to the range once, told me I must be crazy for shooting anything like it. She said my whole body convulsed and shook when it went off. I had 600 grain Barnes for it too but those really hurt.

I had several guys ask to shoot it and I'd let them but only offhand. No one ever asked to shoot it twice and always handed it back with a slightly dazed look on their face, and often rubbing their shoulder. To be honest, I would slip them a 500 grainer to keep the repeat shots to a minimum. Even back then those big bullets and 115 grains of powder cost something! It seemed to work.

I'm glad I owned it and will likely never have another. They are a novelty for the most part. I was planning on hunting with, thus the relatively large round count out of it, but never did. Not many would ever be able to shoot one without flinching and you really want to be sure it it shouldered well or the result could be very unpleasant. I believe it helped me cure whatever flinch I ever had and now can shoot anything without a flinch. With the set trigger I could get 1.25-1.5" groups. The first two were well under that but it seemed the third always opened up the group. Maybe I didn't get over all that flinch completely.

30-378's-- 8MMx378's-- 35x378 --378's all have a "snapper'
Recoil then the 460 or the 475 AM or the 50x460
the bigger bore's "push" the smaller bore's "punch" back.

The reason i had the 35x378 built back in the 60's was for long range shooting... That's one reason "Why' i had a
7x61 SH made up becouse the recoil was to much on t he 35x378 . funny thing is now a person can buy a 30x378 <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> for under a grand and convert it to 460
Weatherby for not much more the around 12 to 1300.00
why buy a factory 460 <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Gun Broker

This is mine. I took this photo the day I bought it, before I scoped it. Mine has the Accubrake. Felt recoil is about the same as a unbraked .375 H&H. Bill T.

Pretty wood. That Accubrake must be much more effective than the Pendalton brake I had on mine. My 460 felt like it had at least twice the recoil as either of my 375's did. The muzzle jump was also much more pronounced. Good thing to remember, just in case! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I have told this story before, but here goes. I met a guy from Valdez Alaska who told me that he used to win money from people by betting them they could not hit a five gallon pail three times in a row with his 460 Weatherby Magnum. He would bet them fifty bucks and it was a pretty short distance.
He said they all flinched after one or two shots and could not hit at the third shot. Something to think about!
GWN

I would probably take that bet ... but then again, I'm not nearly the sharpest knife in the drawer.