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big Weatherby

spinnakerun1spinnakerun1 Member Posts: 22 ✭✭
edited November 2007 in Ask the Experts
I have a 460 and would love to be able to use it when Deer hunting. The 500 grain shells are a bit much for Deer. Has anyone ever handloaded the 460 brass with smaller bullits? Maybe using a sabot, like the ones used in black powder rifles. Pistol bullits, maybe? Would be great to use this rifle and not have to shoot a 500 grain a few miles, not to mention that less recoil would be very nice also.

Comments

  • 1KYDSTR1KYDSTR Member Posts: 2,361 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would think that lead pushed at moderate velocities with a high volume powder might work and be less than crushing on your end...think 45-70 bolt action strength loads. Otherwise, the 460 is just too much for deer.
  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would think the mass of a 500gr pill or anything in 460cal would need to be slowed so far down so as not to bulldoze it's way through a deer sized animal that you would be in the load range bordering on too little powder in the case which creates a danger all it's own. I don't have experience with a 460wthby (and don't want to either[:D]) but if that is your plan,..find the LIGHtest bullet available and load it with the powder that makes the least amount of MV.

    Physics doesn't change,..so when considering the MASS of a projectile that size, the only way to reduce the KINETIC ENERGY of that projectile is to reduce the VELOCITY as well as the WEIGHT. The 460 is simply wayyyyyy too much gun but could be very useable is loaded way down.

    I have seen more deer lost/wounded by guys who have "magnumitis" and beleive they need a heavy bullet pushed at fast speeds to kill a lowly whitetail deer. In fact, lighter bullets expand faster and expend more energy inside the organ cavity which actually takes the game down much quicker than a heavy bullet that plows through with little expansion. YMMV
  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    spinnakerun1,

    You need to do some more work by talking to the folks at IMR powders to ask about SR-4759 powder. This is a bulky powder often used in magnums for reduced loads.

    Talk to Alliant powder regarding the use of Red Dot in reduced loads.

    Then check out Accurate Arms for their recommendations about using AA-8700 powder to curtail the velocities of the .460 Weatherby. It's in their reloading manual.

    I would also check out the bullet manufacturers websites and find the lighter bullets such as the Speer 300 gr. FN.

    Some of these combinations will get you down to 2,000 FPS with a couple going below that.

    Best.
  • spinnakerun1spinnakerun1 Member Posts: 22 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the info. on reloading the 460. What I was looking for is a load like Remington's 30.06 sabot load. Maybe someone had already done the work for me. Being able to use the Great 460 with a light load for Deer would be just grand. We all agree that 500 ammo is not a good idea for Deer sized game.
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