460 and 458 loads for small game

25-06

I have never shot any game with the 460, but it will sure blow the hell out of a 5 gallon gas can full of water with 500 grain factory loads. Shot several coyotes and a bunch of rabbits with the 458's and the Hornady 350 grain bullet. I think you would want to back off on the loads to maybe a little more than 45-70 specs to save on meat damage if used on deer. It was amazing to see the damage that a 350 grain bullet could do. You would not think that heavy bullet would expand that fast, but at the velocities you can get with the 458 they sure did.

groundhog devastation

25-06, Looking at your name it's a wonder that you ever needed anything but a gun in your moniker for whatever you wanted to shoot! Anyway as far as the 458 or 460 go, if you can get close enough the muzzleblast oughta do em in!!! another 25-06 fan, GHD

leeblackman

You should make a terminal balistics video on the effects of large cartridges on small game. In otherwords, next time you blow up a bunny, get your buddy to video tape it, and send me a copy. My class would sure love to see that.

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punchie

The 458/460 should surfice for small game up to and including Brer Rabbit,however, for anything even marginally larger I feel that you should upgrade to the 50BMG. This should be sufficent for anything up to whitetail size but if you should be after even larger quarry you may want to consider bringing in air support.

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v35

If you drill the bullets .224 diameter x .400 deep and set in a 22 short case full of 3 or 4F black powder or Bullseye(highest in nitro), the small game can be reduced to molecules.

Shootist3006

.458 or .460 for small game???? Have you tried either #8 or #9 shot. With a little work you could match .410 ballistics

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25-06

Well, I figured I would catch it for this post, but I was trying to respond to an earlier thread that was closed on the subject of using these big guns on deer. The point was that the 350 grain bullet expanded too fast at 458 velocities to be suitable for deer. Therefore, the suggestion to back off on the loads. In SW Kansas there is not much variety of choice to shoot when you are trying different loads. Certainly no elephants are in the strawberries, and rhinos and cape buffalo are equally scarce.
GDH, if you ever find one of the few Sako TRG-S's that came in 25-06 with a 26" barrel, get it, I think you would like it. I had one and let a fellow talk me out of it and have kicked myself since for getting rid of it. Mine would cloverleaf Federal Premium 100 gr. Ballistic Tips for three shots at 100 yds.

Iconoclast

LOLL!!! After shooting some boulders with a .458, I can only imagine what would be left of small game. I rather suspect a hand grenade would leave a larger carcass. H***, my .220 Swift, with a bullet 10% that size, will enviscerate a rabbit! At that scale, we'd be using an 8" howitzer for whitetail! Ah, heck, one shot kill, anyway.

wipala

Give the man a break guys He want a loaded down cartridge so his very expesive investment won't set in the safe because there aren't enough elephants around to justify shooting a $3.00 factory round at. I also owna 460 and often wondered about loading it down to 45-70 specs just so I don't have to have my shoulder blades seperated from each other after every shot. Also Kind of fun to see the guys jaws drop at the check station when they see the cartridges in you ammo belt.