460 Weatherby opinions?

[B0MBOY]

The rifle will most likely be the Weatherby Mark V (I wish they would offer it in a nice satin oil finish though) and after a couple boxes of factory stuff I'll be handloading for it. I've never shot any of the heavy kickers yet, only up to 300 wm and Buffalo Bore 4570's so far but neither of those bother me. Yeah I keep reading about the magic behind that .416 bullet, that's why I want one too

For a frame of reference I was like you and was totally comfortable with hot 45-70 so I figured a step up to 375 h&h wouldn’t be too much. My 375 is by no means painful, but it takes more work on my part to keep her on target. The best way i can describe it is the 375 isn’t held down by it’s own weight like other rifles. I can get away with a lot of less than perfect technique with less powerful rifles and still hit my target. My 375 i can’t count on it staying on a bag or rest or tripod like a 308 or 45-70. If my grip isn’t firm the gun will roll and go way high. You’ll see what I mean when you go to zero yours.

I’d recommend taking some time to get comfortable with the 375 before buying bigger.

 

[Axle2010]

For a frame of reference I was like you and was totally comfortable with hot 45-70 so I figured a step up to 375 h&h wouldn’t be too much. My 375 is by no means painful, but it takes more work on my part to keep her on target. The best way i can describe it is the 375 isn’t held down by it’s own weight like other rifles. I can get away with a lot of less than perfect technique with less powerful rifles and still hit my target. My 375 i can’t count on it staying on a bag or rest or tripod like a 308 or 45-70. If my grip isn’t firm the gun will roll and go way high. You’ll see what I mean when you go to zero yours.

I’d recommend taking some time to get comfortable with the 375 before buying bigger.

You are 100% right, I'm not in a hurry to get the big bore I just wanted to figure out which direction to look. I like the 416 but it sounds like there is a lot of overlap with it and the 375 and I don't want to waste a rifle because it duplicates what I already have. Honestly after taking with you boys I really want both but that for me is very hard to justify.

 

[Daniel Cary]

You are 100% right, I'm not in a hurry to get the big bore I just wanted to figure out which direction to look. I like the 416 but it sounds like there is a lot of overlap with it and the 375 and I don't want to waste a rifle because it duplicates what I already have. Honestly after taking with you boys I really want both but that for me is very hard to justify.

8 million opinions & I'm the last to speak, however, here it is= "500 Jeffery"
a raucous!

 

[grand veneur]

You are 100% right, I'm not in a hurry to get the big bore I just wanted to figure out which direction to look. I like the 416 but it sounds like there is a lot of overlap with it and the 375 and I don't want to waste a rifle because it duplicates what I already have. Honestly after taking with you boys I really want both but that for me is very hard to justify.

A cartridge caliber 416 is in terms of effect and range of use closer to the range of the cartridges caliber 458 than that of a cartridge caliber 375 H&H Magnum.

Buying a rifle caliber 416, especially caliber 416 Rigby, is the best thing what an African hunter als client can do. The cartridge caliber 416 Rigby can do everything the cartridge 375 H&H Magnum can do, and a large part of what the cartridges caliber 458 can do. When it comes to backup, there might be something better, but as a client you rarely have to take it over.

As @ Daniel Cary wrote, above all if you plan to hunt elephants, buy after a rifle caliber 500 Jeffery. I also own one.

A rifle caliber 460 WBY-Magnum covers all what you need for hunting plain game to elephants and could almost be a universal cartridge for Africa. We have already discussed the problem that is associated with it and don't want to go back to that.

 

[Axle2010]

Well again thank you thank you gentlemen for all of your help opinions and suggestions! I think it's been decided and a 460 IS def in my future, maybe a 416 first idk yet but I'll just have to go to Africa more to justify having both. In the meantime we'll see what a south GA pig looks like when it's turned inside out! Lol Thanks again boys and God bless .

 

[IvW]

That 500 Jeffery load is stiff to say the least! I'm not saying it's not safe. I loaded the Barnes 570g TSX to 2510 fps when I was doing load development. That load would clear your sinuses. Fun index was zero. I settled on the same bullet at 2300 fps due to my recoil sensitive nature.

Yea it is and totally unnecessary.....2300fps is the sweet spot

 

[tarbe]

So after 5 pages I think we all agree;

We like big guns, but you don't always need to load them to the gills...and often you get better overall performance with some, when they are downloaded a bit below their max.

We also agree that good bullets placed well make for clean kills, whereas the fastest bullet placed poorly makes for a bad day.

I'll stop there!!

 

[Hunter-Habib]

It used to be a very popular choice amongst first time visiting American safari hunters in the 1970s. One of those big, shiny Weatherby Mark Vs in .460 Weatherby Magnum with those big beastly muzzle brakes. The funny thing is that no one ever brought these rifles with them on their second safari to Africa. I’ll divide my thoughts on this caliber, into 2 sections:

.460 Weatherby Magnum In Weatherby Mark V Rifles
I absolutely loathe them. The extractor is far too unreliable for the huge cartridge… especially in the heat of Africa and when used with full power Weatherby factory loads. Those beastly muzzle brakes can and will eventually make you deaf in the long term. And when we’re taking about a souped up caliber like the .460 Weatherby being used with a muzzle brake, then we’re also talking about your white hunter (or whoever happens to be next to you) possibly getting seriously disoriented (which only makes things far worse, when you happen to be going after dangerous game).

.460 Weatherby Magnum In & Of Itself
I’ve seen 500Gr Hornady round nosed steel jacketed FMJ solids being fired out of rifles in this caliber, which (when recovered from various test mediums as well as at least one elephant bull & cape buffalo) looked as if someone had forcefully brutalized them with a sledgehammer. The very same bullets, when fired from a freshly loaded .458 Winchester Magnum at 2124 fps… were constantly being recovered almost completely unmolested (save for the marks of the barrel rifling), My take on this, is that the velocity of the .460 Weatherby Magnum (in factory loaded form) is far too high for many projectiles… which is what causes them to badly distort upon striking heavy bone of thick skinned big game. The recoil also (sans muzzle brake) is absolutely atrocious.

If you hand load, then you can obviously reduce the velocities in order to make recoil far more manageable. Chambering this caliber in a rifle with a Granite Mountain Arms African Magnum Mauser action, gives you a weapon which is utmost reliable. Only the strongest constructed monometal bullets (such as Barnes or Cutting Edge Bullets) should be employed, in order to circumvent the risks of potential bullet failure.

I personally far prefer the .450 Rigby over the .460 Weatherby Magnum.

 

[Axle2010]

Yes it went on quite a bit further than I expected and again I really appreciate all the input from every direction, it's been educational without a doubt. I had no idea you could use such light bullets in a big bore (that's gonna be FUN!) and I'm pretty sure now that I need both calibers so thanks for spending more money for me boys

 

[Safari Dave]

I'd love to add a .460 Weatherby to my collection.


My best friend had a left-handed Mark V chambered in it for a while. It was mag-na-ported, and I was disappointed that it didn't recoil more than it did (I was much younger and a bit too "macho" for my own good).


If a could find a Euromark custom fitted with express sights, I would be all over it!



IMO, the wooden Weatherby stocks tame recoil better than most. To me, a Winchester Model 70 stock may be the worst kicker of them all. I shot a friend's .338 and it was the most brutal thing that I had ever shot.

I've owned a Weatherby Mark V in .378 for a while and it did kick hard, but it was what I was expecting.

That .338 Model 70 was shocking!


I have 2 Model 70's in 375 H&H, 1 in .458 Win, and a nice little 6.5x55 that is my favorite of the whole lot.

 

[calling4life]

You could buy Mark Biggerstaff's CZ 550 in the classifieds.

It's controlled round feed.

In 458 Win Mag, which should mean, re-chamber and then work over for feed and function for a gunsmith, wouldn't have to install a new barrel if you don't want.

Then you'd have the 460 weatherby and in a CRF action...

 

[Axle2010]

You could buy Mark Biggerstaff's CZ 550 in the classifieds.

It's controlled round feed.

In 458 Win Mag, which should mean, re-chamber and then work over for feed and function for a gunsmith, wouldn't have to install a new barrel if you don't want.

Then you'd have the 460 weatherby and in a CRF action...

I was thinking this very thing with either the 550 or a M70. I've only shot the 550 in 300wm but it for pretty well. On this subject who would yall suggest doing this kind if gunsmith work?

 

[colorado]

I would just him make it into a 450 Rigby. The CZ 550 Safari Classics were produced in 450 Rigby. Pretty much the same performance without the belt.

 

[WAB]

I’m not sure I see the point of pushing a 500 gr bullet beyond 2,200 or 2,300 fps. Perhaps a .460 loaded down to 2,300 could make sense, but then why not buy a Lott in a more portable platform.

 

[Daniel Cary]

Yes it went on quite a bit further than I expected and again I really appreciate all the input from every direction, it's been educational without a doubt. I had no idea you could use such light bullets in a big bore (that's gonna be FUN!) and I'm pretty sure now that I need both calibers so thanks for spending more money for me boys

@Axle2010: It doesn't matter what anybody thinks: If you want one, Go for it! I'm sure you'll Love it!

 

[Daniel Cary]

I think it's Banned in Canada? .. exceeds 10K Joules, or some bologna ?

 

[Laniarius]

I think it's Banned in Canada? .. exceeds 10K Joules, or some bologna ?

Yes. The latest Liberal government attacks on legal gun owners include a ban on 10k Joules. Presumably to eliminate 50 BMG, based on lies based and imagined fears (like all gun control).

 

[colorado]

You could buy Mark Biggerstaff's CZ 550 in the classifieds.

It's controlled round feed.

In 458 Win Mag, which should mean, re-chamber and then work over for feed and function for a gunsmith, wouldn't have to install a new barrel if you don't want.

Then you'd have the 460 weatherby and in a CRF action...

If you do have it rechamberd to anything but 458 Lott, you will need the magazine follower and the magazine worked on to be specific to that round by a competent gunsmith with a great familiarity with Mauser design rifles.

 

[tarbe]

If you do have it rechamberd to anything but 458 Lott, you will need the magazine follower and the magazine worked on to be specific to that round by a competent gunsmith with a great familiarity with Mauser design rifles.

Not to mention possible bolt face work, depending on what chambering you go with.

 

[Axle2010]

Not to mention possible bolt face work, depending on what chambering you go with.

Yeah I was wondering about that. I think if I get a 416 Rigby the bolt face and magazine should be the same with just a new barrel and chamber work