460 S&W Encore Rifle Questions

[bbarker]

First, I was bitten by the Contender bug. The only fix was to replace it with the Encore. I have 3 pistol barrels (204, 243, 7mm-08) and one rifle barrel (280 Rem).

I would really like to get a 460 S&W rifle barrel for it. I think it would be a darn good deer cartridge....just think of the hole it would leave! Plus, it would still be fun and cheaper to shoot the 454 Casul and 45 Colt in it.

My question would be the effective range of the setup. I know the heavy bullet will have some drop but should have lots of knockdown power. I was thinking that this would be a good 250 yard setup.

I would not prefer to spend a small fortune on a scope but I think it may be necessary as the round will probably not be kind to it. Any recommendations on a good quality but cost effective scope for it?

Lastly, anyone have a barrel laying around they would want to part with?

Broom_JM.....I expect your comments here soon.

 

[cwillour]

Been thinking about one myself, but I'm not quite sold yet. The only ones I have seen where the Katahdins and EABCO wants $300 for one.

As for the scope, I would think something in the 2-7 or 3-10 range would work well. At this point, I have taken to bouncing thoughts off Alan (42769vette) before committing to glass. Even if he does not carry quite what I am looking for, his insight has been helpful on a number of occasions.

 

[bstewrat3]

The 460S&W Katahdin is rough on scopes. I just sent my 2-7x35 Burris Fullfield II back to Burris after 50 shots because something came loose inside and it was no longer possible to see clearly through it. I put a 6-18 Simmons that I had laying around on it and have it sighted in but the parallax adjustment no longer works, so once the season is over I'll be sending the scope and $10 to Simmons. I may be moving this barrel after the late firearms season depending on how destructive it is on other equipment and deer.

 

[bbarker]

Thanks for the comments guys. I will definately check with Alan before getting a scope. First, I need to buy the barrel off of bstewrat3.

bstewrat3 - How far would you feel comfortable shooting your setup?

 

[fireball168]

Lastly, anyone have a barrel laying around they would want to part with?

M&S Armament in Clinton has an new unfired 460 S&W barrel with an MGM scope base sitting on a stainless frame with factory synthetic furniture (with Stratton hanger bar forend modification). Priced well.

 

[Imeagher]

I have heard some people having great accuracy, others not very good.

 

[downzero]

The 200 grain bullet is going to shoot flat and hit hard. I can't imagine that it wouldn't kill a deer just as dead as anything else.

 

[Imeagher]

Wonder if the recoil is part of it.

 

[bbarker]

yup

M&S Armament in Clinton has an new unfired 460 S&W barrel with an MGM scope base sitting on a stainless frame with factory synthetic furniture (with Stratton hanger bar forend modification). Priced well.

Yeah, but I already got a frame.....just need a barrel.

 

[Encore460Mag]

This round out of the encore is very stout on recoil,I had two scopes broken and a set of rings.I was pumped about this set up until I went to the range,muzzle jump and felt recoil is very bad,ended up selling it and bought a 458 socom.

 

[bstewrat3]

Thanks for the comments guys. I will definately check with Alan before getting a scope. First, I need to buy the barrel off of bstewrat3.

bstewrat3 - How far would you feel comfortable shooting your setup?

I have not shot mine beyond 100 yards because of range limitations. I don't hunt in an area where I am likely to need more than that luckily.

 

[cwillour]

I have not shot mine beyond 100 yards because of range limitations. I don't hunt in an area where I am likely to need more than that luckily.

Did your Katahdin come w/ irons? If it did, how are they?

The pics on Eabco look like it has a decent peep/fiber combination. At 100yds - 150yds, it might be tempting to stay with just the irons if they work well.

 

[ghuns]

My question would be the effective range of the setup. I know the heavy bullet will have some drop but should have lots of knockdown power. I was thinking that this would be a good 250 yard setup.

I would not prefer to spend a small fortune on a scope but I think it may be necessary as the round will probably not be kind to it. Any recommendations on a good quality but cost effective scope for it?

I have shot a friends .460. 250 yards isn't a problem. As far as a scope, spending a small fortune can't hurt. My buddy shoots some screamin hot loads through his and the recoil is significant to say the least. It is a very sharp, fast recoil. The kind that hurts right now, not the day after(but it will still hurt the day after). And the kind that tends to break things. I can't imagine what shooting this round out of a handgun is like. He uses a 6 hole base from Match Grade Machine, rings, I think, are Warne's. His scope is actually cheap, a Nikon trophy hunter, about $80. He feels very lucky for the scope to have survived so far. Before he got the rifle barrel, he had a 14" barrel Encore pistol. It ruined a $400 Burris. Of course it also sheared the 4 mounting screws off the scope base on the first shot, so recoil really didn't kill it. It was flying up in the air and then bouncing off the concrete that did it in. Burris, to their credit, replaced it no questions asked.
His loads use 200 grain Barnes bullets and are flying at over 2700fps. If you are frequently finding yourself needing to kill deer at 250 yards, go for it. If not, you can always shoot .454's out of it which should get you to 150 no problem. And if you have any youngsters around, load up .45LC and let them have some fun.

 

[fireball168]

Of course it also sheared the 4 mounting screws off the scope base on the first shot:

Did you witness this event?

 

[ghuns]

Did you witness this event?

Nope, just aftermath.

 

[bstewrat3]

Did your Katahdin come w/ irons? If it did, how are they?

The pics on Eabco look like it has a decent peep/fiber combination. At 100yds - 150yds, it might be tempting to stay with just the irons if they work well.

The barrel did come with a very nice set of Williams fiber optic iron sights, but I removed them because I planned to use a scope from the start.

 

[jy951]

I would recommend you not put a huge scope on it. For deer hunting in this caliber its totally unnecessary. I've used a 500 S&W carbine and used a Nikon Monarch 2-8x. No problems with that scope, but I'm going do downsize it probably to a 1-4x Leupold or a fixed 2.5 or 4x scope. I did break a Nikon Prostaff 2-7x on that gun.

 

[MarioMarietta]

Yes I have the new barrel, scope mount and 1 box of ammo for 350.00