# .460 S&W Magnum
The **.460 S&W Magnum** (.460 Smith & Wesson Magnum) is a rimmed, straight-walled handgun cartridge introduced in 2005 by [Smith & Wesson](https://www.edgepedia.org/smith-and-wesson) in partnership with Hornady Manufacturing and Cor-Bon for the company's large X-Frame revolvers, and it is a lengthened .454 Casull designed to be one of the fastest production revolver cartridges ever developed.[1](https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-the-460-smith-wesson-magnum/) • [2](https://loaddata.com/Cartridge/460-Smith-Wesson-Magnum-Handloader-issue-349/9885) It is chambered in the Smith & Wesson Model 460XVR (X-treme Velocity Revolver) and in a small number of single-shot and lever-action rifles.[3](https://ir.smith-wesson.com/news-releases/news-release-details/smith-wesson-begins-shipments-460xvr-revolver/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 2005, developed by Smith & Wesson with Hornady (and Cor-Bon) for the X-Frame revolver[1](https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-the-460-smith-wesson-magnum/) • [4](https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/exceeding-expectations-smith-wesson-s-x-frames/) |
| Dimensions | Rimmed, straight-walled case 1.800 in long, 0.417 in longer than the .454 Casull; rim 0.520 in; bullets of 0.451 to 0.452 in diameter[4](https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/exceeding-expectations-smith-wesson-s-x-frames/) • [1](https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-the-460-smith-wesson-magnum/) • [5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter) |
| Pressure | SAAMI maximum average pressure 65,000 psi, the same as the .454 Casull[2](https://loaddata.com/Cartridge/460-Smith-Wesson-Magnum-Handloader-issue-349/9885) |
| Velocity | 200-grain factory loads at 2,200 to more than 2,300 fps from the 460XVR revolver; the fastest production handgun at its 2005 introduction[3](https://ir.smith-wesson.com/news-releases/news-release-details/smith-wesson-begins-shipments-460xvr-revolver/) • [4](https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/exceeding-expectations-smith-wesson-s-x-frames/) |
| Interchangeability | Revolvers and single shots so chambered can also fire .45 Schofield, .45 Colt, and .454 Casull ammunition[5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter) |
| Primer | Large rifle primer, unlike the .454 Casull's small rifle primer[1](https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-the-460-smith-wesson-magnum/) • [12](https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2016/12/30/behind-the-bullet-454-casull/) |
| SAAMI status | Cartridge and chamber drawing issued 02/08/2006, revised 10/22/2021[6](https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/SAAMI-Z299.3-2022-Centerfire-Pistol-Revolver-Approved-12-13-2022.pdf) |
## Development
After Smith & Wesson's Herb Belin led the 2002 to 2003 development of the .500 S&W Magnum and the X-Frame revolver that fired it, his team turned to a second distinction, the fastest production handgun.[4](https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/exceeding-expectations-smith-wesson-s-x-frames/) At the time, Cor-Bon's 265-grain .454 Casull load probably held that title, with reported velocities above 1,700 fps, and the stated goal for the new project was to propel a 200-grain .45-caliber bullet to 2,500 fps from an 8 3/8-inch barrel while maintaining accuracy.[4](https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/exceeding-expectations-smith-wesson-s-x-frames/) • [5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter)
The .454 Casull, with its SAAMI maximum average pressure of 65,000 psi, provided the starting point. Belin enlisted Cor-Bon's help and also approached Hornady, producing what the NRA's account describes as a blind arms race between the two ammunition makers, with Belin sharing just enough information to keep both motivated.[4](https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/exceeding-expectations-smith-wesson-s-x-frames/) Within six months of starting development in 2005, Hornady had achieved 2,200 fps with the new cartridge and Cor-Bon a load at 2,300 fps.[4](https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/exceeding-expectations-smith-wesson-s-x-frames/) The 2,500 fps goal was missed, but velocities above 2,300 fps with a 200-grain bullet made the 460XVR the fastest production handgun in the world at the time.[5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter) • [4](https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/exceeding-expectations-smith-wesson-s-x-frames/)
The X-Frame's long cylinder allowed a longer case holding more propellant, but the conversion was not straightforward. The S&W500's metallurgy proved inadequate at the .460's higher pressures, and stabilizing a heavy bullet at high speed in a relatively short barrel was difficult. Smith & Wesson responded with heat treatment of the frame and cylinder, gain-twist rifling running from 1:100 inches to 1:20 inches to stabilize the bullets, and custom propellant mixtures with burn rates matched to a 200-grain bullet.[4](https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/exceeding-expectations-smith-wesson-s-x-frames/)
## Design and dimensions
The cartridge is essentially a lengthened .454 Casull, which is itself a lengthened .45 Colt. The rimmed, straight-walled case measures 1.800 inches, with a rim of 0.520 inches and a maximum cartridge overall length of 2.275 inches as set in the Handloader account.[1](https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-the-460-smith-wesson-magnum/) • [5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter) It uses the common 0.451 to 0.452-inch diameter bullets shared with the .45 Colt and .454 Casull, available in weights from under 200 grains up to 395 grains.[5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter)
Two dimensional details set it apart from its parent cartridges. The rim is slightly larger than the .512-inch rim of the .45 Colt and .454 Casull, with Starline cases at 0.515 inch and Hornady at 0.5175 inch, so the .460 requires its own shellholder for handloading.[7](https://loaddata.com/Article/LoadDevelopment/Top-10-Reloaded-Handgun-Cartridges-9-460-Smith-Wesson/700) And where the .454 Casull uses a small-rifle primer and the .45 Colt a large-pistol primer, the .460's case is designed for a large rifle primer; Hornady and Starline cases accept large rifle primers, though some smaller makers have used large pistol primer pockets.[1](https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-the-460-smith-wesson-magnum/) • [7](https://loaddata.com/Article/LoadDevelopment/Top-10-Reloaded-Handgun-Cartridges-9-460-Smith-Wesson/700) • [12](https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2016/12/30/behind-the-bullet-454-casull/)
Because the cartridge is straight-walled and rimmed, guns with chambers cut for the .460 S&W Magnum—whether revolvers or single-shot designs—accept .45 Schofield, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, and .460 S&W Magnum loads alike, with the .460 typically offering the best accuracy of these four.[5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter) Smith & Wesson's own manual lists 45 Colt and 454 Casull as the alternate ammunition for revolvers marked 460 S&W MAG.[8](https://www.mcarbo.com/.Owners%20Manuals/S-W_Revolver_Owners-Manual.pdf)
## Ballistics
The cartridge operates at a maximum average pressure of 65,000 psi, the same as the .454 Casull, but its larger case and heavier powder charge produce significantly higher velocity.[1](https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-the-460-smith-wesson-magnum/) Factory loads reported by Load Data run between 54,000 and 56,000 psi.[7](https://loaddata.com/Article/LoadDevelopment/Top-10-Reloaded-Handgun-Cartridges-9-460-Smith-Wesson/700)
Representative factory loads from the NRA's cartridge profile:[1](https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-the-460-smith-wesson-magnum/)
- Hornady 200-grain FTX (Custom line): 2,200 fps, 2,149 ft-lbs at the muzzle, retaining nearly 1,700 ft-lbs at 100 yards and 747 ft-lbs at 200 yards.
- Federal Premium 260-grain Fusion bonded core: 1,600 fps, 1,478 ft-lbs.
- Federal Premium 275-grain Barnes XPB monometal: 1,670 fps, 1,703 ft-lbs.
- Federal Premium 300-grain Swift A-Frame: 1,700 fps, 2,040 ft-lbs.
- Buffalo Bore 300-grain jacketed flat nose: 2,060 fps, over 2,800 ft-lbs.
The high velocity gives the bullet a flat trajectory with less drop and wind deflection than slower large-bore revolver cartridges, which is the basis of the cartridge's reputation for long-range revolver work; Smith & Wesson stated that its design objective for the 460XVR was accurate reach to targets beyond 200 yards.[5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter) • [3](https://ir.smith-wesson.com/news-releases/news-release-details/smith-wesson-begins-shipments-460xvr-revolver/)
**In a carbine the cartridge changes character.** Revolvers lose velocity through the barrel-cylinder gap and their short barrels prevent full combustion of the slow-burning propellants the .460's large case uses, in some recipes more than 50 grains of powder. From a 20-inch Thompson/Center Encore barrel, the same Barnes 200-grain XPB exceeded 2,800 fps, and Hornady's 200-grain FTX reached similar speeds, roughly 300 Winchester Magnum territory for that bullet weight.[5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter)
## Firearms chambered
The primary platform is Smith & Wesson's Model 460XVR on the X-Frame, introduced at the January 2005 SHOT Show, with initial shipments beginning July 12, 2005, and a "2005 Handgun of the Year" award from the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence.[3](https://ir.smith-wesson.com/news-releases/news-release-details/smith-wesson-begins-shipments-460xvr-revolver/) The revolver is a five-shot double action manufactured at Smith & Wesson's Springfield, Massachusetts factory, capable of launching a 200-grain bullet at more than 2,300 fps.[3](https://ir.smith-wesson.com/news-releases/news-release-details/smith-wesson-begins-shipments-460xvr-revolver/) Magnum Research lists a .460 S&W chambering among the standard calibers of its BFR single-action revolver.[9](https://www.magnumresearch.com/PDF/BFR-Manual-0914.pdf)
Long-gun options are few. The cartridge has been chambered in Bighorn Armory [lever actions](https://www.edgepedia.org/lever-action) and limited runs of the single-shot Ruger No. 1, and Thompson/Center offers an Encore ProHunter barrel in the chambering; CVA's Scout single shot is another affordable option.[5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter) • [10](https://www.guns.com/news/reviews/review-460-s-w-magnum) The cartridge's 2.3-inch overall length and 65,000 psi pressure limit its suitability for conventional lever-action rifles, and competing straight-walled rifle cartridges such as the .450 Bushmaster, which lacks the protruding rim and is typically less costly to shoot, have limited demand for .460 rifles.[5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter)
## Hunting use
The .460 S&W Magnum achieves its performance through exceptionally high velocity rather than the heavy, moderate-speed bullets of most large-bore revolver cartridges, making it a choice for handgun hunters seeking flat trajectories and high downrange energy.[2](https://loaddata.com/Cartridge/460-Smith-Wesson-Magnum-Handloader-issue-349/9885) Smith & Wesson's Paul Pluff, the company's marketing handler and an experienced handgun hunter, described the .460, with its flatter trajectory, as a great North American cartridge, and said X-Frame guns in .460 and .500 had been used on game from boar and whitetail to Cape buffalo and elephant.[4](https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/exceeding-expectations-smith-wesson-s-x-frames/)
The cartridge has also found a second life in rifle form. Many U.S. states and localities that once required shotguns with slugs or muzzleloaders for deer hunting now permit straight-walled centerfire cartridges meeting caliber and case-length limits, and the Handloader account argues the .460 S&W Magnum, available since 2005, is among the strongest options for that use, particularly from a carbine.[5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter) Illinois, for example, lists the .460 S&W Magnum among legal single-shot cartridges for deer, with a Hornady 200-grain FTX load recorded at 2,875 fps and 3,672 ft-lbs from a 22-inch barrel.[11](https://dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/deer/legal-cartridges.html)
Bullet selection matters at these speeds. Many .45-caliber bullets designed for the .45 Colt or .454 Casull fail at .460 velocities from a carbine, breaking up on impact with inadequate penetration; for big game the suitable bullets are homogeneous all-copper designs such as the Barnes XPB or bonded-core bullets such as the Swift A-Frame.[5](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter)
## References
1. [Behind the Bullet: The .460 Smith & Wesson Magnum, American Hunter (NRA)](https://www.americanhunter.org/content/behind-the-bullet-the-460-smith-wesson-magnum/)
2. [Reloading Data: .460 Smith & Wesson Magnum, Handloader issue 349, LoadData.com](https://loaddata.com/Cartridge/460-Smith-Wesson-Magnum-Handloader-issue-349/9885)
3. [Smith & Wesson Begins Shipments of 460XVR Revolver, July 12, 2005, Smith & Wesson investor relations](https://ir.smith-wesson.com/news-releases/news-release-details/smith-wesson-begins-shipments-460xvr-revolver/)
4. [Exceeding Expectations: Smith & Wesson's X-Frames, American Rifleman (NRA)](https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/exceeding-expectations-smith-wesson-s-x-frames/)
5. [460 S&W Magnum & T/C Encore ProHunter, Handloader Magazine](https://www.handloadermagazine.com/460-s-w-magnum-t-c-encore-prohunter)
6. [SAAMI Z299.3-2022, Centerfire Pistol & Revolver, Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute](https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/SAAMI-Z299.3-2022-Centerfire-Pistol-Revolver-Approved-12-13-2022.pdf)
7. [Top 10 Reloaded Handgun Cartridges #9: .460 Smith & Wesson, LoadData.com](https://loaddata.com/Article/LoadDevelopment/Top-10-Reloaded-Handgun-Cartridges-9-460-Smith-Wesson/700)
8. [Smith & Wesson Revolvers Owner's Manual](https://www.mcarbo.com/.Owners%20Manuals/S-W_Revolver_Owners-Manual.pdf)
9. [Magnum Research BFR Revolver Instruction Manual](https://www.magnumresearch.com/PDF/BFR-Manual-0914.pdf)
10. [Review of .460 S&W Magnum Caliber, Guns.com](https://www.guns.com/news/reviews/review-460-s-w-magnum)
11. [Single-shot legal cartridges, Illinois Department of Natural Resources](https://dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/deer/legal-cartridges.html)
12. [An Official Journal Of The NRA, Behind the Bullet: .454 Casull](https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2016/12/30/behind-the-bullet-454-casull/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Technology and the built world › Engineering and manufacturing › Firearms and ammunition › Ammunition and cartridges › Handgun cartridges*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 15, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Oct 15, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license