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jerry PLEASE!

Yes, Peter?

Mr. Grandveneur, here's a great letter I have in archive in answer to a gent who posed the same question as you regarding the .460. Take it for what it's worth as one man's opinion to another. I wouldn't pass this along if I didn't have the same experience as is described here.

Interesting reading, nonetheless!

Now, Mr. Derekwest, when I read your origional post, I detected two things (1) you wish to hunt elephant, (2) you are concerned about recoil issues. Let me tell you a true story that I believe will help you out.

When I was in my early 20's, I bought a Weatherby Mark V Deluxe in .460 Weatherby. It weighed 10+ pounds and at the time the rating of the projectile was a 500 grain bullet at 2700 fps. I had looked at the figures on paper, and heard all the horror stories about it's vicious recoil.

I drove my car out to a field by myself to where an old house had burned down leaving only an old thick brick chimney, which I used for a target. I had left a note in the car in case I was found unconscious or my mortal remains were found stating who my next of kin was. I seized the rifle with a tight "death grip" as tight as I could possibly hold it. I pushed it tightly against my shoulder hard as I could. I leaned forward. At the moment of truth, I grimmaced and grit my teeth, then jerked the trigger -------

There was a noise and my shoulder rolled back. And, it was over. NO PAIN! Just the sensation of like a big hand pushing my shoulder back. I was expecting something like being whacked in the shoulder by Barry Bond's bat, but no, -- a large painless pushing motion.

Then it was as if a light came on in my head with a message -- Roy Weatherby did not build a successful firearms manufacturing company, by producing unshootable rifles! Roy Weatherby, and now his son, produce rifles that mortal man or mortal woman CAN shoot!

I then shot another round, relaxed this time. No problem, just that big pushing sensation. Nothing to fear!

Since then, I have let many people shoot that rifle. This number includes 2 women, and one guy from New York City who had never discharged a firearm in his life. He didn't know he was supposed to be afraid of it, so he very successfully discharged the .460 Weatherby as the very first firearm he ever shot. I always gave the people who shot it, the bass from the round they had discharged as a souvenier of their accomplishment.

What I am saying is, if you already own a .416 -- go with all confidence, Mr. Derekwest.

But, if you are really considering Elephant or large pacaderms like hippo, PLEASE, go shoot a .460 Weatherby in this model. Shoot a Mark V Deluxe with a weight of 10 pounds and a muzzle break. You will be pleasantly surprised! I am no superman, if something hurts, I will 'hollar! But this rilfe doesn't hurt.

Now -- if you shoot any other rifle chambered in .460 Weatherby, all bets are off. I don't work for anyone in the firearms industry and have no interest in this other than telling you something you need to know. The Weatherby people know what rifle to "wrap around" the .460 cartridge. I am speaking of the Mark V Deluxe at 10 pounds (go for the one with the weight -- you need the weight -- but the rifle is so well balanced you won't feel like you are handling a 10 pound rilfe -- go and handle one and you will see what I mean).

The ammo currently available is listed at leaving the rifle at 2600 fps (that is supposedly less velocity than what I discharged). One other way of helping yourself is running at 2500 fps. I own a book by M.L. McPherson, "Metallic Cartridge Reloading". Mr. McPherson swears that 2500 fps at 500 grains is THE WAY TO GO with the .460 Weatherby. I don't know -- just an idea to bat around -- 2500 fps has got to be even more pleasant to shoot.

Now, one other suggestion. If you get any Weatherby for Dangerous Game purposes, BE SURE to purchase the extended magazine. You need at least three rounds in the magazine on ANY rifle that might see action against dangerous game. Craig Boddington once wrote (I am fairly certain I remember reading it in his book "African Safari Rifles") that he liked and had used Weatherby rifles on dangerous game. He had only one reservation. The 2 shot magazines in the large rifles. His habit was not to carry a chambered round (for safety reasons). This effectively cut him down to 2 rounds at "showtime". Now that has been overcome with the advent of the magazine extension.

I personally don't see why Mr. Weatherby doesn't make it standard equipment on the .460, 416, 378, and .375 -- but it is not a very expensive add on, so whichever you choose, .416 or 460, be sure to get the extended magazine.

As for muzzle breaks producing noise that damages hearing? All rifles produce loud noises when discharged that is potentially damaging to your hearing. Wear ear muffs at the range, and ear plugs in the field. The muzzle break that was on my Weatherby was not that loud. It was the Pendeldon permanently attached model. I can't speak about their current models, but the one I shot wasn't that much in noise over any other rifles I have shot. But when you shoot any rifle, do wear some ear plugs -- wearing ear plugs not only protects your hearing, they help your accuracy by cutting the advent of sudden unpleasant noise that also tends to effect accuracy in shooting.

Mr. Derekwest, my final thought -- go and try out a .460 Weatherby in a 10+ pound Mark V Deluxe -- I sense you want one, and I think you will be pleasantly surpised to realize that in this rifle model, YOU CAN EASILY SHOOT the one you really seem to want.

All my comments apply to the Mark V Deluxe Weatherby -- I am telling you the honest truth as I know it in this caliber -- my comments about the .460 Weatherby apply to no other models or makes. If I can shoot it, anybody can!

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