460 wby "ok for Elk"???

460or338

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Feb 5, 2010
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I plan on buying a 460 wyb this summer or winter and i was thinking maybe i could use it on elk?I know it's for elephants but elk aint no little thing like a deer.
 
99.6 ft lbs recoil in a 11.25 rifle, Brutal ...........I am sure it would work but I would find it FAR less than desirable , expensive to shoot ," long range"= forget about it, what ever flips you trigger (pun intended) Definitely not for me, I can think of at least a hundred different and more practical calibers for elk. Good luck
 
Is your main purpose for a 460 Weatherby something else...like hunting alot of African large and dangerous game and just as a sidenote shooting Elk with it. If so then I suppose it would make sense to buy one maybe, although I'd probably look at other alternatives in caliber for Africa. On the otherhand if African games no where in the picture then a big +1 with previous post. If your serious about shooting elk and your really into Weatherby then I'd look at a 300 and if you like alot of recoil in a Weatherby then 338-378...either would knock the you know what out of an elk at 1000 yards in the proper hands. I have nothing against Weatherby but, I wouldn't go with either just too many other choices out.
 
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460 would be a great close range timber elk rifle with a good brake on it. But unless you are trying to meet caliber restrictions in Africa I would go with the 378 wby or 338-378 wby. Those two are the top of the line best long range elk cartridges out there. With the new high bc 375 caliber bullets the 378 wby is amazing at long range anumals. I have broken out my old 378 wby now trying some of these bullets and it is amazing.
 
well first off i plan on buying a new model so it would have the "accubrake " so it wouldn't be 99 ft lbs maybe 60 ft lbs or 50 ft lbs, that #'s i can live with.And with lighter bullet 320 grains @ 3200 fps i think i could reach out there .I seen load for the .416 weatherby 180 grain bullet @ 4000 fps gun).I could go with a .416 or 378 weatherby .
 
I was assuming no one made a long range bullet in the 45s but I can't claim to have looked either. Most of the 45 slugs are bricks. Speed can sometimes make up for inefficiency but not always or often. Then again like I said if it it's what you want, why not.
 
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P.S. if 378 and 416 give you an edge in the ballistics and bullet selection over the 460 it sounds like it would be worth running the numbers on .
 
I know for sure i want a mark v in either .378,.416, or 460 wby mag.Part of me is that if im going big go all the way .460 kinda rolls off the tongue :D.
 
I'm betting if you go with anything els (regardless of the pros and cons) your always going to wish ya had gone bigger so I say knock your self out, Just give me some warning before you turn that cannon loose. Life is to short not to have whatever it is you gotta have.
 
If your set on a Weatherby 378, 416 or 460 then why not 338-378 Weatherby? It's a 378 necked down to 338 with a 300 gr smk and could easily exceed 3000 fps.
 
I'm in the house and don't have my loading data, but I've loaded 350gr Hornady jacketed round nose bullets to 3100 fps with no pressure signs. Even with the lousy B/C, they ought to get it done out to 300-400 yds. I've also loaded 400gr Barnes X's (that I moly coated). No pressure signs either. Never chronographed them, but would expect 2800-2900 fps easy. They definitely would get it done, probably out to 500 yds.

I've shot three 460's and all had the integral brake. Recoil was stated by Wby to be 82 ft/lbs with the old elephant box 500gr ammo. On the bench, they get tedious after 3-4 rounds. The 350gr handloads were pussycats. Lots of fun, and cheap to shoot, (relatively). The 400's were fun also. With an Accubrake, recoil should be down to 50 - 60 ft/lbs with the factory 500's, and much less with lighter bullets. Factory ammo and brass are very expensive, so be prepared.

Once you shoot one, the rest get a little boring. I've never hunted with one, but wouldn't hesitate to do so. One very important caution: use a scope with at least 3.5" of eye relief. 4" is better. It is sometimes hard to keep it from tapping your eyebrow!

My choice for Elk would be a .340 Wby at about 9 - 10 lbs scoped, with 250gr Nosler Partitions, but if I wanted a .460, I wouldn't settle for anything else and I would hunt with it.

Enjoy, Tom
 
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I have done looked at ammo price's 130$-20 rds but hey it's somthing i really want.The reason i dont want a 340 or 378 wby or similar is because im already going to get a 338 win mag so i don't want to get another gun under .40 caliber
:D.Probably get the abolt first then the 460 wby in september .
 
Sounds like if you have an iche for one and don't get it then it will only continue to iche you...so go for it. Give us a report on the first elk you kill with it. Good luck and enjoy.
 
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