Lindcott Armory Rifle · SAAMI
.460 Weatherby Magnum
Roy Weatherby's 1958 answer to criticism that .458 Winchester Magnum underperformed with ball powders: a bigger case that couldn't be underloaded.
- Caliber
- 0.458″ · 11.633 mm
- Introduced
- 1958
- Case
- Belted
- Parent
- .378 Weatherby Magnum
- Primary use
- Hunting
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1958
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Roy Weatherby
- Manufacturer
- Weatherby
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Limited
- Case capacity
- 140 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:14
- Primer
- Large Rifle Magnum
- Case type
- Belted
- Max pressure
- 65,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 300 yd
- Max range
- 800 yd
- Recoil
- 75–100 ft·lb
Ballistics
Real trajectory computed from a representative load — Weatherby Select Plus 500 gr, 2,600 fps, BC 0.479 G1 · 100 yd zero.
| Range | Velocity | Energy | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 yd | 2600 | 7501 | -1.5″ | — |
| 100 yd | 2499 | 6931 | 0.0″ | 0.0 |
| 200 yd | 2400 | 6392 | -4.1″ | -1.9 |
| 300 yd | 2302 | 5883 | -14.2″ | -4.5 |
| 400 yd | 2206 | 5403 | -30.8″ | -7.4 |
| 500 yd | 2112 | 4951 | -54.6″ | -10.4 |
| 600 yd | 2019 | 4526 | -86.3″ | -13.7 |
| 700 yd | 1928 | 4128 | -126.5″ | -17.3 |
| 800 yd | 1839 | 3754 | -176.0″ | -21.0 |
Point-mass G7/G1 drag model, standard atmosphere — within ~2% of reference solvers to 1000 yd; real barrels and conditions vary. Open in Ballistic Compare →
Performance
Buy links open .460 Weatherby Magnum ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
SAAMI · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 11.63 | 0.458 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 12.22 | 0.481 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 14.22 | 0.560 | · |
| Shoulder angle | 28.1° | — | ~ |
| Base ⌀ | 14.78 | 0.582 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 14.71 | 0.579 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | 15.32 | 0.603 | · |
| Rim thickness | 1.60 | 0.063 | · |
| Neck length | 10.64 | 0.419 | ≈ |
| Case length | 73.99 | 2.913 | · |
| Overall length | 92.71 | 3.650 | · |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .460 Weatherby Magnum is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 21 active loads across 12 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 21 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnes | VOR-TX | 500 | TTSX BT | 2,700 | 8,092 | 0.401 G1 |
| Weatherby | Select Barnes TTSX | 450 | TTSX BT | 2,700 | 7,283 | 0.383 G1 |
| Weatherby | Select Plus | 500 | Nosler AccuBond | 2,600 | 7,504 | 0.479 G1 |
| Weatherby | Select Plus Barnes TTSX | 500 | TTSX | 2,600 | 7,504 | 0.401 G1 |
| Federal | Trophy Bonded | 450 | Trophy Bonded Bear Claw | 2,780 | 7,721 | — |
| Norma | Soft Point | 450 | Soft Point | 2,780 | 7,721 | — |
| Nosler | Trophy Grade Partition | 500 | Partition | 2,700 | 8,092 | — |
| Hornady | DGS | 500 | DGS FMJ-RN | 2,700 | 8,092 | — |
| A-Square | Monolithic Solid | 500 | Monolithic Solid | 2,700 | 8,092 | — |
| Weatherby | Select Plus | 500 | FMJ | 2,700 | 8,092 | — |
| Norma | Oryx | 500 | Oryx | 2,700 | 8,092 | — |
| Remington | Premier | 500 | Swift A-Frame | 2,700 | 8,092 | — |
| Federal | Trophy Bonded | 500 | Trophy Bonded Bear Claw | 2,700 | 8,092 | — |
| Woodleigh | Weldcore | 500 | PP SP | 2,600 | 7,504 | — |
| Swift | A-Frame | 500 | A-Frame SP | 2,600 | 7,504 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Suitable powders
5 reloading powders listed for .460 Weatherby Magnum, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in .460 Weatherby Magnum
12 models in the database chamber .460 Weatherby Magnum. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Introduced by Roy Weatherby in 1958 as the ultimate dangerous-game cartridge. Built on an expanded .378 Weatherby case, it was the most powerful commercially available cartridge for decades. The Weatherby Mark V is the standard platform; the cartridge demands a full-length Magnum action. Recoil is severe — approaching 100 ft-lbs in light rifles.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .460 Weatherby Magnum use?
- .460 Weatherby Magnum typically uses a 1:14 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .460 Weatherby Magnum?
- .460 Weatherby Magnum uses a 0.458″ (11.633 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .460 Weatherby Magnum still in production?
- .460 Weatherby Magnum is active; typical availability is limited.
- What is .460 Weatherby Magnum used for?
- .460 Weatherby Magnum is primarily used for hunting.
- What is .460 Weatherby Magnum based on?
- .460 Weatherby Magnum is derived from the .378 Weatherby Magnum case.
- What are the best powders for .460 Weatherby Magnum?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .460 Weatherby Magnum include N170, Reloader 25, IMR 5010, H870, among 5 suitable options.
Sources & provenance
- StandardSAAMI — SAAMI cartridge & chamber drawing — .460 Weatherby Magnumarchived
- StandardSAAMI — ANSI/SAAMI Z299 — Cartridge & Chamber Drawingsarchived
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 21 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →