Smith Wesson PC 460XVR 10.5 Inch – Superb Long Range Hunting Revolver

Description

The Smith Wesson PC 460XVR 10.5 Inch is the Performance Center take on the fastest production revolver in the world. A ten and a half inch barrel wrings maximum velocity out of 460 S&W Magnum, and the Performance Center adds a hand-tuned action, a chrome trigger with a stop and a fiber optic front sight to make that velocity usable.

Smith Wesson PC 460XVR 10.5 Inch Maximum Barrel, Maximum Velocity

Velocity is a function of barrel length, and 460 S&W Magnum responds to length more dramatically than most cartridges because of the powder charge it runs. Ten and a half inches is where the platform produces its best numbers, and the Smith Wesson PC 460XVR 10.5 Inch is built to exploit that rather than to be convenient.

The result is a trajectory flat enough to change what handgun hunting means. Where most handgun cartridges arc noticeably past a hundred yards, this one stays useful considerably further, which is the entire reason to accept a revolver this large.

It also chambers 454 Casull and 45 Colt. That gives you three cartridges spanning an enormous power range from one gun, which makes practice far cheaper and far more pleasant than shooting full-power 460 exclusively.

What the Performance Center Adds

A hand-tuned action is the headline. On a hunting revolver the trigger is what determines whether you can hold a precise sight picture through the break, and Performance Center fitting produces a considerably better one than a standard gun. The chrome trigger carries a trigger stop, which lets you tune out overtravel entirely.

A fiber optic front sight gathers ambient light into a bright dot your eye finds instantly. On a long-barrelled hunting revolver used at dawn and dusk, that is worth more than it sounds, and the frame carries a top rail for mounting an optic when you want one.

A muzzle brake is fitted. Between the brake, the barrel length and the sheer mass of the X-Frame, perceived recoil is remarkably low for the power on offer. It is not mild, but experienced shooters consistently find it far more manageable than the ballistics imply.

The X-Frame is the largest revolver frame Smith and Wesson builds, developed specifically to contain cartridges of this class. Capacity is five rounds, which is what a cylinder this size accommodates with chambers this large.

Shooting and Setting Up the Smith Wesson PC 460XVR 10.5 Inch

The top rail on the Smith Wesson PC 460XVR 10.5 Inch is there to be used. A long eye relief handgun scope or a red dot transforms what this revolver can do, and the rail means mounting one is straightforward rather than a gunsmithing project. Pay attention to eye relief on a gun producing this much recoil; a scope mounted too close is a mistake you make once.

Set the trigger stop before you do anything else. Back it out, dry fire, and turn it in until the trigger stops moving immediately after the break without preventing the shot. Done properly it removes unwanted motion at exactly the wrong moment, and on a precision hunting revolver that is a free accuracy gain.

Practise with 45 Colt. It is inexpensive, mild and lets you build the trigger control and hold that make a hunting revolver work, without the cost or the recoil of full-power 460. Move up through 454 Casull and confirm your hunting load in small doses from a rest.

Maintenance Notes

The muzzle brake on the Smith Wesson PC 460XVR 10.5 Inch collects carbon quickly and should be cleaned on a schedule rather than left indefinitely. Keep the threads clean and lightly lubricated so it continues to come off easily when you need to service it.

Firing 45 Colt and 454 Casull through a 460 chamber leaves a carbon ring at the front of the chamber where the shorter case ends. That ring is what eventually prevents longer 460 cases from seating, so scrub the chambers properly rather than assuming a quick pass is enough.

Keep the cylinder face and the forcing cone clean, and check that the ejector rod stays tight. On a revolver producing this much recoil impulse, that check is worth making every time you clean it rather than occasionally. Check your optic mounting screws on the same schedule.

Smith Wesson PC 460XVR 10.5 Inch Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 170262
• UPC: 022188702620
• Caliber: 460 S&W Magnum; also fires 454 Casull and 45 Colt
• Capacity: 5 rounds
• Barrel: 10.5 inches, stainless steel
• Frame: X-Frame, stainless
• Trigger: chrome with trigger stop, Performance Center tuned action
• Hammer: chrome
• Sights: fiber optic front, adjustable rear, top rail
• Muzzle: muzzle brake

Why Buyers Choose the Smith Wesson PC 460XVR 10.5 Inch

For handgun hunting at distance there is very little that competes. Flat trajectory, enormous energy, a hand-tuned trigger and a rail for glass is about as complete a hunting handgun package as exists.

This is a very large, very heavy revolver. It is a hunting and range gun, carried in a chest rig or a case rather than on a belt, and it makes no pretence otherwise.

Ammunition for 460 S&W Magnum is expensive and not stocked everywhere. The ability to shoot 454 Casull and 45 Colt through the same gun is what makes practice affordable and ownership practical.

Who Should Buy It

The Smith Wesson PC 460XVR 10.5 Inch suits serious handgun hunters and enthusiasts of the most powerful production revolvers: hunters taking large game at extended handgun ranges, shooters who want a tuned trigger on a hunting revolver, and anyone who wants the 460 platform at its most capable.

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