.460 S&W in a lever gun?

[Hardtime_NC]

Would it be possible to rechamber any Lever gun for the 460 S&W? If so who could do it?

[Papa]

I have two 454 Pumas. One 20 inch and one 16 inch. They kick like a mule with full loads, so I can't even imagine what a 460 S&W would be like

Papa

[Hardtime_NC]

I own a 454 puma and really didnt think it kicked all that bad. I would love to get a lever gun chambered for the .460 but cant seem to find out if it is even possible.

[AJMD429]

Sure would be nice to have a long-action levergun rifle in that round, a companion short-action levergun carbine in .454 Casull, and a Pistol in .45 Colt... ...but I think that the pressure it just too darned high for any of the traditional Winchester or Marlin leverguns. Maybe a BLR or Savage 99, but that's a gunsmith question, and I'm no gunsmith.

If you like the idea of pushing limits in the levergun, check out What's Possible with the Marlin - http://www.levergun.com/Marlin/index.html

[buckeyeshooter]

sounds like a kaboom in the making to me! Pressure is too high for any traditional lever and the 'modern designs' are not set up for this length cartridge. Maybe if you had lots of money you could get a BLR to work?

[CowboyTutt]

Gentlemen, this idea has been kicked around before (mostly by me and AJMD!). I have a custom 454 Puma by Mic McPherson and have shot Dick Casull's Browning/Winchester conversions in 454. Knowing what I know about how much work Dick had to put into those conversions, and when you consider that the 454 Rossi Puma is the only commercially produced rifle that can shoot the the 454 Casull at all (and that is marginal because of Rossi's quality control and poor tolerances), there are no rifles today that can handle the 460 with the POSSIBLE exception of the BLR. Too much sharp recoil, too sharp a pressure curve and too much case head thrust.

It is possible to do it in a Browning design reminiscent of an 1886 with the right metalurgy and reinforcing of the bolt and receiver as well as mandatory bedding of the stocks, but no firearms manufacturer appears ready to do so at the present time. Hopefully some day....

-Tutt