Hey fellas, here it is. Do you guys collect guns / rifles? Yeah, I do too. Do I hunt, yep you bet? Do I own any of my firearms to "show off", or do I hunt with all of the rifles I own. No sir. I'm just as proud to own my old single shot Cooey in .25 Stevens, or my .22 Win Auto Rimfire as I am my old Model 70 in .30-06 or my Mark V in .340 Wby Magnum. AND, as a matter of fact, I really detest the types of people whose main intention in life it is to "show off". If I had or chose to get into a .460 Wby rig, it would be because, I don't have one and I wanted one! When I sit here and look at my little modest collection, I've just come to the realization that everything I have is in a, for lack of a better term, "more traditional" caliber. I've got 9 rimfires of various calibres and actions, I've got a couple .30-06's, a couple .308's in different actions, a 100 year old .30-30, a .340Wby, a little .223, and a half dozen shotguns of different actions and guage, and a handful of sidearms, in different calibres and actions. I don't have any new fandangled, here today gone tomorrow, latest craze, Short mags, super short mags, ultra mags, SAUM, or any of the rest of that stuff that the so called "latest and greatest" is made of! What I do have, and am trying to do, is to have a nice representation of most calibre classes and in a variation of actions. I've never sold a firearm that I've owned, except once and then only to buy it back ten years later. I don't buy one because I want to impress anybody, BUT myself. Having said all that, the biggest calibre I presently own is the .340 Wby.
So, where to go from here, I ask myself? "Well, Self, you don't have any rediculously huge calibre rifles". "No, you are right I don't".... "Gee, it sure impresses ME that a number of publications have repetatively written things about the North American made .460 Wby, invented by good ol' Roy"! "Been around, and in a factory rifle, since 1958, so it looks like it'll stay a while."
"What do they say about it Self?" "Well, let me quote from one source which, it should be noted, was written in the late 70's early 80's."
"With more than 8000 ft/lbs of energy, it is the MOST POWERFUL factory cartridge adapted to sporting weapons. It is based on the same large belted case as the .378 Wby Magnum though it develops about 40 percent greater muzzle energy. The free-recoil energy of the full-charge load in the 10 1/2 pound Weatherby rifle is about 102 foot pounds, and firing one is a memorable experience..... The .460 Weatherby magnum is a most impressive cartridge though it's limited usefulness certainly restricts it's popularity to those who can afford an African safari, or can afford to indulge an inclination to own the most powerful factory rifle made anywhere in the world"
WOW, I can't afford an African Safari, but shooting one and being able to look at it and handle it on a cold, dark winter evening, in my gun room with a warm fire going in the stove, would sure put a smile on my face!
AND the cartride ballistics and what's been written about it numerous times, impresses the crap outta me! A North American, FACTORY, COMMON, able to go to store and buy one TODAY, cartridge that once held the title as being "the most power factory made rifle made anywhere in the world"....
To use the term offered earlier in this thread, "That DOES float my boat", and would definately fill a void in my collection in the "rediculously huge calibre' section. It is excessively large for hunting anything in North America and chances are I might never shoot anything with it. My .30-06 will realistically and effectively take any game that I would encounter in my hunting days.
But, it sure would be boring if we all only owned and carried a .30-06, now wouldn't it.
And to leave you with something I read once, here's one to set off some of you.... A lot of various manufacturers made rifle cartridges; Roy Weatherby just made them better....
Take care for now fellas,I'm off to
"Float my boat down Whisky Creek"
