460 Weatherby Magnum Scope

[Smileshapr]

Hello all, my first post here! I’m looking for advice on a scope for my 460 wby mag. It’s a MarkV made in Japan. I was told it was never fired. No sights on it and never had a scope mounted. I have no aspirations of hunting dangerous game but I feel that I’m the only kid on my block with one of these rifles. I really want to fire this rifle and equip it functionally. My concern is recoil and eye relief. I’m partial to Swarovski optics as they are on my other Weatherby rifles. The 3.75” eye relief scares me with 100 lb/ft of recoil. What is the recommendation from those of you that use this rifle?
Thanks in advance for your response.

 

[grand veneur]

I have a scope on my rifle caliber 460 Weatherby Magnum. It is not a Weatherby mark V but an older custom made rifle.

I mainly used as scope the Zeiss 1,5-4,5x18 but also alternately the Leupold VX-1 1-4x20, both with EAW mounts.

 

[JimP]

Remember as a general rule that as you go up in power on the scope your eye relief goes down.

However with the brake on the barrel you pretty much should be able to go with a lot of different scopes out there.

What is going to be your primary use for the rifle? Ground hogs, deer, pigs, or just targets?

 

[grand veneur]

I have only shot one rifle Mark V caliber 460 Weatherby Magnum once in my life and it had a scout scope mount a distance. Shooting with it was no problem.

My rifle caliber 460 Weatherby Magnum has no muzzle brake and a normal scope mount. Both scopes that I quoted have a slightly greater eye reliefs, but people who have watched me by shooting say that the ocular comes very close to my eye. Luckily, in 30 years I have never hurt myself. Let's continue to hope, but something like this can be dangerous for someone who is not trained. I suspect that this kind of rifles without open sights were right at the beginning also a reason for the bad reputation of the cartridge 460 Weatherby Magnum.

 

[Smileshapr]

I have a scope on my rifle caliber 460 Weatherby Magnum. It is not a Weatherby mark V but an older custom made rifle.

I mainly used as scope the Zeiss 1,5-4,5x18 but also alternately the Leupold VX-1 1-4x20, both with EAW mounts.

Thank you for the response. I am not well versed in large caliber terminology. What is an EAW mount?

 

[BJH65]

Your 460 Weatherby appears to have a Pendleton muzzle brake, recoil will be tolerable.

 

[Smileshapr]

Remember as a general rule that as you go up in power on the scope your eye relief goes down.

However with the brake on the barrel you pretty much should be able to go with a lot of different scopes out there.

What is going to be your primary use for the rifle? Ground hogs, deer, pigs, or just targets?

I’m aware of the eye relief and magnification. I’m looking for something in the 1x6 range but again the 3.75 inch relief seems a little short to me. I have a 50cal T/C Omega that I shoot a 300gr Barnes Expander MZ with 150gr of pyrodex behind it and I had to change scopes because I would get hit. I’m sure that’s probably a pussycat in comparison so I figured I’d do my research. I don’t have any real intentions for this other than shooting paper and maybe a whitetail just to say I did it but I hate having a non functional rifle in the house

 

[Smileshapr]

Your 460 Weatherby appears to have a Pendleton muzzle brake, recoil will be tolerable.

This brake is not removable and also has some ports that seem to be there for anti barrel lift

 

[BJH65]

This brake is not removable and also has some ports that seem to be there for anti barrel lift

I believe it’s a Pendleton muzzlebrake done by Weatherby, common on their more vintage rifles before they went to the Weatherby Accu Brake or KDF style muzzlebrake which are threaded, either way it will not “feel” anywhere near 100 ft lbs of recoil with the brake. A Leupold VX3 1.5-5 should have plenty of eye relief and mount the scope as far forward as it can go, you’ll have no problems.

 

[cajunchefray]

Or a Leupold VX-5, or VX-6, 1-5x, or 1-6x. Good eye relief. I would keep the scope on midrange power or lower. But that is for my eyes. Your results may vary.
But I would try the Leupold.

 

[RR 314]

Thank you for the response. I am not well versed in large caliber terminology. What is an EAW mount?

While EAW makes fixed mounts, they are most revered for their easily removable/quick-loc bases/rings. Obviously no advantage on a rifle without iron sights. Any quality rings/bases will do. With the brake it will not be near as violent, but if LOP is too short and you aren’t used to heavy recoiling rifles, you may get bit without an EER scope.

 

[Safari Dave]

I had a Weatherby MK5 in .378 WM without a break. It had a Leupold VX-III 3.5-10x40 on it and eye relief was never a problem.




A good friend had a .460 just like yours and I was was kinda disappointed that it didn't recoil more (a little too much bravado for my own good when I was 35!).

I've shot a .338 Winchester Model 70 with much more felt recoil.


I don't think that recoil would be enough to warrant a "bombproof" scope like a Nightforce.

 

[meigsbucks]

I’ve only shot a .460 on one occasion. It had the Pendleton brake. Recoil was still “snappy“ but not as bad as the .378 Wby I once owned with no brake.
The .378 wore an old Redfield Widefield with the TV screen ocular lens. It touched me a few times.
For your .460, I’d either go with Leupold or possibly the Trijicon 1-6x or 2.5-12.5x. Go with something with about 4” of ER.

 

[Smileshapr]

While EAW makes fixed mounts, they are most revered for their easily removable/quick-loc bases/rings. Obviously no advantage on a rifle without iron sights. Any quality rings/bases will do. With the brake it will not be near as violent, but if LOP is too short and you aren’t used to heavy recoiling rifles, you may get bit without an EER scope.

My heaviest recoil is probably my Remington 870 Magnum Express Turkey gun with 2oz of 4shot 1300fps. Pretty light shotgun that kicks hard but manageable. My friends dislike shooting it. No scope so no concern for me. The stories about this gun have gotten my attention

 

[Smileshapr]

I’ve only shot a .460 on one occasion. It had the Pendleton brake. Recoil was still “snappy“ but not as bad as the .378 Wby I once owned with no brake.
The .378 wore an old Redfield Widefield with the TV screen ocular lens. It touched me a few times.
For your .460, I’d either go with Leupold or possibly the Trijicon 1-6x or 2.5-12.5x. Go with something with about 4” of ER.

Thank you. The responses are certainly making me less concerned. I have not seen too many scopes in the 4+ inch category. The Swarovski I was thinking was 3.75". I'll look into the Leupold and Trijicon.

 

[R eight]

Anyone who uses a scope on a 460 WM is braver than me. I’d just fit an Aimpoint H2 or similar.

Actually I’d probably prefer iron sights but the Aimpoint is the easiest solution.

 

[HankBuck]

Hello all, my first post here! I’m looking for advice on a scope for my 460 wby mag. It’s a MarkV made in Japan. I was told it was never fired. No sights on it and never had a scope mounted. I have no aspirations of hunting dangerous game but I feel that I’m the only kid on my block with one of these rifles. I really want to fire this rifle and equip it functionally. My concern is recoil and eye relief. I’m partial to Swarovski optics as they are on my other Weatherby rifles. The 3.75” eye relief scares me with 100 lb/ft of recoil. What is the recommendation from those of you that use this rifle?
Thanks in advance for your response.View attachment 590826View attachment 590829View attachment 590831View attachment 590833View attachment 590835

Smilesharp: with a .460 Weatherby mag it’s all how you mount the scope - start by mounting it IN YOUR EYEBROW because that’s where it will end up. Seriously it’s not as much about Eye relief as how the stock fits and proper head placement, definitely have your head, shoulder, and body “locked into that gun” so when you fire everything moves In the same direction, Without a proper gun mount and firm grip even 8” of Eye Relief will still find that scope IN YOUR EYE, same if shooting at extreme angles Up or Downhill.

 

[JimP]

I think that if you are wondering about recoil, I would take it out and put a couple rounds through it even with no sights.

This will tell you how the recoil is for you and then you can figure out what scope you would like to use.

 

[Letzhunt]

I agree with JimP, shoot it and see first. I thought that my 458 Lott would never have a scope......I shot it and ended up scoping it with no issues.
If you do decide on scoping it I have a Swarovski listed here you may be interested in. Good luck and enjoy shooting that big boy.

 

[BJH65]

To the OP, you’ll note your Weatherby has a smooth barrel with no provision for iron sights. It was designed to have a scope mounted on it. Your rifle pre dates modern red dot sights as well. There is absolutely no dilemma regarding mounting a scope. You must simply choose a scope with ample eye relief like a Leupold.