Legal Question: S&W 460 XVR

TravisRandom · November 18, 2005, 01:18 AM

I do not know much about guns and/or ammunition and am researching for a friend.

My friend has purchased and attempted to get a permit for a Smith & Wesson 640 XVR however in their state the firearms licencing department have informed him that they only allow licences for handguns up to and including .45 Calibre.

I know the 460XVR is capable of shooting .45LC, 454 casull and the 460, but does this in itself mean the gun is a higher calibre than a .45?

Sorry if this question seems basic, but I just need some information so that i will know if the decision NOT TO grant a permit was the right one, and if it was incorrect, I need to be able to explain to them why.

With thanks in advance

Travis

jrfoxx · November 18, 2005, 01:27 AM

Without knowing what state your friend lives in and its laws, and in my humble 1/2 guess, 1/2 logical opinion, i would have to say that since the gun CAN camber a round of a caliber larger than permitted by law, that it will not be allowed. more specific details will help you get a more accurate answer from other members that know the area and laws better though.

Also, if this person is planning on using this a a concealed weapon, it is not, in my opinion, a good choice at all. something like 9mm, 45 acp, 38spl, 357 mag, etc would be MUCH better. Is this a permit to buy/own, or a permit to carry you refer too?

TheBluesMan · November 18, 2005, 01:03 PM

Your spelling of licencing and calibre lead me to believe that you may be speaking of a state in Australia, not the U.S.

jrfoxx is most likely correct. They're calling it illegal because it can chamber a cartridge larger than permitted by law. The only recourse you may have is to attempt to convince them to pay attention to the actual diameter of the bullet rather than the name of the caliber (sorry, calibre

).

Quote:

The basic dimensions of the new .460 Magnum are as follows: bullet diameter .454", rim diameter .520", case diameter .478", overall case length 1.800", cartridge overall length (COL) 2.300". The official SAAMI maximum average pressure (MAP) is 65,000 psi!

Source:http://www.chuckhawks.com/460_SW_Mag.htm

IIRC, the .454 Casull also has a bullet diamter of .454" while the .45 Colt has a bullet diameter of .452". Are firearms chambered in these calibres allowed in your state? If so, you have a solid case to get them to accept it since the .460 S&W Mag. is really just a stretched out .454 Casull (which itself is just a stretched out .45 Colt).

Hope this information is accurate (someone will undoubtedly correct me if not) and that it helps.

-Dave

P.S. This is really a legal question, so I'll move this thread to our Legal & Political section.

NB4ZOT · November 18, 2005, 01:48 PM

He should be able to get the gun for all the above reasons.

November 18, 2005, 01:18 AM	#1
TravisRandom Junior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Posts: 1	Legal Question: S&W 460 XVR I do not know much about guns and/or ammunition and am researching for a friend. My friend has purchased and attempted to get a permit for a Smith & Wesson 640 XVR however in their state the firearms licencing department have informed him that they only allow licences for handguns up to and including .45 Calibre. I know the 460XVR is capable of shooting .45LC, 454 casull and the 460, but does this in itself mean the gun is a higher calibre than a .45? Sorry if this question seems basic, but I just need some information so that i will know if the decision NOT TO grant a permit was the right one, and if it was incorrect, I need to be able to explain to them why. With thanks in advance Travis

November 18, 2005, 01:27 AM	#2
jrfoxx Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2004 Location: Evanston,WY Posts: 898	Without knowing what state your friend lives in and its laws, and in my humble 1/2 guess, 1/2 logical opinion, i would have to say that since the gun CAN camber a round of a caliber larger than permitted by law, that it will not be allowed. more specific details will help you get a more accurate answer from other members that know the area and laws better though. Also, if this person is planning on using this a a concealed weapon, it is not, in my opinion, a good choice at all. something like 9mm, 45 acp, 38spl, 357 mag, etc would be MUCH better. Is this a permit to buy/own, or a permit to carry you refer too? __________________ Q: How can I reduce the amount of mail I receive from the NRA? A: Simply email us at membership@nrahq.org or dial 800-NRA-3888 and request to be placed on the "Do Not Promote" list.

November 18, 2005, 01:48 PM	#4
NB4ZOT Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2005 Location: Houston Posts: 103	He should be able to get the gun for all the above reasons.