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Author Topic: 256 Winchester  (Read 1103 times)

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Offline frgerald

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256 Winchester
« on: December 22, 2012, 03:30:22 PM »
In my "autumn" years now and it is probably just an attack of senility trying to set in, but I have been considering a 256 Winchester.  It is a 357 Mag. case necked to 256.  I have no idea the cost of stubbing or even for sure how it works, but would this be a doable deal or would the cost of shooting something a little different be prohibitive??  But then I think.....hmmmm...why not a 357 Max necked to 25 cal.  I think I may be slipping over the edge.  Gerald
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Offline jeepmann1948

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2012, 03:56:29 PM »
I have been thinking about the same thing you know great minds..........
The 256 mag would be a fun little round in a Handi.The donor barrel could be a take off 25-06 from a Savage , Remington, etc.
 An unmentionable gunsmith has a 257 Max Cat that is just what you described a 357 Max necked to 257 cal. Personally I would stub a Handi to the old 250-3000 if I wanted more than the 256 Win, because the brass is easier to find or make for that matter. Ballistics will be about the same for the two rounds.
 A friend of mine has an old Marlin lever gun in 256 mag and has killed a lot of deer and pigs with it and no telling how many turkeys.The 256 mag with a 1-10 twist should shoot the 87 gr or 75 gr bullets very well.The original factory loads were for the Ruger pistols with slow twist barrels which limited the bullet choices.Along came the T/C barrels and a few folks discover how neat the little round is.
 Now I got to go look for a 25-06 Barrel.............. Dag nabit ;D
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Offline quatroclick

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2012, 04:17:38 PM »
I was seriously thinking about the 256 win for a stub project.  However, when I found my 25 caliber barrel, it was already chambered for 25-20, which will save me some time and money if I am careful.  I'm going to build it up this winter.
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Offline Dixiejack

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2012, 05:08:59 PM »
I had a TC Contender pistol in .256 mag.  Shot Winchester 60 gr. factory loads and later reloaded with Hornady 60 gr. bullets. It was an accurate LOUD round that would shoot 1" groups at 100 yds. off the bench. Winchester quit making the ready rolls and later Hornady dropped the 60 gr. HP.  I blowed away many crows with it. Just never could get the tight groups with the 87 gr. bullets.  I don't believe you can compare ballistics with the .250-3000. 75 gr. in a .250-3000 will fly at 3400 fps and in the .256 mag.--2500 fps. ME is about 600 ft lbs. at 100 yards and the .250 Savage is in the .30-30 range.  If anybody ever makes a 60 gr. HP round or bullet in .25 cal. I would put together a another Contender in .256 mag.
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Offline trotterlg

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2012, 08:07:10 PM »
I have a reamer for it.  Larry
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Offline MDC123

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2012, 08:08:59 PM »
Hornady still makes a 60gr FP. I load them for my Contender. I am seriously looking into a 257 Roberts Handi and a little brother in 256 Win Mag. Green Mountain offers a .257 blank. I would have to check again on the rate of twist. I just need someone to build the stubbed barrels. The last time I was near a lathe was in Jr High metal shop.
I have only shot one yote with the 256 Win, but it anchored his rear. Very fun round to shoot. Too bad it's almost extinct.
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2012, 01:24:19 AM »
I also had a 256 in a Marlin Lever action. Fun gun, PIA making cases tho... :-\ You gotta anneal them, and FORGET about used brass, It gets work hardeded and even if you get it formed its gonna split in short order. Use new BRASS BRASS (NO nickle plate as most 357 mag is) if you can find it. There a couple good bullets avalible. I also could not get as good accuracy form the 87g bullets. Plus in the case of the Marlin, OAL was a limiting factor that you will not have.

Look at the cost of the dies BEFORE you get your heart set on a 256 MAXI... VERY COSTLY!!!

The reg 256 would make for a dandy handi caliber. I say go for it!!  PM Larry and he can give you the lodown on the stubbing process. I also think its in the FAQ's.

CW
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Offline jeepmann1948

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2012, 01:53:01 AM »
Actually I was comparing the 250-3000 to the 257 MaxCat but It is actually closer to the 257 TCU or the 257 Kimber (222 Rem Mag parent case)                                                                                                                              . The 250-3000 is the fastest of the bunch

250-3000 75 gr bullet  26" bbl 3460 fps
256 Win   75 gr bullet  24" bbl 2327 fps
257 Kimber 75 gr bullet 22" bbl 3198 fps
Source:
Hogdon Data manual # 26
257 TCU 75 gr bullet 21" bbl  2911

As I get older I find the need for speed less important in a lot of things ;D . The 256 Win would make a neat little carbine (16" bbl) Handi.
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Offline SEK_22Hornet

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2012, 06:11:02 AM »
Another interesting caliber would be the 25-35 Winchester - should be a lot easier to find dies and brass for and still a rimmed case like the 357 max - and a 30-30 extractor would fit perfectly.  Could be downloaded to 25-20 level very easily but still loaded up to deer level or anywhere in between. 
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2012, 06:14:01 AM »
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #10 on: December 23, 2012, 08:02:47 AM »
Quote from: quickdtoo on December 23, 2012, 06:14:01 AM
Marv (Datil) has a 25-35 done on a 223 Superlight.  8)

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,169180.msg1098782588.html#msg1098782588

Larry built me one for me too Tim! ;) Now quatroclick  owns it!

 Its was fun and a good shooter, I tried the 87g in it but never any lighter, it liked heavier bullets better...

CW
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #11 on: December 23, 2012, 08:04:45 AM »
Good on Larry again!  ;D

Tim
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Offline twoshooter

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #12 on: December 23, 2012, 09:16:33 AM »
I have always thought that also, but if I get a chance will probably go with a 25/20. You could also do a barrel liner, that might work. Dies and brass for the 25/20 would e much cheaper and easier to find, and there is a dandy little 65 gr mold that makes cast plinkers. That would work for 256 also. It is great to hear more and more people trying little stuff.  :)
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Offline cudatruck

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #13 on: December 23, 2012, 11:44:14 AM »
is there a .357 mag case necked down to .32?
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Offline handishooter

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #14 on: December 23, 2012, 05:49:04 PM »
I have a 25/20 barrel and really like, great little small game round. Had a marlin in .256, my brother talked me out of it, really liked that rifle. An easier way to make cases for the .256 is to use .22 rem jet, might cost a little more initially for the brass than .357 but a lot easier. I got lucky at a gun show and got 1000 new .22 rem jet cases for a really cheap price, used the cream of wheat method to fire form and they worked out great, much easier in my opinion than necking down .357.
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Offline eskimo36

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #15 on: December 24, 2012, 01:20:41 AM »
I shoot 256 Win in a contender using 221 brass.  Easy to form and I shoot 221 in other guns so I have brass.  The extractor is an easy fix in contender or handi.
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Offline twoshooter

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #16 on: December 24, 2012, 02:52:20 AM »
Re: Cuda.... actually there is.... it is called a 300AAC.... ;) The rimmed version is made from 357 brass OR any shortened 222 family brass. This was one reason for the furor here over the 300, and 30 cal take off barrels are a lot more plentiful than 25's.
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #17 on: December 24, 2012, 03:28:28 AM »
There are several 'schuetzen' cartridges based on the 357 Mag or Maxi case necked to '32', but it tends to be the 32 as in 32-40 bullets, not the smaller dia. pistol bullet. One necked to take the readily available .308 bullets would be good too.
As regards 25 cal., Id suggest the 25-35 also. I had a custom stubbed barrel from a member here, 1:10 twist and it will stabilize the heavier 117ish and shot the 60, 75 and 87s as well as the slower twist 25-20 I once sorted out. Most of my experiments were with cast bullets from a schuetzen context. The 25-20 just couldnt stabilize the much more ballistically efficient +100gr. bullets (87gr. was about it)and proved the theory that more twist was better for slower lead bullets from sub-sonic on up. Limited jacketed bullet experiments proved it was a shooter, but the 117s were not what Id call fast and 100s were my varmint choice for top weight. These considerations will be the same with any limited powder capacity case as in the 256.
Also, mine was more of a bull barrel, and with that tiny hole it was stiff, and stout. These calibers would be nice in the superlight taper.
I concluded my work and sold it here to a member as I really am not a varminter or schuetzen shooter anymore and it was doing too much time sitting. My criteria for custom calibers are cheap, readily available brass, no complicated/troublesome case forming, std. dies and good bullet weight selection (especially cast bullet, non-custom molds) if you want to get the most out of your choice and shoot more than mess about.
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Offline quatroclick

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Re: 256 Winchester
« Reply #18 on: December 24, 2012, 07:00:37 AM »
Quote from: cwlongshot on December 23, 2012, 08:02:47 AM

Larry built me one for me too Tim! ;) Now quatroclick  owns it!

 Its was fun and a good shooter, I tried the 87g in it but never any lighter, it liked heavier bullets better...

CW


A thing of beauty it is as well!  I have been struggling with it, but I believe that I have figured out the issue.  The lug is narrower than the receiver that I mounted it on.  I will get 2 or 3 good shots then it will take off, and the primer strikes move around quite a bit.  I am going to shim the sides of the lug next, and I have a new fore arm coming that I will fit to the barrel.


As to the cartridge, the 25-35 is very versatile, particularly in a Handi rifle.  And it has the added benefit of being somewhat unique.  The black rifle guys mostly shrug their shoulders when I say 25-35......
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