Author Topic: Opinions on .256 Win Mag in Contender? (Read 2110 times)

DES · « **on:** June 30, 2003, 09:14:13 PM »

Hello all,

I've been thinking I "need" a .256 Win Mag barrel for my Contender, any opinions (good or bad) about them? Thanks.

Dwayne

RonF · « **Reply #1 on:** July 01, 2003, 01:51:02 AM »

The .256 Win was one of two barrels I bought with my first Contender 35 years ago. I used it, with a 2.5 Bushnell, to hunt prairie dogs around Lubbock where I was a graduate student. After moving to Missouri, I used it to hunt ground hogs. I've also acquired a Texas Contender carbine chambered to it - fun - and have a Merrill Sportsman in that caliber (others, too, of course). It works fine on both prairie dogs and groundhogs, although something flatter shooting is nicer for prairie dogs. Oh yeah, almost forgot - it gave the most spectacular results on armadillos of anything I ever used on them. The .256 is certainly overshadowed by many more chamberings available today, but it is a fun little cartridge and is useful as I've indicated. The down side is ammunition and brass availability. It's not too hard to form from .357 Mag, but I get better brass life using .221 fireball and changing the extractor to a rimless one. It's a bit more work because of the initial trimming, but case loss is nil (not my experience with .357) and brass life is better. This strategy won't work in the Merrill, so I found a supply of .22 Jet to neck up and form. They seem to give better life than even the original Winchester brass, but maybe I'm getting more conservative with my loads in my old age :lol: I say go for it. If you decide to do that and need some brass I could probably be persuaded to part with some of my new Winchester brass - not a great deal of it mind you, but some.

Good shooting!

RonF

Johnly · « **Reply #2 on:** July 01, 2003, 01:39:29 PM »

Quote from: DES

Hello all,

I've been thinking I "need" a .256 Win Mag barrel for my Contender, any opinions (good or bad) about them? Thanks.

Dwayne

The 256 is a sweetheart of a Contender chambering. My 256 is a 10" TC bull barrel that shoots 75gr. V-max bullets pushed by H4227 into little tiny groups. It's a good short range varmint cartridge that doesn't have the muzzle blast of a 223, but still does "dirt" to critters at nominal handgun ranges. For general centerfire Contender plinking fun, the 256 and the 32-20 are tough to beat.

Curtis · « **Reply #3 on:** July 01, 2003, 03:05:23 PM »

I absolutely love the little round. I don't know why. Maybe it's because people say "256 what?". Maybe it's because that is what my contender was chambered in when I bought it.

On the down side, bullet selection is somewhat limited, especially if you want to stay with the factory 60 gr. wt. I mostly use hornady #2510 60 gr flat points. These are limited run bullets, but midway ususally has some in stock. I have also used 75 gr. hp with success.

Don't try nosler 85 gr ballistic tips, they won't stabilize. I have heard of some people having success with flat base bullets of 87 grains, but I have not personally tried them. Any need for heavier bullets would prompt me to get out the 7-30 waters. I cannot attest to the terminal performance of the above, since I have only punched paper with them, but the accuracy is outstanding, even from my octagon barrel.

The brass issue has been covered so I will only say that brass life is good if your loads are conservative. Hope this helps.

Curtis

casper_zip · « **Reply #4 on:** July 01, 2003, 03:22:04 PM »

:grin: Hello:

I just got my new 256 Win Mag barrel today from Fox Ridge Custom Shop. It is 12" and I got my scope on it in time to shoot a few rounds. I am really going to love this lil rascal. I helped my bro-in-law a few weeks ago. We formed 357 Brass to 256 Win Mag. All worked beautiful, and fire formed excellent.

He found that Lil Gun at 14.5 grains if memory serves me right, brought up his velocity 500 fps more than 15 grains of 4198. He is really excited. I only test fired mine this evening with a pretty mild load of Accurate #9 because I was in a hurry. It shot fine, too.

Would appreciate any/all info of your best loads. Thanks in advance.

Casper Zip

DES · « **Reply #5 on:** July 02, 2003, 09:18:18 PM »

Thanks for the replies fellas, I appreciate it.

RonF, thanks for the brass offer, it'd be nice to have a few with the correct headstamp.

Dwayne

Hopalong7 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 03, 2003, 01:16:25 AM »

I think it was 1973...my first contender...10" octagon barrel w/ 2.5 Bushnell rail mount...thought I had died and gone to heaven. Those were the days!!!!! I still have the little barrel and still shoot it every now and then, but not enough. Shoot the Hornady 60grFP. Used up all my old Speer 60grSP's some time back. Wish I could find some more. Maybe we could all talk Speer into making a run. Never tried(realize here we are trusting a memory that is eat up with CRS) anything bigger than 60gr. May have to give those V-Max's a try. I still remember my dad asking what that crazy looking gun(the new contender) was for. He smoked Prince Albert in those little flat red cans in his pipe. I set one of the cans up and backed off about 100yd. and hit it first shot. He just said that it was d--- loud and walked off. Oh well, I was impressed anyway. Barrelitius was born!!!! Thanks for the memories guys!!
GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt