256 win

[WD45]

I'm beginning to shine to the oddball little thing and quarter bore's in general. Any fans out there?

[Graybeard]

Never really put much thought into one in a handgun tho if I had run across one of the Ruger Hawkeye guns back when they were at regular price I might have taken the plunge. I have a rifle in .25-20 which is as close as I'm likely to ever get to owning one. I'd prolly still buy one of those old Marlin lever guns in the caliber if I ran across it at a normal price for a shooter but not if they think they have a collectors item. (Even if they do.)

[cwlongshot]

I have had two of them.. One was a nice 10'' octagon Contender barrel the other was a Marlin 57 both in 256WM.

I had some fun shooting it, when Speer came out with the FN bullet with Marlins introduction of the 1894 in 25-20 we got a real good bullet!! I still use it in my Savage 23 in 25-20.

I sold both off along the way. I had to make all my own brass. It shot well, but the rifle had feeding issues.

CW

[twoshooter]

I missed a chance for one several years ago which I regret. I would still love to have one, or a 25/20 as I would cast for it. I think they are excellent small game / utility cartridges for all but perhaps the plains states where ranges are usually long. If given a chance I would certainly pick one up if at all reasonable.

[WD45]

I got to thinking (which usually gets me into trouble) about all the hooptedoo with 5.7x 28 and such and started thinking about some of the older necked down cartridges. I would like a 256 in a revolver also not just a single shot. I really like the old 25-20. They are mild recoil and fun to shoot. Not looking for another screaming barn burner just something different to mess with.   

[twoshooter]

The 256 was really too hot for revolvers thus the Hawkeye, but there are some here who have 25/20 revolvers, one has a nice looking Smith, but I cant remember who. I would love one.

[Reed1911]

I've used it to great effect on deer in the past where legal. Shot placement is a must with this critter.
Sure makes for lots of fun for smaller shooters when recoil and blast may present an issue. Several customers have used the 70 and 75g for hunting, I prefer the 87g SP myself, but I almost always opt for the heavier bullets regardless of caliber.

.357 mag brass is easy to re-form, just anneal it and run it into a .30 Mauser, 7.62x25, or .32-20 die first to start the necking down, then into the FL die for the final.

[WD45]

Really not looking at it with deer in mind but yotes and other critters. I have not looked at much load data. What kind of pressures we talkin ? I didn't think it was to hot. I thought it was  more of a problem with extraction due to the bottle neck shape. Maybe I read something some thing wrong somewhere.

[casper_zip]

Hey there:

I have a 256 in Contender. I really love it. It's potent and fun to shoot. Also, very friendly on the pocketbook. I like the 86 grain cast bullet in mine, but it shoots them all good. Until you get the "hang" of it, be careful forming your brass. Be sure to get the 30 Mauser die even if you are thinking about forming your own brass, which is what you will have to do, unless you can find some.

Best,

casper

[twoshooter]

When I said "too hot',  what I meant was that I heard that unlike straighwall cases, at that pressure the case design would  seat the cases so hard  against the breech that it would lock up a cylinder on a revolver, or at least make it too difficult for practical use- thus the Hawkeye.

[Reed1911]

Well, yes you certainly can load it to lock-up in a revolver. I don't own a revolver in 256, I do own several in .22 Jet and it basically has the same potential, however, you are going to work up your loads and generally you'll find that as you near the high pressure side accuracy begins to degrade so you will back-off anyhow. Worked up quite a few of the GNR rounds in the past too and that same issue holds true for them. I think a lot of the run on bottle neck cases in revolvers comes from either trying to get them to do something they are not designed for or overzealous gotta get the last 50FPS out of them loads.

I have now a 10" and 18" for my T/C.

[WD45]

One thing that draws me to it is the power range you get for the smaller powder charges. As the prices of powder and reloading supplies in general goes up I find myself taking a harder look at cartriges you can get decent ballistics from with less powder and more bullets per pound.It seems a good in between fit which I know some people look at as useless. It may have lasted longer as a commercial round if it was rimless and chambered in more than a couple rifles. I always liked the little 218 bee and the old 25-35 too even though they are poo pooed at for being old and outdated. So how does the 22 jet stack up against the 22TCM ?

[Jim Stacy]

I've had a couple of 10" Contenders and if I have one grip about the TC barrel it is the twist. The 1:14 twist is a little slow in most bullets larger than 75 grains. Mine would shoot the 86 Remingtons soft point pretty good and a decent game bullet , up to size of Javelian . I believe the 1:10 barrel , like their 25/20 barrel would have been
a better setup. The round , in my opinion , probably would be no better for low pressure loads than the 25/20
IMHO.

[Couger]

 
Hmmm
 
After reading everyones' comments, will stay with the .25-20 for a .25-singleshot round - in a rifle (vs a handgun) most likely! 
 
I did have a 1C mold for 86 grain boolits and sold it.  Now want to replace it with a 2cav mold.     Already have a 2C 65 grain mold for the .25-20, but hear the 86ers are more accurate more often.