256 Mag, should a would a could a.

[lobo9er]

Recently learned about the 256 Magnum. Someone I met told me has been using a custom rifle for years in 256 on deer and hogs. He reloads for it obviously. After a bit of reading it sounds like a great cartridge. Wonder why it never caught on any thoughts? Anyone here ever use one?

 

[Kendal Black]

Uh... need more info to answer. If you mean this, the .357 necked down, then I would say the fellow is an unusually lucky shot, for it does not strike me as a good pigging cartridge at all.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.256_Winchester_Magnum

 

[Gaffer]

Own a Thompson Contender in that caliber, .256 Winchester Magnum. The cartridge is based on a .357 Magnum necked down to 0.257-inch. I would not consider it a good deer or pig cartridge as its velocity is only around 2300 fps and energy of around 700 ft/lbs. Of course those number might be higher from a rifle barrel.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

We had a shooter try it in IHMSA competition back in he early 80s. He thought it would make a good cartridge with its low recoil and good accuracy. He quickly gave up on it because it wouldn't knock the targets down.

250 Savage is miles ahead of it, and I wouldn't call the Savage a great deer round either, although it will do the job. 257 Roberts is what I would call a great 25 caliber cartridge.

 

[lobo9er]

I was reading numbers of around 2700 and 1000 lbs at the muzzle from a rifle though. Article I read stated a projectile half the weight of a 357 twice as fast. Well anyways he loves his I had never even heard of it. If a 357 scoots out of a rifle pretty good I would imagine necked down it would have some Getty up but maybe not. I'll find some links see what you guys think

..... So doing some reading looks more of a varmint round out to 150-200 yards. Still interesting. Seems like it COULD fill a niche but it sounds like its down for the count.

 

[natman]

That 2700 fps figure comes from a 60 grain bullet (very light for caliber) and a 24 inch rifle barrel.

It would be a terrific varmint / small game cartridge from a rifle, but I agree with Chuck Hawks on this:

This is a deadly 200 yard varmint load, but under no circumstances should it be used on deer or any other North American medium size big game animal.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/256Win.htm

 

[steveno]

I tried the 256 mag shooting IHMSA back in the early 1980's and at best it was marginal on chickens at 50 meters unless they were set to the back of the rail. the fairly flat trajectory made hitting the targets fairly easily but no knock down powder when it got to the target. at best it is a good cartridge for prairie dogs.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

.256 Winchester Magnum, devloped for the Ruger Hawkeye single-shot pistol used a .257" 60 grain bullet
8.5" barrel 2350 fps, 735 ft.lbs.
24" barrel 2760 fps, 1015 ft.lbs.
also chambered in:
Marlin Model 62 Levermatic lever action rifle (listed in Gun Trader's guide as 23" barrel)
Universal Firearms M1 carbine variant (monte carlo stocked hunting carbine)
Thompson Center Contender single-shot pistol barrel chambering

I can remember when it came out. It fit in between cartridges which did its jobs better. If you wanted a varmint gun you went .222 Remington; for deer rifle .30-30 or .35 Remington. It just never caught on.

Added: if I had gotten one, I'd probably handload for it even today just to be contrary. But for what varmint hunting I did do, .22 LR and .22 WMR were sufficient.

 

[230RN]

Carl N. Brown remarked,

Universal Firearms M1 carbine variant (monte carlo stocked hunting carbine)

That's the only reason I was interested in the .256, but I waited --just like a new car model --and I was concerned about feeding the rimmed cartridge in an M1 Carbine. Which has its own feeding problems unless the mags were blessed by the Pope. I was glad I waited.

I got all priapic about the .22 Jet, too, but I waited on that as well.

New factory cartridges? I guess even the Winchester Short Magnums aren't showing spectacular sales, either, any more. Leastways, that's what I heard.

It looks like some of the new pistol cartridges are doing OK, but mainly, I suspect, because of the "new" interest in self-defense handgun rounds, where there are distinct historical inadequacies in typical under-the-coat handgun cartridges. I'm thinking .357 Sig and the like with respect to newer handgun rounds.

Terry

 

[WestKentucky]

I for once wholeheartedly disagree with Chuck Hawks. I have a Marlin 62 in 256 win mag and it is a wonderful round. I would not go after pigs with it simply because I want stopping power, however on deer it works extremely well. 2700 is optimistic, based on the drop over range I am guessing mine is putting a 60 gr flat nose out around 2500 and a hollow point only a few fps faster. The flat point holds together well and will pass through a deer standing broadside. The JHP on the other hand essentially detonates in the chest and shreds everything. Deer typically drop within 10 seconds of a hit. The JHP leaves a small entry hole and only penetrates about 6 inches with a wound channel however a few shards may go further in random directions.

 

[lobo9er]

westkentucky... that sounds more of what was described to me. Also he told me javelina which being from NY I had no Idea were different from wild boar. My mistake... Now it makes a little more sense. He did talk about Arizona a bit and I didn't put it together and guessing the deer in Arizona aren't monsters either.

 

[mboylan]

westkentucky... that sounds more of what was described to me. Also he told me javelina which being from NY I had no Idea were different from wild boar. My mistake... Now it makes a little more sense. He did talk about Arizona a bit and I didn't put it together and guessing the deer in Arizona aren't monsters either.

Coues deer in Southern Arizona are not very big and I would have no reservations with the 256. The 256 Winchester Magnum is inadequate for Arizona mulies. The Kaibab Plateau has some real monsters. It would be more of a stunt than a hunt. Use enough gun, .243 minimum and .25-06 is perfect. You need heavier bullets with both.

The 256 Win Mag is a great javelina round. .357 magnum and .44 magnum are also good. .223 with 60 gr Nosler Partitions is good for long range shots.