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.256 Win. Mag. in A Medium Frame Revolver

Isher2000
I recently noticed a K frame S&W revolver that have been rechambered to .256 Win. Mag. The barrel was apparently sleeved how the cyclinder was created is not clear.

My 1st thoughgt was how much trouble people had with their S&W 53 revolvers in .22 Rem. Jet (another magnum bottle necked cartridge), especially with sticky extraction of fired cases. The word was that the chambers had to be swabbed with lighter fluid to remove all traces of lubricant before loading if the fired cases were to be removed without major effort.

Has anyone had any experience with the .256 in a revolver?

Any opinions on the soundness of this idea?

Thanks
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Comments

7 comments

Date Votes
  • charliemeyer007
    I shoot my 53 often. If you load for 90% of full tilt you never have problems. Clean and dry is the trick.
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  • tsr1965
    Isher200,

    Something you must understand is, that these revolvers start as frames, then the crane and cylinder, along with the barrel is all added. They can be changed out, not just modified.

    So, my take on it, is that both the cylinder, and barrel have been replaced by a custom shop, or gunsmith along the way.

    The 256 is way hotter than anything of the 22 Jet. Since the parent case for the 256, is the 357 Magnum, it can be run up to 42,000 PSIG. That is why the Ruger Hawkeye pistol, used a modified cylinder, as a breech block, and the cartridge loaded directly into the barrel, if I am not mistaken. So, even though the Hawkeye looked like a revolver, it actually had no barrel/cylinder gap.

    Best

    EDIT 1

    quote:Agreed the seller states that the barrel was sleeved. Just how the cylinder was smithed is unclear sin S&W never chambered this round. What carttridge could have bee bored out?

    I dont think there was a cylinger bored out, but if there was one, it would have to be a 22LR. I think it was a custom made cylinder. Also, with this potentially operating at near 40,000PSIG, i don't think a sleeved barrel is the way to go...at least not with my hands and face behind it.
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  • Isher2000
    quote:Originally posted by tsr1965
    Isher200,

    Something you must understand is, that these revolvers start as frames, then the crane and cylinder, along with the barrel is all added. They can be changed out, not just modified.

    So, my take on it, is that both the cylinder, and barrel have been replaced by a custom shop, or gunsmith along the way.

    Best


    Agreed the seller states that the barrel was sleeved. Just how the cylinder was smithed is unclear sin S&W never chambered this round. What carttridge could have bee bored out?
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  • Riomouse911
    One may create a custom cylinder without having to bore an existing one out, I bet that is what this is. As for the sleeve, yeesh. That is one gun I'll try and avoid, the .256 is a hot little number in a revolver and I bet the sleeve will be under tremendous pressure to jump out of the barrel.
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  • 5mmgunguy
    I thought the parent case for both the 256 Win Mag and the 22 Jet were the 357 Mag case. Just formed differently.
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  • Isher2000
    quote:Originally posted by 5mmgunguy
    I thought the parent case for both the 256 Win Mag and the 22 Jet were the 357 Mag case. Just formed differently.


    I believe that's correct. The bottle-neck on the Jet is pretty extreme and involves a taper almost from the rim to the case mouth. The bottle neck on the .256 is more like a typical high power rifle case only shortened to .357 length.
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  • v35
    I believe the K frame is too light for full loads with that cartridge.
    If it were viable in a revolver Ruger would have done it in a magnum frame. Non magnum older frames in all sizes can be pretty soft.
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