.256 Winchester Magnum

Reviving a “Failed Varmint Cartridge”

- Patrick Meitin

The .256 Winchester Magnum was created by necking a .357 Magnum case to .25 caliber and was originally envisioned as a high-velocity, revolver-based varmint round. It was likely conceived in response to the .22 Remington Jet, but like Smith & Wesson’s ill-fated Model 53 revolver housing that cartridge, it soon became apparent chambering high-pressure bottleneck cartridges in revolvers posed serious issues, namely case setback locking the cylinder.

The .256 Winchester Magnum generated 250 fps more velocity and double the energy of the .22 Jet, and 500 fps more velocity than .25-20 Winchester factory rounds. The .256 Winchester Magnum was introduced in 1960, but a year or two passed before any handguns chambered in the round appeared. Ruger’s Hawkeye – a swiveling-breach, single-shot pistol based on a revolver frame – proved the only mainstream handgun chambered for this interesting cartridge, but so few were manufactured they are now pricey collectors’ items.

Marlin gave the round a whirl in its Model 62 Levermatic lever action and Universal Firearms the Model 1256 Ferret, an M1 Carbine auto-loading clone. These were the only commercial rifles chambered in .256 that I’m aware of. The Marlin’s tubular magazine required flat- or blunt-nosed bullets, but the longer barrel increased muzzle velocities about 600 fps and allowed heavier 75- to 87-grain bullets to be utilized.