Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin Talk .256 Marlin Levermatic

Anyone know where I can get Winchester .256 hollowpoint rounds?? Hell of a varmint round

Gunshows and gunbroker for the originals......BUT they are demanding premiums ($70-80 a box). Have found some at gunshows for about half that. I think that Conley? makes some with reformed .357 brass, but they are expensive as well. It is a fun round, have three guns chambered for it and I really enjoy using it on turkeys in the fall Pennsylvania season.

PennDog

Yes it is a deadly turkey caliber. Helps ya with the birds that like to hang up

You find them rarely. 75.00 would be on the low end of the price range.

It would be a good reason to start handloading. You can load a box for under 10.00. If you shoot it much, it wouldn't take long to pay for the equipment.

It is a fun little cartridge.

You can load a box of anything for under $10? Like to see the math on that.

If you are loading cast bullets, $10 would be no problem.

http://www.buffaloarms.com/.22_.35_Caliber_smokeless_ammunition_pr-4445.aspx?CAT=4445

They also have just the cases.

I saw a 256 marlin at the GS, the old boy wanted a grand.

Still like to see the math.

The forming dies for .357 to .256 mag are gonna be expensive, but after that, costs are not out of line with other rounds.

I did a batch of cases for somebody back ten or so years ago, he bought the dies and components and I did the forming/loading. It was a family heirloom rifle, so I was glad to help him out.

As I recall, the powder used was H4227 and the bullets were Hornady.

Cost of new ammo at $73/50
Loading dies from Midway $70-90 amortized over 5000 rounds - $0.02

New brass from Midway at $1.00 each assume 7 reloads $.14
60 Grain Hornaday FP at $.32 each
Powder 15 grains @ $25.00 per pounds - $.05
Primer CCI 550 at $31.00 per 1000 @ $0.03

Comes out to $0.56 per round times 50 = $28.00
Cast bullets could probably be made for 3-5 cents and if you assume use $0.04, it would bring the total to $14/50. This assumes you already own the bullet casting equipment. Still beats the hell out of $80 and it is a very cool round. I think it would be ideal for coyotes and bobcats called in close.

Prices have gone up considerably this year, however �

Meister 85gr RNFP delivered � 76.75 / 1000 delivered (.07)
Trail Boss Powder 25.00/3500gr 2.5gr charge (.01)
Dies 45.00 (gunauction.com) indefinite (.01)
CCI small pistol 2.99 /100 Dicks sporting goods (.03)
.357 brass 15.99/100 (.16)/10 (.02)
.14 / round x 50 = 7.00

I reform .357 brass. I have 23 firings in my current lot of brass, but depreciated at 10 firings. I shoot �cowboy� loads and lead bullets. Brass lasts a long time that way. I would suggest re-annealing occasionally if you are loading on the high end with jacketed bullets. I have one such lot with 11 loadings. Jacketed bullets will double the cost. I also only paid only 16.99 for my dies and considerably less for the components I am currently using. I keep a reloading log. My current price is about 4.50 per box of 50. It�s been a few years for those components. It looks like today�s price would be closer to 7.00 per box of 50. If you cast your own, you can cut the price in half.

Back when I started reloading, my first 500 rounds of .45 colt paid for my reloading equipment.