daveg.inkc
Hunter
A friend let me shoot his Hawkeye today. I hit a clay bird first shot. I could get used to this piece. Even in hot sun, I could see a fireball. That is one I wish Ruger still made.
1963 Hawkeye
- Thread starter daveg.inkc
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2012
- Messages
- 10,870
Did the Contender knock the Hawkeye off the market? Seems pretty limited compared to the versatility of the Contender.
contender
Ruger Guru
The T/C Contender didn't come about until 1967, 4 years after the Hawkeye. Low sales kept the Hawkeye from ever surviving.
bogus bill
Hunter
I had a Hawkeye. I love the .256 Mag. I had a Martini built up in one. Today I own this very early T/C Contender with a barrel in it. The scoped one. The other is .45 colt/.410. I would like to have a 92 Winchester or clone chambered in .256. I have seen it done.
contender
Ruger Guru
Ok, since the OP Mentioned a fireball out of a Hawkeye, I'll post the obligatory picture. MANY thanks to Dave Drake for capturing this.
And here is one that did the job that Bill designed it for. That's a pair of ground squirrels in Idaho last year.
And here is one that did the job that Bill designed it for. That's a pair of ground squirrels in Idaho last year.
Contender, Thanks for posting that. After the first shooting session I had with my Hawkeye I mentioned seeing the fireball. People started warning me about my loads(which were factory). Having zero experience with the .256 I really didn't know what to think. Looks like all is well.
Btw Dave, mines a 1963 model also.
Btw Dave, mines a 1963 model also.
Varminterror
Blackhawk
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
- Messages
- 513
I had a Hawkeye for a short time several years ago, sad I sold it. But for it's designed function, a single shot just doesn't suit me.
Someday soon I WILL have a GP100 in .256win mag though. Brilliant little cartridge, it's a shame too many folks are afraid of bottleneck cartridges in revolvers. A 6.5" GP100 in .256WM with a 2-8x Leup on top and a rest beneath it will make dandy coyote medicine.
Someday soon I WILL have a GP100 in .256win mag though. Brilliant little cartridge, it's a shame too many folks are afraid of bottleneck cartridges in revolvers. A 6.5" GP100 in .256WM with a 2-8x Leup on top and a rest beneath it will make dandy coyote medicine.
chet15
Hawkeye
Varminterror said:
Ruger actually started the .256 in a revolver. There were three or four prototypes done on Blackhawk and Super Blackhawks before they decided they couldn't get it to work properly. That's when they went to the single shot.
Bill Ruger always liked the idea of a single shot for hunting. The handgun he designed after his pistol was actually a single-shot tip-up in .22 and somebody convinced him to turn it into a revolver, what became the Single-Six.
In the '56/'57 time period he continued development of a single shot handgun...then dropped it again with all the other (better selling idea) projects he had in mind.
Then came the Hawkeye .256.
But what limitations the Hawkeye could have at the time for cartridge choice was figured out four years later with the TC...again, back to the single-shot tip-up.
Chet15
Hondo44
Hawkeye
They are not rare but scarce, especially in excellent condition.
3296 were made in 1963 and 1964. Some of them have a different feature; a removable breechblock stop pin in the earlier models but sporadic thru out the serial range like mine. And of course with lower serial numbers are worth more, especially with box and papers, of course.
They have a reinforced 'buttressed' ejector rod button seen below with a rifle type case rim extractor on the chamber end, and a wide style SBH grooved trigger.
I've added a Ruger Black Powder Old Army steel grip frame to my # 2516, fitted and polished but decided not to blue it:
Another belonging to a friend:
I installed a steel ERH to replace the alum one and have kept all the original parts. I can shoot it a lot w/o concern for showing wear on the alum grip and ejector housing which are most susceptible. Plus the added weight made a huge improvement in balance with its 8 1/2" barrel!
It's an exceedingly accurate, low recoiling firearm that's a blast to shoot! They had no issues, the cartridge was chambered in the rear of the barrel like a rifle and spent cases easily extracted. Originally priced at $87.50, about the same as a 6 round SBH, so being a single shot, that hurt their sales potential.
The .357 case necked to .256 with sharp shoulder was a flawless design and factory loadings can be loaded up. But there were and are better performing cartridges in its class. And with only two regular produced models chambered for .256; the Hawkeye, and a Marlin rifle, it did not have a huge following. That didn't help cartridge availability either.
So it's been relegated to the shelves of firearms history as the unique and reliably designed pistol that it was. Albeit these Rugers are loved by their owners and still have a cult following of handloaders! Original factory Winchester ammo can still be found on the auction sites in the ~$75 range per box of 50. Considering they sold in the range of $19.95 a box originally, that might be considered a steep price, but in the recent market of factory ammo high prices, it's not that bad! And you have once fired cases to reload.
I hadn't shot one for over 40 years but I remembered liking it. And just finally found the affordable one above in the past two years. Some gun shops that had these when they were new and couldn't move them, actually had brand new Hawkeyes re-chambered for other cartridges. People run into those from time to time and think they are factory rarities.
If I ever found a junker for cheap I would consider a custom barrel chambered in another or newer cartridge like .17 Hornady Hornet or 300 Hornady Whisper. Even a 204 Ruger is readily loadable thru the breechblock.
------------------------------
Been looking for a shootable Hawkeye for some time. Thought this one looked too nice but no box or paper and the price seemed OK. It's a factory re-blue with Ruger work order confirming it. Looks like new and I can shoot a re-blued Hawkeye w/o remorse; and put steel parts on it;.
3296 were made in 1963 and 1964. Some of them have a different feature; a removable breechblock stop pin in the earlier models but sporadic thru out the serial range like mine. And of course with lower serial numbers are worth more, especially with box and papers, of course.
They have a reinforced 'buttressed' ejector rod button seen below with a rifle type case rim extractor on the chamber end, and a wide style SBH grooved trigger.
I've added a Ruger Black Powder Old Army steel grip frame to my # 2516, fitted and polished but decided not to blue it:
Another belonging to a friend:
I installed a steel ERH to replace the alum one and have kept all the original parts. I can shoot it a lot w/o concern for showing wear on the alum grip and ejector housing which are most susceptible. Plus the added weight made a huge improvement in balance with its 8 1/2" barrel!
It's an exceedingly accurate, low recoiling firearm that's a blast to shoot! They had no issues, the cartridge was chambered in the rear of the barrel like a rifle and spent cases easily extracted. Originally priced at $87.50, about the same as a 6 round SBH, so being a single shot, that hurt their sales potential.
The .357 case necked to .256 with sharp shoulder was a flawless design and factory loadings can be loaded up. But there were and are better performing cartridges in its class. And with only two regular produced models chambered for .256; the Hawkeye, and a Marlin rifle, it did not have a huge following. That didn't help cartridge availability either.
So it's been relegated to the shelves of firearms history as the unique and reliably designed pistol that it was. Albeit these Rugers are loved by their owners and still have a cult following of handloaders! Original factory Winchester ammo can still be found on the auction sites in the ~$75 range per box of 50. Considering they sold in the range of $19.95 a box originally, that might be considered a steep price, but in the recent market of factory ammo high prices, it's not that bad! And you have once fired cases to reload.
I hadn't shot one for over 40 years but I remembered liking it. And just finally found the affordable one above in the past two years. Some gun shops that had these when they were new and couldn't move them, actually had brand new Hawkeyes re-chambered for other cartridges. People run into those from time to time and think they are factory rarities.
If I ever found a junker for cheap I would consider a custom barrel chambered in another or newer cartridge like .17 Hornady Hornet or 300 Hornady Whisper. Even a 204 Ruger is readily loadable thru the breechblock.
------------------------------
Been looking for a shootable Hawkeye for some time. Thought this one looked too nice but no box or paper and the price seemed OK. It's a factory re-blue with Ruger work order confirming it. Looks like new and I can shoot a re-blued Hawkeye w/o remorse; and put steel parts on it;.
OP
daveg.inkc
Hunter
That is way cool!contender said:Ok, since the OP Mentioned a fireball out of a Hawkeye, I'll post the obligatory picture. MANY thanks to Dave Drake for capturing this.
And here is one that did the job that Bill designed it for. That's a pair of ground squirrels in Idaho last year.
OP
daveg.inkc
Hunter
Another bottle neck is the .22 Jet Magnum. Smith Wesson model 53. And that was .357 case. The 53's go for 1500.00 -3000.00 on GB. And the Smith had sleeves and a switch on hammer to fire rim cases.
Hashknife Hartley
Single-Sixer
I have a Marlin 1894 Cowboy that originally was in 38 Special, but somebody had bulged the barrel on it, probably trying to use light loads, so I had it relined and chambered to 256 Mag by John Taylor. Haven't shot it that much but do like the cartridge as I've had both a Hawkeye and Contender in it.
HH
HH
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2012
- Messages
- 10,870
A Hawkeye in .357 max, or 30/30 would be fun. The 30/30 barrels on my Contender are my favorites. Second favorite .22lr
bogus bill
Hunter
Someone mention a s&w model 53? Both the jet and 256`s muzzle blast`s will make your ears bleed. Both have light recoil though and are flat shooting.
OP
daveg.inkc
Hunter
That is a sharp Smith. Very nicebogus bill said:Someone mention a s&w model 53? Both the jet and 256`s muzzle blast`s will make your ears bleed. Both have light recoil though and are flat shooting.
OP
daveg.inkc
Hunter
Maybe those 2 were ahead of their time
Those of you that have them, can you reform .357 brass to .256 with success? A tenth of an inch reduction seems a lot, but I have no trouble making .35 Whelen from military .30-06 brass; and .222 Magnum is no trouble to make from .204 Ruger. Best wishes, Rod
contender
Ruger Guru
I do make cases from 357's when I need to. However, I use the special forming dies made to do so. It works quite well. I tried using my normal 357 dies & etc. & ruined the brass. I got a set of C&H forming dies & they work perfectly.
SAJohn
Hunter
I saw one in the late 70's that was still sitting in a Coast to Coast gathering dust. It was ugly and nobody wanted it.
Varminterror
Blackhawk
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
- Messages
- 513
I made .256 WM brass from 357mag, I never had a single case which started life as .256wm. I neck reamed AND turned after the sizing work, lest I could feel a doughnut in the case neck. Maybe that was just a factor of the brass I was using, but it wasn't difficult, considering the amount of work which can go into other wildcat cases.
bogus bill
Hunter
I still have a good batch of both factory and reloads plus die`s for the .256. I still have a barrel for it in my T/C contender but havent shot it in ages.
