I recently metioned, well maybe crowed a bit about getting a 256 Hawkeye. The gun is in pretty good shape, I think it would rate maybe 95% but had beed fired. So I figgured I should have the pleasure also.
Finding ammo posed more of a challenge than I would have thought, scarce & expensive. The prices wouldn't have bankrupt me, but simply turned me off. I said, to heck with it, I'll just get some dies & make my own. Same story on the dies, scarce/expensive.
While thinking about just how bad do I really need to shoot this thing, Rugerforum member & great guy in my book "picturerock" comes to the recsue & sends me a fistfull of ammo.
Now for the shooting, & a few surprises.
I put the first shot into the berm & got way more muzzle rise than I expected for a heavy/long gun & a 60 grn. bullet. Mental note, grip it like you're shooting a .357 BH, not a Single six.
The muzzle blast was BIG surprise, dark orange, approx. a foot in dia. & a foot & a half long. About the most I've experienced from the several handguns I shoot. It was a grey overcast day, but nowhere near dusk, very impressive.
The noise. With the small bore, I expected a loud report & was glad I had my best headphones on. But, not a high pitched crack I thought I would hear. More like a heavy loaded 45 Colt. Interesting, to me.
With the feel of it down, I put 3 shots on paper at 25yds. Disappointing. 1 7/8" But studying the group I realized that the big measurement was all horizontal & the vertical was only about a 1/2", I was the weak link. I then shot my most accurate BH to see if I was "on". I was not, doubling my usual group sizes with this gun. Time to save the rest of the hens teeth ammo for a better day & not raining so I can also send some bullets over the chronograph.
I realize that many of you here have probably shot a .256 & a few have shot a Hawkeye. So, I hope I havn't bored you to tears. But, this was a unique oportunity for me & thought I'd share. I took some pics, but the new/improved? photobucket and I need some work. Maybe later. Also will post some muzzle velocities later if anyone is interested.
gunzo
Finding ammo posed more of a challenge than I would have thought, scarce & expensive. The prices wouldn't have bankrupt me, but simply turned me off. I said, to heck with it, I'll just get some dies & make my own. Same story on the dies, scarce/expensive.
While thinking about just how bad do I really need to shoot this thing, Rugerforum member & great guy in my book "picturerock" comes to the recsue & sends me a fistfull of ammo.
Now for the shooting, & a few surprises.
I put the first shot into the berm & got way more muzzle rise than I expected for a heavy/long gun & a 60 grn. bullet. Mental note, grip it like you're shooting a .357 BH, not a Single six.
The muzzle blast was BIG surprise, dark orange, approx. a foot in dia. & a foot & a half long. About the most I've experienced from the several handguns I shoot. It was a grey overcast day, but nowhere near dusk, very impressive.
The noise. With the small bore, I expected a loud report & was glad I had my best headphones on. But, not a high pitched crack I thought I would hear. More like a heavy loaded 45 Colt. Interesting, to me.
With the feel of it down, I put 3 shots on paper at 25yds. Disappointing. 1 7/8" But studying the group I realized that the big measurement was all horizontal & the vertical was only about a 1/2", I was the weak link. I then shot my most accurate BH to see if I was "on". I was not, doubling my usual group sizes with this gun. Time to save the rest of the hens teeth ammo for a better day & not raining so I can also send some bullets over the chronograph.
I realize that many of you here have probably shot a .256 & a few have shot a Hawkeye. So, I hope I havn't bored you to tears. But, this was a unique oportunity for me & thought I'd share. I took some pics, but the new/improved? photobucket and I need some work. Maybe later. Also will post some muzzle velocities later if anyone is interested.
gunzo
