Many years ago I have purchased a set on new old stock RCBS dies for the 256 Newton. Aimed for years to have a rifle made up in this caliber. Working on other projects and living events caused this project to be postponed. Postponed no more. The action is a byf43 Mauser action that was converted many years ago by a now deceased local gunsmith noted for his fine work. The bolt handle has been lowered and low safety installed. A push button release had been made for the floor plate similar to that found on vintage FN actions. Some years back a friend had given me a Canjar trigger. The trigger was the non-set variety marked M2 with trademark etc. One look at that trigger tells why Canjar's were so expensive in the day. That trigger is already installed in the action. The action has not been drilled and tapped. I hate to have the receiver flattened for scope mounts. Back in the day it was possible to buy a Redfield that was made to fit on the unmodified Mauser receiver. That's then this is now. This is not been discussed with gunsmith. The decision on the scope is pending. I had communicated with Norman Meyer of Heritage Custom Arms concerning barrel and stock. He had suggested a #3 weight barrel. Now my plans are for the barrel to be a Pac-Nor stainless twenty-six inches long. The twist is to be 1:8. Norman will build the rifle. The discussion on the stock included two that were on hand here. Doing some quick figuring it was more economical to go with a synthetic stock rather than salvage these others. There's no way, frankly, that a custom wood stock would not fit into this budget (read-beyond my means). A Bell&Carson was suggested. We'll go with the synthetic stock. As to the cartridge it was an early high velocity cartridge predating the 270. It was hard to pin down specs for the cartridge now over a hundred years old. When forming the case the shoulder is pushed back leaving a longer neck than the parent case-270 or 30-06. Making the cartridge cases is to be an undertaking while Norman Meyer's actually builds the rifle. Several dummy cartridges have been made up. The RCBS sizing die and a Rockchucher press make forming cases easy, Plans are to send the sizing die to RCBS to be polished out. Actual trim to length and allowable neck thickness will have to be decided based on the chamber. Plans are to go as far as possible while the rifle is being built. So goes my 256 Newton undertaking. We'll see how it works out. More later.
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