22" 264 Winchester Magnum

[Milehighshooter]

Does anyone have experience with the Win pre-64 featherweight with the 22" barrel? Any reports on velocity?

(I'm not looking for anecdotes on proper bbl length, what your 24, 26, 32 inch barrels does, JUST the original 22")

 

[Red Leg]

I'll give you Terry Wieland's thoughts from his new book, "Great Hunting Rifles / Victorian to Present" Simon & Schuster 2019, p. 140. A book I highly recommend it by the way. https://www.google.com/books/editio...wJEsDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover

"The Featherweight's low point occurred in 1961, when Winchester chambered it for the .264 Winchester Magnum. That cartridge, in a 6 1/2 pound rifle with 22-inch barrel, was an abomination: vicious recoil, ferocious muzzle blast, a flame out the muzzle that would clear a bunker, and less velocity, if anything, than the old .270."

I have never owned one (thank God), but a friend bought one in Tulsa at Wanenmacher gun show while we were stationed at Fort Sill. We took it to the range three or four days later, and Terry's description is exactly correct. The amount of muzzle blast for a 6.5 was unbelievable. I am sure a large portion of the powder was burning four feet beyond the muzzle. They do have the cachet of being a very rare pre-64 with commensurate collector value - and few were shot more than a very few times......

 

[Bullthrower338]

I have a Pre-64 Westerner(26”) that I love, but have shot a FW 264 a few years ago. I even tried to buy it from my buddy but only because it was in original configuration and was immaculate. It was all that the exert that RedLeg included. I can’t speak to the velocity as we did not shoot it across a chrony but it has to without doubt suffer significant velocity loss with as much powder burning past the bore as in it! Lol
Very cool rifle to have in a collection though. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one at the right price and it wasn’t molested.
Cheers,
Cody

 

[Milehighshooter]

Yea this rifle is a 1962. Its not totally original as it sits in a very nice Fajen stock, but there's just "something" about it that's drawing me in. Very tempting, even with the flame thrower stories haha.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Yea this rifle is a 1962. Its not totally original as it sits in a very nice Fajen stock, but there's just "something" about it that's drawing me in. Very tempting, even with the flame thrower stories haha.

Hell, buy it then! You never know when you might need to clear a bunker!!!lol. Just wear dark glasses when firing near dawn or dusk!

 

[Ray B]

Since the factory loads were designed to be fired in a 26" barrel they would have been loaded with a powder such as 4831. If you get it you might try a slightly faster powder (while not going too fast) so as to get a little better burn in the barrel and a little less flash outside the barrel.

 

[sestoppelman]

Cut two more inches of barrel off and slap a big ol hairy muzzle brake on it. That'll wake 'em up at the range!! You'll have the whole place to yourself in no time...

 

[crs]

Had a post 64 W .264 Mag with 26 in barrel. I was very accurate, but also very ugly. Shot a Pronghorn with it and sold it.
LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO DANCE WITH UGLY WOMEN OR SHOOT UGLY RIFLES.

 

[nztimb]

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO DANCE WITH UGLY WOMEN OR SHOOT UGLY RIFLES.

That is only true if there are more of either to choose from.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Just read the authors preface in the book Red Leg suggested...oh Kim Novak let me dream of all the times I lusted for you!

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

@crs I believe @Von Gruff has got you there.

 

[colorado]

Hell, buy it then! You never know when you might need to clear a bunker!!!lol. Just wear dark glasses when firing near dawn or dusk!

Yes buy it and put a nice Krieger, Hart, Shilen or Douglas 26" barrel on it!

 

[Viral_SIGness]

The .264 struggled to be as good as they wanted it to be. In a 22" barrel, you are really going to handicap yourself. It's basically going to be a super loud 6.5x55.

 

[Viral_SIGness]

Cut two more inches of barrel off and slap a big ol hairy muzzle brake on it. That'll wake 'em up at the range!! You'll have the whole place to yourself in no time...

Everyone needs a single shot Barrett 99. That way when you have those reckless people at the range, the ones that take up two benches and have no respect for personal space. Sit that .50 up beside them and start blasting, they will leave quickly.

 

[Graham Hunter]

I think all the negative comments are from old info. With the new powders you can get the same velocity out of a 22" as a 24". With a lot of the older calibers we can make them perform better with the new powders without excessive pressure increases.

 

[Viral_SIGness]

I think all the negative comments are from old info. With the new powders you can get the same velocity out of a 22" as a 24". With a lot of the older calibers we can make them perform better with the new powders without excessive pressure increases.

Mine is not exactly meant negatively. I speak from loading for my M77 MkII .264, 24". I was just thinking as if I took 2" off my rifle. I really don't think it would be great. However, if you built one on the WSM case, then 22" is plenty. Short, fat powder columns burns more efficiently than narrow, long columns. Why ? I have no freakin' idea lol Ask a chemical engineer haha

 

[lwaters]

The 264 had the rap of being hard on barrels. When the 7mm rem. mag. came out that toke a lot of sales from the 264.

 

[Viral_SIGness]

The 264 had the rap of being hard on barrels. When the 7mm rem. mag. came out that toke a lot of sales from the 264.

Yep, exactly like Video killed the Radio Star.

 

[RayAtkinson]

The 264 needs a 26" barrel, end of story, otherwise your shooting a 6.5/06 according to my chronographing some many years ago when the 22" Winchester first came out..and it was a monster of blast and recoil..