The Carbine Collectors Club

Click on the image above to learn more about the M1 Carbine


Forum Home Forum Home > The Club > For Sale > Wanted+
  New Posts New Posts
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login


Universal 256 Ferret

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
Author
Message
gglithox View Drop Down
Recruit
Recruit


Joined: Apr 19 2019
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline
Points: 97
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gglithox Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep 10 2022 at 9:24am
Two more Universal 256 Ferret magazines for sale on GB. 
Full disclosure, this is my listing on GB.

Back to Top
floydthecat View Drop Down
Hard Corps
Hard Corps


Joined: Oct 13 2016
Location: Mississippi
Status: Offline
Points: 1996
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote floydthecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 12 2023 at 6:36am
I think I have just purchased a .256 Universal magazine? Seller listed it as a 30, but I am sure it’s for the Ferret. I will let you know when I get it and it will be much less than the usual asking price.
Back to Top
sleeplessnashadow View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group


Joined: Nov 09 2015
Location: SoCal
Status: Offline
Points: 1150
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sleeplessnashadow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 12 2023 at 9:42am
The mags by Universal Firearms ....

.256 Win Mag/Vulcan .44 Mag followers are flat
.30 caliber carbine followers are grooved



.256 Win Mag/Vulcan .44 Mag sides are straight vertical
30 caliber carbine sides widen midway



.256 Win Mag/Vulcan .44 Mag Universal Firearms name is vertical
.30 caliber carbine Universal Firearms name is horizontal

Back to Top
floydthecat View Drop Down
Hard Corps
Hard Corps


Joined: Oct 13 2016
Location: Mississippi
Status: Offline
Points: 1996
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote floydthecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 12 2023 at 9:56am
The 256 magazines look more robust than the 30’s, especially the thickness on the rear wall where the 30’s tend to crack. Jim…I think you have or have owned a 44 magnum and can confirm that?

I plan to see if 9mm or TOK will feed from it. Both are slightly larger in diameter than the 256. If it doesn’t, I will pass it along.

Back to Top
floydthecat View Drop Down
Hard Corps
Hard Corps


Joined: Oct 13 2016
Location: Mississippi
Status: Offline
Points: 1996
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote floydthecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 12 2023 at 10:32am
PS…….I also think it has a metal insert installed under the rear of the feed lips?
Back to Top
sleeplessnashadow View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group


Joined: Nov 09 2015
Location: SoCal
Status: Offline
Points: 1150
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sleeplessnashadow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 12 2023 at 10:59am
I have 4 of the Universal Firearms mags for my Vulcan .44 mag. None have a metal insert. They are 100% plastic.

What I don't have handy is one of their plastic .30 carbine mags. So the rear wall I can't comment on at the moment.



Inside the .256 WinMag/.44 mag mags there are ribs on either side to keep the cartridges in a single stack instead of offset like the carbine mags. I have replaced the carbine follower with the 256/44 flat follower in a GI mag but the cartridges sit offset so it jams. Needs a thin space filler inside both sides. If this makes sense.

More in the next post in a moment.

Jim
Back to Top
sleeplessnashadow View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group


Joined: Nov 09 2015
Location: SoCal
Status: Offline
Points: 1150
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sleeplessnashadow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 12 2023 at 11:13am
Some of the Universal mags have a gray base plate instead of a black base plate. I see no other difference between the two.

I have a metal magazine for the 256 WinMag/44 Mag cartridges Only markings are shown below. I don't know who made it.







Triple K used to sell magazines for the Vulcan. They still have them listed. They were a copy of the plastic Universal magazines and had a gray plastic base plate.

Jim
Back to Top
floydthecat View Drop Down
Hard Corps
Hard Corps


Joined: Oct 13 2016
Location: Mississippi
Status: Offline
Points: 1996
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote floydthecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 13 2023 at 9:53am
I have fooled with a lot of magazines for various calibers and plenty of the Universal polymers, mostly the 5-rounders. The weakness in those is the thin rear web that cracks and worn feed lips. I have found ways to fix both these problems. I have never held a Universal 256 Winchester magazine, so I know little about it. The pictures gave me an impression that they might have added a metal insert? The 5-round 30-calibers do not have an insert.

The capacity of the 256/44 magazine intrigued me. I plan to try it with other calibers that are slightly larger in diameter. If it doesn’t work, I plan to offer to pass it along to the OP at my cost, which was very reasonable as compared to what these things sell for…..when you do find them.
Back to Top
sleeplessnashadow View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group


Joined: Nov 09 2015
Location: SoCal
Status: Offline
Points: 1150
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sleeplessnashadow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 13 2023 at 10:03am
March 1-11 I'll have access to several plastic Universal mags in both .30 and .256/Win at Larry's. I'll try to remember to take pics.
Back to Top
floydthecat View Drop Down
Hard Corps
Hard Corps


Joined: Oct 13 2016
Location: Mississippi
Status: Offline
Points: 1996
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote floydthecat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 13 2023 at 10:12am
Some of us out here would be very interested in both of those at a fair price. The 30’s, though limited in capacity and durability, are very good feeders of any bullet profile. 
Back to Top
sleeplessnashadow View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group


Joined: Nov 09 2015
Location: SoCal
Status: Offline
Points: 1150
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sleeplessnashadow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 29 2023 at 10:55pm


For those unfamiliar with these two magazines the Universal Firearms .30 carbine magazines in the first two pics (3 mags) are the silver ones. In the pics that follow the first two those with a round spring. The black mags in the first two pics (2 mags) are the Universal Firearms mag used in both the Universal Ferret .256 Winchester Magnum and Universal Vulcan .44 magnum carbines. These have the oblong spring.

The rear of the .256/.44 mags appears thicker than the .30 cal mags but it's a lip inside the top. Not thicker all the way down. That lip gives the .256/.44 mags a bit more strength than the .30 carbine mags.

The reason for the lip is the shorter length of the .256/.44 cartridges.

Overall cartridge lengths:

.256 WinMag
     1.590 in (40.4 mm)
.44 magnum
     1.61 in (41 mm)
.30 carbine
      1.680 in (42.7 mm)

(click on an image to see a larger version)









I didn't get the vertical angle inside each mag to match but you can see the lip inside the top of the Vulcan/Ferret mag.




Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.125 seconds.