IC1296 is fairly regularly visible to my 12.5" at a high altitude (2550) dark site (21.48 last visit).
But what is seen is the core and bar. The spiral arms are never ever visible. At least not in this aperture.
For me, best seen at 304x.
Here is a picture:
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0911/ringdeep_CAHA.jpg
The fainter galaxy is certainly beyond my modest aperture.