My New Not So Typical Varmint Rigs

[scope eye]

This is what I have been up to lately Henry Big Boy all weather in 357 and 44Mag, and let me tell you it is the most fun I have had shooting for quite a while "who knew". Apparently they ole man is still pretty good with the buck horns. Just ask the squirrel population around here, oh yeah right they can't vouch well you will just have to take my word.

Dean

I feel just like a kid when I use to watch the "Rifleman"

click on pic for close up

[J.Baker]

Nice looking Henry's ya got there Dean.

I was just giving all my guns their quarterly wipe-down with Rem Oil Wipes the other night (high humidity here) and when I got to my lever guns I immediately though, "I need to get these out to the range." I have more fun shooting those lever guns than I do any of my other rifles." That's especially true for the Winchester 1873 Short Rifle in .357 Mag. As you can see, I've got the lined up on the rack and ready to hit the range this weekend.



L to R:
Cimarron 1860 Henry Civil War .45 Colt (rear ladder sight replaced with a more functional buckhorn)
Winchester 1873 Short Rifle .357 Magnum
Marlin 336CS .30-30
Winchester 94 Big Bore .375 Win.
Henry Frontier 22LR

I really wanted the Winny 1873 in .44-40, but a local dealer had this used .357 Mag in the back room and when I saw the high grade wood on it I couldn't pass it up for the price he was asking. Guess I'll have to buy an 1873 Sporting Rifle with 24" barrel to get one in .44-40 now.

[scope eye]

Nice, you know they really are fun to shoot no need to worry about bullet drop, BC, and all they other things that are involved with a bottle neck case, I think open sights are becoming a lost art.

I shoot 125gr XTPs @2000fps in the 357 and 180 XTPs @2000fps in the 44 mag, Sweet.

Dean

[J.Baker]

Last couple years I've been doing more shooting with open sights just for fun and to maintain that skill. 50 and 100 yards I can hold my own, but beyond that it starts to get ugly. One of these days I'll pony up the $$ to get tang sights for the 1873, 336 and Henry. Getting them just hasn't been high enough on my list of priorities I guess.

I haven't worked up a load for the 1873 yet, just been shooting some cowboy loads I had loaded up for my 1873 SSA replica with a 158gr Berry's FP over 3.5gr of Bullseye or 4.2gr of Trailboss.

For the 1860 Henry I'm loading a 255gr Hornady FP Cowboy over 10.5gr of HS-6. This gun requires .454" dia. bullets to get any kind of accuracy out of it, which I've read is standard for any of the Italian made replica's in .45 Colt.

The 94 Big Bore really likes the 200gr Sierra's loaded atop 37.8gr of Reloader 7 for 2,175fps at the muzzle.

Haven't done any loading for the Marlin 30-30, and I've only shot about half a box of Hornady LeveRevolution through it since I bought it.

[scope eye]

I also have a Marlin 30-30 It was my first gun and given to me by great grandfather, everyone used it uncles, cousins nephews, even neighbors. That thing must have 1000 deer to it's credit and also 10000 rounds though since everyone first learned to shoot with it.
In fact it is so worn out that my grandfather use to pull apart 303 British ammo that he brought back from the war, then he would put the bullets in a jar and the powder in a bowl and the primers in his handkerchief that was folded neatly on the table. He then would proceed to install the primer then scoop the case into the bowl of powder level it off then put the bullet in and crimp it with some sort of blacksmiths tool. He was the town blacksmith he never had any money but always had plenty of chickens, goats, livestock you name it. And there you had one loaded case ready to go, I don't even want to begin to think how many rounds the brass was cycled 10, 20, times even more who knows, not to mention that 303 British is .311 Dia that is how worn that thing is.LOL

Dean

[243LPR]

Wow,those Henry's are nice. As of yet I don't have any single actions or lever guns. Seeing those might change that!

[scope eye]

Wow,those Henry's are nice. As of yet I don't have any single actions or lever guns. Seeing those might change that!

They are awesome and a blast to shoot, it's like stepping into a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western movie.LOL My next one will be the same all weather version only in 45-70 Govt, they also have them in 45 colt "Cowboy Colt" but you can't shoot 454 Casull out of them which is a bummer cause I would be all over that. And of course they have the tried and trued 30-30 version. A 22lr or 22mag must be fun in there golden boy series, the ones with the hex barrels also make me warm and fuzzy.

Dean

[J.Baker]

My only gripe with Henry's centerfire lever guns is the lack of a loading gate on the side of the receiver. This is the 21st century, I shouldn't have to go all the way to the muzzle of the rifle to reload it. If I wanted to that I'd just buy a muzzleloader and be done with it. This was sorted out in 1866, why HRA can't manage it today is beyond reason.

[scope eye]

They must keep that loading system for nostalgic reasons, I mean real nostalgic.LOL

Dean

PS:Now that you put the thought in my head, that tube with the spring is kinda hideous.LOL

[J.Baker]

They must keep that loading system for nostalgic reasons, I mean real nostalgic.LOL

Dean

PS:Now that you put the thought in my head, that tube with the spring is kinda hideous.LOL

Well now that I have that thought stuck in your head, here's your salvation...

https://www.taylorsfirearms.com/long...2-alaskan.html

[scope eye]

Sweet Jesus.

Dean

[scope eye]

I found a sweet load for this rig 180gr Hornady XTPs with 30gr of Alliant 2400 I havn't chrono'd them yet, but I am sure they are well into the 2000s FPS with good grouping.

Dean

PS: I have found you can load a lot hotter in a rifle than a revolver with the same caliber.