Henry Big Boy Steel Carbine .357

I had been looking for one of Henry's newer Single Shot rifles in .243 for awhile and decided to pull into a small local strip mall gun show this morning to see what might be found and had no luck regarding the Single Shot but found this guy, another model somewhat difficult to find, at least in my area. It's a Henry Big Boy Steel Carbine in .357 Magnum/.38 Special. Built at Henry's new Wisconsin plant, these became available only the past year or two from what I've read online. Well, the used-but-like-new price was too good to pass up, so here it is, should make a dandy camp/Michigan woods gun:



I'm waiting on a reply from Ranger Point Precision regarding a receiver peep sight and I guess I'm finally going to have to get into reloading now.

Very nice Henry you have there, I have a Henry Big Boy in .357 and I think it is the nicest lever action I've every had, as far as peep sights check out Skinners sights, they have some really nicely made sights.

I've looked at the Skinner sight but the RPP sight sits lower on the receiver, supposedly allowing use of the factory front sight, a nice Marble's gold bead I'd rather not replace, which is not always possible with the Skinner, and has "wings" to protect the aperture, a feature I like. They just came out with these for Henry BB Steel models within the past couple months: http://www.rangerpointstore.com/clo...ights-marlin-and-henry-brass-black-stainless/

My next Lever Rifle will be a Henry .357,coming soon. Congrats on yours.

Update

Skinner Winged/Tactical sight for Henry Big Boy Steel is a Go

As mentioned above, I was interested in a winged sight for this gun and found that RPP is currently the only manufacturer to offer this. However, I contacted RPP to find out that their sight is of proprietary design inasmuch as the only apertures that work with the sight are theirs, whereas I wanted the ability to use different apertures of standard threading, which Skinner allows. The problem is that Skinner doesn't list a winged sight for the Henry Big Boy Steel at their site. Thus, for a short while I was stumped. Until...

I did some research online and found that others have discovered that sights for Marlin's 336 rifles are of the same hole spacing found atop the Henry BBS receiver. The problem is that due to the location of the pair of holes, which are located further forward than on the Henry, Marlin sights overhang the rear of the Henry receiver, placing the sight too near the hammer. Photos illustrate:

Henry BBS receiver:



Marlin 336 (at top):



But what about that rifle below the 336? Those appear to be of the same spacing and very close to the same location of those on the Henry. Well, it's a Marlin 1894. Confirming the 336 and 1894 share the same spacing, with only the location differing, I went back to Skinner and found they offer their Winged/Tactical Sight for the Marlin 1894. Got it today and it fits the Henry BBS perfectly. So, even though Skinner doesn't currently list the sight for the Henry, I can confirm the Marlin 1894 sight does indeed fit and work.

In other words, the factory drilled and tapped rearmost scope mounting holes location and spacing on the Marlin 1894 and Henry Big Boy Steel receivers is virtually identical, including the thread size/pitch. Skinner's Marlin 1894 Winged/Tactical Sight on my Henry Big Boy Steel Carbine .357:




The great thing about this is the Skinner sight is a nice heavy duty unit, it offers great adjustability, provides 5 additional inches of sight radius and allows for the use of standard thread apertures of your choice. Not only that, unlike most other options, it sits low enough on the receiver to where it works with the factory front sight, co-witnessing the factory buckhorn sight on the barrel perfectly.

So, now owners of these newer Henrys have a previously unknown option for peep sights.

Congratulations on a very fine looking rifle

You won't be sorry. I have a Big Boy 357/38. It's a little heavy due to the octagonal barrel, but it shoots like a dream, (a 22lr on steroids).

-db- Great pictures and a rifle to really envy! I'm still trying to catch up with K-frames so a new rifle isn't in the mix for me until next year. I sold a Win Trapper .357, for chump change, prior to going overseas in '98 ... The quality of workmanship on the Skinner sight is ... well, a sight to see!!

My only experience with Henry is one of their golden boy 22s, and I did not like it. Something about the angle of the stock caused me wrist pain; the regular henry caused no problems, but the golden boy did. I cannot say I'm a fan of loading mechanism of the big boys, either. A centerfire lever action should load from the side gate. Tradition!

Skinner sights are excellent, though.

Cardboard_killer said:

I cannot say I'm a fan of loading mechanism of the big boys, either. A centerfire lever action should load from the side gate. Tradition!

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I am also not a fan of how the centerfire Henry Big Boys load.

Not because of tradition.

After firing a few rounds you can not just top of the Henry Big Boy as you walk through the woods. A side-gate makes that very easy to do

This is the biggest thing that has kept me from buying a Henry in 41 Magnum. Other than that I am fairly impressed with the Henrys

Found an old long shank Williams "Twilight" (brass ring) aperture that fits and I'm in business:

I got the clover leaf sight from RPP, it's really nice , let's you sight fast and also precise with same sight.

I want one just like yours bad.

I've got a slick Brazil made Rossi/Taurus ss .357 rifle that will soon belong to someone else and the proceeds will help fund a Henry just like yours.

I found one on GB that I could afford without selling my Rossi so life is good.

db, did I understand you correctly that you can mount the Skinner sight w/out removing the rear buckhorn sight?

doublesharp said:

db, did I understand you correctly that you can mount the Skinner sight w/out removing the rear buckhorn sight?

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The Skinner sight is mounted on the receiver whereas the factory buckhorn sight is on the barrel. I suppose you could leave the factory sight in place if you wanted but it would interfere with your sight picture through the peep. I removed the buckhorn and replaced it with a dovetail blank.

I don't own a Henry rife yet, but one is on the wish list. For a company that's only been around now for 22 years they have a very good reputation and guarantee.

Henry has color case hardened large loop levers back in stock. After this now, I think I'm done setting the gun up.

IMO, you bought a very fine rifle, -db-! I like the Henry very well. I also like the older Marlins in the same caliber. I carried one of those in my howl car for a long time loaded with .357 mags, same as I carried in my Model 19 revolver. Sold that to a fellow officer after leaving the business, and he still has it, far as I know.

I don't personally have any problem with the tube magazine. Some do, and that's OK, but I don't. This one ain't going any place!

FWIW, my recommendation is to only carry .357 in it and use .38 for plinking. My friend has a ruger semi auto carbine rifle in .44 and it did not make a noticeable impact on a deer even with good shot placement it ran another 250 yards. Really nice gun you got there and I bet it will be a lot of fun to shoot.