Henry BigBoy 44mag

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BillBro

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Having quite the collection of 5.56 rifles and associated ammo, mags, slings, bipods, lights, scopes and the list goes on and on and on and on I decided to get myself something completely different and something I've wanted for a good many years, a Henry lever gun in 44mag. I would have been perfectly happy with a 357 but the deal for a 44 presented itself first.

Its a used gun but upon first look I never would have known it was used had I not known. It wasnt a great deal but I was more than happy given what I'd seen them going for on some of the online auction sites.

I also lucked into the variant I'd always drooled over, the color case hardened model with the 20" octagonal barrel. Only thing missing is the side loading gate but I really dont see that as necessary on this type of gun and its intended purposes for me, especially with 10 in the tube and another in the chamber.

This one also has a pretty nice peice of walnut that was used for the stock. The checkering is real well done too. The action is really smooth and everything is fit pretty darn nice. Overall just a really nice firearm, and to me at least, beautiful.

I loaded 100 200gr Nosler JHPs yesterday and went to the range today. 50 were loaded over I believe it was 26gr of IMR4227 and 30 over 17.4gr of AA#7 and 20 over 17.9gr of the same. Boy was I surprised, they had some thump to them and even with the weight of that rifle I'll have to admit, they hurt a little, and this Henry has an actual rubber recoil pad not the brass one of the Goldenboys etc. Accuracy put a smile on my face, about 3"@75 yards off a rest. Just some bags not an actual rifle rest. The sights are just the rudimentary semi-buckhorn rear and brass bead front. They dont play well with my progressive bifocals either so I'm going to look into a new FO front and perhaps a Ranger Point Precision rear sight, they look quite interesting.

Overall I'm just very happy with the new levergun. Been shooting ARs so long it's just nice to get into anything new I guess.

Anyone else out there own and enjoy any Henrys?
 
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I bought mine 4/5 years ago and really enjoy it . The sights work for me and the action was smoother out of the box, before I actually fired it, then some of the Marlin .44's I owned in the past. It's loaded by the back door all the time .
 
I have owned and handled quite a few lever guns over the years.I have yet to find one that has a better trigger than the current model Henry`s.
 
I have 2 Big Boy Brass carbines. Ones in 45LC and the other in 357 and also have a 22 carbine. They’re all great rifles and quite accurate.

You must have the steel receiver which is a little lighter than the Brass models. I’ve not shot the 44 model but 357 with moderately hot loads is a *****cat. In the 45 I find 250 grain RNFP bullets to be it’s favorite and with moderate loads there’s hardly any recoil.

I decided I wanted a Winchester and bought a new 1892 carbine In 45LC a few weeks ago. I love the rifle but due to the lighter weight the loads I shoot in the Henry that I hardly feel give a noticeable punch to the shoulder. Not painful but certainly noticeable.

I really never paid much attention to lever guns until my wife gave me a Henry carbine 22 for my 70th birthday a few years ago. Since then I’ve really grown to love lever guns.

You do know that when you buy a lever gun you have to add a single action revolver in the same caliber.
 
Getting tired of black rifles I got a wild hair and went to my LGS to look for something different. While looking at a Henry Big Boy in .45LC, I spied a beautiful Winchester 1873 Trapper in .45LC with CCH steel, 16” octagonal barrel and curly maple stock. It was beautiful and number 157 of only 300 made. I left the Henry behind and brought the 1873 home. Now I want a lever in 357 or 44 mag.
 

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See what happens when you get hooked on lever actions.

I agree about 5.56 AR platform guns. They've gotten a bit boring but I was never into them. I much prefer a nice lever or bolt action gun.
 
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Big Boy Steel in .41 magnum, and a Big Boy Brass in 45 Colt. Both are beautifully built and are very smooth operators, not to mention accurate. I would like to try one of their Long Rangers one of these days. I have more Marlins in other calibers I enjoy shooting (all JML), but will likely stick with Henry for new guns.

Used JM's are always welcome here of course. Sorry I don't have any pictures on this phone, this thread could sure use some.
 
I have an AR and a Henry Big Boy brass in 357 Mag. These days I shoot the Henry for a really good time. The AR usually stays home. Since putting TRUGLO sites on the Henry it is dead on accurate.
 
Have a Henry Big Boy Steel in .38/.357. Shoots very nicely.

I replaced the rear sight with a Skinner peep sight. A leather wrap on the lever is also a nice addition.

One of our local ranges has a fun steel target pistol caliber gallery from 25~100 yards. Fun to clang the plates.
I6aPDxVh.jpg
 
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I wear progressive bifocals too and also found the most of the rear sights on leverguns are unusable for me.

I found this inexpensive solution that directly replaces the factory rear sight and maintains the traditional look:

Rifle Adjustable Peep Long Bullseye Rear Sight Black : MARBLE ARMS RIFLE LONG BULLSEYE REAR SIGHT | Brownells

After giving one a try, I replaced all of the rear sights on my Marlin's and Henry's with them, and these sights work just fine with the factory front sights.

Henry rifles are great, and their customer service is absolutely top draw.

When I bought a Golden Boy as a Christmas present for myself, I did not notice an issue with the receiver cover in the dim lighting of Brass Pro's gun department. Under normal lighting, you could see an even wavy surface on one side that looked like ****.

I was very disappointed to say the least, so when I went to the Henry website to get the warranty department contact info, and saw the blurb from Anthony Imperato about Henry's customer satisfaction guarantee, I was mad enough about the terrible looking Golden Boy putting a damper on my Christmas gift to myself, that I sent him an email with pictures about my experience.

I wasn't expecting much of anything to happen, but I was wrong. I received a reply from him the 2 days later, with an apology that the rifle should have never made it past QA and out of the factory,and told me that someone would be in contact we me shorty to send me a cover replacement.

A few hours later that same day, I got an email from Customer Service asking for my shipping address, and I had a new cover in my hands days later.

Needless to say, I was impressed... and from what I've heard, my customer service experience from Henry is not uncommon.
 
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