Finally got my Henry 44...some test loads with results posted.

[radtuck]

So, I am sitting here admiring my new rifle wondering if I should change up my loads from what I currently shoot out of the 629. I bought some Hornady XTP in 200 grain, but I'm not sure if I should stick with the 8.5 grains of Unique, or bump it up a bit. I'm currently shooting Missouri Bullet Co. 240 gr LSWC with the powder shown above, and it shoots awesome with my revolver. Anyone want to share some loads for a carbine?
John

 

[radtuck]

Nobody shooting a carbine that wants to share a good .44 load???

 

[Cal44]

Anything you shoot in your revolver will probably generate twice the muzzle energy in your Henry.

I just recently purchased a Henry 357 Mag Big Boy myself.

Henry make really nice lever guns.

Dave

 

[Neumann]

The Henry uses the same action as a Marlin 336, and will handle the same loads.

The Lyman 59th Edition handbook has loads specifically for a lever action rifle or Ruger revolver. These are too hot for a S&W revolver, at least for extended use.

Unless you have a suitable revolver, I would think twice about what amounts to +P magnum loads. A mixup could make for "interesting" results. Furthermore, it probably isn't necessary. Typical "hot" .44 Magnum loads contain more powder than will burn in a revolver barrel, and the hot gas will continue to accelerate the bullet after the powder is completely burned. You get about 300 fps more velocity out of a 20" carbine than the same round in a 6" revolver, and almost no muzzle flash.

If you haven't shot it yet, you will get a satisfying thump at both ends of the carbine. Every time I shoot my Marlin .44 I think, "What am I doing putting these things in a revolver?"

 

[radtuck]

I'm thinking of trying 10 gr. of unique with the 200 gr. XTP Hornady round for the carbine...anyone try this match?

 

[alwslate]

Depends on what you want to do with your carbine. I have two 44 mag
carbines and I use the same loads in them that I load for my Ruger
revolvers, 24.0-24.5 grs W296 and 240 gr HP or SP, for deer hunting.
Decide what you expect from your carbine load and go from there.

 

[shocker]

Curious about bore diameter of the Henry. Have heard rifle barrels run a couple thousands larger so the one load for revolver and rifle idea is good in theory but not so much in practice for cast bullets.

 

[mkk41]

I guess yer talking about the made in NY Henry and not the Italian replica of the original 1860 Henry , huh?

 

[41 fan]

Neumann,

You probably won't find much information about loads for the Marlin 336 in .44 mag. They were in production for about a year. Dean

 

[radtuck]

I guess yer talking about the made in NY Henry and not the Italian replica of the original 1860 Henry , huh?

Yes...The new version. I've wanted one for about 2 years, and I finally got it yesterday. I'm pretty pumped to try it out today!

 

[radtuck]

Here is what Lyman has to say.

Thanks for posting that!

 

[venomballistics]

I'm thinking of trying 10 gr. of unique with the 200 gr. XTP Hornady round for the carbine...anyone try this match?

yeah .. and abandoned it.
when loading jacketed bullets I favor the full smoke and fire philosophies of H110, AA9, or 2400.
there's nothing a jacketed bullet can do over unique, that cast cant do just as well, and sometimes a little better, at a fraction the cost.

 

[WPWarhawk]

It sounds like Unique is the only powder you have?

Unique is great for mid range loads, but like a previous poster said, no reason to use those expensive jacketed bullets with Unique.

Pick up a pound of H110, WW296, or 2400 for full power loads with those jacketed slugs.

 

[radtuck]

I'll try the H110...I shot some loads with 11 grains of Unique today, and compared it to some factory rounds. I liked the thump of the factory load, so I will bump up the load with another powder for my hunting rounds. Yes...unique is all I have right now.

 

[smike308]

What kind of accuracy did you get with that load?

 

[venomballistics]

What kind of accuracy did you get with that load?

since I've used a similar load .. it is rather accurate, thus it was reincarnated with cast soon after.
the 200 grain XTP was a little iffy with expansion over Unique, However, when propelled with AA9 or H110, it really comes into it's own and is the one load that I haven't replaced with cast

 

[radtuck]

What kind of accuracy did you get with that load?

It was OK...with iron sights I was able to get the majority of my rounds in the black circle (the entire 9" target is black except for a 2" inner circle). I'm going to buy a Skinner peep to see if I can improve my accuracy, but I don't like the factory sight. It's good enough for what I'll be using it for...I can't say that I wasn't the factor in the errant shots...the iron bead on the front of the barrel engulfed the target at 100 yards, so it was very hard to determine.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

Ill be watching this thread closely.

I have been wanting to procure a Henry Big Boy 44 for quite some time and should be making that happen in about 2 months...

 

[smike308]

Thanks Radtuck & Venom. Keep us posted. I too, have been looking real hard at one of these.

 

[radtuck]

I absolutely love how the gun shoulders. ..it comes right to my eye level without much adjustment, and the recoil is minimal. It's definitely a gun I could shoot all day if I could keep up on ammo. It's going to be a fun one to experiment with...The sound of the slug hitting the target is impressive!