Henry Rifles

Status
Not open for further replies.
Looks like I bought mine at the right time!
I didn't know they quit making 'em
Yes, I'm glad I got my steel 327 Fed. Magnum when I did.

I'm kind of hoping one of the lever action manufacturers will come out with a 32-20. I'd be interested in any form. I have an 1890's Winchester 1873 but I'd rather not push the envelope with it.
 
I have a classic .22 LR lever, a youth .22 LR with a Skinner peep and a .22 WMR.

I like the Henry rimfires, they’re fun to shoot. :thumbup:

Stay safe.
 
How’s the accuracy on those single shots? The single shots are the only thing in the Henry catalog that appeals to me at the moment.
Honestly, I haven’t shot them for groups yet or worked up dedicated loads. I got them sighted in at 50 yards using loads I put together for my revolvers, then shot steel at 100. Plenty accurate for that!
 
Henry Model X in 44 magnum. Fun gun.

Last weekend the crazy thing cycled just fine the three Special cartridges I handloaded, but the accuracy was not on par with the magnum cartridges even though two of the three cast lead bullets were .432. Can’t figure it out. Groups the magnums great.
 
H010B Brass 45/70
Skinner sights
My hand loads with 405 grain hb Linotype cast boolits. I killed a big plow puller doe with it last week.

I always shot and hunted with black powder or bolt action rifles. The Henry was my first lever gun bought at Atwood’s in 2019. I know this is a Henry discussion but I just added a rashy, beat up 70’s vintage Winchester 94 I bought in an estate sale. I just ordered a Lyman 66A sight to mount as soon as I refinish the metal and wood.
Point being; I’m all about some lever guns now.

I want a 45lc Henry next. I’m conflicted on which one. When I try to weigh the merits of the original steel, Big Boy, case hardened, etc I has the anxiety. Vexed and sleepless. I only feel peace when I imagine owning one of each................
 
Just the .327, but have had a .45 Colt lever action on my mind for years and with the side gates now becoming standard and the Big Boy X models now existing, I'm leaning towards getting one of them instead of a Rossi. My biggest concern has been IDK how strong the Henry is, buu if Buffalo Bore says that their HOT .45 Colt can be shot in a Henry, then they should be strong enough. Also, the fact that I can put a rear sight on top of the receiver for the Henry whereas I'm stuck having to run a tang sight for the Rossi is making up my mind for me.

Now that Henry has these side gate models now, I wonder how long the original models are going to be around and if they'll be getting sold at discount. I mean, if I could pick up a .357 Henry w/o the gate for $400, I would.
 
Yes, I'm glad I got my steel 327 Fed. Magnum when I did.

I'm kind of hoping one of the lever action manufacturers will come out with a 32-20. I'd be interested in any form. I have an 1890's Winchester 1873 but I'd rather not push the envelope with it.
I think that would be very unlikely, it was a popular hunting cartridge in its day, but .327 is far superior and has revolvers currently produced for it, something .32-20 can't claim. Like, while .44-40 isn't popular anymore, it's historically accurate and for the CAS crowd, that's what they want, so Italian manufacturers started making revolvers in .44-40 and then Henry was quick to make a model of the 1860 Henry in the caliber, even tho it's not .44 rimfire, it's about as close to historically accurate as possible.

I don't see a demand in the CAS for .32-20 revolvers or rifles. If there was, there'd be some .32-20 chambered guns being made.

If there's a market that the lever action companies are failing to jump on it's a lever action in a rimless pistol cartridge that uses the tubular magazine and is marketed for localities like Manhattan or Chicago where buying a rifle is pretty easy, but all have their own state/local AWB. Lever actions don't fall under an AWB, so having a capacity of 15 rds in a 20 inch lever action is pretty damn good, especially if it's a common caliber like 9mm, .40, .45, etc.

I pitched them the idea earlier this year before the riots and specifically said that the market for this should be major cities.

IDK if anyone read it, but the fact that there are so many millions of new gun owners who live in those cities might make Henry think about doing this.

I could care less about a 9mm lever action, but a .45 Super or a 10mm? Yeah, gimmie!
 
Last edited:
I think that would be very unlikely, it was a popular hunting cartridge in its day, but .327 is far superior and has revolvers currently produced for it, something .32-20 can't claim.

True, but that does not mean one could not hope.

Winchester made a special run of 32-20's 15-20 years ago.
 
I’m surprised to hear that Henry took the .327 steel out of their inventory. I just looked on Henry’s website and they have the brasslight version still available. Of the two, I would’ve thought the brass light one would’ve been removed because of the extra weight compared to the steel model.

I REALLY would love to hear from someone at Corp Henry if that is a long term decision and why it was made. I can’t believe it’s due to lack of sales as Henry is the only game in town right now for lever .327 FMs.
 
I think that would be very unlikely, it was a popular hunting cartridge in its day, but .327 is far superior and has revolvers currently produced for it, something .32-20 can't claim. Like, while .44-40 isn't popular anymore, it's historically accurate and for the CAS crowd, that's what they want, so Italian manufacturers started making revolvers in .44-40 and then Henry was quick to make a model of the 1860 Henry in the caliber, even tho it's not .44 rimfire, it's about as close to historically accurate as possible.

I don't see a demand in the CAS for .32-20 revolvers or rifles. If there was, there'd be some .32-20 chambered guns being made.

If there's a market that the lever action companies are failing to jump on it's a lever action in a rimless pistol cartridge that uses the tubular magazine and is marketed for localities like Manhattan or Chicago where buying a rifle is pretty easy, but all have their own state/local AWB. Lever actions don't fall under an AWB, so having a capacity of 15 rds in a 20 inch lever action is pretty damn good, especially if it's a common caliber like 9mm, .40, .45, etc.

I pitched them the idea earlier this year before the riots and specifically said that the market for this should be major cities.

IDK if anyone read it, but the fact that there are so many millions of new gun owners who live in those cities might make Henry think about doing this.

I could care less about a 9mm lever action, but a .45 Super or a 10mm? Yeah, gimmie!

While I acquired them in 2015, I own a Miroku made Winchester 1892 takedown in .32-20, and shortly after that I bought a Uberti 1873 Colt Peacemaker in .32-20. I'd guess they're still made (atleast the revolver) but I don't really know.

I see a LOT of repros in .45 Colt and I think it is a good caliber for them as it's authentic and close enough to .44-40 to replicate Winchester 1873 performance-wise, though .44-40 is still available.

I know .32-20 cartridges are still obtainable through internet/mail order so it isn't "dead" as in UNOBTAINABLE, but you're right to think it's days as a popular round found in every lgs shelves is history.

But it's fans can still get the round if they look for it.
 
I'm also surprised that Henry removed the steel 327 Fed Mag rifles. Maybe they were having difficulties getting the 327 to work through a feed gate. The head size maybe below practical limits for feeding into a loading gate.

When Marlin made a 32 H&R Mag model 94, Marlin went with a tube load like Henry. I never heard an explanation why Marlin did that. The 32 H&R is the same head and body diameter as the 327 and only slightly shorter. Maybe the head diameter is just too small to be thumb pressed into a loading gate.
 
I think that would be very unlikely, it was a popular hunting cartridge in its day, but .327 is far superior and has revolvers currently produced for it, something .32-20 can't claim. Like, while .44-40 isn't popular anymore, it's historically accurate and for the CAS crowd, that's what they want, so Italian manufacturers started making revolvers in .44-40 and then Henry was quick to make a model of the 1860 Henry in the caliber, even tho it's not .44 rimfire, it's about as close to historically accurate as possible.

I don't see a demand in the CAS for .32-20 revolvers or rifles. If there was, there'd be some .32-20 chambered guns being made.

Howdy

I pretty much agree with you except for the part about the Henry Repeating Arms Company (the American one) being quick to make a replica of the 1860 Henry. Uberti has been making one for many years, I seem to recall they first made their replica of the Henry during the 1970s. Interestingly enough, they made a few chambered for the obsolete 44 Henry Rimfire cartridge. But because the Henry cartridge has not been commercially available for many years, they soon changed to chambering them for 45 Colt and 44-40. Since the 45 Colt and 44-40 are longer than the 44 Henry Rimfire, Uberti had to lengthen the carrier slightly for the longer cartridges. This meant the frames were slightly longer in the area of the carrier than the originals. I have been lucky enough to handle several original Henry rifles and I always enjoy turning them over to see how tiny the carrier was.

This is the underside of an original Henry rifle. The rectangle is the underside of the carrier.

po5vgvFlj.jpg




This is the bottom of my Uberti Henry. Notice how much more stretched out the carrier is to accommodate the longer 44-40 cartridge.

pnvy2lwXj.jpg




Anyway, I digress. I believe Uberti first started making their replica of the 1860 Henry in the 1970s. I have had mine for over ten years now. Henry Repeating Arms did not introduce their version of the original Henry rifle until I had had mine for a few years. I remember checking them out when they first came out, so probably only about 5 years ago.


As a long time CAS shooter I will agree with you. I see very few firearms chambered for 32-20. Lots of 45s, 44-40s, and a smattering of other cartridges. I cannot recall actually seeing anybody shooting a 32-20.




I will have to rectify that next year, when the pandemic is over and I start going to matches again, and bring this nice 32-20 Model 1892 with me some time.

pllgDhN7j.jpg
 
None yet. Never had the opportunity.

However, on their site I see they now have a single shot in 450 BM. I’m going to call my dealer in a bit to get one on order.

They have 350 Legend too.
 
I have an H001 22lr. It's probably my favorite to shoot with the ammo shortage. Shoots basically any 22 I can find except magnum. I have a supply of short, long cb's, and long rifle. It does not like the Super Colibri from Aguila. Everything else is accurate enough that I can't tell the difference at 50 yards without a scope. Now that I have the factory sights centered, I'm in the market for a scope. Even with a scoped rifle, I feel the factory sights should be functional as a backup if they're present.
 
You mean the modern ones or the original "darn Yankee rifle you can load on Sunday and shoot two times a day all week and three times on Wednesday"?
 
I hope Henry starts a custom shop.

They could really have something going with these single shots since H&R and T/C are no more.

There is a gunsmith in MI who does 450 BM conversions on the Long Ranger. Wouldn’t be too hard for Henry to do it.
 
Howdy

I pretty much agree with you except for the part about the Henry Repeating Arms Company (the American one) being quick to make a replica of the 1860 Henry. Uberti has been making one for many years, I seem to recall they first made their replica of the Henry during the 1970s. Interestingly enough, they made a few chambered for the obsolete 44 Henry Rimfire cartridge. But because the Henry cartridge has not been commercially available for many years, they soon changed to chambering them for 45 Colt and 44-40. Since the 45 Colt and 44-40 are longer than the 44 Henry Rimfire, Uberti had to lengthen the carrier slightly for the longer cartridges. This meant the frames were slightly longer in the area of the carrier than the originals. I have been lucky enough to handle several original Henry rifles and I always enjoy turning them over to see how tiny the carrier was.

This is the underside of an original Henry rifle. The rectangle is the underside of the carrier.

View attachment 959729




This is the bottom of my Uberti Henry. Notice how much more stretched out the carrier is to accommodate the longer 44-40 cartridge.

View attachment 959730




Anyway, I digress. I believe Uberti first started making their replica of the 1860 Henry in the 1970s. I have had mine for over ten years now. Henry Repeating Arms did not introduce their version of the original Henry rifle until I had had mine for a few years. I remember checking them out when they first came out, so probably only about 5 years ago.


As a long time CAS shooter I will agree with you. I see very few firearms chambered for 32-20. Lots of 45s, 44-40s, and a smattering of other cartridges. I cannot recall actually seeing anybody shooting a 32-20.




I will have to rectify that next year, when the pandemic is over and I start going to matches again, and bring this nice 32-20 Model 1892 with me some time.

View attachment 959731
As usual Drifty, nice pics. Yeah, I understand the reason for chambering the repro Henry's in .45 Colt and .44-40, but these aren't exactly rifles that I feel people are relying solely on factory ammo to shoot, so why they didn't bother with shorter rimmed cases like .45 Schofield or .44 Russian as those would have kept the carrier as short as possible. Like, maybe they'd get more sales, but at least make it an option that people could own something even closer to the originals.

It's an issue that's rampant with the lever action manufacturers in that they are not even trying to support the market in providing lever action rifles that can feed and cycle shorter cartridges.

Which leads me to a question for you Drift. How popular do you think lever action rifles would be in CAS if they held an extra 4 to 7 rounds in the tube magazine? Or is there some rule in CAS that lever action rifles can only hold a certain amount of ammunition?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top