Uberti 1860 Henry rifle -- action strength

[EMT_stuart]

Hey guys, had a question about Uberti's 1860 Henry rifle.

I've heard from quite a few sources that only blackpowder or an equivalent smokeless load (with stuff like Trail Boss) should be use in reproduction "Cowboy" firearms like this rifle.

However, according to Buffalo Bore,their standard pressure loadings for the .45 Colt cartridge are safe to shoot in any weapon in that caliber. I am particularly interested in their "Anti Personnel" and gas-checked soft lead loads.

Would a new production steel frame Henry action made by Uberti stand up to these loads? How about a brass frame? According to Wikipedia, the original .44 Henry load launched a 200 gr round at 1,125 FPS. Buffalo Bore also has a 200 gr .45 Colt JHP that goes to 1,120 FPS.

 

[Onmilo]

Toggle lock actions are not strong by any stretch of the imagination.
I don't shoot any heavy loads in my steel frame Henry and the pressure curve is much different between a blackpowder load and a smokeless powder load.

In the toggle lock rifles it does not take many heavy loads before the steel toggles peen the connector pins and set back & excessive headspace become an issue.

If you want to shoot heavy loads buy one of the Model 92 reproductions or buy a Marlin. HTH

 

[Cosmoline]

Those wadcutter loads may give you feeding issues as well.

 

[GCBurner]

Ubertis are made of top quality modern materials, and their "brass" Henry is actually a high-strength bronze alloy. They should be able to handle any commercially loaded ammo in their listed calibres. Personally, though, if I were going to push the envelope on velocity and pressure with an older type lever action design, I'd prefer something with locking bolts like the Model 92s and 94s, not the older toggle-lock design of the Henry, the Model 66, or the Model 73.

 

[VA27]

The A/P load will not work through the action in the Henry without a lot of modification to the gun, because the bullet is too short.

'Standard velocity' factory ammo made by Remington works great in one. There is plenty of 'thump' with those big ol' bullets, even if they're not supersonic.

It also helps to remember that the old factory Remington black powder load (250gr lead bullet and 40grs of black powder in a balloon head case) was the most powerful pistol round from 1873 until 1935, when the .357 Magnum was introduced.

If you want to 'hot rod' a toggle action, use a 200gr bullet and as much black powder as the case will hold.

If you are a reloader, some research will lead you to some smokeless loading data that come close to duplicating the pressure spike and curve of the BP loads. It's just easier to use the real stuff.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I would not do in my steel Henry. I run only trailboss loads in mine and keep in mild. Take on apart and ask yourself if you want to push it.

 

[Burt Blade]

The toggle link action in the Henry, 1866, and 1873 rifles is not very strong, being originally designd for low-pressure blackpowder loads, and cannot hold up well to stout modern smokeless loads. The wear quickly when subjected to max-pressure ammo.

Stick to BP or "cowboy" loads. If those are not hot enough, get a Winchester 92 or 94. They are much better designs for full-power loads.

 

[DPris]

The bronze frames CAN also stretch with repeated hot loads, it's not just a matter of the toggle actions on the bronze Henry & '66.
Denis