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...besides the tube loading?

Looking at comments in online reviews and certainly lots of opinions expressed in these forums it seems the first thing folks bring up is how much they don't like the tube loading and most of the reasoning for that seems to be because it doesn't allow quick combat reloads - which I won't comment on.

But, other than that, what is not to like about a Henry? I've looked at several examples over the last several months and Sunday went and looked again at a standard blue steel/walnut .30-30 at Sportsman's. It had the best trigger I've ever felt on a lever action, bar none. My semi-educated finger put the weight at about 3 1/2 pounds, zero creep and no overtravel, it truly felt like a good bolt action trigger. The action was smooth as silk, no hesitation at the start of the lever throw to cock the hammer, at least none that I could feel. The transfer bar hammer eliminates any external safety at all and is certainly as safe as any Ruger revolver. Obviously couldn't check accuracy in the store but from what I've been able to find in reviews they seem to run about typical for a better Marlin 336, 1.5 MOA or so average with some exceptions getting 1 MOA and some close to 2 MOA.

The wood on all five of the various Henry's they had on the rack was really nice for a lever action or any modern factory rifle for that matter, definitely nicer than anything on any of the new Marlins except their big buck TDL and as nice or nicer than the Miroku 94's they had in stock, and to be honest a lot better than most of the wood Ruger puts on their $1400 No. 1's these days.

There were a couple of cons that stood out, mostly the 14" LOP which felt about 1/2" too long IMO, folks with longer arms might not be bothered. The checkering pattern is a bit busy, I'd just as soon have no checkering or better the straight forward pattern on their Big Boy series sans the curved lines. And to be real honest, the name "Henry" just doesn't inspire awe in me. Maybe "Excelsior" or something would have been a better choice. wink

I like Marlins and Winchester 94's, having had well over a dozen of the former in various calibers and at least a half dozen of the latter, but I wanted to approach the Henry with an open mind and from I've seen they are really well built lever rifles, which makes me wonder why - except for the tube loading which seems to be some kind of real hot button issue - so many folks seem to have such a dislike for them.


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I am a sucker for a pretty face. it looks cheap to me and that is a real turn off. I have no problem with tube loading, my 61 Winchester loads that way.

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Perhaps they have changed it since I looked at a Henry, but the front sight used to be made of nylon. That would be a turn off for me.


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It has been changed, it's now a brass bead dovetailed into the barrel. It's pretty tall and would look better with a ramp sight but lots of other rifles use the same technique so they aren't alone. On the good side from what I've read is that because of its height you don't need to switch it out when mounting a peep sight.

[Linked Image]


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Good news, then. I may have to look into the Big Boy in .44 Mag.


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Henry rifles have the quality and most shoot well, but I still don't like them. For me a lever action offers me absolutely zero advantage over a bolt action rifle. I like, and use them for purely nostalgic reasons. If I'm buying a lever action rifle, and I own a dozen of them, I want the traditional design features if it is a reproduction, or the original. All of the Henry rifles look kinda, sorta, like a traditional Marlin or Winchester from a distance. But up close they are not. Plus most all of them are waay heavier than a lever action should be.

If I were considering a Henry, I'd just as soon have this.

https://www.guns.com/news/review/gun-review-mossberg-464-spx-tactical-lever-action-30-30-video


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Henry rifles are kinda neat I wished they would offer them in some other cartridges like a 7mm-08,358 win.356 or ? now for the thought on a Henry rifle you compare a Ruger no.1 price and wood that Ruger no.1 is a way better rifle and made much better too. slide both levers down and up just look at the workmanship of a Ruger no.1 then a Henry rifle there is a huge difference.


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Jim in Idaho,
I was like you recently. I had also only read negative comments about the lack of loading gate on the Henry rifles. Everyone who takes time to post only complains about the loading tube. My only experience was with a Marlin 336 in 35 Remington and an 1894 in 357 Magnum. The 1894 did suffer slightly from the Marlin Jam. Sometimes it fed great and sometimes it started screwing up. As it got dirty the jam got worse. This fall I purchased Henry big boy in 327 Federal Magnum. There is no problem with cycling this action it's very smooth. It is very accurate from the limited amount of time I've had to play with it. I wish I had tried the Henry earlier. Now that I have one I don't see why I was afraid of not having a loading gate on the side of the receiver. I don't miss the pinched fingers and the scratched up brass. Plus I can hold 10 in the tube. I say get one.

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I’ll start out by saying I am a Henry fan, especially their rimfire rifles. The H001 22 is the best deal going on new leverguns these days. That said, I find their center fires on the heavy or bulky side. They are also kind of pricey, but I guess most are these days. I prefer used Marlin, Winchesters or Savages. The tube loading doesn’t bother me for rimfire or pistol calibers, but I don’t like it for centerfire rifle rounds.

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I don’t like that they don’t make a Henry chambered in .35 Remington.

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They resemble a cheap hybrid IMO and would stand out like a whore in church next to my Uberti's, Winchesters and Marlins. Just not my cup of traditional tea .


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Cartoon looks and extra pounds!

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Originally Posted by JMR40

My eyes!! My eyes!! I can't unsee what I've seen and I'm not really sure what I saw!!

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I guess I'm gonna break down and buy one of their big boy steels in .45 Colt between now and spring.

It'll get hunted, plinked with, truck gunned a little.

There are a few things it does or has that Marlins and Winchesters (and Rossis and Ubertis) don't.

-A NEW 16.5" .45 Colt model is AVAILABLE.
-It has a recoil pad, not that you really need it with all but the heaviest loads, but I can lean it up in the corner and it won't slide out onto the hardwood floor.
-It has sling swivels so I don't have to figure out how to carry it and drag out a deer.
-It has a 1:16 twist, which is kinda fast, but it beats the 1:38 everybody uses on the .44 Mag (Henry included).
-There is no stupid useless safety.
-No one has griped yet about the stupid huge .45 Colt Chambers.

There are a few things I wish were different. I'm not wild about the Hawken-esque perch belly forend, but it beats the grooved line post that Marlin uses on their '94's. It's also my understanding that OAL can be limited, so I may have to find a different mold (currently a 270 SAA), but it's also my understanding that the new ones have a bit more leeway.

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They are ugly, especially next to any JMB designed gun.

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I bought a Henry BB Silver in both 357 and 44 mag. Was not a fan of the brass/gold look, but really like the Silver. Both guns shoot very well with various loads. Tibe feeding doesn't bother me as if I cant get what I need done or to the next gun with 10 rounds, well....I better learn to shoot better.

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Originally Posted by K1500
They are ugly, especially next to any JMB designed gun.

This in spades.

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Fine. I have the Henry BB brass in .357/.38, 20" octagon barrel. Heavy? A bit, but, I don't really care, as it isn't a field gun, strictly for plinking. Next up, Henry BB steel in .45. Winchester's aren't worth their price, Marlin's seem to still be having teething issues. So, I chose Henry. Buy and enjoy what you want. It really is that simple. I like the older Marlin 1894's, but, those prices, nada.

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Originally Posted by JMR40
Henry rifles have the quality and most shoot well, but I still don't like them. For me a lever action offers me absolutely zero advantage over a bolt action rifle. I like, and use them for purely nostalgic reasons. If I'm buying a lever action rifle, and I own a dozen of them, I want the traditional design features if it is a reproduction, or the original. All of the Henry rifles look kinda, sorta, like a traditional Marlin or Winchester from a distance. But up close they are not. Plus most all of them are waay heavier than a lever action should be.

If I were considering a Henry, I'd just as soon have this.

https://www.guns.com/news/review/gun-review-mossberg-464-spx-tactical-lever-action-30-30-video

I could hear the bad guys if John Wayne or Roy Rogers rode up with one of these lol

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So what don't you like about a Henry...



I have dozens of lever actions and none look like these 2...

[Linked Image]



[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]
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