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Originally Posted by Frontiersman
You have to go back a lot of years to find a lever with the fit and finish of a Henry.


While all the arguments exist for the superiority of the savage 99, the Winchester, or the Marlin; the truth is, they don't exist any more. I plan to take advantage of the one American company that can make a quality lever rifle while I can, and not spend all my time trying to make them mimic a failed company.


Just a reminder of the title of the thread is “what don’t you like” about a Henry. To make a comparison without a comparison is impossible so I will make a comparison.

The idea that it is the best made lever action is not true. If you want to find characteristics that are preferable, that can be accomplished. Made in America is a quality that can be said about a Henry, but if you think it is better made than the current Winchester 1873, you are mistaken. The price point is close as well, so the value is about a personal liking of the Henry over the Winchester.

When someone states what they don’t like about the Henry and that is what the thread is about, why get upset? You can have your Henrys and I will have something else, it is just that simple...


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what i don`t like about Henry rifles is they make the same boring cartridges that everyone else does,why not make some different lever rifle cartridges in your clip / magazine lever rifles like 7mm-08 ,6.5 creedmoor maybe a varmint cartridge lever rifle ? 22-250 and put a 22 inch barrel on rifle and a picatinny rail on the rifle too ? these kinds of rifles will sell and i am all for making a few bucks. maybe even a S.S. synthetic ? another big seller would be a over/ under 556/20 gauge 3 inch takedown S.S. Synthetic with picatinny rail and a floating takedown case.


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Originally Posted by Frontiersman
You have to go back a lot of years to find a lever with the fit and finish of a Henry.

Don't get me wrong, I like all the levers, but Henry is Henry. It's in a class of it's own. I find it amazing all the wasted effort in trying to discredit it by comparing it to something different.

I don't expect a savage 110 to be a Remington 700 or a Winchester 70. You simply pick your preference and move on.

While all the arguments exist for the superiority of the savage 99, the Winchester, or the Marlin; the truth is, they don't exist any more. I plan to take advantage of the one American company that can make a quality lever rifle while I can, and not spend all my time trying to make them mimic a failed company.

I don't think people are discrediting it. there are lots of guns actually to compare a henry to, I prefer the 1894's over the big boy in pistol calibers. just because they are lighter and handier, plus I prefer a loading gate. comparing the full size 30-30 to a 336 marlin or comparable henry that is a tuffer call. I really like the henry, but then again it comes to how much you are hung up on the loading gate. if the loading gate doesn't matter the henry is awesome in 30-30 or I will call it full size. but then again there are millions of used 336's out there that can be had for $200 less on the used market than a new henry. So its all factors here just blankely saying henry sucks, is not what I am hearing. What I am hearing is people prefer different guns with different features in many cases. If you like the features on a henry rock on. I think they are a great company that seems focused on america and its unique greatness. I almost want to buy one for that fact alone. I am interested in a 22 lever gun. but there again I think henry uses mim receivers.

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Originally Posted by Loggah
I don't own any henrys,there probably fine built in the U.S. firearms,but i like the older lever guns!! :

[Linked Image] savages

[Linked Image] winchesters

[Linked Image] marlins


Damn, what a collection! .....Congrats!......Hb

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I’m not that knowledgeable in all thing lever-action but do have a circ-70’s Marlin in 44 mag that shoots well and handles like a battton — that’s the problem; every time I pick up a Henry to look it over, it feels like a railroad tie in comparison.

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the loading


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I didn't read all the posts on this thread, so please forgive.

I like the fact that Henry's are made here. When they first came out, they were inexpensive. I like inexpensive things if they are as good as expensive things. For instance, when I first saw a Henry, base .22 in Walmart, they were under $200. Pardon me if my timeline is off. This must've been back in the early 2000's, but I'm guessing. A few years later and they were up over $300 whereas at the time, you could still get a good, used Marlin 39 for around the same money if you had some patience and were willing to look around and maybe hit some shows. The Marlin had steel parts and the Henry had some plastic. About that time, I traded into one and was anxious to try it out and maybe hold it back for my boy who IIRC, was a bit young that time to be given one. Just shooting it for informal accuracy-it wasn't reliable. It would hang up every few shots. This probably could have been cured but I hate leaving guns at the gunsmith. Besides, it was used but not shot much and should've worked.

So bad initial experience plus IMO inferior parts equals me not wanting one. They are pretty guns, but my taste is traditional. One of their guns that interests me is their actual American-made HENRY model of 1860 which they brought out a few years back. It looks to be a faithful replica of the originals whose name they appropriated and his made here as opposed to Italy. The downside is price. Uberti makes a good replica for about half the cost of the Henry. A couple of hundred more, I could justify, but not double.

All Henry's now seem to be higher than they should be, so put that down as another downside.

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Got my Henry a few weeks ago.
Bear in mind, it is a round barreled, steel frame model, 16.5" barrel.

Weightwise, it likely is a shade heavier than a Marlin or Winchester of like barrel length. The barrel is a touch heavier contour than on other .45 Colt leverguns, the buttstock is thicker, and the forend is deeper (Hawken type "perch belly"). Also, it has a pretty thick recoil pad (not a bad thing) that is likely heavier than the plastic found on current Marlins or Winchesters or the thin metal found on vintage models. While heavier, it's far from burdensome, and the weight, stock dimensions, and recoil pad will likely be appreciated when touching off "ruger only" loads.

It felt a bit rough and would hang up when closed slowly, so, I tore it apart (good video on their site), wiped everything down, soaked it down with Lucas Gun Oil, cycled it a couple hundred times, now she's slick as a ribbon. Bore was pretty filthy (wonder what crap they test fired it with), but a few trips with a .45 jag, patch, and Hoppe's #9, all was well.

So far, it feeds H&G 68's, Lee 230 TC's, 454424's, and RCBS 230 CM's just fine. The only thing that has given any trouble are my beloved 270SAA's (a design developed by Dave Scovill, so some of you can now double up on hate), one batch fed fine, the other didn't. OAL was a tick longer on the batch that didn't feed (I think I bothered to trim the other at some point, for some reason), so I'll likely file around .010"-.020" off the "fence" on the lifter/carrier thingy.

Fit and finish? New Marlin can't even get in the same area code. Handled two. One had terrible fit an finish, the other wouldn't work (went into detail in a previous post). Dunno about stuff from 20-120 years ago. Don't care. If the Marlins I looked at would've even looked like someone was trying, I'd have bought one. Didn't look at Winchesters as I couldn't find a short barreled .45 Colt on their website.

How's it shoot? I single fed a dozen 270SAA's over 9 grains of Universal (this was the lot that didn't want to feed). Off my hind feet and kneeling, it was well inside minute of paper plate at 50 yards. Will likely do a bit more "development" as well as add a peep sight. Recoil was nothing (see above). That's all I've had time for so far.

What don't I like about it?

-The trigger, while it does break clean, is pretty heavy (6-7lbs). Hoping it lightens up a bit with use. If not, I'll figure out some sort of alteration.

-I've never been wild about a buckhorn rear sight, no different this time, fact is, I hate it. I'll likely put a peep on it (was looking at Skinner, I think I like the Ranger Point Precision better though).

-I managed to ding the stock (which was gonna happen at some point). Wrapped it in a Carhartt and put it in the back seat of the truck with nearly nothing else back there and it still got dinged. Spun me into a new dimension of pissed off (mostly on account of knowing it was my fault, shoulda dug out a soft case). Totally not Henry's fault, but it still pissed me off. Just had to mention it.

More info will be forthcoming if work ever slows down and it ever stops raining............

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Originally Posted by George_De_Vries_3rd

I’m not that knowledgeable in all thing lever-action but do have a circ-70’s Marlin in 44 mag that shoots well and handles like a battton — that’s the problem; every time I pick up a Henry to look it over, it feels like a railroad tie in comparison.
Those are slick little guns-and wicked kickers.

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they should just sell them at walmart in my opinion.i wouldnt own one in any caliber.great big heavy turds.

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I had a few Henry H010 45/70's, The main thing i did not like about the rifles is that i found a few plastic parts internally when i tore them down for cleaning but fit and finish on the Henrys i had was excellent and they were very accurate. I know many dont like the way a Henry 45-70 loads but i am the opposite, I like it better than Marlins trap door loading system......Hb

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I like my Henry's just fine. Like my Win Mod94 too. Don't have a Marlin CF, only a 39A. It seems fine. I'm not into the nostalgic thing, so appearance doesn't really bug me. What don't I like about Henry's? Nothing. It's just a lever action rifle thats fun to shoot. If someone doesn't like Henry's, don't buy 'em. Pretty simple really.

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Looked at a Henry awhile back at a gunshow that was brass and beautiful! Weight was consistent with Winchester guns and it handled well. Action was smooth, bore was great. Yeah, it was used. Only problem would be finding ammo and taking out a loan. Guy wanted $125,000.00.


I am..........disturbed.

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Could have been the same one I saw several years back, at the Tulsa Gunshow. Some of these guns have the "habit" of floating around various shows for years. It was only $80,000 back then. If it was the same gun...a bargain!

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Originally Posted by DigitalDan
Looked at a Henry awhile back at a gunshow that was brass and beautiful! Weight was consistent with Winchester guns and it handled well. Action was smooth, bore was great. Yeah, it was used. Only problem would be finding ammo and taking out a loan. Guy wanted $125,000.00.


I remember seeing an 1866 Winchester Yellow Boy at a Flea Market when I was a teen and it was $250. Now it was rough but man I wish I would've been able to jump on that.

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I was hoping they did the Long Ranger in .35 rem.
But I snagged an old Rem 760 that shoots great.
So maybe they should do a .358 win wink

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Hi Jim
I bought my Henery Big Boy wood stock last year and love it. I got mine in the 44 Magnum. The fit and finish is great and it shoots 1- 1/4 inch at 50 yards with my Speer 270 grain handloads using a Sig Sauer ROMEO 05 red dot sight. This rifle swings fast and I can get on target quickly for those close in shots. It cycles smooth as butter and I can tell you that it is a lot easier to unload then my Marlin. Oh, it doesn’t have the lawyer safety on it like my Marlin 336 JM has. Love my Marlin but love my new Henery as well.

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More and more I'm really impressed by the Henry's. All except for the weight. I was looking at maybe buying a Golden Boy 357 but it was so heavy I don't know if I can carry it all day.

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Still have not shot my Big Boy steel 327 Carbine. But have been playing with it quite a bit.

Do not like that the screws in the top of the receiver are proud. And they are a bigger screw size than used for most scope bases.

Explanation, there are three holes on the receiver for mounting scope bases. The Skinner sight only uses the front and rear hole. But the 2'nd screw is proud and the sight will not sit on the receiver with it in place. I tried to fill the hole with a brass screw from another rifle, but the brass screw was too small diameter.

I hate the idea that there is an open hole in the receiver under the Skinner Sight.

I pulled the wood off of it today and gave it three applications of "Gun Coat" and put it back together. Very pleased with wood to metal fit, and very pleased with the trigger.

I also do not like the condition of the bore from the factory. I spent an hour with a bronze brush, patches, and Birchwood Casey gun scrubber trying to get the bore clean enough to give it a dose of UBC.
Perhaps the barrels are hammer forged, and have never been cleaned up after forming? IDK

Yes, I know, UBC is kind of a waste of time on a 327, especially with powder coated bullets. But I am doing it in hopes of enhanced weather protection when the grandkids take it out. It sure can't hurt anything.

I will be willing to bet though, the Henry will work better than my one Marlin, an 1894 FG in 41 mag. The Marlin took three trips to the gunsmith and most of a year to cure it of jamming (double feed).


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I got a chance to weight the20" Marlin 39M and the Henry .22lr today.
The Marlin has a Williams receiver sight and a nylon sling but....

The Henry weighs 4.2lb and the Marlin weighs 6.05lb.

I would like to see a .357 Magnum steel frame Henry and a Marlin weighed to see the actual figures.


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