RotoMetals2MidSouth Shooters SupplyReloading EverythingInline Fabrication
RepackboxWidenersLee PrecisionLoad Data
Titan Reloading
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 29

Thread: Henry .30-30 Rifle.

  1. #1
    Moderator

    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Ojai CA
    Posts
    9,872

    Henry .30-30 Rifle.

    People have been talking about the Henry rifles in .30-30 and .45-70. All I had seen until today was pictures.

    Well I saw a .30-30 at a LGS today and I have to tell you it was a damn good looking gun!

    The metal work was flawless. and the wood was really nice and especially for a generic class gun. I tend not to care too much for the brass receiver covers for Henry rifles and this gun was all blued steel and done very well. It was a little stiff to operate but shooting it would have definitely taken care of that. It was new.

    The wood was a cut above generic walnut and the wood to metal fit was very good, not absolutely perfect but once again it was well up in the generic gun classification. Easily as good a Marlin's wood fit. It would not have held me back from buying the gun. I just don't need another .30-30.

    This one also had nice checkering on the pistol grip and fore end. Looked like hand done work.

    Also the lines of the gun were very nice. It looked like a levergun should, but not exactly like a Marlin or Winchester. It is a tube fed gun with the loading done like a tube fed .22.

    I have to tell you guys,,, This gun was nice! and you wouldn't go wrong getting one for a deer rifle or whatever else you'd use a .30-30 for.

    The pics of the .45-70 look identical except for the hole in the barrel.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy junkpile's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Alaska
    Posts
    155
    I've been thinking about a Henry 30-30 or a 45/70 for a while now. I've looked at the new fake Marlins, and was very very unimpressed. I hope the fit is better than current "Marlins". I also was not aware that they were producing pistol-gripped 30-30's. The only thing I had seen was the straight grip version.

    I haven't decided if I want to have the front loading tube magazine, though. Probably the only thing really holding me back. Some of the country up here is pretty rough, and I'm paranoid that I'd lose it. My old man dropped one out of his 22 without even realizing it a few years ago.

    I'm still considering one. If I can't ever find an older Marlin in 45/70 or a decent Winchester 94, I'll probably go for one. Hard to say. What was the price on that gun? I've never seen one in a store.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master Slow Elk 45/70's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Clear, AK
    Posts
    1,289
    You can't go wrong with a marlin #1 imho, 2nd win. You don't have to debug these weapons ...imho
    Slow Elk 45/70

    Praise the Lord & Pass the Ammo

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    NE Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,438
    Not sure what de-bug means but I have the brass 30-30 and have run over 350 rounds through it without a problem and it shoots like house a fire. That said the brass with the octagon barrel is a heavy gun for a 30-30 but the lighter version have been just great to carry and shoot and they are accurate My Big boy 45 LC is tac driver with the 310 lee. So ones mans opinion is not the reason to buy one or not buy one if you liek what you see scoop it up and take it home. its what you like not what i or anyone else likes but my experience has been great with the rifle I own. The 45-70 is my next gun to purchase that thing is awful nice at the weight and that they put the XS sights on them.

  5. #5
    Moderator

    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Ojai CA
    Posts
    9,872
    Junkpile: The gun has a strait grip I used the wrong terminology when I described the checkering.

    As far as the tube feed, I don't see that as a big problem for a hunting rifle. It would be different if you were using it for a defensive gun, it could be a real problem. That's why they changed that feature from the original Henry rifle to the Win 1866 with the side loading gate.

    This gun also uses a "Transfer Bar" type of safety. There is no half cock. It took me a while to figure this out on my sons Big Boy. You can carry the gun cocked and loaded, or with the hammer down without fear of it going off.

    Make no mistake, these are high quality guns, but they are generic guns, IE; they compete directly with Marlins. I'm also sure that like Marlins they could benefit from some internal deburring and polishing.

    I was duly impressed and fi I needed a .30-30 or a .45-70 I would surely consider one of these guns.

    The one at the gun store was $795 however that store has always been open to negotiation'

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    2,139
    If the Henry had a side loading gate it'd be the bees knees.
    I just can't hack that tube loading.

  7. #7
    Banned



    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Color Me Gone
    Posts
    8,401
    I don't mind tube magazines as you can always insert one directly in case of an emergency. Probably faster than trying to use the loading gate.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy junkpile's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Alaska
    Posts
    155
    I got a look at a Henry 30-30 today. It was the basic steel version. Price was $600 at Sportsman's Warehouse.

    It was significantly better than any of the current Marlins that I've seen. The action was extremely smooth. Fit was very good. Not perfect, but much better than Marlin. The couple of 1895's I've looked at had steel to wood gaps big enough to drop credit cards in, and the actions were ridiculously gritty. Anyway, I was pretty impressed with the Henry. I may be picking one of these up before long.

  9. #9
    In Remembrance
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    fairbanks
    Posts
    9,015
    I don't own a henry, but I'm not sure I would call them generic guns. They have been around with good reports for awhile especially on their customer service.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    940
    I have a Henry 3030, It shoots awesome. I'm shooting AccurateMolds 170gr gas checked with a .299 nose over Reloader 7 have proven devastating to water jugs and bowling pins out to 150yds. This gun can really shoot. The trigger breaks clean and the action is solid.
    Every shot you get in life counts

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    DFW
    Posts
    169
    I don't consider the Henry to be generic at all. I've not shot the larger bores but their little 22lr and 22WMR versions I've shot have all had about as slick an action as you'll find and all shoot great.
    I'm just waiting on one of each to mysteriously appear in my safe.

  12. #12
    Moderator

    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Ojai CA
    Posts
    9,872
    All guns that are mass produced in large numbers are essentially "generic guns." Generic guns are guns that you go to the local gun store or sporting goods store, and they are on the rack. Generic guns are not usually made as special runs or custom guns, all though there are some special runs made, normally they are sold in large quantity.

    In doing so there are large numbers of the same gun available and there is virtually no difference between any two guns of the same model run except for the grain in the wood. With newer materials and synthetic stocks there is no discernible difference at all.

    Examples of Generic guns. Marlin, Winchester, Mossberg Remington, Glock, Ruger. and many others including Henry's.

    There is nothing wrong with the term "generic." it is what it is.

    The main difference between a generic gun and a non generic gun is usually the amount of hand labor that goes into the product. Every year less and less hand work needs to be done due to the evolution of the use of automated machine tools and the tolerances they are capable of delivering.

    Soon guns will be able to be made completely by the machines. in which case all those guns will be "generic."

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    NE Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,438
    Just added a Skinner peep site to my 30-30 brass Henry. Pulled the scope it looked out of place on this rifle. Now I just need to get a good WFN 150-170 grain boolit mold.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    819
    It is my ppinon that putting a telescppe pn a lever action islike putting saddle on a hog
    Closest recorded range Chrony kill (3 feet with witnesses)

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    NE Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,438
    I was thinking more like a camel.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy junkpile's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Alaska
    Posts
    155
    Putting a camel on a hog? or a camel on a saddle?

  17. #17
    Boolit Master Lead Fred's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Washingrad
    Posts
    2,208
    If Id not bought a 1895 GG from Marlin, I would have bought a Henry 45/70 in a heartbeat
    I have sworn on the altar of GOD eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.
    Thomas Jefferson

    " Any law that is NOT constitutional is not a law" James Madison

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Hampton Roads, Virginia
    Posts
    13,617
    Gentlemen, I have a camel saddle. Don't got no camel, though. Don't have a Henry, either.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    NE Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,438
    Henry is a decent rifle and it would look in scabbard on any camel Wayne. I did remove the scope though and put a nice Black Gold Skinner peep sight on it now I have to put taller front on it and we are good to go. Well I need to get good 150 grain WFN GC mold for it. Looking at an Accurate 4 cavity copy of the Lyman mold.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy 380AUTO's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Anchorage, Alaska
    Posts
    177
    Ain't got a Henry 30-30 but I do have a pump 22 from them. I shot it so much (when ammo was cheap) I wore out the spring in the magazine tube. I contacted Henry arms and they sent me a whole new tube free of charge. GREAT customer service.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check