Henry Big Boy in .44 mag--comments?

[Shuz]

I saw a Henry Big Boy .44 mag at the local gun store and was impressed by it's look and feel. Kinda pricey at $789.00, but I inquired about the twist rate. The clerk didn't know. I inquired of Henry, and they said it was 1:38". For me that's a deal breaker as I've HAD several Marlin 1894 .44 mags that didn't shoot well with the 1:38" twist. I know, some guys say they will shoot well, but mine never came close to the accuracy I get from my Winnie Trapper in .44 mag.

The technical guy at Henry said it will stabilize up to 265g boolit with it's twist and they don't plan on changing.
Any feedback out there on this rifle and how it shoots cast?

[upnorthwis]

Just shot at a Cowboy match where a competitor had one. He was very happy with it, although Cowboy shooting is not benchrest by any stretch. Looked like a well made rifle. He said it was made in Wisconsin. I thought only the .30-30 was made here but I could be wrong. If your Marlins had the Micro-groove rifling they could be a bit touchy with cast boolits.

[Tar Heel]

1:39 is the calculated twist rate for a standard 44 mag bullet using the classic Greenhill equation.

[georgerkahn]

I have one of these Henry's and it is an awesomely shootin' firearm! My ONLY complaint -- which, ironically is a "plus" when shooting at/from rest at bench -- is it is one HEAVY firearm! Try holding it off-hand for a while.... then again, you may have stronger muscles and bones than I have.
Regardless, the Henry's ARE beautiful lever guns!
geo

[pworley1]

I have one of these Henry's and it is an awesomely shootin' firearm! My ONLY complaint -- which, ironically is a "plus" when shooting at/from rest at bench -- is it is one HEAVY firearm! Try holding it off-hand for a while.... then again, you may have stronger muscles and bones than I have.
Regardless, the Henry's ARE beautiful lever guns!
geo

I total agree. Great shooters with cast, but when its all day in the woods, I take the Rossi.

[AggiePharmD]

I don't have the 44 BUT I do have the 45 Colt and absolutely love it! Not the fastest cycling lever action but smooth. It is dead nuts on at 25 yards off a bench with hand loaded XTPs and 2400. I don't regret the purchase at all.

I'll have to dig up the website but I found a nifty sling for mine and it makes a huge difference when hunting.

http://brassstacker.com/henry/Harnessed-Rifle-Sling-for-Henry-Lever-Action-Rifles.html

[10mmShooter]

I have a Henry .44 BB love mine, I shoot a custom .432 LFP-RN bullet, ordered a brass mold from Accurate Molds a wonderful gun. Smooth as butter.

Note...mine leaded the first 1-2 inches in front of the chamber at .430, and .431, at .432 its perfect abosuletly clean bore, I run anything from 1000 fps up to 1500 fps with nothing but 12 BHN alloy.

Seems I missed the memo that .44 rifles have a different bore diameter that .44 revovlers, I had to figure that out myself.