Henry tube feed VS. Loading gate

[croyleje]

Hi Everyone, I know this really comes down to personal preference but wanted to know what you guys that own a Henry think. I own a few Winchesters and love the loading gate design but I want to get a lever action 30-30 and the Henry is considerably cheaper then the 1984 either Winchester or Uberti. The only thing I am not sure about is the tube feeding system, is it really as akward as it looks to reload? Have you had any issues with the tube getting bent or damaged? Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Jason

[MyFlatline]

No issues loading whatso ever

[Jedman]

I have one in 45 Colt and have no problems. Very similar to loading a 22 with a magazine tube but the tube is larger and sturdier on the Henry.

Jedman

[BigAl52]

I own 8 Henrys along with Marlins Chiappa and Brownings. Awkward is a term that would be defined by each individual user. For me its easier than the side gate and Im bettin I can put 10 rounds in my pistol caliber henry as fast as you can shove 10 rounds in your loading gate. Al

[Ickisrulz]

I have launched the inner magazine tube a few times. But the system works well. It's just not traditional and that bothers some people.

[MyFlatline]

I own 8 Henrys along with Marlins Chiappa and Brownings. Awkward is a term that would be defined by each individual user. For me its easier than the side gate and Im bettin I can put 10 rounds in my pistol caliber henry as fast as you can shove 10 rounds in your loading gate. Al

Bet you can unload it fast than they can too..

[vzerone]

Bet you can unload it fast than they can too..

You can unload a gate loading leveraction from the gate, just takes a little practice. I don't like cycling the cartridge through the action to unload those types.

[MyFlatline]

You can unload a gate loading leveraction from the gate, just takes a little practice. I don't like cycling the cartridge through the action to unload those types.

Yes I know, have more Marlins than Henry's, just don't see all the negative hype on the tube loading.

If you practice you can just take out the one in the chamber also and leave the others in the tube

[northmn]

Tube loading may also eliminate the nose damage one sees with gate loading. I only load 2 in the magazine and one chambered but I could see an advantage if I wanted more with the tube. Its better than working the action to unload all shells, but maybe all that working is what made many of the older guns feel so smooth??

DEP

[needausername]

I prefer the tube over the gate. Tried them both for use outside of the range. For use with and without gloves, unloading, etc., the tube worked easier and faster.

[John Boy]

Jason, your concern is a falsehood in your mind. Tubular magazine rifles have been around since before the beginning of this century and thousands of shooters of the Marlins & Winchester & Remington model 12 rifles have reloaded Millions of 22LR rounds and you are probably 1st person to complain that it's awkward
BTW - if you don't want to load one round at a time - there are speed tubes made

[dannyd]

I have Henry big boy in 357 magnum and a 1949 Winchester 94 in 30-30. The 94 is way harder to load all the way up. But I would plink with Henry all day 94 not so much.

[dragon813gt]

and you are probably 1st person to complain that it's awkward

He certainly is not. There is a recent thread about buying a Henry if it had a loading gate. I'm in that camp. I won't buy any lever action that I have to load through a tube. It's all personal preference. And I have my reasons for not liking lever actions w/out a loading gate.

[Ramjet-SS]

I like the tube it has many advantages. Now I have a few loading gate rifles as well.

[tarbe]

I bought my first Henry about a year ago. Actually, I was looking at Marlin and Henry 45-70 rifles side-by-side in the LGS and despite the Henry costing about $100 more, the fit, finish and smoothness of the Henry won me over.

I just purchased my second Henry last week.

I have come to definitely prefer the tube to the loading gate. No brass scraping, no finger pinching, unload through the tube and it is easier for me to reload with gloves on vs the gate.

And no, I am not some young kid who never had a gate-loader. I probably loaded my first Winchester through a gate about 45 years ago.

Some folks personal preference is so strong one way, they aren't likely to give the other way a trial...and that's ok. Glad we have choices.

My choice has shifted to the tube!

[MyFlatline]

I bought my first Henry about a year ago. Actually, I was looking at Marlin and Henry 45-70 rifles side-by-side in the LGS and despite the Henry costing about $100 more, the fit, finish and smoothness of the Henry won me over.

I just purchased my second Henry last week.

I have come to definitely prefer the tube to the loading gate. No brass scraping, no finger pinching, unload through the tube and it is easier for me to reload with gloves on vs the gate.

And no, I am not some young kid who never had a gate-loader. I probably loaded my first Winchester through a gate about 45 years ago.

Some folks personal preference is so strong one way, they aren't likely to give the other way a trial...and that's ok. Glad we have choices.

My choice has shifted to the tube!
Very well put,,I am in the category of no top eject rifles. Glad we have choices..Ain't America great..:)

[Bazoo]

I cant attest to the henry, but you can get a post 64 winchester 94s in good shooting condition for less than 400, and often in the 300 range.

[Dan Cash]

The original Henry used a "tube" loading system. With the 1866 Winchester and Kings patent loading system, the gate was adopted and put into general use. Those guns, at that time were made for people who used guns seriously.

[runfiverun]

my levers are for serious use.
hunting and self defense.
I prefer a gate.
if they were just for stuff at the range a tube would be okay

[MostlyLeverGuns]

+1 runfiverun Many gate-loading leverguns need a little edge rounding and polishing at the gate to load smoothly, try walking and loading a tube-feed or sitting on the ground and loading or sitting on a horse and loading. Brian Pearce in a recent Rifle magazine reviewed a Henry 45 Colt. He did mention the possibility of the tube-feed being opened when using a saddle scabbard. Loading a tube-feed is kinda like loading a muzzleloader except you could have a loaded rifle pointing at you in the excitement of reloading fast. When loading you could have a two-piece rifle.

[MyFlatline]

The Henry 45 Colt holds 10 + 1, just what are you hunting that would require you to load on the run?

Which brings up another question. Do the pistol caliber rifles have to have plugs installed to be legal for hunting? Most States limit it to 3 or 5 in the rifle. Hadn't thought about that til just now. Glad I haven't been stopped. I load all the pistol type to the max. Yikes.

[hanleyfan]

here in Ohio you are only allowed 3 rounds in the rifle, so reloading will be a issue in the woods. Besides I buy what I like and I don't like tube loading like .22 rifles.

[saleen322]

I have both tube and gate loading rifles. I like the Henry tube as it not only loads very easy without scraping bullets and brass, it seems to handle a wider overall cartridge length variation as its loading system is simpler. Also I can't help but think the receiver is very strong as there is no hole cut into it for loading rounds. I like my Marlins and the Winchester as well but I prefer Henry's system.

[Strtspdlx]

I like being able to top a rifle off without pulling a tube, grab a round and thumb it in while stock is still in your shoulder. but thats personal preference.

[dikman]

Seems to me that for hunting/plinking it doesn't really matter which loading system is used. The quality of the rifle would be more important. The only instance that I can think of where tube loading won't work is Single Action/Cowboy shooting where it's sometimes necessary to reload an extra round during the stage.

[Walks]

Tube-Fed magazines are fine for .22LR rifles, But GATE-FED is the only way to go for a Center-Fire Rifle. 60yrs plus shooting. MARLIN, WINCHESTER OR japanese/italian made copies. still better than a pot metal henry. Made by someone who USURPED A GREAT HISTORICAL NAME.

[Ickisrulz]

Tube-Fed magazines are fine for .22LR rifles, But GATE-FED is the only way to go for a Center-Fire Rifle. 60yrs plus shooting. MARLIN, WINCHESTER OR japanese/italian made copies. still better than a pot metal henry. Made by someone who USURPED A GREAT HISTORICAL NAME.

Exactly which Henry center fire rifles do you think are made of pot metal?

[MyFlatline]

Exactly which Henry center fire rifles do you think are made of pot metal?

I chose to not even respond, you are wasting your breath.

[Randy Bohannon]

When I was in engraving school my instructors who are very accomplished master engravers. Lee Griffiths and Ron Smith had no good things to say about the brass frame Henry's.Both said density of the metal was so inconsistent they couldn't engrave and get what was acceptable to them.Soft and hard spots everywhere they refuse to engrave brass framed Henry's.

[jmort]

The .22 receivers are made of a "pot metal" zinc alloy
Nothing else in their line
The .22 runs real good and will last just fine.

[Ickisrulz]

When I was in engraving school my instructors who are very accomplished master engravers. Lee Griffiths and Ron Smith had no good things to say about the brass frame Henry's.Both said density of the metal was so inconsistent they couldn't engrave and get what was acceptable to them.Soft and hard spots everywhere they refuse to engrave brass framed Henry's.

What were they talking about? The rimfire line where the "brass receiver" is just a cover over the actual receiver? Or were they talking about the center fire rifles that have brass alloy receivers?

[Randy Bohannon]

Neither indicated which line,CF or RF, both said they would not take them as a client project, specifically the brass receivers. I can inquire and get a answer.