Wringing out the Henry...

[Idaho45guy]

Frustrated. Not sure if my eyes, or what.

First range trip with the Henry Big Boy X last month got me 1.5" groups at 55 yards with a Burris Fastfire III red dot. This is a camping/hiking/Jeeping carbine for defense against wolves, bears, and stupid people in the woods. An inch and a half at 55 yards is acceptable accuracy.

282023

Took it out today to sight it in with the new red dot. Replaced the Burris with a Vortex Venom that was was brand new but wouldn't hold POI. Sent it back and they sent a replacement. This one might be bad as well. First few shots showed that it was changing POI wildly at first. Then it started holding POI fine. Shot another 50 or so rounds through it and it seems to be OK, but I can't get as good as groups with it as I did the Burris.

Same load, which is 10.5 grains of Unique behind a 250 grain Hornady XTP. 1.5" last time, now is 2.5"...

282024

282025

Other than the frustrating sight, the rifle is doing wonderfully. No feeding issues, feels great in working the action and shooting it. Great little working gun.

But since I noticed my group sizes were the same with the open sights on my AR today, as they were with a red dot, I'm thinking of going to a good ol' peep sight on the Henry. Getting frustrated with the inconsistency and unreliability of the red dots.

[Winger Ed.]

Cool.

I've moved away from red dots myself.
The ones with a big/bright enough dot for me to see, cover too much of the bullseye.

I've got a couple of the 'fire sights' with the bright little piece of fiber optic up front, and like 'em.
I end up doing better with a small, or narrow front sight.

[Idaho45guy]

Yep. The Henry came with factory fiber optic open sights, and first trip to the range I got 4.5" groups. Put on the red dot and they shrunk to the 1.5" range.

Wondering if a Skinner rear peep for $75 and the factory front fiber optic would be a winning combination.

[Gundogx2]

What caliber you shooting
I put the skinner on my 41 mag and it’s great I prefer a peep over a red dot or a scope at 75 yards or less


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[Idaho45guy]

What caliber you shooting
I put the skinner on my 41 mag and it’s great I prefer a peep over a red dot or a scope at 75 yards or less


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

.45 Colt. Used to 1" to 1.5" groups from my Henry and my Marlin 1894. I'm past due for new glasses, so hoping those next month will help out.

Went to Costco for the first time couple of years ago and while they were cheaper, they messed up the bifocal setting. Going back to my regular place for the next pair.

[dverna]

Just a suggestion. What I do with the Marlin rifles is mount a scope to see if the rifle will shoot and do load development. It provides a baseline to work from. Much easier for me than struggling with other sight options.

I wound up getting rid of an 1894 in .44 Mag as I could not get it to shoot well enough.

[TCLouis]

One random load and so that may be as precise as it gets.
Have you tried any other load(s)?

[Idaho45guy]

One random load and so that may be as precise as it gets.
Have you tried any other load(s)?

Yes. I've shot 3 other loads through it that work well in my Ruger Bisley for woods defense. This load and one with 300gr hardcast boolits with 19 grains of Lil' Gun shot about the same. Trying to find one defensive load for my two .45 Colt woods guns to share.

282046

[winelover]

Just a suggestion. What I do with the Marlin rifles is mount a scope to see if the rifle will shoot and do load development. It provides a baseline to work from. Much easier for me than struggling with other sight options.


Exactly, what I do. I have carbine/ pistol combinations in 9 mm, 357 and 44 magnum. Each is set up for red dot sight and low power scope. Develop most accurate load with scope, hunt with red dot sight. Can't beat a red dot for low light and tree stand ranges, coupled with aging eyesight.

Been using red dots since they first hit the market. Been my experience, that you get what you pay for. I destroyed a Bushnell on a 45 LC BH with less than 100 rounds. Lens cracked. Wouldn't hold zero. Threw it in the trash, wouldn't take one for free. Most manufacture's red dots are too large for accuracy.

My hunting carbines all wear Trijicon reflex red dot or triangle reticle. I'm willing to spend the $$$ for quality. I like that they are fully automatic. No batteries, don't have to worry about turning them on or off. Dots that stay round, not one with a comet tail. No fumbling/adjusting rheostats for varying light conditions. Basically, grab and go.

I have tried a whole host of different manufacture's offerings, besides Bushnell. Including, Vortex (Venom and SPARC), Sig Sauer (Romeo 1 and 5), Ultra Dot and the discontinued Armson. However, none have all the features of the Trijicons.................except for the discontinued Armson. Which, BTW, was Trijicon's first entry into the red dot market.

Buy once, cry once.

Winelover

[holmegaard]

https://rangerpointstore.com/marlin-henry-rifle-peep-sights

Have put these on two Henry rifles (both with round aperture option instead of the clover leaf). One previously had a Skinner. The Skinner was a quality item. However, I find the RPP sight easier to adjust, and both have worked with the factory fronts. The Skinner required a taller front.

[FergusonTO35]

Most bang for the buck would be the Williams 5D or FP-336. Should mount on the rear scope holes and work with the OEM front.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I've got a Skinner, a couple RangerPoint and several of Williams, the older 'traditional' Foolproof and the Williams WGRS-336. The Williams WGRS-336 is the least costly at $36 on Amazon, much less expensive than the others. The Ranger Point is a good looking sight but the WGRS-336 is just so simple, without anything sticking out so that I use them on my Marlin 'carrying' and scabbard rifles. You MAY need a different front sight, but the Williams WGRS doe take 'standard' apertures, very simole with little to fail. The WGRS-336 should fit the Henry as it mounts in the rear scope mount holes on top of the receiver. These mount holes are similar to the Henry lever gun spacings. I do usually mount a scope, do load development, then go to the iron sight setup.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

One thing to try with those large bore pistol carbines is to see how far out you can seat the boolit. If you just kiss the lands it will keep the cartridge concentric to the bore. And if you size only the first half inch of the case or so the rear part will fit the chamber more closely. Some extra work requiring the use of a universal deprimer die but it has worked well in my Henry .44 single shot.

[Idaho45guy]

One thing to try with those large bore pistol carbines is to see how far out you can seat the boolit. If you just kiss the lands it will keep the cartridge concentric to the bore. And if you size only the first half inch of the case or so the rear part will fit the chamber more closely. Some extra work requiring the use of a universal deprimer die but it has worked well in my Henry .44 single shot.

That sounds like some expert advice from someone with a lot of trigger time. Thanks!

[FergusonTO35]

Out of curiosity, why did you take the Burris Fastfire off the rifle?

[Idaho45guy]

Out of curiosity, why did you take the Burris Fastfire off the rifle?

The Fastfire was off of my Glock G19 MOS and I had removed it to make it more friendly for concealed carry. Put it on the Henry to see if I liked the general size. Decided to relegate the Glock to range duty, so put the Fastfire back on it.

[JoeJames]

My Henry was bored real loose in 44 Magnum/44 Special. .429 240 grain SWC HSM cowboy 44 Special loads were often sideways at 15 yards. .431" 240 Oregon Trail narrowed it from 6 - 8" down to less than an inch. Just saying ...

[Cosmic_Charlie]

My Henry was bored real loose in 44 Magnum/44 Special. .429 240 grain SWC HSM cowboy 44 Special loads were often sideways at 15 yards. .431" 240 Oregon Trail narrowed it from 6 - 8" down to less than an inch. Just saying ...

Mine too, a single shot. Bore slugged at .431. I use a .432 powder coated bullet seated out about 0.10" past the crimp groove. Unsized cases. Shoots great now.

[missionary5155]

What caliber you shooting
I put the skinner on my 41 mag and it’s great I prefer a peep over a red dot or a scope at 75 yards or less


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Greetings x2
Our Henry is a 41 mag also. Bought it the first year they came out after the feeding frenzy cooled off. Far easier to load for then the Marlin which does not like any flat bullet nosed bullet.