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View Poll Results: Which Caliber?

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  • 357 Maximum

    36 35.29%
  • 303 British

    11 10.78%
  • 30/40 Krag

    12 11.76%
  • 7.62x54r

    6 5.88%
  • Other

    37 36.27%
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Thread: Henry Single Shot Opinions

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy tmanbuckhunter's Avatar
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    Henry Single Shot Opinions

    I've got the itch for a new rifle again, but something different. In my attempts to commit suicide by wife, I've decided I'd like a Henry Single Shot, but here are the options I'm considering.

    357 - Reamed out to 357 Maximum
    30WCF - Reamed out to 303 British or 30/40 Krag. The 303 brit would be cool... all the allure of the British war horse with a .308 groove.
    308win reamed out to 7.62x54r, or maybe something else obscure and different.

    Comments? Opinions? I think any of them would make a great cast boolit launcher, which is also the idea.

    EDIT: Mold and dies are not a real issue. There is only one caliber listed here that I don't load for.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Without an intended use for the cartridge chosen, it makes it about impossible to offer a suggestion. It this is a poll asking what is your favorite cartridge that the Henry SS can be made into......I'd suggest the .357max. Why? There are many, many choices of powder and bullets for that cartridge. It's useful for deer hunting in states where they limit cartridges for reasons of length, bullet size, etc. If I was going to use it for woodchucks or prairie dogs I'd make a far different choice. You'll get more responses if you provide the intended use. Myself, I'd pick the .357max. It's an easy change to make and it's a lot of fun to play with. Good luck with the poll.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    I'm going to have to take the pollster at his published words, that he is interested in reloading and shooting cast boolits rather than necessarily killing something. If he's a buck deer hunter he probably doesn't need my advice on dispatching animals, not even East Texas rhinos (the feral hogs east side of Harris County were showing up pretty darn big before I moved a thousand miles north).
    On that basis I might go with what I'm already tempted by (for cast boolits), a .308 rebored to .338 Federal.
    Or that .357 rechambered to a .35 Remington Rimmed.

    Or a smaller cartridge rebored to a .41 Mag (got that one done already).

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    But if I wanted to get really wild and crazy...

    It's be a long arm chambered for the 8mm French revolver cartridge (it's like a .33 Special made by necking out .32-20 cases).

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy


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    Their 45/70 looks good. I might be interested in that caliber.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Spending a bunch of money does not make sense to me. What is "wrong" with the standard .308? Cheap brass and if you are shooting cast you will reach maximum velocity before you exceed case capacity.

    If you MUST spend money...I would get the .308 and rebore/chamber to .358.
    Don Verna


  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy tmanbuckhunter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NSB View Post
    Without an intended use for the cartridge chosen, it makes it about impossible to offer a suggestion. It this is a poll asking what is your favorite cartridge that the Henry SS can be made into......I'd suggest the .357max. Why? There are many, many choices of powder and bullets for that cartridge. It's useful for deer hunting in states where they limit cartridges for reasons of length, bullet size, etc. If I was going to use it for woodchucks or prairie dogs I'd make a far different choice. You'll get more responses if you provide the intended use. Myself, I'd pick the .357max. It's an easy change to make and it's a lot of fun to play with. Good luck with the poll.
    No intended purpose. Just another toy to play with and cast for. It may or may not harvest a deer or pig.
    Quote Originally Posted by Good Cheer View Post
    I'm going to have to take the pollster at his published words, that he is interested in reloading and shooting cast boolits rather than necessarily killing something. If he's a buck deer hunter he probably doesn't need my advice on dispatching animals, not even East Texas rhinos (the feral hogs east side of Harris County were showing up pretty darn big before I moved a thousand miles north).
    On that basis I might go with what I'm already tempted by (for cast boolits), a .308 rebored to .338 Federal.
    Or that .357 rechambered to a .35 Remington Rimmed.

    Or a smaller cartridge rebored to a .41 Mag (got that one done already).
    See? That's the spirit right there! 35 Remington rimmed? Why not a 35-30/30 at that point?

    Quote Originally Posted by dverna View Post
    Spending a bunch of money does not make sense to me. What is "wrong" with the standard .308? Cheap brass and if you are shooting cast you will reach maximum velocity before you exceed case capacity.

    If you MUST spend money...I would get the .308 and rebore/chamber to .358.
    Not to brag, but I have somewhere around 80 rifles. It's not about need, or spending money. If I only had rifles with a purpose, everything would go except one of my 7mm Rem Mags, my 39a, and my AR. The 308 is a great cartridge and one of my favorite to load for, but it's boring cooked up any other way than a heavy j-word pushed out of a BR rifle or an FAL in my opinion.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

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    For cast only, you need no more capacity than the 30/30 has. No use in going to a larger case. Does not mean you should not rechamber to a different cartridge if you so desire.
    Spell check doesn't work in Chrome, so if something is spelled wrong, it's just a typo that I missed.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy tmanbuckhunter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ulav8r View Post
    For cast only, you need no more capacity than the 30/30 has. No use in going to a larger case. Does not mean you should not rechamber to a different cartridge if you so desire.
    Two 30WCF's, one collectible, one gets dragged thru the hog woods and is about to be a 35-30/30, so I agree, it's a great cartridge and a larger case isn't required for cast, but that's not what I'm going for. This is purely to add something different to the collection that is unique, interesting, fun to shoot and play with, and something not many others if anyone has.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by tmanbuckhunter View Post
    No intended purpose. Just another toy to play with and cast for. It may or may not harvest a deer or pig.

    See? That's the spirit right there! 35 Remington rimmed? Why not a 35-30/30 at that point?


    Not to brag, but I have somewhere around 80 rifles. It's not about need, or spending money. If I only had rifles with a purpose, everything would go except one of my 7mm Rem Mags, my 39a, and my AR. The 308 is a great cartridge and one of my favorite to load for, but it's boring cooked up any other way than a heavy j-word pushed out of a BR rifle or an FAL in my opinion.
    I was never that bad but sold about $20k of my toys about 10 years ago. Many had rarely been shot and a few never shot. When I started prepping, I realized the only rifle calibers I need are .22LR, 5.56, and .308 if the SHTF. Still kept the .357 rifles, .30/30 and .300 Mag. I have never missed or regretted getting rid of the others.

    If you are buying a new toy, get what turns your crank. You seem to be willing to invest so reconsider your choice of the Henry. A higher end single shot will be more satisfying in the long run. There is a long thread in the Henry and it has its issues.

    Good luck!
    Last edited by dverna; 04-24-2020 at 12:47 AM.
    Don Verna


  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    I really like the 35RemR. Mine is based on the 303 British case.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    357 max Henry Single shot

    Click image for larger version. 

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    This group from Henry Single shot 357 Max, re -chambered from 357 mag, buy David White, and barrel shortened to 20" .Lee 200 grain cast Lyman #2. This is not a target rifle for me,it is a hunting gun,and I consider this adequate fro Pa. whitetail. 90 yd group sand bag rest. Someone else should be able to do better ,I just quit with this because it satisfied my need.

    Darn sideways photos, how to fix this?
    Last edited by crappie-hunter; 04-24-2020 at 07:25 AM. Reason: photo sideways

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by crappie-hunter View Post
    This group from Henry Single shot 357 Max, re -chambered from 357 mag, by David White, and barrel shortened to 20" .Lee 200 grain cast Lyman #2. This is not a target rifle for me,it is a hunting gun,and I consider this adequate fro Pa. whitetail. 90 yd group sand bag rest. Someone else should be able to do better ,I just quit with this because it satisfied my need.
    With only an inch of vertical, I wonder if your bag technique or a sight problem caused the two inch lateral spread?

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by tmanbuckhunter View Post
    Two 30WCF's, one collectible, one gets dragged thru the hog woods and is about to be a 35-30/30, so I agree, it's a great cartridge and a larger case isn't required for cast, but that's not what I'm going for. This is purely to add something different to the collection that is unique, interesting, fun to shoot and play with, and something not many others if anyone has.
    In that case, 32/40, 8mm/30/30, 348/30, 429/40, 44/70, 45/75, etc.
    Spell check doesn't work in Chrome, so if something is spelled wrong, it's just a typo that I missed.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy tmanbuckhunter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dverna View Post
    I was never that bad but sold about $20k of my toys about 10 years ago. Many had rarely been shot and a few never shot. When I started prepping, I realized the only rifle calibers I need are .22LR, 5.56, and .308 if the SHTF. Still kept the .357 rifles, .30/30 and .300 Mag. I have never missed or regretted getting rid of the others.

    If you are buying a new toy, get what turns your crank. You seem to be willing to invest so reconsider your choice of the Henry. A higher end single shot will be more satisfying in the long run. There is a long thread in the Henry and it has its issues.

    Good luck!
    I've thought about thinning the collection for a long time, but many of them have sentimental value, some inherited or gifted. Many I bought but my late father was with me when I bought them or kind of pushed me to buy them, so they all have memories. Many I'll never shoot again I suspect, and I'm ok with that. I have many that get shot fairly consistently... maybe 40 rounds a year. Others get several hundred to several thousand a year like my 38/55, and my 45/70's and my Cooper M22 in 308. I have read about the issues with the Henry but they dont scare me too much... they seem fixable.
    Quote Originally Posted by crappie-hunter View Post
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0140.jpg 
Views:	76 
Size:	74.7 KB 
ID:	260966
    This group from Henry Single shot 357 Max, re -chambered from 357 mag, buy David White, and barrel shortened to 20" .Lee 200 grain cast Lyman #2. This is not a target rifle for me,it is a hunting gun,and I consider this adequate fro Pa. whitetail. 90 yd group sand bag rest. Someone else should be able to do better ,I just quit with this because it satisfied my need.

    Darn sideways photos, how to fix this?
    Looks minute of deer to me.
    Quote Originally Posted by ulav8r View Post
    In that case, 32/40, 8mm/30/30, 348/30, 429/40, 44/70, 45/75, etc.
    Great suggestions. 32/40 was one I had not considered.

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master


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    I always thought the 9.3x74R was an interesting cartridge. It technically uses a .366" bullet, but I wonder if you might be able to get away with using .357".

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by megasupermagnum View Post
    I always thought the 9.3x74R was an interesting cartridge. It technically uses a .366" bullet, but I wonder if you might be able to get away with using .357".
    I tried paper patching 357 bullets, but couldn't get them to work. My 0.368" cast bullets shoot MOA with iron sights, so as far as I'm concerned that is the cat's meow.

    BTW, it is an interesting cartridge. Stood side by side it overshadows the 375 H&H, and has as long a neck as any cartridge I've seen. I had my mold cut to take full advantage of that long neck.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    I selected the 30-40 Krag because it is one of my best shooters with cast projectiles and avoids the potential problem with selecting a 303 British or 7.62x54 built with a 0.308" bore and someday someone else getting a hold of the rifle and shooting factory jacketed ammo in it with disastrous results.

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by DonMountain View Post
    I selected the 30-40 Krag because it is one of my best shooters with cast projectiles and avoids the potential problem with selecting a 303 British or 7.62x54 built with a 0.308" bore and someday someone else getting a hold of the rifle and shooting factory jacketed ammo in it with disastrous results.
    You know, after reading this thread, I kind of want another. I currently own one in 308 Winchester. It looks like a 30-30 rebored and chambered to 9.3x74r would be an easy swap with minimal work to the extractor. Now to get Henry to sell barrels...

  20. #20
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    Get a TC Encore and you can have all of the above barrels.
    [The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze

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