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Thread: New Henry

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
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    New Henry

    I picked up a new Henry Bigboy steel in .357/38 special tonight. It has the side gate by the way. I ran a few patches through the bore and looked it over and it looks good to me.
    I can not get to the range to fire it for a few days at least so I went in my basement to see if it would feed some of my hand loads which use for my Blackhawk. I'm not really comfortable doing this in the house so I only tried it a couple of times.
    It fed and ejected 3 out of 4 of my hand loads. It didn't matter if they were the swc, round nose or the round flat nose. I could see the spot on the lead power coated noses of all three types. All in .357 cases.
    So, do you think because it's brand new it has to break in a little? Should I load some jacketed ammo and break it in with that? I'll know more after I get it to the range I suppose. Anyone with a new Henry for some insight? Thanks in advance.
    Mark

  2. #2
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    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
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    tube feed Leverguns can be finicky to feed, besides nose shape, COAL can make the difference from reliable cycling to having FTF/FTE issues.
    with that said...
    My new out of the box, 41 Mag Henry Big Boy had a FTF/FTE issue on 1 out of 10, and this was after I found a good boolit and a good COAL. I did shoot about 500 rds through it thinking the break-in thing, and after that, I still had some FTF/FTE issues. BUT, Henry has awesome customer service. I called and explained the issue, they said they'd fix it and sent me a prepaid shipping label. They had to replace some internal parts on my gun, and when I got it back (quick turn-around time too), Now it shoots and cycles all the different types of boolits I have tried.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

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    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
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    Oh yeah, Load up some dummy rounds, with different COAL...so you don't have to cycle live ammo in the livingroom and takke out your TV, LOL.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  4. #4
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    Here is the thread about my Henry, maybe it'll give you a few ideas?
    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...-Big-Boy-fussy
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
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    Thanks, I heard their customer service was great but I hope it doesn't come to that. Dummy rounds will be next up for tomorrow after work.
    I should have posted this in the lever gun section!
    Mark

  6. #6
    Boolit Master Wheelguns 1961's Avatar
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    Congratulations! I hope it shoots good for you!
    Due to the price of primers, warning shots will no longer be given!

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
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    Thanks, I'm hoping she is a good shooter to!
    Job, I am going to read through your post for some ideas. Thank you.

  8. #8
    Boolit Man QuackAttack24's Avatar
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    I had a jam fest with my Henry until I learned that you have to work the lever with a very full and deliberate push, pull to eject the spent round and chamber the next round. If you are the least bit timid, it WILL jam. Since figuring that out, I haven't had another jam. Hard open all the way, small pause, then hard shut. Be deliberate and forceful the full travel of the lever. Try it and see if helps. It did for me.
    Last edited by QuackAttack24; 07-22-2021 at 02:21 AM.
    What could possibly go wrong?

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
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    I'm going to make up some dummy rounds and give all these suggestions a try. I'm hoping one of them works out because I really like the fit and finish of it and it would make for some cheap fun shooting. Maybe not cheap but compared to the bottleneck rifles definitely.
    Mark

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    I had a big boy brass in .357. Would feed everything, even hbwc. Accurate too. Had anaemic ejection though.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
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    I'm having some success with the swc dummy rounds. If I seat them in the crimp groove they are too long but just past onto the front band it's feeding ok. The lever has to be worked with authority as mentioned in the above post and the muzzle cannot be pointed down, slightly up is best.
    I don't think the flat black finish is such a good idea, the brass marks it up very easily.

  12. #12
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    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mjdd23 View Post
    I'm having some success with the swc dummy rounds. If I seat them in the crimp groove they are too long but just past onto the front band it's feeding ok. The lever has to be worked with authority as mentioned in the above post and the muzzle cannot be pointed down, slightly up is best.
    I don't think the flat black finish is such a good idea, the brass marks it up very easily.
    I like the Lee 41 195gr SWC, but they don't offer it a six cavity configuration, plus my Henry and Marlin wasn't crazy about where the crimp groove is located. I had Arsenal Molds make a custom 5 cavity 41 cal lightweight SWC mold (205gr). The custom part was moving the crimp groove to an ideal location for my guns, and I also had the edges of the nose and leading drive band 'radiused' like Lee's design...which should help ammo feed into the chamber.

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...-Arsenal-Molds
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
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    Jonb, with the custom mold, is it picky which way you hold the gun when you chamber a new round?
    I have several more mold designs to try. I think you are right with the radius because it catches on the sharp edges.

  14. #14
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    I haven't tried any unusual rifle positions, but the custom boolit cycles reliably 100% of the time, when the gun is in any "reasonable" position.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
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    Ok thanks. I have a couple of round nose molds to try.
    Mark

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    I don't know if this will be of any interest to you or not, but here is a thread I posted on my Henry 357 Big Boy steel and my experience in getting a 38 special that would feed reliable in it. Great rifles - enjoy and have fun!

    https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...and-38-special

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
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    That was a one of the first posts that I read when I started researching this issue. Nice write up,thanks. I have a ton of 38 special brass also so it's good to know this mold may work. I still haven't made it to the range to shoot this new rifle but it has been well fondled! I think I will enjoy it when I finally get to shooting it.
    Mark

  18. #18
    Boolit Bub BS2's Avatar
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    I have a 41 rifle that works great!

    The best part is there Heirloom Program, really kool to own a rifle with your name on it!

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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