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Thread: Henry Big Boy 44 and 45-70

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Queensbury, NY
    Posts
    29

    Henry Big Boy 44 and 45-70

    It’s been a very long time since I’ve posted here, but still love this place!

    I’m looking for info regarding running cast in a Henry 44 Big Boy and Henry 18.5” 45-70.

    I’d like to get a load with cast boolits suitable for northeast Whitetails. I had some 310gr WFN in my cart from Missouri bullets, but now I’m concerned they won’t cycle and/or be accurate in the Henry.

    I thought the 300gr bullets in .459 and the 405’s would be fun to try in the .45-70.

    Anyone have experience with the Henry to recommend a specific bullet? I’ve never loaded for a 44 or 45-70 lever, but have loads for 44 in revolvers and 45-70 in a Contender pistol and carbine.


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    Last edited by onlybrowning; 02-18-2022 at 09:18 PM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    FredBuddy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    NC Ohio
    Posts
    540
    I'd load up what I had on hand.

    You might be pleasantly surprised.

    If not - back to the reloading bench!

    Lots of fun just around the corner.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    JoeJames's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Arkansas Delta
    Posts
    1,468
    I had my best results with Oregon Trail .431 240 grain laser cast sitting on 6.8 grains of Unique in a 44 Special case. Commercial HSM Cowboy loads in 44 Special keyholed at 15 yards - I could not believe it! Must have been around .428 or .429. In 44 Magnum in my Rossi 44 I shot the same bullet sitting on 7 grains and it was accurate and ran about 1150 fps. The Speer swaged .430 in 240 grain were also very accurate.
    Britons shall never be slaves.

  4. #4
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Queensbury, NY
    Posts
    29
    I caved and order Somme j words too. Will report back with results. Hope I can shoot a peep sight!


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  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    Central TX
    Posts
    191
    No experience with the Henry's but for a cast deer bullet in the 45/70 I don't think you can do better than the Lyman/Gould 457122HP. Cast them out of 1/20 or 1/30 and load them to 1400-1450fps. Very effective on deer and the recoil does not beat you up.

  6. #6
    Boolit Bub OKMike's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    34
    We load my dad’s with a 300 gr bullet, shoots them nice. His 44 Henry we’ve only loaded 240 swc


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  7. #7
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Queensbury, NY
    Posts
    29
    Thanks guys!

    As an update:
    I mounted a Leupold VX3 1.5-5x20 in Talley rings on the .45-70. Well, actually, first, I mounted it in quick detach low Warne rings in Warne steel bases, but it was mounted too high for my liking. Ended up still putting on a neoprene sleeve with comb raising pad on it anyway.
    Haven’t put any rounds down the tube yet.

    On the .44, I mounted a Skinner Express peep. I shot it just few times offhand and had no trouble hitting “minute of water bottle” that way with a couple factory Winchester White box and Hornady LeverEvolutions.

    I tried one of my SWC cast boolits I had on hand, and confirmed that they do not feed reliably from the tube.

    I also tried the non large loop lever on the .44, but it is too short for me to get my fingers in it comfortably. This is the lever that comes on the 20” barrel model. I put the large loop back on.


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  8. #8
    Boolit Master Castaway's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Dade City, Fl
    Posts
    779
    There was a time when Henry used their equivalent of micro-groove barrels in their 44’s, either their production or they bought them from Marlin. Count the lands/grooves and if the lands number upwards of 10 or so, you have one. If so, they can still shoot cast well, but you need a larger diameter bullet, or you can also go the jacketed route.
    Last edited by Castaway; 03-13-2022 at 01:34 PM.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy Pereira's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    "central" West TN
    Posts
    419
    I have a BBB in 44 mag.
    I shoot a 240 gr cast RFN bullet from Missouri Bullet co. they call it the Smasher over 9.5 grs of Unique.
    Also the 240 gr xtp but I can't recall the load at the moment.

    RP


    Monte Walsh "You have No idea how little I care".

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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