I have had this gun for few years the wood is incredible and the fun factor shooting these heavy boolits at moderate velocities is outstanding. The rifle patterned after the 1890 but made for center fire ammo is well executed and the wood is breathtaking. The fit and finish outstanding. A beautiful rifle some may say is to gorgeous to take hunting. I say BS rifles are made to defend and to hunt. This one is a hunting rifle.
So I set out to load for accuracy then I generally test the boolits in wet news print to get some comparative data. I shoot at the max hunting distance of 100 yards. That’s my limit with my eyes and open sights and honestly I have never taken but maybe two deer at a longer distance than that.
The mould is brass 270 grain hollow point gas check. The design is a Keith Style with a variety of pins the two I used are the deep open HP and the Hex HP pins. The hex is 17 grains heavier. Now for my wet news print test I also loaded up some Lever revolution 225 grain Hornady same general velocity.
The boolits are loaded over 8.0 grains of Unique. (I will be loading up some over black powder later on.) they weigh right at 263 grains. The same load was used with hex HP and all poured from the same pot. The BNH is 16. Velocity 1200 + FPS from this rifle. These are easy shooting loads bang…………..plunk. (Those who shoot lighter loads will understand that)
Accuracy the J-Words did pretty good open sights 80 yards from the bench 2.75”. The cast HP however were outstanding 3-shot group two touching and one an 1” away so under 1.5”. The gun really liked this boolit.
I have a Skinner dovetail peep for a rear sight no aperture so it’s a ghost site. Works good for me better than the factory ladder sight.
https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/the-...l-henry-rifle/
Now let’s talk about the wet news print performance.
263 Wide HP 16” of penetration the HP pealed back and shedded the pedals the wad cutter continued on straight. Really good disruption the entire wound track.
277 grain Hex Hp 17” of penetration lost its pedals was cutter continued straight. Good disruption of the wound track.
J-word deformation of the nose not as much as expected I am sure the velocity threshold is to low for the bullet. 10” penetration good 4” of disruption then tapered off. Won’t use this for hunting.
Just for a comparison I shot a 450 grain hammer WFN from my Henry 45/70 1175 FPS and it went through 24” of wet news print and a gallon water jug and out the back …….
Here is the wood I have a leather custom made sling that is no drill and it has cartridge carrier the harness of this sling protects the butt stock nicely.
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Originally Posted by bigted
