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Posted: 9/27/2025 11:34:07 AM EDT
| I am not a true lever action shooter. I shoot USPSA, IDPA. I want a pistol caliber lever gun to plink with and hunt medium size game with. I found a Henery side gate load, and tub load Brass Big Boy new unfired for $630.00 out the door. How do Henry's hold up under heavy to moderate use?. Is it worth $630.00 ?. Seems like a solid choice. But I need shooters of these rifles to give me guidance. Thank you. |
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Do you have time to send it back for a replacement barrel in your timeline of use. They have a lot of poor shooting barrels from what I read. If you complain enough they replace the barrel. Not everybody has that problem but it comes up often enough I noted a trend. How do the Smith and Wesson’s look? I bought a Ruger made Marlin but they cost more than what you are looking at. |
The only hyphenated names I like are cartridge names......30-06, 30-40, 38-55 etc.
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It depends on what level of accuracy you expect. Henry 44 m X model is a group about the size of a paper plate at 100 yds with a red dot. 357 is the same. The Ruger Marlin is a group about the size of a coffee cup or better never worse at 100 yds. The Henry can have strong preference to bullet weight. With some doing minute of garbage can lid accuracy. On the up side Henry has a transfer bar behind the hammer which is a very safe system. At 50 yds and closer the Henry will be adequate for most uses. If you want real accuracy from the same bullet a CVA Scout stainless takedown single shot rifle is far more accurate . |
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For me, the Henry's are hit and miss but way above the Rossi. If you can find a Winchester 92 or Ruger 94 you'll probably be happier. The Ruger is really nice. I have a Remington made Marlin 94 in .357. Its a later made gun from Remington (2018) its every bit as nice as the Ruger/ Marlin. Its a lot easier to work on than the Winchester. I like the Henry's but I don't think I would buy a new one. I kind of like the tube fed guns so I'm hoping to find an older one in 44 mag at a good price. |
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I follow Ruger, Henry, Rossi and lever gun forums. I've seen a couple of recent posts on rugers with broken parts. I'm thinking they are using mim parts now. The receiver is probably still forged but the rest probably not so much. Henry and Ruger are both good of taking care of issues. Rossi, not so much. Love my Henry. Plenty accurate. Could probably shoot better with a scope instead of a red dot but I'm satisfied |
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My .44 X has been plenty reliable and accurate enough given I don't like the stock sights (the regular buckhorns on my Henry .22 are much better). I'd pause on the brass versions because of the weight and it seems harder to mount a low optic. Skinner makes rear sights. If I was buying today I'd probably get a Marlin 1894 SBL because they look like the movie guns  but I'm otherwise very happy with my Henry.
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My henry big boy steel carbine had to go back for a new barrel. It still doesn't shoot easily available lead bullets. It does shoot hornady xtps acceptable now. Screws come loose quickly every 100 rounds got to tighten. Going to Loctite them next. It's the gun i love and hate......... I'm a reloader so i wanted to load soft shooting lead 44 mag cheap..... that isn't happening easily. I tell you if i could do it again id have done serious research and most likely bought something else. |
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Originally Posted By acman145acp: My henry big boy steel carbine had to go back for a new barrel. It still doesn't shoot easily available lead bullets. It does shoot hornady xtps acceptable now. Screws come loose quickly every 100 rounds got to tighten. Going to Loctite them next. It's the gun i love and hate......... I'm a reloader so i wanted to load soft shooting lead 44 mag cheap..... that isn't happening easily. I tell you if i could do it again id have done serious research and most likely bought something else. I didn’t need a .44 mag for hunting. Nice guns but I am more into casual recreational shooting with my leverguns. Not that I don’t develop hunting worthy loads for them just in case,  .I jumped on a 92 .44-40 as it’s pretty much the equivalent of a .44 special and it was actually a cowboy era cartridge which is neat. I am having fun with it. I questioned accuracy potential until I started casting for it versus my initial and temporary start with Acme commercial bullets…..which just don’t deliver acceptible accuracy for my purposes. To me they’re junk fodder for cowboy action shooters that shoot at tobacco spitting distance at large targets. |
The only hyphenated names I like are cartridge names......30-06, 30-40, 38-55 etc.
| I've got a 16"color case 357 Henry. Had it threaded and put a holosun on a direct mount from pheonix. It really likes 125gr & 140gr jhp Sierra pro hunter and 125gr xtp rifle bullet with a stiff charge of h110. Im getting 2175fps with the 125gr jhp and I've shot several 1.25-1.5" 5 rd groups at 100yds. Also had a 20" steel 357, it shot sub 2.5" pretty easy with same handloads and skinner peeps. |
| I did have a Henry 30-30 that I bought used that I couldn't get to shoot with limited load work. It was really nice looking and previous owner had put on the fancy wood from Henry, as checkering and buttpad were different than what that rifle would have come with, and wood was excellent high figured walnut. Scoped with 4.5-14 leupold mk4(for load work), factory leverevolution, and handloads with 150 and 170gr Sierra and multiple powder charges, 3" was the best. I lost interest in it and it moved on. |
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Remington made Marlin in .44: Took a ton of work (minimal $, just elbow grease) to get it to feed correctly. Shoots just about any 240gr reload 3" groups at 50yds. Hated it at first but I really, really like it now. Henry Big Boy Steel in .357- tube load: Been good to go since day 1. 2-3" groups at 50yds. No issues that I recall. Love it. Ruger made Marlin in .357: Same as the Henry. I think I like the aesthetics of the Ruger better but the Henry might be a little smoother action. Big fan of them all and I've shot the heck out of them. |
| I recently asked a old rancher how he liked the Henry's. He said they were junk, made of pot metal. I told him mine has functioned flawlessly through 200 rounds. He said good luck, he would rather have a Marlin. I said I'll shoot mine until it breaks and send it to Henery if it does. Most Cowboy action shooters have the same evaluation of Henry. I am pleased with mine and will shoot the crap out of it. It might not be a Marlin, but will work as a hunter and recreational shooting. I appreciate all of the responses. |
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Here’s my Henry .357 at 100 yds. Attached File Attached File |
Mr. Bad Example
Texas, not just a state but a state of mind
Texas, not just a state but a state of mind
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That's a great price. I took a swing past the gun area at Academy yesterday and it was $929 or around there. The asswipe behind the counter didn't even bother looking at me so I walked off. I've just been reading so many issues about the quality going down with Henry. I've been rethinking and now the Marlin 1894 has my eye. Also looking for 357. |
"The answer to crime is always cows." -Cheesebeast
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Originally Posted By Reddtv: Thank you for the continued input. I have not had any issues with mine. I shot it again this weekend. I does like 357 over 38 SPL. The length of 357 feeds better. Have found that the action on mine needs to be cycled smartly stop to stop, not hard, just with a purpose, seems to work better. What kind of 38's are giving you issues? Haven't seen that with mine, but may have inadvertently solved that years ago when stocking up on what are essentially truncate cone flat points. They feed without issue whether it's standing and smashing plates on a rack or on a bench at longer distances. If the budget allows, get a can for it. Suppressed 38s are about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on
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