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big elk
MemberPosts: 111 Member
cartridge choice
big elk
MemberPosts: 111 Member
I'm in the process of buying a Henry silver boy lever action. I can get one in 44 Remington mag. or a 45 Colt. Which one would be the best ? I'm will being shooting some targets and just playing with it. I also reload, I know its a waste of time but I'm retired and have lot of walking do to back surgery that went south, so I have time to reload.
Replies
If you don't plan on hunting say Eeny Meeny miny mo. However if you were going to hunt with it and maybe have a number of shots over 100 yards I'd see if that rifle's available in .30-30 Winchester. If you're going to reload you can reload Hornady flex tip bullets and reach out there a bit further. Hornady Flex Tips make a .30-30 a solid 200 yard gun.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Half dozen the other.
For just range work, the .44 components might be less expensive.
I have both cartridges. Love both.
As Zee said, I would choose the 45 Colt, only because I dont have one.
JAY
You don't have a handgun to match one or the other, do you?
-Mikhail Kalashnikov
This.
I own both.:guns::guns::guns:
Nice, subtle enabling, I like it.
.45 Colt - more gentle with factory loads; potentially compatible with .45 ACP bullets for handloading, provided you get something with a cannelure. Might be a little cheaper to feed because of it.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
Buy the .44 Mag and reload specials for it. I have an 1894 model and reload specials for plinking or small game. It's low recoiling and easy on the ears. It's just darn pleasant to shoot this way and reloading makes it even more attractive. If I need more horsepower, well it is a .44 Mag.
Just my two cents.
How easy it is to make people believe a lie, and [how] hard it is to undo that work again! -- Mark Twain
I did the same thing!!! I had a Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Mag and I sold it. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time and now I regret it.
What was I thinking?
How easy it is to make people believe a lie, and [how] hard it is to undo that work again! -- Mark Twain
Did someone on here say the .44 mag lever guns have a noticeable "Kick" far more than a .357 and .45 Colt? One "YouTuber" was saying you can load a .45 Colt up in one to magnum velocities around 1200 FPS pushing a 250/255 grain slug. I imagine that would be a lot more noticeable than a standard or cream-puff Cowboy load. But you get some extra horsepower from the extra bbl length anyway.
I was also wondering how their brass frames hold up? They say they are heat treated and the rifles are heavier than the steel framed ones (Henrys). I guess my line of reasoning/ erroneous assumption was from what I know about brass framed Cap n Ball revolvers not being as strong as steel framed ones.
Also, I know you can't or shouldn't fire ammo with pointed bullets from a tube fed lever gun except Hornady Leverloutions. So SWCs and LRNFP should be just fine, I assume. Most HPs too I would think, although there may be some that are a tad "Pointy".
I did see where .44 Spl ammo in a guys video was not feeding as good as .44 Magnums. He was saying that happens and with the .357s firing .38s in some rifles as well.
I think I would get a .45 Colt or a .357 and I think I could get over no loading gate on a Henry pretty easy too.
Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!
If I got one in .44/.45 or .357 I'd probably mostly reload and shoot poly coated hard cast SWCs/ or plated bullets. Of course some XTPs would be loaded and fired on occasion too. :guns: :guns:
Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!
https://www.henryusa.com/henry-rifles-and-shotguns/
Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!
Chief, lately I have been contemplating barrel length benefits. Most all of my builds have longer barrels to get the most out of them. You hear all ends of the argument on here. But I remember back a few years ago, well maybe more than a few, that how much benefit you get from barrel length depends somewhat on the cartridge and that larger diameter cartridges with small case capacity benefit less due to expansion ration, I think was the reason listed. And that overbore cartridges benefit more from barrel length. I tend to think this is true. Now that's largely comparing barrel lengths of 20-24 inches. The differences in revolver barrels and saddle guns are more than this and I do believe any barrel length increase will give more velocity, but how much gain you get is the question. If you gain 25 fps per inch it's almost not worth it in my opinion. So I don't know if a rifle with the same cartridge as the handgun will gain that much over a hand gun, especially a hand gun with a 6" or longer barrel. To me the big gain in a rifle over a hand gun is sight radius.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
There was a bit of recoil.
Otherwise I agree get a combo handgun levergun.
D
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
I've not heard any negatives on the Henry centerfire rifles' strength. I don't think it's something to worry about.
I'm guessing if Henry Repeating Arms designed a levergun with a certain cartridge in mind like .44 Mag. I wouldn't think there would be any problem with it holding up.
How easy it is to make people believe a lie, and [how] hard it is to undo that work again! -- Mark Twain