Henry offers three models, with the Octagon being the most visually striking of the lot. The fit of the metal and wood is tight, and the finish is even and well applied. Posted on 01/23/2018 8:17:18 AM PST by w1n1
Henry offers three models, with the Octagon being the most visually striking of the lot. The fit of the metal and wood is tight, and the finish is even and well applied.
A 22-inch blued octagonal barrel is installed on a brass receiver, with brass buttplate on a straight-grip stock of quality walnut completing the first impression. Weighing in at about 8 pounds, the rifle feels substantial without appearing heavy. For field carry, it comes with sling swivel studs already installed.
The magazine tube holds four cartridges and loads from a port underneath, the same as Henry’s rimfire rifles. While slower than gate loading, this approach is easier on the shooter’s fingers and doesn’t damage soft bullet points. And, considering the power of the .45-70 cartridge, 4+1 capacity is generally sufficient.
WHILE HISTORIC .45-70 LOADS used bullets in the 405- to 500-grain range, most modern hunting ammunition is 300 grains. Loads such as Winchester and Federal with expanding bullets develop velocities in the high 1,800s, and recoil is correspondingly brisk. For this reason, a slipon recoil pad is a recommended accessory. Read the rest of the best lever action rifle Henry here.
While I haven’t shot the other calibers you’ve mentioned, .348 is definitely punishing! I never run more than 10 rounds through it in any range session, but it’s still a fun rifle to shoot. Kinda loud, too.
These Arizona Rangers were gathered together in 1903. The rifles that I can identify are all 1895 Winchesters. In 1903 the total Ranger force consisted of 26 men. I count 25 assembled for this picture. The Ranger Act of 1901 required that every ranger carry an 1895 Winchester and a Colt Single Action Army chambered in .45 Colt. One Ranger, private Lonnie McDonald, had been wounded in February of 1903, and he may not have yet recovered in time to be included in this photo. I see a few possible gunbelts, but the angle is precisely wrong to see any holstered Colts. Picture from historynet.com.
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2014/11/dean-weingarten/arizona-rangers-group-photo-1903/
Don't buy it!
Seriously, take my advice!
It's so danged purty, I can't bring myself to take it off the wall long enough to shoot it.
You'll waste your money.
It's a wonderful piece.
Mine is absolutely beautiful, but not so much that I won't use it.
I was making light of how beautiful they are...they definitely are, but believe me, it will drive tacks...which of course, once driven, are not findable, 'cause the muzzle velocity and fps on a .357 out of a 22 inch barrel is phenomenal.
I once had a Marlin in .35 Rem, which is all I used for deer hunting in south Alabama years ago, and I simply loved it.
I foolishly sold it in the '80's, and still regret it and that's why I bought the Henry.
Straightest shooting non-scoped rifle I've ever shot (other than an M-14), but I think it may be just a little heavier than my old Marlin.
Once broke in...smooth as glass.
Heavy enough to lighten up the recoil, light enough to carry into the brush for a day's hunting.
SJHP .357 is the recommended round...it will shoot lead round-nose .38's, but is likely to jam if you get in a hurry with them.
Hornady .357 FTX made especially for Lever Action, ballistic tip. No primer issues.
Gunner
38 Specials in a longer barrel are nice in that they also come out faster than with a hand gun. I think .357’s come out of a hand gun between 1200 and 1250 fps and out of a 16” barrel around 1800 fps. Not sure how they would come out of a longer barrel like in a Henry, but surely a bit faster than with a hand gun. I’m 65 and don’t need to beat myself up to enjoy shooting anymore but it’s nice to have the more potent option....since most .357 weapons will also work fine with 38 Specials, it makes for a good choice.
Not sure about Browning. Marlin used to make one before the Remington takeover. They’re available used, but not cheap. They’re still making the .44 magnum, though.
Winchester has a .357, but it’s pricey. Not sure about availability.
Correction: It appears that Browning is focusing on rifle caliber levers with a removable box magazine. Hmm, one of those in 223 might be tasty.
Anyway, I’d really like one of the Marlin .357s. Saw one at a gun show, but way overpriced. There are usually plenty on the gun broker website, but I don’t want to deal with shipping to an FFL, etc.
:)
Like almost all Hollywood lever action rifles, a Winchester Model 92. Why did they use the model 92? It would chamber the Five in One blank used by Hollywood which would chamber in the .45 Colt, .44-40, .38-40, .410 shotguns, and .44 S&W. There were five different guns that Hollywood used in Westerns they would easily chamber in. The FX department could easily reload them.
My thought when I first saw it.
I wonder why they used the Model 92, when the time frame of the show was the 1870’s right after the Civil War?
The rifle used by the star wasn’t even invented at that time!..........
The Winchester 1892 was a scaled down version of the Browning designed Winchester 1886. It was intended to be a replacement for the popular Winchester 1873 which was chambered in popular Colt pistol cartridges such as .44-40, .38.40, .32-40 so that people in the field did not have to carry two different cartridges. Both the 1873 and the 1892 were offered in a couple of other calibers that were not available in Colt revolvers (except on rare special orders) such as the .32-20 and .22 LR.
The Model 92 was slightly modified and released as the Model 53 in 1924, and then later in 1934 as the Model 65. In 1936, a variation of the Model 92 was released in .218 Bee.
Both the 1873 and 1892 came in saddle-ring carbine, rifle, and military (musket with bayonet) variations as standard models. Rifles were available with either round or octagonal barrels. Special order half-octagon half-round, and extra long or short barrel rifles could be had, as well as fancy stocks and engraving in any of the variations.
Although the 1892 was intended as a replacement to the 1873, Winchester continued to make and sell the 1973 through 1914. The 1892 was finally discontinued discontinued in 1938. . . although Winchester would still allow special order 92s up to the US entry in WWII.
It seems odd that companies such as Henry and Chiappa are being allowed to build such close copies of Marlin designs (Chiappa makes a knock-off of the Model 39 rimfire) without a challenge from Cerberus/Remington.
As for the thread topic, I think the "best" are the JM-stamped (pre-Remington) Marlins, the pre-'64 Winchesters and the Miroku-built Browning and Winchester models. All of those outclass the current Marlins and Henrys (don't know too much about the current production Winchesters).
For a while now, I've wanted a Miroku/Browning 1886 in .45-70 (from approx. 20 years ago, around the same time they made the Winchester 71 clone). Superb quality, but without the price tag of an original 1886.
Probably because an 1973 was too fragile to manhandle the way Connors did with that Model 92... and the knuckle action of the Model 73 were much more likely to jam when cycled rapidly.
I was watching a Twilight Zone the other night and they had a whole regiment of Union Soldiers frozen. Every single one of them was carrying .45-70 1873 Springfield TrapDoor Rifles. . . Not the percussion Springfield rifles that were issued during the Civil War, or Spencer breech loaders that would have been more expected. I cringe when I see Civil War battle scenes with the officers firing Colt SAA revolvers. The earliest Colt cartridge revolvers of the type would have been 1871 for conversions (except Thuer Conversions but Thuers were not breech loaders, they loaded from the front of the cylinder).
My girlfriend always comments about me yelling at the screen during TV movies when the gun is anachronistic for the period of the movie. It's one of my pet peeves when it is so easily avoided with a little research.
I don't know why the Army didn't go to the S&W Schofield (too fragile?, too scarce ammo supply?) during the Indian Wars. Would be a Helluva faster ejecting and reloading when on horseback. At revolver range, the lower-powered 45 Schofield wouldn't have made that much of a difference. Check out hickok45 at 10:16.
The Miroku Brownings are high quality. The Winchester snobs scorned them when they were new production items.
They actually did.
The name Schofield was the name of the Major George W. Schofield of the US Army who helped develop the Smith & Wesson gun and cartridge that was adopted by the US Army. The Army bought MORE .45 Schofields than they ever bought of the Colt .45s. . .
In fact the name .45 LONG Colt came about because of Army Quartermaster Sergeants wanting to specify the LONGER, more powerful .45 Colt cartridge at their officers choosing, instead of the shorter .45 S&W Schofield which would safely chamber and shoot in the Colt revolvers and was the standardized Army round. These sergeants would write down .45 LONG Colt on the orders even though there was no such round by name and it became the name in popular nomenclature.
I am actually a Colt SAA fan. I think the Colt is a beautiful gun. . . but the S&W is a superior design for fast reloading. The Colt is a better, more powerful cartridge and has greater accuracy, and is faster to bring back into aiming after recoil.
They both have good points.
Yeah...I've seen those.
Haven't had a chance to try them.
Thanks.
I have a Miroku 1886 in 45-70. Does anyone make a slipover butt pad for that crescent buttplate? Someone wrote that a crescent butt must be held into the upper arm rather than the shoulder.
Thoughts?
Note that's it's not a recoil pad - but he may be able to make one a shade longer than standard and you could use a belt sander to sculpt a pachmayer pad to fit in the crescent. Drop him an e-mail and ask (the laced style looks more authentic on lever-action rifles). He'll do plain or ornate, take a look at the examples.
The only other option is to find an 1886 buttstock replica and have it modified to fit a shotgun-style pad. Store the original while you enjoy the rifle.
I guess you could also use the Past gel recoil pad that straps to your shoulder (popular with the guys who shoot clays all day). Nobody can see it under a field jacket.
That is pretty wild. I bet one of those rifles is one you have.
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