Henry Big Boy Steel 45 Colt

oscarflytyer

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Henry Big Boy Steel 45 Colt

Anybody shooting one? Thoughts/info. Committed to one today. 20" rifle. Will feed it 265 grn RN in traditional loading initially. IF it will feed SWCs, will feed it that, ramped up for deer (I have a nice top end load using in my Ruger flattop). HOPE the rifle will feed that SWC load! It will go nicely with my Uberti and Ruger flattop, both in 4 5/8" bbl!
 
CZ93X62

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Not a 45 Colt, mine is a 357 Magnum. It feeds Lyman #358156, but not #358429 (too long when seated and crimped in the groove). Won't be trying it seated short.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
The limitation isn't nose profile as much as cartridge length. 1.600" is the absolute functional limit, as it should be. The SAA cylinder will usually take something a good bit longer.
 
oscarflytyer

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Picked it up this afternoon/shot it. All cast reloads. It WILL! feed the Lee 255 SWC flawlessly - hopefully will also feed the Keith SWC. COAL is something like 1.570 iirc. Also fed cpl diff loads with the 454190 clone, COAL 1.610, flawlessly. I know it is supposed to limit out at 1.600, but since it fed the 1.610, I am going to cycle a few dummies in .020 increments with my bullet and see where it stops. Interestingly it liked a load with the 260 RNFP 454190 using CFE. My SAA clone didn't like it at all - it prefers the traditional Unique 8.0 load. DEF gotta upgrade the sights. Can't see factory buckhorn/brass bead for squat! I am going the same route I go on all my Levers - Skinner rear peep, leaf filler and Skinner high front wide post. Now, for that trigger.... Any recommendations? I am a trigger snob. The lighter/crisper the better. Thanx
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Mine would feed 1.620 or a couple thousandths more if memory serves, but it was scraping the meplat. I settled on 1.610" and designed the AM 45-297G with the crimp groove in the right place for that. Case trim length becomes a real factor when pushing the margin that close.
 
oscarflytyer

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
I have virtually all new/once fired Starline brass. Should be good on trim length for a bit. And did get confirmation from Henry this morning that the bbl is 1:16 twist.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Starline is tops but will likely need trimming for uniformity and will definitely need an inside chamfer. Measure a big handfull and see.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Based on how much the Henry looks like a Marlin I wonder if .020 or more could be had by filing back the stop on the carrier. Easily done on my Marlin 357 to allow a little longer nosed bullet to feed well.
 
oscarflytyer

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Brad - something to think about, but... Doubt I will push this one on CAOL. I have both a clone SAA that gets nothing but traditional load data and pretty much the 454190 clone. And then a Ruger BH NM Flattop that gets SWCs and warmer hunting loads. Intent is for the rifle to be a companion to either, and not use rifle specific loads. And the rifle will feed the 255 Lee SWC, and I know the BH shoots it well w/ (iirc) 16.5 grn of 2400. Hoping to get the same out of the Keith/RCBS 255 SWC in both the rifle and BH. And then for pure fun, always shoot the rifle with the SAA clone and traditional RN!
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
I think Brad is correct about file work, but no real reason to do it just to go outside SAAMI limits. My concern would be interrupting the timing and alignment of the bolt face, extractor claw, and most importantly the ejector. Besides, if the cartridge is too long, it will have difficulty tilting into the chamber, particularly with wfn designs.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Actually it changes little other than the length of cartridge that fits on the carrier.
Take the carrier out and lay a cartridge as if it is feeding from the magazine. The portion the head rests on can have the forward face filed back a little. This makes the allowable cartridge a bit longer.
No change to any other surface is needed. No change in angle, timing, or anything else. Just moving the case head back to give more room for bullet nose forward.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Right, same thing on the Henry except it's a tab like a Marlin 30-30.

Here's the problem with the Henry, note the cartridge rim rising up in front of the ejector. At this point it looks like there's a little room behind the rim, but.....20190821_205041.jpg

......now look as the lever is moved just a tiny bit more and the cartridge is lifted:

20190821_205024.jpg

Poof, no clearance. The bolt didn't move much during this phase of cartridge lift, maybe 1/8". The case rim is handed off from the lifter to the ejector and extractor and must rise in front of the ejector leg. If the cartridge stop on the lifter is filed back, the ejector must be filed the same amount and as you can see there's no metal to work with.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
That's why I saw no need to mess with mine, ever. It ain't broke, so I just designed a bullet that will work at maximum weight, meplat, and nose length the system is capable of. It fits the throat, too, who'da thunk. :)

Btw, the Lyman 250-gr bevel-base RFN cowboy bullet is just about perfect in all aspects for the Henry BB, again, who'da thunk?
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
What? A RNFP bullet that feeds in a lever action?

Weird
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ian
You must log in or register to reply here.