Christmas

Merry Christmas to my best friend.  Who has been dealing with a lot.  His father gifted him a Henry 22! Early.

Just like that.  He was excited and obviously suprised and sent me the pic asap!
He is going to begin shooting this sweet little gun tonight Id imagine and with any luck hit the target...lol

Cary4LIfe

Take a moment, and think about it,  and all that Cary4Life, means.

At its core Cary4Life means " I have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  That no one has the right to cause me harm, or those I love, or my neighbor."

As americans we the people are born free with brith rights.  Rights that no government has any right to regulate or infringe upon, by any means as they have no right expressed or impllied to do so.

No one or group of people may force you to do their bidding.  Nor bow to them and their beliefes.  A fudemental principal of respect.

Every day people in our American society start their day, with hope, love and compassion.  The wealithiest to those destitute.

Since 1936 the government of the United States of America has violated the Constitution, and the people 2nd Amendment right, via illegal laws and regualtions as to what, where, when, how many, how much, and who may bare arms.  They have neferaously portrayed arms as evil, and those who posses them as a problem.  All the while tens of thousands of lives have been lost, due fundemental infringments upon the absolute indvidual right.  The suprem court has even infringed upon this plain text, with radical opressive interpretation.

The ownership, education and baring of arms is a right, becasue they save lives.  As proven by the facts that less infringment, as in the case of Ohio.  Saves more lives and reduces violance.  Ohio, still sufering under grossly opressive infringment laws, is at a 44 year low, for gun viloance.  As criminals want to be sucessful in their activites, those of us who number nealy 1/10th the ohio population have CCW (infringment) permits.

Ohioians with CCW have not comittied "crimes".  Why?  We want to live and our families to live, and neighbors to live.  Having a CCW is all about life.  Living free and safe.

There is not one gun law that has ever saved a life.  Not one single law.  Yet billions have spent on creating constitutional viiolations, and agcienies to enforce the subversive illegal ilmoral behavior.

Call your state representives, call your federal representives.  Demand an end to the infringment laws.  Demand they support life, demand they support freedom, demand they support liberty.  Demand they uphold their solm oath to uphold and defend the Constitution.

 This small 1lb 357 magnum revolver, fits in your pocket as easily as a smart phone.

this glock too

these revolvers on your hip, in your pocket, on your ankle, in a a purse.

Imagine with me for one moment...

You are delivering your child, nephew, wife, husband, sister, brother, mother, father, aunt, uncle or grandparent to the local school.  You have pulled in to the lot, sipping your coffe, laughing enjoying your morning.  They exit and enter the bulding, and as watch them disapear in the mass of children you see 3 persons exit the vehical behind you and move to the entrance of the building with guns drawn and machettes.

in that moment which would you rather have?  Your cell phone and the 7min response time, or one of the above firearms?

I do not care who are, how big or small, man or woman, straight, gay or trans.  I know youll want to save lives.  Phones do not save lives in this moment like you with your firearm can.  The life you may save, may be yours, or a loved one.

The news is sensetionalize the recent muslim terror attack in Californina.  California has most Constititional rights violations of any state.  (The Most gun laws).  They did not save a single life...again.

The media is sensationalizing that Terrorist has 2,000 rounds of amunition....2,000 rounds is a month worth amunition.  These media morons, do not shoot.  They have not a clue how much amunition an average shooter burns in a month.  Yet they speak as if they know, and falsely make acusations that x amount is alarming.  Please media do not speak and demonize something your unqualifyed to have an opinion about. 

I encourage every American to go out over the next month and purchase a life saving firearm.  The life saving devices pictured above range in price from $300- to $1000.00.  When you purchase your life saving device purchase 400 rounds of amunition, general purpose plinking ammunition, and 80 rounds of purpose built defensive amunition.  If you have never touched, or fired a firearm before, ask your local gun shop for help in getting training!  You need the equivilant of NRA basic pistol and your CCW class.  Ask the gun shops gun smith to teach you how to maintain your life saving device.  Gun owners are great people!  They will help you with enthusiam and vigor.  Shoot that babby!  at least once perweek with that 400 rounds. Keep your sessions short 25-50 rounds tops.  Practice with your unloaded firearm on malfunciton.  In time your live saving device will become as familure as google.  Join the IDPA, Join the NRA.  Then...buy a Henry

Give Life for Christmas, or "holiday season".  

live long, live free, live happy

Cary4Life

First Deer with Henry Big Boy 44 Magnum

It was a cold but not fridged day that began at 5am.  First packing my Henry Rifle in its padded ducks unlimited water proof padded case, and box of factory Winchester 240 grain jacketed soft point amunition. The night before, and my general layers of clothing.  I then managed my routine of moving kids, yes kids to activities, for sports.  Then departed and arrived on stand right at legal shooting hours.  

The wind was blowing into my face as I looked across the field at the wood lots edge, 100 yards away.  ITs the perfect vantage point for gun season.  From this my stand you can peer all the way threw the small section of wood lot that is 100 yards wide. Tracking any and all movement, where with the 444 Marlin, a caliber I would love to see Henry offer, you can with optics make a shot to the far side, on two shooting lanes that bisect the woods.

I had intended to capture video, but as one person, with out a go pro, I just couldnt do it.  

So as the story continues, this is the Doe taken with the Henry!  I sat on my stand untill 10am.  Hearing shots ring out from the far side of the woods, and other surrounding woodlots.  But not seeing a single deer.  In years past when shots are fired at the far corner of the woods, deer generally flow to this side and most often out of the center right toward this stand to bed down on the river.  Not a single one.  So being cold from the wind and not seeing any of that traffic, or deer coming from those otther near and distant woodlots. I returned to terrafirma and slowly crept acorss the frost covered field.  

Upon reaching the woods edge, I squated for a good 30 min.  Listening for any tell tail sounds of deer and for the squirls to again resuming their full bore crashing and dashing.  One last visual sweep outside the woods and I crept inside.  A good 20 yards to a down tree, where slowly sweept leaves from the ground, so I could move in silience around my seat.

I wait untill about noon.  Still nothing.  Oh the shots were still ringing out, but not so much as a glimpse from my location.  I was now warmer and more comfortable, so the big orange parka and traper hat were left slung over my tree.  I had an orange vest still as required by law that covered my sweat shirt and polar tech vest.  I began a slow and low creep to the center of the woods.  A location I have normally reserved for my bow stand.  A great high traffic are, where when yo arrive supper early you can catch the deer returning to their bedding.  

It was while standing a top a stump of a massive oak that had been harvested I made my first shot...though not at a deer.  I fired at a Coyote! Who became aware of my presence.  I made a clean kill...of an 1 1/2 wide sapling.  I now know why the deer were avoiding the area, as I seached and found its den...Ill be back and work a  varmint hunt to exact my revenge.

 Ohio, has a deer driving tradition.  Some agree with it, some do not.  Its not legal in some states, but is legal in Ohio.  Every year we drive deer.  As long you have a good comunication and posters, know how many drivers there are, and where they are, and what the safe shooting lanes are, drives are fun, and safe.  At about 1pm my good friend Gene made his way into my woods.  I joined him and the other man and we pushed our way to his adjacent woods where where we began pushing his woods to a waiting posters.  two deer came out, one went due west, eluding the posters, the other made her past me, where I got a shot off, but missed my mark in a safe lane...on a very large tree, lol, and she made her way then right to the rear gaurd and was taken.  that was it.
The drivers then went off to the North and began driving south.  I posted up in a creek on a open field leading to the woods.  A doe, my doe came running across the field.  She angled up and away after being fired at by another hunter.  I guessed she was at 100 yards to 120.  She slowed her speed and elected to take a shot, as moved at a speed far closer to a walk.  I took aim just behind her front left shoulder.  Squeezed the trigger and she summer saulted forward in a heep.  A NICE SHOOT came from my fiend Timmy, and then She put her head up, and was rocking like she was getting up.  I swung the lever forward and back chambering another round.  Rose to my feet took aim at the center of her neck and fired.  She fell to the ground where it was over.  The First deer with the Henry was taken.

(Caution this paragraph is desriptive about the bullet wounds)

Upon arriving at my doe, we could see that it was good I took her.  At some point, either the shot before mine, or earlier that day, a low shot had taken her front right foot off.  The next thing we saw was neck pass threw.  That bullet entered and took her main artery and passed out the other side leaving a fairly large exit.  The first shot, is the bullet you see above.  We looked at the entry and it crashed threw breaking two ribs, both lungs and made its way threw ribs and then oposit shoulder bone and bullet as you see it was laying on her, half in and half out of the exit.  The soft point did a fanstastic job.  The solid base drove and stayed in tacked.  The petal on the left is the only one protruding, three are folded back perfectly along the base and opened and collapsed back two look to have been floded across and over the folded back...maybe from "tumbling" on entry from the ribs or between more ribs and shoulder bone?  but by count only one pettal is off, and it was in the shoulder bone.

By any measure, my 98 football ref paces from firing point to impact is 100 yards.  The Winchester 240 grain jacketed soft point.  Listsed as good for black bear and deer, most certinly lived up to advertised ability.  

The Henry Rifle, fired and cycled perfectly, and I would strongly recomend this as a good factory amunition.  The Henry Rifle fired to my point of aim at 100 yards, straight and true with the standard sights and I was not wearing my glasses to being the front bead into perfect focus.  In time I will be using my glasses, and or adding a 1-4 leupold or Nightforce, to aid my aging eyes. 

This wildman, is Joe.  Joe maybe the number one deer slayer in this motly crew.

Joe and Buck 2015!  

CCW and the "wild west"syndrom

All to often where Conceald Handguns are discused, we hear people make acounts as to how it will be like the wild west.  Facts we know.  State of Ohio on expanding gun rights restoration laws, violent crime has droped.  All the way to a 44 year low.  This is becasue criminals do not know who is armed .  In the wild west we are lead to believe from movies and tv shows, that every scuffle lead to a shooting and deaths (multiple) in every town every day.  The fact is the shooting deaths averaged 1.5 per year.  That is it.  Vs the the eastern established cities that had gun free boarders and shooting deaths that averaged in the 100's per year.  In gun free zones.  imagine...all that history and the ignorance still prevails...

The State of the Union

At this point in the great American experiment of self governance.  Many of us can trace our roots back to some of the earlist settlers.  My fathers liniage arrived aboard the ship James in 1635.  A tanner by trade he made a life and set the stage for generations to follow.  Holt's fought the crown with pride, for freedom and liberty.  Holts fought the south, and took part in the underground railroad, founded schools, hospitals, librafies.  Served as elected officals and as farmers all the way to the building of the Hooverdam and the first Atomic Bomb.
I firmly believe the America we live in today, is one they would be willing to rise up against.  When cities ban guns and TOY GUNS, and people work to stifle basic liberty.  Government is about Less rule and more freedom.  Government is designed to protect freedom and liberty from being squashed.  Not to be the agent of opression.
Every election season we hear about how this election is the most important.  I believe we need a president who will undo the wrongs put in place since the 1930's where governemnt imposed arms regulations upon the people were first put in place.  Should you my neighbor want a tommy gun, good for you.  Just like any firearm, should you mis use your arms for crimes we have layers upon layers of laws to deal with you.  YOur ownershiip of arms is not regulatable.  IF you want a polaris missle or an Ohio class sub, its your right.  Government needs to stay out.
I fear we are that juncture where radical Urban elietes beliefs have permiated so deeply that we may actually loose the right to keep and bare arms.  There is only one canidate who sees the right absolute and his advisiors are in step with him.  Trump may not make moves to fully resotre the right but I believe he can be trusted to make "protective" steps (an oxymoronic statement since we are talking about indvidual right, a right however that has seen countless laws and regulations placed upon it, illegally).
While I am not asking you to vote for Trump, if you are reading this you are sports person.  You and I share arms as a one of a multitude of comon interests.  The right to Arms I hold very high in my belief system.  Yours may be lower, but present no less.  I am asking that you get out and vote, and keep your passion for arms and the Constitituion in the for front of your decision making.  It is with out freedom or liberty that we all become subjects.
So if you love your Henry Rifle, vote to keep it!

October 28

Hello
Work continues on the reloading station and its design and construction.  Very excited about that project and the ensuing organization that comes with it!
More shooting but the range has been largly vacant in my sessions.  Deer gun season is quickly approaching and I feel ready.
BIG NEWS- as stated early on in the blog, 44 mag was selcted for the Henry for many reasons, and that selection would lead to other future 44 mag purchases, as I maintain a caliber platform.  The long term was to have a couple rifles, and hand gun(s).  Well there is a lot of product news coming from Henry.
As mentioned early I passed on a Winchester 94 trapper
winchester 94 trapper
The trapper was awesome, the 16" barrel and light weight and handling was amazing...so stupid for not purchasing one.  So Henry is exciting the masses!  offerings with case harden steel and now... wait for it...a big boy steel carbine!  At .5" longer than the trapper and offered in all big boy calibers this is a no brainer!  Henry is responding to customers and making more offerings of these must have rifles.  One drivng force is that these firearms make great multi purpose weapons and their resurgence is no accident.  The henry is force multipler and with their modest capacity (low) 10 round and under 7 in carbin, compaired to an ar
you have a survial weapon, a home defense gun, a gp hunting and plinking gun, a cowboy action gun, a truck gun.  Strong Durable and reliable.  I would like to see a spin off big boy product, a henry big boy survival rifle.  Synthetic stock, a butt stock that would hold some survival items and a removable forend, that would hold 14 rounds of amunition extra to the mag tube.  So the Carbine is the next henry on my list.

The next hand gun selection has been narrowed.  44 Mag is a tough tough hand gun to find  that meet my requirements.  I narrowed the field and was very well settled on a Ruger Alaskan.  Great choice.  I longed and have longed for the gp 100 even thinking a gp 100 in 44 mag with a 5 round mag would bad ass.  Well guess what...Im not a complete gun hobiest.  I dable here and there and follow my interests as they come.  Well dabling with learning about revolvers, I poped in on Charter arms, Taurus, colt, S&W countless times.  Today, while dabling I found, for me, the perfect mate to the big boy!
So look at this.  The Alaskan is sweet, by every measure.  Good looking, durable and quality.
it does have a 2.5" barrel is 7.6" LOA and tips the scales at 45 oz 2.8lbs unloaded.
The 2015 new revlover from Smith and wesson.  model 69
4.25" barrel, 5 round chamber,  larger at 9.7" loa and lighter at 37 oz 2.3 lbs
adjustable sight which do not look to snagy, and I am sure a fixed low profile option will be forthcoming and its about as wide as gp 100 so far easier to tote around.  Which to me, makes it a perfect pair for the big boy, for truck, bed side, hike hunt etc.  I think in nature if you find yourself needing on tap more than 5 rounds 44 hard cast 305 your really really in a one in billion situation.  Then if your big boy is on hand and you had need to transition your really in a place that well...will be your demise...  with two leged predators Id think the same as well.

329 pd

lighter at 25 oz 4" barrel it needs to be held in the stores



So have a great day.  Keep shooting and Cary4Life.
up next
the reloading bench
and CCW

Thursday October 1

So Henry friends its time for another update.  Yesterday October 1st I packed up and headed off to the range, to make sight adjustments.  I could not find my brass punch, but was able to stop at a local store and purchase a 3' brass rod for 5.95 and hack saw blade for 2.95.  Which I used to trim off a section of rod 3" long x 3/8".  When I arrived at my lane, I hung my deer target seen below...on the floor of the range ( I droped it while removing it and considering how busy the range was today I was not going to make a request to retrieve it.  )  So what are we looking at.  The two right body and the high flyer are the first three.  The flyer was result of me flinching when I felt the report of a 300 win mag (totaly not expecting that, nor did I see it in my scan as I walked the line) Needless to say it is right and that is where we left off.  Shooting right.

I laid the Henry down on her side ejector side up.  I then placed one end of the brass on the rear sight dove tail and taped.  Ran the target back out to 25 yards and the next four were cutting centers.

New Target and its going to be difficult to tell here but I began tweaking the fine elevation.  From Far RIGHT, I fired two keyholed, then middle just above, which as part of the Henry project and I kick myself for not having video, agh.  Was a US Marine, who was in the lane beside me and had never fired a Lever Gun.  He cut my center hole, then sent a flyer to the neck.

 Here you see his third show high dead center..  Then the two high were his buddy, who then went low left most shoulder.  Their other buddy hammered low right and in the could of smoke (very busy on the range and the venilation system was in over drive I hammered right center after another fine windage adjustment.

All in all a great day at the range!  This target was selected today becasue at the limited range of 25 yards, the deer looks like a buck at 100.  I wanted to begin adjusting from bulseyes to animal targets and this one was just perfect to prep for deer season.  Consiquently this was a mix of Mag tec and winchester.  The only issues came from short stroking by the new shooters.  

Well, a moment I have been waiting for...actually posting a pic the BigBoy steel.

The wood on the is very nice for none graded wood, which is what you want on a working rifle.  The sling took some time in selecting.  I considered many, many options.  Including none at all.  I then began leaning toward leather, to keep with the working rifle, look.  Leather is also timeless, and lends to thoughts of Cowboys working the trail, and even my grandfather, sitting on tree stump in Wisconsin with his 30-30.  As he did every year, never missing a deer season.  There are not many if any stories for me to reflect upon with my grandfather.  The few are special and fantastic.  I do know he hunted out west, which makes me believe mule deer are in 100% in play the rest I would leave to my imagination.  He was an avid squirrel hunter, I know this from the tails tacked to the shed, each visit, and that he said he loved eating squirrel more than rabbit.  But as far as modifications go, that is it.  I am not wanting to but my eyes may dictate I add a scope...I am fighting this as I like the appearance of the rifle with out.  Seemingly others do as well!

As I stated I opted for a leather sling.  This sling is avail on ebay, for custom order.  I always enjoy working with artisans.  I simply look at their body of work, for style match, then request simply what I would like...a boat on a river with pine trees...run with it.  In this case, a Deer, acorns name and a bear.  simple, with a redish brown leather.  It turned out fantastic, ebay member samglo is the artisan who does these and the price 37.99$ can not be beat.  When I installed the sling, I used thread lock to make sure the screws dont inadvertently back out on me. It looks as good as it smells!

Henry owners speak time and again about the wood on their rifles.  Can you see why?  Its in no means exhibition graded but for standard firearm, it is fantastic, and harkins back to the days when manufactures used quality standards, that were beyond functional.  The checkering, is also quite good, likely pressed, but it is good and sharp, and afords a great grip.

The receiver and ejection port.  The wood to metal fit is good-to very good.  The wood is as well finished as can be, no mared edges nothing is uneven or unappealing.  When I purchased this rifle, I had the fortune to look at several.  They all looked the same, no variations.  

I need to send a plug for my friend's Rodger and Angie at TNT Fire Arms.  TNT is owned by Rodger and is located in Findlay Ohio.  http://tntfirearms.net/

Rodger is exceptionally knowledgable , kind and offers his clients highly competitive pricing and gun smithing.  He is maintaining a great inventory of the Henry Rifles, especially with Ohio adopting the straight walled deer cartridges.  357, 44 and 45-70 were all available about year ago when I picked this up.

44 MAG ammunition in 240grains is widely available.  I have always had good success with Magtech in my 9mm handguns, and the brass does well reloading.  That said...I did have three issues with in the 30 rounds sent down range from this box.  All the same issue.  Failure to extract-eject.  The extractor did not make good contact with the rim, and left the case about 1/2 extracted.  I did not save those rounds, but visible was an apparent difference in that diameter.  I have never experienced that before, and at home...I had loaded and cycled dummy rounds, and live winchesters ( testing feeding of HP and flat nose, all done with the safety of muzzle pointed at a bullet trap mind you.)  Yet I experienced not a single malfunction.  The actual firing of the Winchesters may lead to some issue...yet I dont see how the firing of the round will alter the rim...smaller.  larger would be a big problem.  

So this is target 1.  Rounds 1, 2, and 3.  For Ohio hunting you are not allowed full use of the Gun, and are limited to 3 rounds...which i find interesting because a wheel gun is not limited in a like caliber...oh..the joys of infringements as no one can comprehend the Constitution is literal.  

So moving on...  all shots off hand, standing in a basic hunting stance, not bracing on the sling ( no torque on forend)

shots one and two keyhole two inches low and and two inches right so.  I had thought I was alone on the indoor range and did not hear anyone enter.  As I went to send he 3rd round down range a SW 500 was fired two bays down...it startled me...I think it would startle anyone, lol.

very pleased, at this out of the box performance at 30 yrds.  Now I have not Chonographed any of the factory ammo.  What I have read is velocity ought to be around 1550 to play it on averages and low.  

Chuckhawks illustrates that the 44 mag, 240gr at 1760 fps muzzle develops 1650 ft lbs at the muzzle and 970 ft lbs of E at 100 yards still clipping along at 1350 fps or as fast as the muzzle of a revolver.  The Iconic 30-30 150gr 1356 ft lbs at 100 yrds clipping along at 1356 FPS

plenty for what you can see and hunt with iron sights.

My 30 yrd 0 is .75" low at 75 yrd and 2.8 low at 100 yrds.

so...I adjusted the iron up..

so who heads to the range with out their scew driver...I did.  This group to focus on is the high right.  The one on the pair on the line was one notch up, the other two.  the high "flyer" near center line was the result of aiming one two inches left where I decided I was stupid for not grabbing the screw driver set I had set out...So I could not account for  windage adjustment.  But I did bump up the sight.

The up two notches resulted in 30yrd groups averaging 1.7" high at 25 yards.  which will = 4" 50yrd, 4.9" high at 75 yrds and 4.7" high 100yrd 1." high 125 yards and a 150yard 0.

I believe I will maintain the current elevation setting, and will just bring the group over to center and tape my elevation notch and range data to the stock and call it sighted in.  

Overall as stated in an early post, the recoil is non existant mathematically and felt.  This rifle could be shot by a small framed 55 lb youth and introduce no bad habits.  A 357 would be even better.  This will be a go to fun gun and hunting companion for a long time.

No deadlines

Blogs are a very interesting media outlet.  You have no set schedual, yet your desire to create can make you fustrated.  I hoped to have a new topic and some video processed at this point, but no such luck.  In the midest of family loss, tragedy and back to school, all effort this endevor was halted.  I am posting today, which maybe evidence in shift in the tides.

The weather has begun to shift, the chill of fall, coupled with some summer warmth, makes me long for a New England Summer.  That is as short lived and snaps faster than a twig underfoot on your way to your favorite deer stand, with the thought of deer season!

Chores have been the mainstay and are winding down.  As the heeping mess in the  garage lends way to space an organization once again, I begin construction of a proper reloading bench.

stay tuned

Why the 44 magnum

Why the 44 Magnum

The 44 magnum came into being from the minds or early revolver hunting wildcaters.  The 44 special, revolovers could handle more presure than 45lc, and handloaders began pushing the limits.  Elmer Keith is acredited as being the father of the 44 Remington Magnum.  I wont contest that, it was Elmer Ketihe who pushed the project at S&W and Remington.  Their design teams liked what he had done and ran with it.  In 1956 S&W with Remingtion Amunition gave birth to the 44 magnum.  Ruger was hot on the heel and depending upon the story was covertly made aware of the developing round.  Ruger brought to market the BlackHawk. The endresult of the magnum case is that it is just slightly longer than a 44 special case to prevent the magnums from being loaded inadvertantly in 44 special revolvers.  

The 44 magnum produces in a 7lbs gun 11 to 11 1/2 ft/lbs of recoil.  That is on par with the 243 winchester, which is widely considered one of the best all around (varmint- white tail) rounds going.  Especially when young or smaller statured shooters are in question.  It is a LIGHT recoiling round.  The 25-06 is another light recoiling round at 13 ft-lbs.  223-556 is 7.6 ft/lbs.  The machisimo surrounding this caliber steems from the word magnum and dirty Harry.  It is a very capable and powerful handgun round, but the reason we do not see poilce carrying 44 magnums is they need to big and heavy to handle the presures.  Seeing a police officer slide, a Desert Eagle 44 mag out of his jacket is laughable, and not practile.  

Some data

12 g slug- 70ft-lbs.  now many "governing agencies" like to say this is perfect for deer.  It is not, a 12 g slug is a cannon ball packing a shit ton of energy, inside 100 yards.  Shooting a 12 slug is not fun, or in any way desireable.  They are big, heavy clumsy wepons inteded for SHOT.  Huinting and shooting at water fowl and upland game.  Yet, the "short range" most associate with these firearms is why they have allowed them.  I have not any idea why anyone would want a fire arm that develops poor marksmenship and is not very good at its job.  Its as if handing a 5lb sledge hammer to some one and push pins.  The shot gun lacks any level of precision, and is best left for the uplands.  I would no sooner head a field with a barret 50BMG for squirl ( which by the way the 33 lb barret, with muzzel break has just as much recoil as the vernerable slug.

This past season I hunted with a wonderful HR in 444 marlin.  The deer was hit surgically in the chest, the 23lbs of recoil was just fine, and the deer bolted 30 yards and tumbled to the turf.  The 444 is simply awesome.  It is a 200yard deer slayer, and wont bust you up.  The single shot side is not bad, but, I am sure a marlin in 444 would be fantastic.  So why did I not go for the Marlin 444?  I just did nt like the guns fit and finish.  I was able to see what people were talking about and dollar for dollar the Henry is better.  Why not the Henry 45-70?  Trust me, it was heavily debated.  It may well find its way here, but I had read about some mazine tube failures and while Henry is making good on those with customers.  I'd rather wait untill its an issue of the past.  Anther reason for 44 is amunition.  Its avail about any where.  I do plan on casting my own bullets and hand loading and 44 is cheaper, and you can back it up with a pistol.

So 44 mag.  250gr with 20gr H110 and wlp is netting 1501fps
zero balistically holds true (point blank) 25 yards and 100 yards  with 70yrd being 2" high and 150yrd 8" low.  I will be testing that data, in the gun, and creating a data sheet for quick refence while in the field.n 300 yards projects a 72" drop.  This will be fun testing out in the actual gun.
It will also provide ample time to gain familurity with the Henry which is key.

I think the 44 based on my sons ability to shoot and will stress JOY in shooting the 444 will only be amped up!

Welcome to Lever Gun Hunter-The Henry Rifle Project

The lever action gun, is as instantly recognisable, as your favorite supper.  It is has beautiful lines.  They shoulder perfectly, and with great familurity, becoming a natural extension of your being.

Henry Big Boy Steel,

Changes across the land, are opening up opurtunities, for people, to again hunt with these classics!  These changes are long overdue.  Reversing slowly the illegal infringments placed upon hunters.  Infringments which are dictating what arms indviduals may bare in pursuit of game.  Yes, any and all regulations places on arms are infact infringments.  These gross rights violations were created by parties with no Constitutional power granted or implied to do so,  and are illegal.  What a person takes afield to puruse game is their choice. Should that person damage property, or worse.  That person is going to face a series of justifable laws.  States and state game departments, need to understand their limitations.  Now that that is out of the way, lets get back to the joys of the lever gun!

So while momentum is building and this restoration of rights is occuring we need to celebrate what we can.  I still however grimace over not having purchased the Winchester 94 Trapper 30-30.  I can not tell you how many times while in the store I held it, and how many times I just thought about it.  Well.  I missed out.  Winchester went away and while some day Ill have a 30-30 traper, it is not today.  My thoughts shifted as the laws changed to Henry.  I shot the 22's and honestly, I think my Ruger 10/22 may need to sold-traded to aquire a henry golden boy 22.  I like the ruger, do not get me wrong.  But I am now a Henry guy.

The Henry Rifle Project

This is Blog-Movie is "The Henry Rifle Project".  My goal is to create a short featurette, about shooting and hunting with a Henry.  There have been lots of tv shows about bow hunting, and my personal favorites are Jim Schocky's.  His ability to share his passion, and ability to educate about game, habitat and some of the most amazing places on earth is really only paralled by the old, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom shows of my youth.  I am not a "pro hunter" nor am I journalist or tv personality.  I am an ordinary Dad.  Who wishes he could have hunted with his grandfather up in Wisconson.  A man who had a beautiful 30-30 and Winchester rifle.  Who gave me my first BB gun!  Stiring my imagination, and helped to get my kids going with the hunting legacy.   I am going to dive into:

1. why I selected the 44  Big Boy, 

2. then take you along for some range time- acuracy out of the box with factory amunition, recoil 

3. more range time out side- looking at 75-150 yards

4. reloading

5. bullet casting

6. testing

7. more shooting

8. culminating with the 2015 Deer season

I can not promise every thing will

So you are invited and welcome to join me on this journey.  I plan on sharing my Henry and exposing others to the joys of shooting a Lever Gun.