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.
