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.