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Henry Single Shot Rifle and SASS Rules


Mountain Man Gramps

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I'm looking for an inexpensive way to get into Long Range Rifle shooting and came across the Henry Single Shot Rifle.  It is a break action single shot rifle available in .45-70 and sells for about $400 new.  When I asked Henry's customer service if the rifle was patterned after any rifle of 1800's vintage, they said no.  They said it is a modern design break action rifle.

 

The SASS Shooter's Handbook page 31 says, among other things, " Single Shot and Buffalo Single Shot firearms must be originals or replicas of single shot rifles manufactured during the period from approximately 1860 until 1899", which would disqualify this rifle.  But then the Handbook also says there is an open category which is defined as, " Open Category (may be used at the match director’s option to include those firearms not covered by other official Long Range Categories).  (Page 30).

 

So if I am reading this correctly, the Henry Single Shot Rifle would qualify for SASS long range competitions, but only in the open category.  Am I interpreting this correctly?  Before I consider dropping any more $$$, I thought double checking would be a good idea.

 

My dream rifle is the Pedersoli Sharps Long Range 1874 Rifle 45-70 Government.  But that is a $1900 gun.  The Henry would be a way to get started and later trade up.

 

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2 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

I'm not PWB--he's kinda prettier......:lol:

I do believe the Henry SS is SASS LR legal.

OLG

 

 

Agreed on the second point...the Henry single-shot rifles are LEGAL for LR sidematches (and Plainsman).

 

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2 hours ago, Mountain Man Gramps said:

I'm looking for an inexpensive way to get into Long Range Rifle shooting and came across the Henry Single Shot Rifle.  It is a break action single shot rifle available in .45-70 and sells for about $400 new.  When I asked Henry's customer service if the rifle was patterned after any rifle of 1800's vintage, they said no.  They said it is a modern design break action rifle.

 

The SASS Shooter's Handbook page 31 says, among other things, " Single Shot and Buffalo Single Shot firearms must be originals or replicas of single shot rifles manufactured during the period from approximately 1860 until 1899", which would disqualify this rifle.  But then the Handbook also says there is an open category which is defined as, " Open Category (may be used at the match director’s option to include those firearms not covered by other official Long Range Categories).  (Page 30).

 

So if I am reading this correctly, the Henry Single Shot Rifle would qualify for SASS long range competitions, but only in the open category.  Am I interpreting this correctly?  Before I consider dropping any more $$$, I thought double checking would be a good idea.

 

My dream rifle is the Pedersoli Sharps Long Range 1874 Rifle 45-70 Government.  But that is a $1900 gun.  The Henry would be a way to get started and later trade up.

 

Why don’t you and I have a visit at the next Bandidos match. I’ll be manning the bbq and may have exactly what you need.

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20 hours ago, Yul Lose said:

Why don’t you and I have a visit at the next Bandidos match. I’ll be manning the bbq and may have exactly what you need.

I was wondering what you did with all your wood scraps.........

Now I know...........

 

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On 8/27/2019 at 3:52 PM, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

 

Agreed on the second point...the Henry single-shot rifles are LEGAL for LR sidematches (and Plainsman).

 


Where does it say the Henry is legal?

Single Shot and Buffalo Single Shot firearms must be originals or replicas of single shot rifles manufactured during the period from approximately 1860 until 1899. All rifles MUST have exposed hammers. The caliber and cartridge rules for the “Rifle Caliber” firearms noted above under basic rules also apply to Single Shot and Buffalo Single Shot rifles with the exception Buffalo Single Shot rifles must be .375" bore size or larger. Buffalo Single Shot competition has further restrictions requiring original or replica rifles to be a design of US manufacture. Spring-loaded ejectors are also prohibited, except for Springfield Trapdoor Rifles.

Reading the SHB in the strictest sense the Henry would not be legal in Single Shot or Buffalo Rifle as it is not a design from the period 1860-1899. It would be legal for Open Category.

I ask because I run our long range program and we're hosting a Regional. Suppose I allow a Henry in either Single Shot or Buffalo and  shooter A beats out shooter B with a rifle that meets the strict definition in the SHB. Shooter B would have a valid protest with an exact reading of the SHB.

So I ask again, where is it published the Henry is legal for those categories.

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On 8/28/2019 at 2:15 PM, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

Real Wood Workers don't have wood scraps.  They just have shorter pieces for another project  :lol:B)

You’re right about that. I might post a picture of my scrap piles, stashes. I told my wife that when I die all she needs to do is strike a match to get rid of my lumber stash.

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54 minutes ago, Ron "Ironhead" Smith said:


Where does it say the Henry is legal?
...
I ask because I run our long range program and we're hosting a Regional. Suppose I allow a Henry in either Single Shot or Buffalo and  shooter A beats out shooter B with a rifle that meets the strict definition in the SHB. Shooter B would have a valid protest with an exact reading of the SHB.

So I ask again, where is it published the Henry is legal for those categories.

 

ROC ruling re: HRA single-shot rifles

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Quote

Where does it say the Henry is legal?
...
I ask because I run our long range program and we're hosting a Regional. Suppose I allow a Henry in either Single Shot or Buffalo and  shooter A beats out shooter B with a rifle that meets the strict definition in the SHB. Shooter B would have a valid protest with an exact reading of the SHB.

So I ask again, where is it published the Henry is legal for those categories.

 

Since Long Range/Precision side matches have 5 categories, plus the optional sixth “Open” category, would you not have 2 legitimate winners, one in each of two categories?  The Henry shooter would not be able to enter any category except Open.

 

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Hey Gramps  :)  

 

Read the reference again.  It says the Henry Single Shot is LEGAL for Long Range and Planesman.  Does not restrict the Henry to Open Cat. as written.

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36 minutes ago, Bullet Hole Kid SASS#81025 said:

Just a thought. If HRA decided to chamber their single shot rifle for the Winchester 350 Legend, would that still be legal for long range? It seems like it would be easier on shoulders of older cowboys. Out to 200 yards anyway.

Not rimmed cartridge.

 

“Rifle Caliber” competition rifles must use traditional, period, rimmed cartridges." (Shooters Handbook)

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By way of perspective, I started this topic with the question of whether the Henry could be used in side matches since it was not a replica of an 1800's rifle.  Since the Plainsman category requires "a SASS legal single shot rifle firing a traditional blackpowder rifle or revolver caliber cartridge", the Henry is not legal for Plainsman (not a replica or original 1800's rifle, therefore not SASS-legal).  Under the Single Shot and Buffalo Single Shot, the rules say " Single Shot and Buffalo Single Shot firearms must be originals or replicas of single shot rifles manufactured during the period from approximately 1860 until 1899."  Therefore the Henry is not legal in these categories either.  The optical category states "The Optical Category firearms must meet the above restrictions with the following optical rules" that apply to optics.   Therefore the Henry is not legal here.  The Henry is not a lever action rifle, so it not legal in either lever action category.  The only category it qualifies is the Open category since the rules state this category " may be used at the match director’s option to include those firearms not covered by other official Long Range Categories."  I did not catch this when I first read the rules, but the Open category is a catch-all category for everything disqualified in the other categories.

 

Therefore, the answer to my original question is that the Henry Single Shot Rifle is legal in only the Long Range Open category.

 

(Sorry for the inconsistent fonts.  Crazy editor!)

 

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1 hour ago, Mountain Man Gramps said:

By way of perspective, I started this topic with the question of whether the Henry could be used in side matches since it was not a replica of an 1800's rifle.  Since the Plainsman category requires "a SASS legal single shot rifle firing a traditional blackpowder rifle or revolver caliber cartridge", the Henry is not legal for Plainsman (not a replica or original 1800's rifle, therefore not SASS-legal).  Under the Single Shot and Buffalo Single Shot, the rules say " Single Shot and Buffalo Single Shot firearms must be originals or replicas of single shot rifles manufactured during the period from approximately 1860 until 1899."  Therefore the Henry is not legal in these categories either.  The optical category states "The Optical Category firearms must meet the above restrictions with the following optical rules" that apply to optics.   Therefore the Henry is not legal here.  The Henry is not a lever action rifle, so it not legal in either lever action category.  The only category it qualifies is the Open category since the rules state this category " may be used at the match director’s option to include those firearms not covered by other official Long Range Categories."  I did not catch this when I first read the rules, but the Open category is a catch-all category for everything disqualified in the other categories.

 

Therefore, the answer to my original question is that the Henry Single Shot Rifle is legal in only the Long Range Open category.

Your inquiry has been answered otherwise (see below)

 

 

The SASS Range Operations Committee (ROC) ruled (as of January 2018) that the HRA single-shot rifles are LEGAL Long Range and Plainsman sidematch arms.

As such, they are NOT restricted to Open category in Long Range events.

The basic design was ruled to be "close enough" to other single-shot rifles of the period.

Consider
THIS as "official notification" until such time as the Shooters Handbook is updated to specifically include those rifles as LEGAL. 

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PaleWolf, thank you for the clarification.  I was trying to use the currently available Shooters Handbook, dated 1/2019, to figure this out.  When you said the decision was handed down 1/2018, I was trying to find it in the current version.

 

Thanks for the link to the official announcement.  I missed that little red tag the first time I read it!  I guess the bottom line is the little red flag trumps the Handbook. But it really would be helpful for newbies like me trying to understand this game if the Handbook was updated in a more timely manner.

 

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Some Plainsmen matches will divide it into both Traditional & Modern categories, if there's enough participation.  Modern being for those rifle with ejectors (many of the Handi-Rifles were produced with ejectors... )  The Trapdoor still falls into the Traditional category, but an ejector is a distinct advantage.  In watching the video of it's operation, it looks like the HRA version just has an extractor... a fine Traditional single shot break-open rifle.

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