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I have a friend that is interested in starting cowboy action shooting. Says he has A Henry Rifle in 45 lc .

I have Ben a member of SASS for 20 years and have never seen anyone use one in a match.

So I am asking to give him information is there any reason he should not use 

one of these .

Thanks 

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The Henry Big Boy chambered in a pistol caliber is legal to use in most categories of Cowboy Action Shooting.

The rear sight insert must be reversed or blacked out. (No white diamond)

 

 

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I had a Henry Big Boy in 45 colt before I found SASS. Started out shooting with it. Great rifle, well made, tough as nails, tack driver. Took me about a year to get too fast for it, and I shoot slow. Kept cycling myself into jams. Got a '66 to replace it and keep the Henry in the safe. I should have bought a '73 instead of the '66.

My advice would be use the Henry and save up for a good '73 as quickly as possible.

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15 minutes ago, Roanoke Rifleman, SASS #30256 said:

No I’m talking about the company Henry. 
Not a Uberti 1860

 

Roanoke Rifleman,

The Henry firearms company (that also makes the fine .22 rifles) makes an 1860 style rifle.   Actually, according to

their website, they produce 5 different variations of the 1860.

Thats probably why the Major ask his question.

 

Your friends Henry, whether it be the Big Boy or 1860, is legal for SASS.   

 

..........Widder

 

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34 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

Roanoke Rifleman,

The Henry firearms company (that also makes the fine .22 rifles) makes an 1860 style rifle.   Actually, according to

their website, they produce 5 different variations of the 1860.

Thats probably why the Major ask his question.

 

Your friends Henry, whether it be the Big Boy or 1860, is legal for SASS.   

 

..........Widder

 

You would be correct Widder.  

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Quote

is there any reason he should not use  one of these

 

If this is a Henry Big Boy with a side loading gate, it will be unlikely (from the many Big Boy guns I have seen shot out of the box by new SASS shooters) that he will run it though his first match without a major jam and perhaps gun parts falling out of it.

 

If this is a Henry Repeating Arms  "Henry 1860 clone" he may have better luck as this is a fairly close copy of the original 1860 design.  Just executed more cheaply.  It will still have to be loaded from front of mag tube for anything but a single shot, and as such you should train him about the dangers of a mag tube explosion and show him and have him practice loading and firing it before being in the "pressures" of a match.  

 

He seems not to know exactly what model he has, and perhaps you can help him find out.

 

Good luck, GJ

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23 minutes ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

 

If this is a Henry Big Boy with a side loading gate, it will be unlikely (from the many Big Boy guns I have seen shot out of the box by new SASS shooters) that he will run it though his first match without a major jam and perhaps gun parts falling out of it.

 

If this is a Henry Repeating Arms  "Henry 1860 clone" he may have better luck as this is a fairly close copy of the original 1860 design.  Just executed more cheaply.  It will still have to be loaded from front of mag tube for anything but a single shot, and as such you should train him about the dangers of a mag tube explosion and show him and have him practice loading and firing it before being in the "pressures" of a match.  

 

He seems not to know exactly what model he has, and perhaps you can help him find out.

 

Good luck, GJ

The Henry Big Boy is is the model the original poster asked if could be used. And the answer is YES.

The "side gate" models are not pistol caliber, and the side loading Big Boy X models only hold 7 rounds. have fiber optic sights and a nylon stock.

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OK, then the model that was so incapable of performing at local matches where we start new shooters was the Big Boy, usually in .45 Colt, because that is all gun store clerks thing is appropriate for Cowboy shooting,   I've had the displeasure of seeing seven first time SASS shooters try to use a non-side-gate Big Boy at their first match over the years.  Only one ever came back to shoot again.  All seven had jams and even guns falling apart, and had Ubertis and Marlins put in their hands for the rest of the match.  

 

To a person, one of their biggest complaints was "Why did no one tell me when I was buying this that this was such a bad gun?"   THAT is why we should be speaking up with suitable warnings to try to make sure a new shooter has the best possible introduction to the sport.

 

Best of luck to the new shooters!  They are our future.  GJ

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16 minutes ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

OK, then the model that was so incapable of performing at local matches where we start new shooters was the Big Boy, usually in .45 Colt, because that is all gun store clerks thing is appropriate for Cowboy shooting,   I've had the displeasure of seeing seven first time SASS shooters try to use a non-side-gate Big Boy at their first match over the years.  Only one ever came back to shoot again.  All seven had jams and even guns falling apart, and had Ubertis and Marlins put in their hands for the rest of the match.  

 

To a person, one of their biggest complaints was "Why did no one tell me when I was buying this that this was such a bad gun?"   THAT is why we should be speaking up with suitable warnings to try to make sure a new shooter has the best possible introduction to the sport.

 

Best of luck to the new shooters!  They are our future.  GJ

It's not a bad gun.

 

It's just not very good for our game.

 

He already has it... Let him play and he'll figure out what's best for him.

 

Phantom

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People can ski downhill in cross country skis.....

You can catch a LARGE shark with a bass rig......

You can hunt elephant with a .223......

You can play music with a cigar box guitar....

 

The question was...... Can the GUN that a shooter already has be used for Cowboy Action Shooting. Perhaps we should have only answered the question that was asked?

 

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1 minute ago, Roanoke Rifleman, SASS #30256 said:

I have told him I didn’t think it was a good choice in rifles. But I have never shot one so wanted the opinions of those that had to share with him.

Thanks for your input.

But he has it...go play!

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2 hours ago, Ace_of_Hearts said:

The Henry Big Boy is is the model the original poster asked if could be used. And the answer is YES.

Actually no, he just said henry rifle in 45lc. 

 

50 minutes ago, Ace_of_Hearts said:

 

The question was...... Can the GUN that a shooter already has be used for Cowboy Action Shooting. Perhaps we should have only answered the question that was asked?

 

Actually no, he didn't ask CAN he. He asked is there any reason he should not use one of these. In order to answer this, one would need to know which henry 45 he has. I still love you though.

Screenshot_20200629-205346_Chrome.thumb.jpg.155b3ff03fe998d01de0231f34cffd48.jpg

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1 minute ago, Roanoke Rifleman, SASS #30256 said:

I will suggest he take it to the range and cycle several rounds thru it to see how it works.

But I think it is frustrating for new shooters to have there guns jam the first time they try a match.

 

Its also frustrating for us old shooters to have a gun jam during the match..... :lol:

 

..........Widder

 

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2 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

Its also frustrating for us old shooters to have a gun jam during the match..... :lol:

 

..........Widder

 

Well, whose gun were you using? I been shooting with you for 5 years and haven't seen your Widdermatic jam. :P

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31 minutes ago, Tennessee williams said:

Actually no, he just said henry rifle in 45lc. 

 

Actually no, he didn't ask CAN he. He asked is there any reason he should not use one of these. In order to answer this, one would need to know which henry 45 he has. I still love you though.

 

Please reference the TITLE of the thread. It references the HENRY CLASSIC.

The Henry Classic is a model of the Henry Big Boy Rifle. 

 

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23 minutes ago, Ace_of_Hearts said:

Please reference the TITLE of the thread. It references the HENRY CLASSIC.

The Henry Classic is a model of the Henry Big Boy Rifle. 

 

I could argue he never said big boy, so he could've been referencing an original henry by the title. After all he never said "henry repeating arms company" which manufactures the big boy classic and is a totally different company. "Henry rifle" which is what he technically said was made by New Haven Arms Company.:P

 

 

Now I'm just arguing to be arguing:ph34r:.

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52 minutes ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

So now ya'll are helping the guy out by arguing what was written, not written, intended, and your speculations! Gotta love the wire.

I think Ace and I helped him more than your post did. Gotta love the pot calling the kettle black!

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1 hour ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

TW, You just keep thinking your mis-informed speculation helped him and wait for your next chance to guess at the answer! My response had nothing to do with the question asked. Just observing posters ability to make something out of nothing.

Lol, as was mine.

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20 hours ago, Roanoke Rifleman, SASS #30256 said:

I have a friend that is interested in starting cowboy action shooting. Says he has A Henry Rifle in 45 lc .

I have Ben a member of SASS for 20 years and have never seen anyone use one in a match.

So I am asking to give him information is there any reason he should not use 

one of these .

Thanks 

Could always let him use the Henry on a stage and then let him use your rifle on a stage for him to compare.

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Good enough to start out with until he decides if he likes it or not at which point if he does he'll upgrade quick. We have a pard at our local shoot who uses one in a .357. It's quite ammo OAL sensitive and it jams up at least once or twice a match.

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I was at a match once, and it was going to be the first time I used me new(ly acquired) Winchester 92.   

To make a long story short, there was a problem with my rifle.   Someone offered to let me use his "Henry" for the rest of the match.   I was expecting an 1860, but instead it was a Big Boy.

To cut to the chase, the gun worked just fine for me.   I did find the .22 style loading to be a bit awkward, but I dealt with it.   My biggest problem with the gun was the same thing that makes me not like Marlins; I am a left handed shooter and I don't like the hot gasses from the side ejection port breathing on my forearm.

 

But other than that, I had no troubles with the gun, and I gained a modicum of respect for them.   I still think other things are superior, but I did not find the Big Boy to be a disaster waiting to happen.

Granted, I've been shooting all kinds of different guns for almost 50 years, so that may have helped.  I can envision how a newbie might be confunded by one of these things. 

 

Would I recommend one?  No.   Mostly on the basis that there are other things that are better that are easy to get.   But if I absolutely had to make it an option for someone, I'd want to know if they were familiar with loading a typical .22.   If they are not, I'd absolutely try to steer them in a different direction.

 

 

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I'm still pretty much a greenhorn and I don't know if this will help the OP's friend or not. My first 4 matches were shot using a .357 Henry Big Boy that I had before joining SASS. It was a very good rifle and I had no problems with it at all. With that being said, loading it was different from the rest of the cowboys I was shooting with because it was not a side gate loading rifle, I had to load it from the front of the magazine tube which proved to be awkward at the LT. It did not run very fast but it was built very well and shot accurately. All my pards in the Whiskey Row Gunslingers said "You got to get a '73." I listened to their advice and bought a '73 Taylor Trapper made by Uberti in .357. I've shot 2 matches with it so far and the '73 is much easier to load at the LT with a side gate and it is much faster to run, even brand new, right out of the box with no action work done to it. I've had no problems with the gun, it is accurate and I love shooting it. I'm glad I listened to my pards and got a '73. In a couple of years when I can shoot faster than my '73 then I will get an action job done to it and have a short stroke done as well.

 

In summary, have your friend go ahead and shoot the Henry Big Boy, it's a great American made rifle. When you want to start shooting faster and want a rifle that is not as awkward to load then get a '73.

 

A.G.

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