Plainsman question

[Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L]

Got a hankerin' to try Plainsman at our clubs next annual ( Four Corners Regional). Have the pistols and shotgun covered, wondering if the Henry single shot is eligible? Looks like a Handi Rifle copy.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

I'll let PWB rule on the legality of the Henry single shot.  I too will shoot the 4-Corners Regional and with a Handi-Rifle.  Chambered in 45-70 would be the fastest shooting caliber for the Henry single shot though you could shoot 38 Specials in one chambered for .357 mag.  There are some old threads on how to load reduced 45-70 ammo for the Plainsman.  Full-power loads are undesirable.

 

See you next April at the match!

Edited December 13, 2025 by Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971
typo

[Sedalia Dave]

Reading the current SHB I can find no reason why it wouldn’t be legal for Traditional Plainsman. 

[Three Foot Johnson]

The rules committee approved it back in 2018 for Plainsman and long range, as long as the cartridge is legal for the particular side match. 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

I echo those who said YES to the Henry.  Perfectly OK for Plainsman.  Caliber selection in the Henry is a little stunted.  45-70 or 38/357.  My personal favorite for my Handi Rifle was 38-55.  It's a side match and some Match Directors may institute "Modified Plainsman" to encourage greater participation.  Your Mileage May Very

[Eyesa Horg]

↑↑↑ that's been my experience. We just want ya to play!! But load those 45-70s down a tad, we're not trying to kill the targets, just hit em!! Bring what ya got and have fun. It's a genuine hoot!

[Frontier Lone Rider]

I had a couple of H&R Buffalo Classics in 45-70.  We called them thumpers.  I have since sold them both and have adopted the 38-55.

[Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L]

I'd prefer a .38-55, but Handi Rifles don't seem to be available,  I can get the Henry (45-70) at Sportsman's for about $525. I plan to download with 300-325 gr bullets, maybe around 45-50 grs 2f and filler wads.

Too bad they don't make it in .45 Colt.

I guess I could use my 45-60's as well, kinda like using Schofields in my Colts revolvers. 

Thanks to all for your help.

[Griff]

21 minutes ago, Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L said:

Too bad they don't make it in .45 Colt.

I guess I could use my 45-60's as well, kinda like using Schofields in my Colts revolvers. 

I love my 1885 LowWall in 45 Colt... although some say the shorter cartridges are harder to manipulate.  But... then again, I don't have fat, stubby fingers... 😜  But, I'm slow anyway...  so it really doesn't matter to me!  And, the style points offset any perceived disadvantage!

 

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

2 hours ago, Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L said:

I'd prefer a .38-55, but Handi Rifles don't seem to be available,  I can get the Henry (45-70) at Sportsman's for about $525. I plan to download with 300-325 gr bullets, maybe around 45-50 grs 2f and filler wads.

Too bad they don't make it in .45 Colt.

I guess I could use my 45-60's as well, kinda like using Schofields in my Colts revolvers. 

Thanks to all for your help.

That's a stouter load than I use.  I load 250 grain bullets, ~30 grains of powder and filler.  Some even load round balls.  The rifle targets at the 4-Corners Plainsman are not too distant.  BTW, nickel-plated ammo extracts more reliably from my Handi-Rifle than plain brass ammo.  This may not be a problem with your Henry but is worth mentioning.

[Three Foot Johnson]

I experimented with deep seated bullets to reduce powder capacity, and found accuracy wasn't adversely affected in my Handi Rifle.

The one club that shoots Plainsman around here sets the rifle targets at about 80 yards, and sometimes puts up another lone target at around 150.

The 38-55 Target Classic Handi Rifle is long discontinued, but still relatively common on the secondary market - plan on $600ish though. In addition to the 38-55 Target and 45-70 Buffalo Classic, they also briefly produced a third member of the Classic line for a few months in 2007 or 2008 in .45 Colt dubbed the Classic Carbine. I don't think any of the Classic line had an ejector, but the standard Handi Rifle could be had with it.

 

[Sgt. Hochbauer, SASS #64409]

Sorry to get a bit off topic.

I shoot an original Trapdoor carbine for Plainsman. It was a bit painful shooting it with 60 gr of 2f topped off with a 405gr bullet. But have since downloaded to 50gr. much nicer to shoot.

 

Hochbauer

[Frontier Lone Rider]

On 12/13/2025 at 7:40 PM, Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L said:

I'd prefer a .38-55, but Handi Rifles don't seem to be available,  I can get the Henry (45-70) at Sportsman's for about $525. I plan to download with 300-325 gr bullets, maybe around 45-50 grs 2f and filler wads.

Too bad they don't make it in .45 Colt.

I guess I could use my 45-60's as well, kinda like using Schofields in my Colts revolvers. 

Thanks to all for your help.

The Target Classics in 38-55 started out with Harrington and Wesson, but when Wesson retired a younger relative, Richardson bought in to the group.  The Buffalo Classics were 45-70 and some folks hollowed out the forearm and added melted lead, plus putting lead shot in the stock.  The Target Classic was 38-55 until the end.  H&R sold out to Marlin, then Marlin was picked up by Remington and we know what happened to them.  I doubt that Ruger ever plans to re-introduce the Buffalo Classic or the Target Classic.

 

$600 would be a bargain today.  I would grab that without blinking.  I have several Target Classics, some with ejectors and some without.

 

I do like to shoot these rifles.  They are quite accurate and light enough that I can hold them up to finish a Long-Range String of 7.  I have retired my 1874s as that 32-inch bull barrel is just too much for me these days.

[Taos]

I use a Henry single shot rifle 45/70 for Plainsman.  It's legal.

Kinda stiff out of the box, needs a little polishing but not much.

Mostly it needs to be modified so the hammer can be cocked with the barrel opened. (for faster loading, cocking, firing)

And the hammer spring is set VERY tight from the factory.  Henry made the hammer spring tension adjustable, which is thoughtful.  But loosening the hammer spring also lightens the trigger pull.  So if you loosen the hammer spring too much you will have a super hair trigger.  

[Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L]

1 hour ago, Taos said:

I use a Henry single shot rifle 45/70 for Plainsman.  It's legal.

Kinda stiff out of the box, needs a little polishing but not much.

Mostly it needs to be modified so the hammer can be cocked with the barrel opened. (for faster loading, cocking, firing)

And the hammer spring is set VERY tight from the factory.  Henry made the hammer spring tension adjustable, which is thoughtful.  But loosening the hammer spring also lightens the trigger pull.  So if you loosen the hammer spring too much you will have a super hair trigger.  

So, how do you do this modification?

[Taos]

The hammer spring is easy, there is a screw adjuster.  Have to remove the butt stock.

 

The hammer thing......I do not remember how I did that.  Was 5 years or so ago.

Have to open up the gun and look at how it works.  I took metal off some part that kept the hammer from being cocked.  Like all modifications where metal is being removed you have to take off a tiny bit, reassemble, repeat, repeat.

I'm a fairly competent (unschooled) gunsmith (sometimes).

Any decent gunsmith could figure out how to do it.

Sorry I wasn't much help.

[Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L]

Thanks Taos.