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Henry Rifles
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Big bore Henry Rifles. American made and proud of it.
Henry Repeating Arms takes its name from the inventor of the first reliable repeating rifle, Benjamin Tyler Henry. That took place back in 1860—when most rifles were still loaded from the muzzle end. In 1996 the Henry name was revived and the brass framed lever guns were once again available. Made in America, too. That’s a big point of pride for Henry.
Most of the offerings from Henry have been in line with the guns designed by their namesake—pistol caliber lever actions. These guns make versatile ranch guns, and are popular with the weekend cowboys who pop steel bad guys. I have a deep respect for lever guns in pistol calibers, but there are times that you need more. Henry has an answer for that now with two new lever actions. They now have a rifle in the classic deer hunting .30-30 and one in the old hard hitting favorite, 45-70. Lever actions, yes, but miles away from the pistol calibers you might associate with the brand.
There are a couple of things that make a Henry a Henry. One is the side ejection found on all models, excluding the reproduction of the original Henry design (the one from the 1860s). The other is the way they load. All of the Henrys load from the muzzle end of the tubular magazine. A spring loaded brass tube that rides inside the magazine keeps the rounds in place and pushed to the rear for feeding. This is a take on the way the original Henry loaded. This is not the more common loading gate on the side of the receiver that Winchester and Marlin use. Using the loading tube sometimes takes a little work and getting used to. You have to wiggle it around and twist as you push it closed to clear the rounds.
Or not made at all.
Made in the USA
Before we get into the meat of this review on the two Henrys, I want to take a few words to talk about the Made in The USA aspect of the brand. Winchesters are not made in the States any longer. Call me patriotic, but I just feel there is something inherently wrong with a Japanese made version of “The Gun That Won The West.” The American West that is, not West Tokyo.
If you are one who tracks trends in the firearms industry, pay attention to patriotism. My bet is that “Made in America” is about to become wildly fashionable. Henry isn’t going to remind you they make their guns in the states—it has been such a core part of the company’s identify. If you want a newly manufactured American made lever action rifle, Henry is on your short list. But there is more to them that just being made in The States—they are solid and reliable firearms.
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Henry .30-30
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In either brass or steel, the Henry .30-30 is a great looking, hard working rifle.
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| .30/30 Steel with Round Barrel | |
|---|---|
| Model Number | H009 |
| Action Type | Lever Action |
| Caliber | .30-30 |
| Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Length | 39″ |
| Barrel Length | 20″ |
| Weight | 7 lbs. |
| Stock | Deluxe checkered American walnut, rubber buttpad |
| Sights | XS Ghost Rings sights |
| Features | Sling swivels |
| M.S.R.P. | $749.95 |
| .30/30 Brass with Octagon Barrel | |
| Model Number | H009B |
| Weight | 8.3 lbs. |
| Stock | Straight-grip American Walnut, buttplate |
| M.S.R.P. | $950.00 |
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We originally ran a photo here of a chrony reading that was way off–1,490 or so for the .30-30 LEVERevolution. The three rounds clocked in way too slow. We shot the gun again with different Hornady .30-30, and got speeds like we’d expect. We’re not sure what the problem was, and have shot all of that batch.
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Lets start with the smaller of the two Henrys. These come in two different set ups. There is a version that has the classic brass frame and octagon barrel and, like the review gun, a steel frame with round barrel. Everything else on the two is about the same. They sport a 20 inch barrel, weigh in around 7 pounds, and hold 5 rounds. The American Walnut stock on both is straight and the steel framed version adds some well done checkering. The MSRP on the steel frame is $750 and the brass is $950.
Walnut can look very pedestrian or very attractive.
Fit and Finish
These are nice looking rifles. I am a sucker for blued steel and walnut. Are these the prettiest and most blemish free guns I have ever seen? No. But they are well in line for the price point. They are a lot nicer than an el-cheapo imported rifle. On the 30-30 there are a couple of small tool marks here and there. The magazine tube is not over polished and there are a couple of places on the stock that have some filler. Those are the negatives and they are far outweighed by the positives. The finish on the barrel and the receiver is a glossy and deep black. The receiver comes in the box wrapped in a protective cloth sock. This simple little sock shows me that Henry takes pride in their work and wants to help insure it gets to the customer as it left the factory, which isn’t always easy when it is bouncing around between distributors and dealers.
The action is pretty slick out of the box and got smoother the more it was cycled. This is not as smooth as a tricked out Cowboy action lever gun, but this is not meant for competition. Far from it. The .30-30 Henry is not an approved caliber for SASS shooting. This is a working gun. Don’t let its looks fool you–this is a gun that wants to ride around in the truck, or in a handlebar rack on an ATV. Like a good dog, this gun needs to work.
Sights
The Henry ships with XS Ghost Ring sights. The ones that were on the review guns were large. I mean huge. The rear ghost ring on the .30-30 measured .19″ inside the ring. The one on the .45-70 was even larger: .22″. They were so big that I emailed Henry to make sure there wasn’t a mix up. I was told that they used this ring on the first batch of rifles but had since changed to a smaller size. They shipped me the newer smaller ones and said they would do the same for anyone that has the big ones.
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The original .45-70 rear sight is even bigger than the one on the .30-30.
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The front sight is built into a barrel band.
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The front sight is also large. It is built onto the barrel band. The blade is wide. The wide sight, combined with the large ghost ring feels more appropriate for the type of close range shooting the cowboys do. With the new narrow ring installed, the combination becomes more usable.
Either way, it is an interesting sight set up. The ghost rings are incredibly fast. Throw the gun to your shoulder and point and you’re likely in the ring and on target, at least at close ranges. If you are hunting and need to fine tune a shot at 100 yards or more, it is possible. I didn’t find the sight pair as easy to use as some other styles, but it is functional, and I would suspect that I’d get used to the sights in time.
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The new sights Henry sent to replace the wider rings.
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The front blade. Not windage adjustable. The band holds the barrel and the tube below, which centers the blade. Cool trick.
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The new Henry Rifles have mid 20th century lines, but are made with some modern touches like the barrel band front sight.
Shooting
The first trip to the range with the .30-30 wasn’t stellar, as I was having trouble adjusting to the sights. At 50 yards it was hard to shoot a group that was under 3 inches. With a good bit of practice, I began shooting closer to what I’d percieved as point of aim, and the groups tightened up to under 2 inches at 100 yards.
I am sure that the rifle is capable of a lot tighter groups. There’s another review to be written still about adding a scope to both of these guns. They are tapped for scope mounts if you should chose to go that route. It isn’t out of the question for me, but I’ve always thought of lever guns as brush guns. They need to be able to reach out past 150 yards, sure, but most of their work will be done at close quarters. I flushed a whitetail this weekend, for example, and I was carrying a .308 with a 3-9 scoped dialed in at 9. I saw the deer at the same time that he saw me, and he bolted. He was too damn close. If I’d had the Henry, I’d have dropped him where he stood. My mistake. This is a .30-30, not a target rifle. I’ll put a scope on it soon, and see what it is capable of with good glass–but for now, I was more interested in what it would do all by itself.
We ran Hornady LEVERevelution 160 Grain through the Henry, along with a random smattering of extras we had (including a couple of boxes of Winchesters). All worked predictably well. There are so many varieties of .30-30 available, and almost every sporting goods store and big-box retailer in the country should have a decent selection. It is a capable round–not as hot as the .308 or .30-06, but capable.
The .30-30 at 100 yards, standing. It started raining before I could pull the targets.
Over the course of at least 4 range trips and a couple of hundred rounds, I experienced zero failures with the Henry .30-30. Of course that is one of the great things about a lever action; there isn’t a whole heck of a lot to go wrong. Loading is as reliable as any old pump shotgun. Extraction is reliable and consistent. What could go wrong? The .30-30 doesn’t like to be loaded while the rifle is pointed straight up, but even then it still loads. It is just more difficult. There’s the outside possibility of a round failing, though the strength and weight of the hammer helps insure there won’t be any light primer strikes.
And that’s why this platform continues to remain relevant. The gun is capable under ridiculous conditions. As long as you are still functioning, it will function. It is the height of mid 19th century tactical design updated to early 20th century ballistic standards, and it fills a big American made hole in the contemporary lever action market.
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Henry .45-70
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Looking for something that can hit even harder? The .45-70 may be for you.
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.45-70 LEVERevolution from Hornady. 325 grain.
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.45-70 Lever Action | |
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| Model Number | H010 |
| Action Type | Lever Action |
| Caliber | .45-70 |
| Capacity | 4 rounds |
| Length | 39″ |
| Barrel Length | 18.43″ |
| Weight | 7.08 lbs. |
| Stock | Pistol-grip American walnut with buttplate |
| Sights | XS Ghost Rings rear sight with blade front |
| M.S.R.P. | $850.00 |
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The .45-70 is a big round, and it kicks like a 12 gauge.
But let’s say you’re not on board with the .30-30. You want something more. There aren’t a whole lot of calibers more American than the big .45-70. Put it in a good lever gun with a slice of your mom’s apple pie and shoot it on the 4th of July while Anyong in his Uncle Sam costume reads the Declaration of Independence. As Henry says, “Made in America or not made at all.” In my opinion, the .45-70 is the big game cartridge for North America. There is nothing on four legs on this continent that the .45-70 cannot handle. There might be a better choice if you want to take some very long range shots, but for typical hunting and defense, it is hard to beat.
Aside from being straight up ‘Merica, the Henry .45-70 is a slick rifle. It comes with an 18.5 inch barrel, pistol grip walnut stock and weighs right at 7 pounds. Like the .30-30 they also come with the ghost ring sights. This one came with the huge ring as well and Henry supplied us with the smaller ones at our request.
The stock of the .45-70 looks more like walnut. Clean and clear grain.
Fit and Finish
I could almost copy and paste the paragraph about the .30-30 into this spot. These are well fitted and finished rifles. Not the level of hand fitting and polish you would see on a Holland and Holland, but very nicely done. The wood on the pistol grip stock on the .45-70 has some nice figure in the grain and is a bit fancier than on the .30-30.
I called the .30-30 a working gun above and I stand by that for the .45-70 as well. Both of these would make great truck guns–once you get past putting that first nick or scratch on them. I wouldn’t call them bottom-of-the-boat guns; they are too nice for that. But with some honest-to-God wear from being carried in the brush and tucked behind the seat of your old Chevy, these guns will look the part of a true working gun.
100 yards, .45-70, standing.
Shooting
There is just something that I love about shooting a .45-70. Although the recoil can be a bit fatiguing, this is a fun shooting rifle. It feels good to throw a 325 grain bullet close to 2000 fps down range. It usually puts a grin on my face. Unless I didn’t have the butt pulled in tight.
We were able to get consistent 2 inch groups with the 325 grain Hornady LEVERevelution rounds at 100 yards. When you consider the intent of the .45-70 (a round that was once used to hunt buffalo), I think that’s functional accuracy. Look at the circle on the target to the right. Imagine that circle superimposed over the heart of an elk. 325 grains of lead moving close to 2,000 FPS?!
The Henry would make a great brush gun for Rocky Mountain hunts, if you weren’t planning on really reaching out to impractical distances.
A 325 grain bullet moving at close to 2,000 FPS–not bad.
Final Thoughts
These are two very capable rifles in two of the must iconic American hunting calibers. If you are looking for a great white tail hunting rifle you could do a lot worse than the Henry .30-30. Need a rifle for the bigger game? The .45-70 will do the trick. It would also make a great bear country defense rifle as well. My only complaint is the fiddling it takes to get the magazine tube in when loading. But that is one of the things that make a Henry and Henry and it is far from a deal breaker.
And these are guns you’ll keep forever. They’re heirlooms that will instill pride and confidence, and the wear on the wood and steel will invoke stories.
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The extractor is fat and rips shells free with authority.
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Ejection didn’t mar the brass, at all–good news for those who want to reload.
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The receiver is tapped for scope mounts.
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The checkering on the forends provides a grip surface.
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The pistol grip stock is nice touch.
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The .30-30 had much more attractive figure in the wood.
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The original .45-70 sight was almost 1/4 inch wide.
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The new ring is more functional–even though it is not that much smaller.
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The front blade itself is wide, at .11″.
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The white stripe of the front blade is a good reference, and just .05″ wide.
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The bolt of the .30-30.
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The hammer is easily and quietly cocked.
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The .30-30 pulled jut over 3 pounds.
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The .45-70 trigger broke at 4 pounds.
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Be sure you aren’t too close to the chronograph, or you may shoot it apart.
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Insert rounds here. The plastic tips of the Hornady bullets help ensure that you won’t touch off a primer when the rounds slide down onto the bullet’s tip.
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The magazine tube loads from the muzzle end.
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Here you can see how the lever itself lines up with the bolt, which holds it in place and clears the safety mechanism.
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The round angles up during feeding, and the rim slide under the extractor.
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Here you can see some of the finish detail. Solid work, but decidedly working-class.
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The lever’s motion stops near 45 degrees, which makes loading and unloading fast.
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Saving the brass and keeping it organized saves a lot of time later, and keeps it from getting damaged.
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The extractor is fat and rips shells free with authority.
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My new All weather .30-30 when I cock it & the bolt comes back then closing the Lever the bolt catches the top of the Hammer ever time, is this normal?
I just wanted to give credit to henry for taking care of my problem in a timely fashion. I sent them a email and they sent me a new forearm in 2days.Now that is what i call taking care of customers.Thanks henry for making such a fine product and great customer service.
Just bought a 45/70 Henry Brass Frame Oct Barrel and took it to the range shot both Winchester 300 G HP and Hornady 325 G Leverevolution the gun worked perfect no jams and right on target with using the Buckhorn Sight. Love the rifle. also have a Henry 22 Mag Oct Barrel Lever gun with a Nikon 4×12 Buck Master and this gun shoots just fine, both guns a easy to clean after a day at the range. Henry has me sold. Going to get the new 45/70 single shot as soon as it comes out.
Hi everyone I just bought a new henry 45/70 brass with octagon barrel.Seen it at Wal-Mart and fell in love.I have a 22 golden boy and 45colt big boy.
Never had any problems but this 45/70 has a forearm that has some play in it close to the receiver.I tried tightening the forearm screws but they was snug so I don’t think that’s the problem.I hate to send it back because I am afraid of
Damage in shipment.Does anyone know what could be the problem.
So you want a 30-30 or a 45/70, maybe you should look at Marlin. Magazine tube loading? that went out with the original Henry back in the 1800’s. Why ? think about it. The rifle is out of action while you load, on a part empty magazine the side loading gate is best, you can stick the rounds in and keep shooting. Marlin has had the most solid leaver gun for over a hundred years.
The Henry is not designed as a tactical, perimeter defense, or CQB weapon. And since Remington took over production, Marlin, aka. “Remlin” are poor quality, fit, and function firearms.
Magazine tube loading is great for us traditionalists, and Henry does make a side gate lever action, just not in .45-70.
Not yet, that is.
Most folks who know lever actions wouldn’t even CONSIDER a Marlin unless it’s a much older production model.
Does Henry make a lever action octagon barrel rifle with a longer barrel than 20 inches winchester made the Teddy Roosavelt model with a 26 inch barrel but only for one year if you do give me info
I have the Henry 45-70 with the ghost ring sight system. My problem is that I wear bifocals and it makes using a ghost ring difficult to say the least. Does Henry offer a semi buckhorn rear sight or does someone else in the aftermarket venue offer one? I am currently using a low powered scope which works, but it takes away from the mystique of the Henry. Any help here?
Just got the 45/70. It’s not like any of the other 9 I have. It’s a mess. Bluing falling off (LITERALY). Shells will not extract because the chamber is a gravel road. No, way no good
uuunI have the Henry 45-70 with ghost ring sight. My problem is I wearbi-focals and have a hard time using this style sight. I did switch to a low powered scope which helps, but what I really want is a semi buckhorn style sight for this gun. Does Henry offer a sight of this type or is there a reliable aftermarket available?
I bought 22 for my grandson, so can hunt together. The trigger was a little stiff for my taste,so I had the trigger work on . Now you can place your shots at 50 yards where you can cover 5 shots up with a dime. A great gun indeed.
I know this is an older review, but I’d like to address some of the changes that have been made to these models since the review was published and touch on some of the comments here.
As a lot of you know these rifles are now shipping with the semi-buckhorn rear sights and brass bead front sight. This is due to a few different reasons, but the most important one is the elevation adjustments. Too many people were having trouble getting the elevation adjustments to work before running out of adjustment room with the ghost ring sight. The change of sights corrected this issue. We do understand that some people prefer the full aperture sights, so we recommend checking out Skinner Peep Sights’ offerings. Their Skinner “Express” and the Skinner “Alaskan” fit the bill perfectly for those looking for a full aperture sight.
Secondly, there’s been a lot of talk about the mechanism that secures the inner mag tube inside the outer mag tube. This issue has also been fixed with a significantly beefed up locking mechanism.
Thirdly, I’d like to address the issue that some of you had with the lever popping open. This has also been fixed with a slight redesign in the shape of an internal component. This change was made quite some time ago, and it’s no longer a problem.
I would also add that IF you do experience any problems, we will absolutely take care of it. Feel free to email me at [email protected] and we’ll fix any and all issues at no cost to you. We really do appreciate your support, and we want to make sure you are ultimately satisfied with your purchase.
I LOVE My HENRY’s! By far, my favorite guns to shoot!
Dan,
Is the all weather 45-70 model available with the ghost ring sight?
Henry 45-70 issues… 1) When loading, must hold down lever or it releases while forcing me to take tube back out and start over or load the first bullet into the chamber. 2) If lever is partly released while shell in chamber cannot resecure shell back into chamber; must eject. 3) On hunt yesterday and bullet jammed; would not move up to chamber until the right prayer and/or cuss word was said. *note, just cleaned and oiled night before. 4) Ghost sight starting position shoots extremely low (not a huge issue but there are only so many rotations of adjustment). 5) lip that holds tube pin in place not suitable for the amount of recoil generated; has begun to show signs of metal fatigue.
I really wanted this gun. Consequently, I really want these issues resolved. Will be contacting Henry and sending back. Will update soon…
I just submitted a comment that touches on all of these issues, but it’s currently awaiting moderation. I’d like to let you know that you can reach out to me directly in order to start the process of getting your rifle fixed. We’ve made some changes that will solve every one of the issues you’ve been experiencing. Feel free to contact me at [email protected] if you haven’t already gotten in touch with us to get your rifle fixed under the Lifetime Guarantee.
I had the exact 1-3 problems in my brass 30-30. It’s my 4th Henry rifle. I think it was an early production unit, because I had to get a new style hammer to use a hammer extension.
I had to work the lever with such force and effort, that the inertia of the firing pin was denting the primers! That scared the crap out of me. I filed, stoned, and polished an angled on the extactor to keep it from jamming up on the bullet rim while chambering a round. The bullets rim would not seat on the bolt face with the square sided extractor in the way.
The lever popping open while inserting the inner mag tube on a full magazine AND not being able to close the lever after checking to make sure the a round was chambered was a more difficult fix. Remove the bolt and replace the lever. Load the mag tube. Make note of where the bullets rim contacts the lever. The bullet is pushing on a nice “ramp”, being the forward part of the lever, that forces the lever open. Once pushed open, or manually opening the lever to check the chamber, the lever WILL not force the bullet back into the magazine. I made modifications to the lever, at the point of bullet contact, to solve both problems.
All of this was a couple of weeks before Christmas ’15. I had planned a hunting trip the day after. One shot at 115yds put down a nice 9pt.
If any factory parts are available that fixes the above problems on the 30-30, I would like to have them. I’m shopping for a 45-70…
Misfires? I wasted 15-20 rounds of various manufacture and hand loads due to light primer strikes. That fix was to place a small washer behind the hammer spring giving it more tension.
I purchased one of the “original” batch of 45-70 HO10 models (with ghost ring sight). Put approximately 80 rounds (Hornady 325 grain FTX & a few Winchester 300 grain) when I incurred a complete failure of the magazine tube. The entire mag tube moved about 2 inches away from the receiver & the follower pushed itself out the end of the mag tube destroying the locking mechanism. I have read all sorts of “possible” explanations for why this happened. Still have never got a straight answer from Henry. However, best “answer” has been that the recoil of the rifle is the cause, combined with inadequate rifle design (hence Henry have redesigned the rifle). Think about it, when you fire a round, the rifle moves backwards but the rounds inside the mag tube & spring loaded follower are “floating” inside the mag tube & subsequently the inertia causes them to move forward putting pressure on the follower locking notch (which is amplified even more when using heavier loads). I’ve read comments that its only the heavier loads that cause this “because they are causing the mag tube to expand” ??? If that were the case, you probably would be dead. Anyway, Henry have redesigned the mag tube & this problem has been solved. Do NOT buy a Henry 45-70 if it comes “brand new” with a ghost ring sight on the receiver – this is the “old” model & all you are purchasing is a whole lot of grief.
After many emails to Henry, they eventually replaced my 45-70 with the “re-designed” model. Out of the box, everything looked OK & rifle cycled flawlessly (empty). Got to the range, 4 rounds downrange & the lever will not close completely. With the bolt closed all the way, the trigger will not release as the lever is not “locked in” to the tang. Gun will fire if my hand is squeezing the lever tight but all if have to do is shake the gun moderately & the lever will open, subsequently moving the bolt as well. This is one of the problems that Henry supposedly also fixed with the re-designed rifle ! So here we go again, off to the Henry warranty gunsmith (I guess I should have stated that I am in Ontario Canada).
“Made in America or not at all” is Henry,s slogan. How about “make it RIGHT in America or not at all”. Henry may have excellent customer service, but if they had properly “field tested” the rifle to begin with, they would have saved us (the customer) & themselves a whole lot of grief & money. Own three Henry rifles but will never buy another one (unless its been out for a few years because its apparent that quality control is non existent – fit & finish is not worth shit if the gun don’t work properly).
A gun is a mechanical device & just like a car engine, you have to break them in to get them to function efficiently. With that being said, to those who complain about the mag follower “sticking” on the rounds when inserting; move the barrel around at different angles and keep working it gently till you find the “sweet spot”. This can change with different manufactures ammo. Unless the gun has a defect, this is part of the learning curve of using a tube loaded lever gun – get used to it or go buy a Marlin. Understanding the mechanics of the gun is essential to diagnosing a “perceived” problem. I always say “if you can’t NOT take it apart to clean it properly, then you should not own it”. As manufacturer recommends, there are some parts that only a trained gunsmith should “fix”, so knowledge is key.
Final note to Canadians (in Ontario) who want to purchase a Henry rifle. Go ahead, but just buy another manufactures as well in the same caliber because if the Henry warranty representative do not have “parts on hand”, you are shit out of luck for several months at best. Guns & parts are sent from USA to a distributer before they get to the retailer so there is no direct ordering from Henry. Example, it took me a year & 7 months to get my replacement 45-70.
purchased a naw 45-70 in2013 with ghost ring, had a problem with plunger sliding
down over cartidges,as well as levering a round into chamber.had rifle returned
to HENRY for repair, they relplaced gun, WITH buckhorn rear sight,WITHOUT MY CONSENT….I WANTED THE GHOST RING…THATS WHAT I ORDERED ,THATS WHAT I PAID
FOR .THIS LEAVES A BITTER FEELING DEALING WITH HENRY AND THEIR SO CALLED
WARENTY………
Hi Sam. One of the more recent changes to this rifle included the switch to the semi-buckhorn rear and brass bead front sight due to an issue with elevation adjustments. We switched the sights out to bring it up-to-date and preemptively strike on the issue we’ve been hearing about with the ghost ring. However, we want you to be happy with the service you’ve received, and ultimately with the rifle itself. With that said, please do let me know how you’d like this resolved. Do you want to send the rifle back and have the old sights put back on? Would you like us to send out a ghost ring for you? You can get in touch with me at [email protected]. Thanks!
Just had a blue 45-70 delivered from Bud’s to my California FFL. Advertised (no surprise) to come with ghost ring sight. This was a choice point in choosing the Henry over the Marlin 1895G. I decided to give the ghost ring a try based in part on the comments of the shooters in the video on the Henry websight. I was surprised to see the gun arrive with the buckhorn. I checked the Web and found no reference to the change until I saw the post here. I went back to the Henry sight and see the description now says the rifle ships with the buckhorn. Still has the same video touting the benefits of the ghost ring. I decided to go ahead and keep the rifle since I’m very familiar with the Henry buckhorn (and because the California paperwork had already made it mine). Just disappointed in the failure to let us all know about the change. I’m guessing Bud’s didn’t know either?
I bought my son the brass 30-30 last Christmas and had to send it back due to jamming/feeding issues. It came back with a new bolt, extractor, lever and magazine, but no explanation. Like the other commentator, I’m still a Made In USA guy, but sometimes it seems the manufacturers don’t appreciate it much.
As of about 5 weeks ago (so I was just informed by a phone conversation with Henry Rifles customer service) , the Hery45-70 has had some changes made to it. I just received a replacement rifle due to problems with the feeding tube getting jammed into the rifle body. Now the front band is gone and the sight is a bead sight like the Big Boy rifles. Also the rear peep sight is gone and now using the buckhorn sight similar to the Big Boy rifles. Also looks like the bolt has been changed from the black bolt to a highly polished chrome bolt. While the new setup does look like it will have addressed the feeding tube issue, I’m not crazy about the shiny new bolt. One of the things I liked aobut the rifle before was all the dark feaatures with the nice wood. Just my feelings.
The inside tubular magazine will rip out the notch in the outer tube that the retaining pin turns into to lock the inner tube in if you use anything other than anemic loads. Buffalo Bore, Garrett, and HSM Bear Loads all bend the tube. I bought my rifle in February and it has been to Henry to be repaired twice. And after only 5 rounds of Bear Loads (405 gr gas check bullet at 1680fps) the notch in the outer tube is bending again. All it would take to fix the problem is to reinforce the last half inch or so of the outer tube (where the notch is) with another layer of metal.
They have been great about repairing the rifle but a week to get there, a week to get fixed, and a week back to me all adds up. Before the last repair I contacted customer support and asked that I receive an explanation as to why these were breaking and what was being done to my rifle to alleviate the problem.
NOTHING!! Only a note placed in the box stating that the outer tube was replaced and 20 rounds of wimpy Winchester ammo was fired without a problem. DUH!! The enclosed letter and the call to customer service both stated that the issue was happening with heavier bullets. Why wouldn’t they test the gun with the ammo that has been causing the problem???
The loads that cause the problem are accepted ammo according to Henry and the Marlins seem to be handling them without a problem. Wouldn’t you think that Henry would produce a higher quality rifle than the Remarlins?
I bet that Henry would probably refund my money but really I want this American company to fix the problem! I really like Henry and like almost everything else about the rifle. The only other problem has been a couple light strikes on the primers, but the rounds fired after 2-5 tries. Come on Henry. Don’t just Make it in America or not at all, Make it RIGHT in America or not at all.
Geez!
TK, I was having gthe same problem and seems to be with quite a few as they have changed to whole tube-barrel connection. See my post. Give them a call and request a repalcement rifle. Just received mine-took abour 7 weeks.
Hi TK. I know you’re comment is a bit on the old side, but I wanted to reply and see if you’ve gotten in touch with us to get everything fixed up to your liking. If not, please feel free to contact me by email at [email protected]. I would be happy to help.
Been reading some of the comments about pointed tips over round noise, I am thinking about getting a Henry 45/70 , I have it in a handy rifle, single shot. I reload using a 405 gr. Remington bullet. How well would the Henry handle that bullet? Thank you.
I just purchased a Henry 30-30 that has given me nothing but trouble. The lever will fall open and cannot be fired or closed until completely unloaded. 1 in 5 shots the lever jams and will not open to eject the round without disassembly. In short, Henry is not making a rifle you would bet your life on.
“The Henry would make a great brush gun for Rocky Mountain hunts, if you weren’t planning on really reaching out to impractical distances.”;
The .45-75 was once used in long range shooting competition, by the US military, a century ago. I don’t see why Henry had to put such a short barrel on a rifle loaded in this caliber, effectively limiting it’s available utility. I imagine that adding a few more inches to this rifle’s barrel would have increased it’s functional range quite a bit, while not encumbering the hunter/shooter much, if at all.
Also, it would have looked far better with an octagonal barrel, but I realize that that would have likely added weight to the weapon.
I would like to know where I can purchase a 45-70 or a 30-30 that was made in rice lake Wisconsin my son wants me to get something nice for my 60th Birthday where I live no one seams to have it hope you can help me . I’m from DesPlaines Illinois am willing to travel a bit !
I purchased mine from Sporting Solutions in Omro, WI. Wouldn’t be too bad a drive for you. I see Gander and Cabelas have them liste, too. I love the 45-70 as a cartridge; I’ve had three through the years. Was planing to buy a Henry when they first came out. Glad I didn’t get around to it right away as I love the fact that I own a rifle made in my home state. Really an awesome made gun. Can’t say enough good about it.
Having owned a pile of Marlins through the years I wasn’t too thrilled about the tube loading design at first, but now that I’ve used mine awhile I’m not looking back. Now I prefer the Henry and actually get agrivated every time I have to cycle all the rounds out of my Marlins. I’ve had a few loading gates that are far from easy to load, too.
I purchased mine from Sporting Solutions in Omro, WI. Wouldn’t be too bad a drive for you. I see Gander and Cabelas have them liste, too. I love the 45-70 as a cartridge; I’ve had three through the years. Was planing to buy a Henry when they first came out. Glad I didn’t get around to it right away as I love the fact that I own a rifle made in my home state. Really an awesome made gun. Can’t say enough good about it.
Having owned a pile of Marlins through the years I wasn’t too thrilled about the tube loading design at first, but now that I’ve used mine awhile I’m not looking back. Now I prefer the Henry and actually get agrivated every time I have to cycle all the rounds out of my Marlins. I’ve had a few loading gates that are far from easy to load, too.
You shouldn’t need to cycle the rounds through your Marlins to unload them. See video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCn3fxRhmB8
I love the idea of a 45-70 repeater… sad that the magazine only holds 4 rds. of this big stuff, I love the idea of it. I guess I
should think of it as a 4+1 instead.
I’ve read reviews of two other 45/70s coming on the market, but the thing I don’t understand is why everyone is making them with an 18.5″ barrel. The old black powder rifles had at least 24″, and the buffalo guns (which were usually single shots to be sure) with even longer barrels easily took buffalo at 500 yards and more. Sure the short barrel is handier and lighter, but when you shoot the really heavy rounds, every inch of barrel helps, instead of being wasted in a huge muzzle flash.
I’d say that for most folks, including myself, they get the 45-70 levergun either for fun or for a short range hunting gun. In either case, I’d say the small increase in velocity (and therefore, energy) you get from adding barrel length isn’t worth the additional weight and reduction in handiness. Marlin still has their original 22″ barreled version. Not sure if they still make it, but they used to have an octagonal barreled 45-70 that was like 26″. I believe it was called the cowboy or something. And, there’s always the old Sharps copies, and single shots from T/C. I’m sure there are more. Happy shooting!
I only have one Henry rifle right now, a .22 mag Golden Boy, but I’ll have to have a 45/70 soon. I have an old Marlin 336 in 30-30 and it’s a fine shooting old gun but that big bore Govt round is something I want. I don’t need it, just want one.
Would like the 45/70 in brass with an octagonal barrel. Already have a model 94 in 45 Colt.
I prefer the 35 Remington round for my Marlin 336. This would be a good round for the Henry.
I now have three Henry Rifles and love them all. Next is the 45-70 going into bear contry this is a great gun to carry besides my .50 Desert Eagle should keep me safe. I don’t know about the gun they sent you but the ones I have purchased were Almost to perfect to shoot Almost . You can tell that these guns are made with PRIDE right here in New Jersey and they stand behind what they make 150% . If you drop the owner and email he will respond him not his secretary try getting that from another corporation in America if there are any left.He takes great pride in his company and it shows.
Just curious: why do you make it sound as though these rifles are new offerings from Henry? The .30-30 has been around for several years, and the. 45-70 has been available for at least a couple of years. When I saw the headline, I thought Henry had introduced something brand new. All the same, excellent and thorough job on reviewing these two fine rifles.
I love these no-BS reviews on GunsAmerica. Never realized how much I needed a .45-70 lever gun until now.
I did try the Hornady lever revelution 300 gr and they did not work in my 45 -70 and I called Henry and they told me not to use them because for some reason they won’t work in there gun and they didn’t know why . So I have 4 boxes I can’t use . Two went off like they should and the next 3 just dented the primmer and did not go off . So could it be a weak spring or firing pin a hair short ? I don’t know . So now I’m shooting a 300 gr. Remington and only had one misfire . Not happy about that when you got a nice buck out in front of you and that happens . What would you say ?
Why even hassle that chance taking ammo?
45-70 hits so hard and there’s so many great flat or hollow tips to safely use.
Remington 300-grain JHP, Barnes 300-grain X bullet, GS Custom 300-grain FN, North Fork 350-grain GRS, Belt Mountain 400-grain Punch Bullet.
I’d say you got a stinker. That’s pretty bad if your rifle cannot consistently fire factory ammunition. Henry are great to work with, I bet they’d fix it for you, no questions asked.
Your firing pin is too short. Contact Henry they will send you a new one. I have the same problem.
I think the .45/70 is the .22 short of the .45/*** group. There is a .45/60 coming back, but I’m that ammunition
if you could find it, shouldn’t be shot in any .45/70. But that wouldn’t be the first thing I was ever wrong about.
You must not be a buffalo.
“The plastic tips of the Hornady bullets help ensure that you won’t touch off a primer when the rounds slide down onto the bullet’s tip.”
This isn’t the reason for the plastic “tip”. Not all (as matter of fact, only Henry) rifles in .30/30 or .45/70 load from the magazine. All the rest load from the receiver.
The reason for the plastic “tip” is due to inertia during recoil. Pointed bullets in a tubular magazine will cause the primer of the round in front that it is touching to detonate, setting off a chain reaction causing the magazine to explode. I once knew a fellow that had the scars to prove it.
I would love to have the 45-70 in brass with a straight stock and a big loop lever.
And a Bigfoot engraved on the receiver. LOL
heck russ, I love all of that idea. Even BIGFOOT
for about $15 henry could add a side loading gate. cheap ugly tube loading is not historically correct to the 30-30 if henry wants to imitate the original henry rifle thats great but please stop assing up all the other rifles
Is the Henry as strong as the Marlin 195SS for the use of hot handloads??
I purchased one of the Henry 30/30’s partly because I like their products. This rifle was my third. I also wanted to purchase it because the barrel is labeled “Henry Repeating Arms, Made in Rice Lake, WI, USA” and I live in Wisconsin. I wanted a gun from the only commercial manufacturer in Wisconsin. Last Saturday I shot a small whitetail buck with it using the new 160 grain Hornady rounds. WOW. I had sighted it in a couple of weeks ago and was impressed by the small groups but the round was devastating on the deer. Great gun with a well matched round.
The big difference from the Marlin is the Tube feed rather than the side feed.
The one disadvantage is it is Not meant for self defense, unless you have a sidearm or two with you. Unlike a side loader where you can just slip in more rounds, this takes a long time to reload, and takes the gun out of the fight while reloading..
Why not have a sidearm or two anyway?
You could load one at a time in the open chamber.
You could learn to load a tube mag quicker, I think it’s easier anyway.
You may not want this rifle to go to war, but many have in the past.
In my opinion this is a gun for self defence and would look great over my fireplace.
If the 4 rounds of 45-70 doesn’t’ do the job, your taking on too much by yourself in the 1st place.
Not to mention the rest of the gang would be running away from the explosions or dying of heart attacks anyway.
Bruce,
It would be most advisable NOT to shoot standard spire pointed bullets through a tubular magazine! Really bad stuff can happen. Yes, you can set of a cartridge. In fact, you can set off more than one…
I would like to see what results aor the Henry show with a 500 grn flat nose.
This is all we use here out of an 1895 marlin.
I just picked up the .30-.30 and the .45-.70 that came out of the new Rice Lake, WI plant. They are both from the first run off the line, very low serial numbers. Should I shoot them or not. Will they be worth more in the long run if they are “new” never shot?
Thanks
LuAnn
Lucky you, now go experience life Gallagher. That’s what’s worth more.
Shoot the dam guns and enjoy them.
I guess you should have bought 2 of each so you could do your investment separately instead of tormenting yourself with indecision.
You might want to dig out your old protractor. Those levers open to about 90 degrees, not 45. Nice looking guns, and there is a clear Marlin heritage. (Have Marlin’s patents run out?) Frankly, I would never use pointed bullets (plastic or not) in a spring loaded tubular magazine. I would stick to blunt bullets with a flat surface on the front, or round-nose.
The Leverevolution rounds are designed to be used in tubular magazines. I’ve shot several boxes worth and have never had an issue, either.
Are there any “short” cartridges that can be used in the 45-70? like .45 colt or .45 auto rimmed for instance? I am not familiar with the dimensions of the 45-70 but many lever actions can shoot similar shorter ammo (22lr/22short, 38/357, 44sp/44mag).
45-70 bullets (and bore size) are actually several thousandths of an inch bigger than 45 caliber handgun cartridges, so no dice. Even if the bullet diameters were the same, I think that long action would have a hard time with cases that are that much shorter. The difference is way bigger than in 357/38 or 22 S/L/LR.
Yeh, but what if the rounds you’re loading into these guns aren’t “plastic-tipped?” Dropping one down the cylinder, are you in danger of touching off the primer?
Bruce
That is why they have traditionally been a round nose bullet, though the danger is more in recoil than loading.
The Hornady ammo is a huge improvement in lever gun ammo.
Pointed bullets safely.
It is actually a soft ‘rubber’ tip, not a hard plastic ballistic tip.
Yeh, but what if the rounds you’re loading into these guns aren’t “plastic-tipped?” Dropping one down the cylinder, are you in danger of touching off the primer?
I look forward to trying the 45/70.
I’ve had XS sights on a 94 30-30 and they are awesome. The front blade with narrower white line is amazingly fast and intuitive, having the black metal on either side of the white line makes it stand out on any target.
With Winchester building in Japan and Marlin stumbling under Remington, I applaud Henry for stepping up.
How about a brass .41 Magnum?
Yes. Yes. Yes. A .41 Magnum Hernry. Wow the Cat’s Meow. .41 Mag. is one of the best all around loads there ever was. Rossi made a proto-type. The dealer in Reno wouldn’t give it up or thousands. Look what Marlin .41 mags are going for now. Don’t know why .41mags lost their popularity, but I sure wish they’d be “redicovered.” People who own them love them. I’d buy a .41 mag in a heartbeat. Their were 4 proto-type Colt SAA made. One is up or auction. Estimates: $6 to $16K.
Sam,
You might want to chronograph your loads before you shoot the chronograph. I’ve found it keeps you from getting unreliable results. Getting a sizzling 1,490 fps from that .30-30 LEVERevolution ammo, huh? Most of my 6″ handguns shoot that fast. Do you think there could be a problem somewhere?
I know manufacturers like to embellish the performance of their ammo, but you really should consider checking out the gun, ammo, or chronograph (where I would start) since that 1,490 fps velocity is only short about 900 fps from published. I realize that the test barrel was a 24″, the Henry has only a 20″ barrel, and that some folks think velocity decreases by around 50 fps per inch of barrel, but that would only amount to about a 200 fps loss in this case.
Anyway, just figured there was something amiss and would like to find out what it is.
Thanks.
It is possible I mixed it up with something else. But look at the one photo… I still could have gotten it mixed up I guess. I actually did the Chrony work on these back in August. But 600 or so fps off is a lot. I am going to the range today and I will reshoot a string of these and update. Thanks for the catch on that. I didn’t notice when putting the review together how far that seems off. Stand by and I will have an update by this evening.
Sam
Yep. I mixed something up. I will get the review updated soon. But 170 gr Hornady was moving around 2000 fps today. Sorry about that and thanks for the catch.
Sam
i love the . 357.0r. just the 38. cal.. there the best.
Looking for more information on the Henry’s rifles.
Contact the company.I have two Henry lever actions and want a 30/30 Best is all American made.