OK, this has been covered a little bit in the past, but I am bringing up again. The reason is that with Remington's buyout of Marlin we all know that the new Marlins are not all that. I personally have the T-shirt and promptly sold my 1894 of newer manufacture. With the older "JM" Marlins now commanding $900 for the non cowboy versions, I am seriously thinking about a Henry. The cowboy 1894s are closer to $1200. The guys that shoot cowboy games don't like the Henry's cause they won't cycle fast enough and there is no short stroke kit [like on a 1894 or 1873]. My question to those of you shooting our game of silhouette, does anyone have a positive or negative experience regarding the Henry Big Boy in 357 Mag? Thanks!

gregw72: Keep in mind that silhouette and cowboy action are 2 completely different types of shooting. You have way more than enough time to get 5 rounds off in under the 2 minutes. The cowboy shooters are going for speed and the silhouette shooters are going for accuracy.

I have a Henry Frontier in .22 LR for small bore. After I bought it, I shot my 1st match with it and then I shot it in the Louisiana State CLA matches to finish with a 1st place in pistol and a 2nd place in smallbore my class.

While at the match, Mr. Tim Lee let me shoot his wife's .357 Henry. I had a nice group at the pigs. All 5 shots would have been 5 pigs down and all 5 with solid hits. The .357 caliber does not have any problem taking out the half scale pistol targets.

When I am able to buy another rifle, I will be buying a Henry .357 lever action for my PC rifle. I also plan on buying a Henry 30-30 for the center fire targets. Then All 3 of my CLA rifles will be a Henry.

I do not think you will go wrong by buying the .357 Henry. I say go buy it and shoot it. If you decide that you don't like the rifle, then contact me and I will be glad to relieve you of your Henry rifle. Ken

Ken Green wrote:.....(snip)
While at the match, Mr. Tim Lee let me shoot his wife's .357 Henry. I had a nice group at the pigs. All 5 shots would have been 5 pigs down and all 5 with solid hits. The .357 caliber does not have any problem taking out the half scale pistol targets.

When I am able to buy another rifle, I will be buying a Henry .357 lever action for my PC rifle. I also plan on buying a Henry 30-30 for the center fire targets. Then All 3 of my CLA rifles will be a Henry.

I do not think you will go wrong by buying the .357 Henry. I say go buy it and shoot it. If you decide that you don't like the rifle, then contact me and I will be glad to relieve you of your Henry rifle. Ken

Ken - Although we discussed the Henry Big Boy in 357mag at one point when we were at the Louisiana match, I think there is some confusion as we don't currently own a Henry Big Boy in any caliber. Like you, Judy shoots a Henry Frontier in SBCR, but her PCCLA rifle is a Marlin 1894 in 32H&R Magnum caliber, and does have a tubular magazine load design and a octagonal 20" barrel, just like the Henry Big Boys'. She shoots a Marlin 1894 chambered in 357mag in CLA class (the same rifle I use in PCCLA), but it features a 24" octagon barrel and side load receiver. To be candid, I don't recall which one you shot that day in practice (it could've been either, or even both). Sorry for the confusion!

Greg- Regarding the Henry Big Boy in 357mag; I have handled one and have seen them in use at both my local and state matches. Like most things wearing the Henry rollstamp/logo, I loved the feel of the action, and most every American manufacturer (gun builder or otherwise) would do very well to copy their Customer Service and Product Support policies. One other thing I like about it is the 1:16" twist (same as the Marlin) which will shoot a much heavier projectile more accurately than the Winchester design's 1:30" twist (my wife uses a 205gr load in our 357 Marlin for CLA Rams). Some folks complain about the Henry's tubular load design magazine, but I personally have zero issues with it... It is a reliable and relatively foolproof design that I've yet to see cause a feed issue in any centerfire rifle (unlike the side load designs where I have seen feed issues). I like the Marlins I own (considering I paid WAY less for them than they are now selling for), but I would not hesitate to consider a Henry Big Boy in either 357 or their new 327FedMag rifle (which can also shoot 32 H&R caliber), particularly if they ever offer them in their new 24" LB option, as they've done with the rimfire Frontier models.

A bit more than .02,



- Tim

If you are looking for just a pistol cartridge rifle and not a CLA, you might want to check out the new Henry Big Boy Steel in .327 Federal Magnum, which will also shoot the .32 H&R magnum. Might be just the ticket. I was told they will begin shipping in March.

Didn't Marlin make some 1894s in 32 H&R before the Remington sell out? I haven't seen one but I remember rumors of them.

Another Dang 9 wrote:Didn't Marlin make some 1894s in 32 H&R before the Remington sell out? I haven't seen one but I remember rumors of them.

Yep, and one of them is the previously mentioned 1894 that my wife now shoots in PCCLA.

They're real popular with the SASS crowd (I bought mine from a Cowboy Action Shooter). I've seen a half dozen or so of them at Cowboy Silhouette matches over the years.

I didn't pay it, but I've seen them sell used for between $1200 and $2000, depending on how bad someone wants one.

-Tim

I've never owned a Henry, but if they offered a .327 Federal Mag. with a 24 in. barrel; I'd be tempted to buy one.

Al Foust

cslcAl wrote:I've never owned a Henry, but if they offered a .327 Federal Mag. with a 24 in. barrel; I'd be tempted to buy one.

Al Foust

I've personally made Anthony aware that there is a market for such... Just hope it won't take him another 10 years (like it did on the Frontier) to come out with a 24" version.

-Tim

Thank you all so much for the responses. I tried to get this info at the SASS forums and they hate Henry's because: 1) They borrowed the name and don't make a replica of the real "Henry"; 2) They don't cycle fast enough. Interesting comments on the 327 Federal as I have never thought of that. My observation is that it doesn't take too much of a hit to take down a PC silhouette [seeing how some use 22 Mag]. I don't mind throwing down the $$$ to buy the correct rifle [seeing how I shoot Hunter with an Anschutz 1712], but I have heard so many good things about Henry and their CS that it is making pause and not consider buying an old Marlin of questionable condition off gunbroker.

I bought my .22 golden boy in 2002 and love it. Butter smooth action. I have a Marlin 1894 CS in .357 mag and love it also but I bought it new in 2001. The ones the cowboy action guys sell will be beat to death.

Tim: Thanks for setting me straight on which rifle I actually shot.

I will be looking at getting a Henry rifle for PC CLA. I am thinking about going with the .357 but I will be looking at the .32 H&R Magnum also. Only time will tell.

Wait for the 327 Federal Mag, only drawback is the 20" barrel.
But not a big deal, it is a heavy 20" Oct. barrel.
I would love to own one.
I use a Winchester 94 in 357mag, with its slow twist it is great with 110gr bullets going fast, not so much with heavy bullets for long range.
With Marlin's in 357mag, heavy bullets are better for LR because of the faster twist.
But for PC, light fast ones are more like lasers, I don't think they do well with light bullets.
I think Henry's have the same fast twist as marlins.
Dennis

I picked up a Henry Big Boy in .357 magnum today at Cabela's in Gonzales. Now I just need to get some loads worked up.
Now I don't have to worry about the .22lr, leaving a pig ringer like last year at the Louisiana State CLA match.
The trigger fely very nice when I handled it. With that 20 inch heavy barrel, it has a nice feel to it and balance to it.