Buddy, clue stick, you are a mountian, how about a review for us mortals?
Lol, OK, here goes...
As seen in the OP it's a Henry 38/357, Big Boy, with the "Big Loop". Octagon Barrel, carbine length, 16 1/2", 7 round capacity. At first glance, it's a damn good-looking gun! Fit and finish looks good, all the parts line up the way they should. The wood is an even grained walnut. Smooth finish, goes well with the high-polish brass. It came with a nice cloth "sock" over the receiver to protect it from safe dings. Heavy, at just under 8 pounds, but well balanced. They say the LOP is 14", all I know is that it comes up to the shoulder nicely and getting a good sight picture (more about that later) and cheek weld was effortless.
Loading: It's tube fed, so it loads like my old Marlin 60's. Quarter turn of the plunger, pull it out, drop 7 rounds in, put the plunger back, you're in business. I like the tube feeding vs a side port (or whatever the hell it's really called) for two reasons. First and most important, you don't have to cycle the action and risk an ND to unload, and second, no ammo clacking against the receiver ruining the finish over time. Just make sure to not step on the plunger or you're done shooting. I think I may order a spare soon... The docs say it holds 7, I loaded 6, just seems like the right amount of cowboy ammo in a cowboy gun.
Action: Slick, tight, smooth. My first and so far only (I know, sad, right?) lever gun, never shot one before so I have nothing to compare it to. But it FEELS right, and we all know that "feels" are what matters so... Anyway, it feels good. Like was said somewhere earlier, I believe about a Marlin, it doesn't like to be cycled in any orientation other than straight up and down. Dunno if that's the way it's SUPPOSED to be, but an angle that puts the ejection port on the downside tends to make chambering problematic. So I don't do it.
Sights: THEY SUCK! Let me be perfectly, 100% crystal clear, unlike the factory Buckhorn sights. The factory Buckhorn sights SUCK. Almost like Henry owns a piece of Skinner or gets a cut of every sale. Honest do God I'm at a total loss how I'm supposed to line up the little white diamond on the Buckhorn with that teeny tiny little brass bead at the end of the barrel and then put them on target. Which one am I supposed to let blur? And then how in the name of all that's holy am I supposed to line up blur with focus and target??? Skinner sights are on the way, I imagine I'll be even MORE in love with this gun when they arrive and get installed. Speaking of which, the receiver on the 2nd Gen rifles is drilled and tapped for sights and/or a rail. But I just can't put a rail on this gun, no matter WHAT dude did in Jurassic Park. Just looks wrong to me. Maybe if I get a Long Ranger, but that's a different thread... So the Buckhorn will go in the round receptacle in the garage. SOON.
Shooting: Well, I took 38spcl and 357 to the range. As stated earlier, the 38spcl didn't load well. I thin the shorter round combined with the flat nose prevented it from sliding up the ramp as well as the round nosed (HP or ball didn't seem to matter) 357 did. The 357 was flawless over 75 or so rounds of two brands, with one fail-to-feed and one fail-to-eject. Either or both could well have been operator error, sure as shit I'm no expert, especially on my very first lever action. Time and practice and experimenting with different brands, weights, and configurations will tell. I can say that the 38spcl was very slightly noticeably less "strong" on recoil than the 357, no surprise there. Neither was at all oppressive, they ARE after all pistol calibers, and it's a pretty heavy gun. I've spent hours plinking with assorted 22lr and 22wmr rifles and pistols, I could easily do the same with this gun and my GP100 6" if the ammo was 3-5cents/round. Alas... I own and shoot 9mm and 45ACP PCC's, the Henry recoil was consistent with them. Nice big heavy barrel warmed up slowly, after 45 minutes and 75-ish rounds it was warm, not hot.
Accuracy: Well, like I said above, THE FACTORY SIGHTS SUCK. HARD. They are also not, to my knowledge, adjustable aside from elevation on the rear. Unless you want to try and drift the front, which I do not have the tool for, nor do I think it would be smart since the Skinner sight will be on before the next range trip. Anyway, the first trip was to my club, Westford, at 25 yards, outdoors, in 30 degree weather, slight breeze. My target is posted in the OP. The second trip, 3 days ago, was to Granite State in Hudson. Indoors, also 25 yards, a balmy 70 or so, NO breeze. Identical results, "tall" groups, which I attribute to sight picture, an inch or so right, which I attribute to poor alignment of UTTER CRAP Buckhorn sights. Shooting offhand, leaning on the bench, or seated at the bench were very similar, although offhand produced "rounder" groups. Shocking, I know... So the GUN is accurate and repeatable, the SIGHTS SUCK (did I mention that the Buckhorn stock sights are UTTER CRAP?) and the shooter needs practice.
All-in-all? Most fun I've had shooting in a LONG time! I have a couple of other long guns that are more expensive and arguably more accurate, but THIS one will accompany me on every range trip for the foreseeable future. I think the only time I've had as much fun shooting was at the last Pumpkin Shoot at Monadnock when I came to the line and double-fisted my GP100 and Lady Radtekk's at the same time. Although blowing up the cake a few years ago was cool too
@Lip Any time you want to shoot, let me know, HAPPY to host at Westford or Granite State
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