WINCHESTER, ROSSI OR HENRY in .44?

[heavyhaulin818]

Looking to add more lever action rifles to my collection. I have several 45-70’s but was looking into .44’s. I recently handled a ROSSI (SOLD) and a HENRY X, the ROSSI looked nice for the price, but when I held the HENRY...it just felt like being handed the key to the city. The action was smooth, the sights were just right, but the finish left me wanting more... I have not held/seen a Winchester and am wondering if it will be much better considering the price differences? I don’t hunt, just enjoy the large bore firearms fun factor. Also wondering if .44 worth buying of just go for another 45-70...

[Sandspider500]

Do you handload?

[Eat Dirt]

My Vote ..

Henry Big Boy ...44 Mag


Just ask the man who owns one !!!

[BradleyAbrams]

I have a Rossi M92 in .44, which I bought, new, in 2017.

I preferred it over the Henry Golden Boy because of the side loading gate on the Rossi, and also the price.( $550 versus $1000 )

This purchase was meant as a companion caliber weapon to my Dan Wesson 744, so price was the main concern. The side gate loader was a definite plus, as well.



.

[Kerplow]

Marlin 1894.

[dfletcher]

Agree that a Marlin 1894 beats them all. I have a much older Rossi imported by Interarms as the Puma and a much later made stainless version. True that fit and finish aren't up to the Henry standards, but that can be fixed with a bit of knowledge and graphite paper. Much as I like the Henry line there's too much spray paint finish and plastic for me.

[bigbossman]

Winchester 92 in 44-40.

[golfish]

Get an older Marlin or new Winchester.

I've had 2x Rossi 92s in 44mag. They both had oversized barrels.

[Ora Serrata]

I’ve got a Rossi. It’s been a good gun, but don’t shoot it very often. The price was the reason for picking it up. Got it used a few years ago for about $400.

Also have a Rossi in .357. Have had some issues with it mainly because the previous owner replaced springs and didn’t know what he was doing. Again, the cost was the main factor for getting the Rossi. For under $900 I have two different caliber models.

[heavyhaulin818]

I do reload although I’ve only loaded 45-70 and .38 special of which I just did a few earlier. I am leaning towards a Henry due to the combination side gate/loading tube.

[pennstater]

I have two Henry's, .357 and .45 Colt. I don't understand the "spray paint finish" remark. While mine are not the X model, blued/walnut, they are finely made. And accurate. I have no problems with any lever gun, I just happen to have two really good henry's. Think about the .45 Colt. Fun round.

MLC

[Wyatt Burp]

I have a very well used Browning 92 carbine in .44 Magnum. It’s scratched and dinged up and I think it’s beautiful. The action is smoother than my real Winchester 92 .44-40. Made in Japan by Miroku, who made/or makes the Winchester lever guns. They are getting pretty expensive, though. Even well used ones.

[Spyder]

I've got a pre-safety JM Marlin in 44 I've been considering selling...

[golfish]

Originally Posted by pennstater

I have two Henry's, .357 and .45 Colt. I don't understand the "spray paint finish" remark. While mine are not the X model, blued/walnut, they are finely made. And accurate. I have no problems with any lever gun, I just happen to have two really good henry's. Think about the .45 Colt. Fun round.

MLC

Tom, It's the cheaper H001 22s..like the one I have. I don't see that on their better guns. The finish on my Long Ranger is nice.

[RNE228]

I would lean this direction, or a Marlin JM 1894C in 357.

Am a big fan of 44Mag, but think it would be fun to try 44-40; even a Single Action revolver to match. Maybe even load up some black powder rounds.

Originally Posted by bigbossman

Winchester 92 in 44-40.

[ACfixer]

I have Henry in .44, shoulders and shoots well and it sure is a looker. I'm not a fan of safeties so I'd get a Henry or an older Marlin.

[Sandspider500]

The Henry sure does look like they copied marlins 336 action.

[SG29736]

I had a Rossi 357 carbine but it was just to little and light for me. I'd like to get a 92 at some point in either 44 mag or 44-40 with an octagon barrel, 20 or 24 inch. I have Marlins, 24" 44 mag, 20" 44-40 and 26" 45-70, all with octagon barrels. Love all three of them.

[Cowboy T]

You're really not going wrong with any of the three that you listed. My Rossi 92 in .44M is a fine piece of levergun, what I would call a real bargain in that market. We have a Henry .357M levergun on our used gun rack, and it's a nice rifle as well. The Winchesters, they're of course very good, but you're gonna pay for that name.

If name doesn't matter, go Rossi. If name matters somewhat, and if you want to be able to load the rifle by removing the inner tube, go Henry. If you're looking at name, go Winchester.

I went Rossi 'cause it's affordable. And yes, I do handload .38/357, .44Spl/Mag, and .45 Colt. Also reload some rifle chamberings. The .44M will be somewhat easier, and less expensive, to reload than the .45-70 (another excellent round). For just sheer plain shootin' fun, I'd go for the .44M chambering. The reason is that you can shoot .44 Spl loads through it just as easily, which I often do, if you want to go "mild". Or you can go "wild" with full-house .44M loadings if you'd like to feel a little kick. I shoot both loadings and enjoy both. You'll also use less powder and less metal in your bullet with the .44M chambering than the .45-70. And finally...you already have several .45-70's! You've got that covered.

[Sandspider500]

Does your Rossi 44 give you bulged brass cowboy?

[Cowboy T]

No, not in the least. Neither the .44 nor the .357 does anything bad to the brass. It's ready to reload soon as it ejects.

Actually, that kinda seems a strange question, at least to me. Is that what you've seen? I thought all leverguns' chambers fully supported the case.

[golfish]

Even with a bad one you might be able to get it to work.
I couldn't hit a basketball at 25 yards with my first Rossi 44mag. I knew the barrel was oversized. I didn't reload at the time so larger diameter bullets wasn't an option. The second one wasn't as bad, maybe a cantaloupe at 25 yards. I reloaded for it and I think I stopped at 4.32 diameter. I really don't recall. I think I had bullets up to 4.34. I didn't want to deal with it so I sold everything 44. I think they both could have been ok with more work using larger diameter bullets.

[heavyhaulin818]

So much good feedback, makes it difficult to chose. I was at BASS PRO last nyte snd not a one lever action... As I call around our local shops I keep getting told that lever actions are selling out almost as soon as they are put out on display. I have owned 3 REMINGTON MARLIN 1895 SBL’s and one CSBL, looking online at what is being offered by different manufaturers regardless of whether it’s available or not...I am liking HENRYS LINEUP with the exception of their color cased rifles. As much as I like the furniture on their classic wood rifles, I can’t get yheir X series rifles out of my head. All day today at work I envisioned bringing home a .44 mag X and a 45-70 X to match my CITADEL LEVTACS.

[Sandspider500]

Originally Posted by Cowboy T

No, not in the least. Neither the .44 nor the .357 does anything bad to the brass. It's ready to reload soon as it ejects.

Actually, that kinda seems a strange question, at least to me. Is that what you've seen? I thought all leverguns' chambers fully supported the case.

Just wondering. My 45 colt Rossi has a bit of an oversized chamber. I just neck size em now, which is a pain in the neck haha.

[pennstater]

Originally Posted by Sandspider500

The Henry sure does look like they copied marlins 336 action.

They are indeed very similar. Very.

MLC

[bonesurf]

Originally Posted by heavyhaulin818

So much good feedback, makes it difficult to chose. I was at BASS PRO last nyte snd not a one lever action... As I call around our local shops I keep getting told that lever actions are selling out almost as soon as they are put out on display. I have owned 3 REMINGTON MARLIN 1895 SBL’s and one CSBL, looking online at what is being offered by different manufaturers regardless of whether it’s available or not...I am liking HENRYS LINEUP with the exception of their color cased rifles. As much as I like the furniture on their classic wood rifles, I can’t get yheir X series rifles out of my head. All day today at work I envisioned bringing home a .44 mag X and a 45-70 X to match my CITADEL LEVTACS.

it's not a good pic but HenryX 357 with the RPP forearm

[Sandspider500]

Tons of Rossi 92's on GunBroker right now. They must have just shipped a bunch.

[Cowboy T]

Originally Posted by Sandspider500

Tons of Rossi 92's on GunBroker right now. They must have just shipped a bunch.

That's good news. Whatever makes gun ownership more affordable, including levergun ownership, is to be celebrated as a very good thing...that is, assuming that those Gunbroker guns are reasonably priced (GB guns very often are not).

[Mtnmikeblue]

Originally Posted by heavyhaulin818

Looking to add more lever action rifles to my collection. I have several 45-70’s but was looking into .44’s. I recently handled a ROSSI (SOLD) and a HENRY X, the ROSSI looked nice for the price, but when I held the HENRY...it just felt like being handed the key to the city. The action was smooth, the sights were just right, but the finish left me wanting more... I have not held/seen a Winchester and am wondering if it will be much better considering the price differences? I don’t hunt, just enjoy the large bore firearms fun factor. Also wondering if .44 worth buying of just go for another 45-70...

I have a Marlin 1894ss 44 mag I'm considering selling. I purchased it new in 2005.

[Oneaudiopro]

Originally Posted by Sandspider500

Does your Rossi 44 give you bulged brass cowboy?

Make sure you're not shooting .41mag rounds!

[jyo]

Contact the guy with the pre-safety Marlin 44 and buy it!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Originally Posted by Sandspider500

The Henry sure does look like they copied marlins 336 action.

They did, but added a Transfer Bar Safety like a Ruger Blackhawk.

Just get a Marlin,,, but wait a ew more months until the Ruger made ones come out.

Randy

[Cowboy T]

Just bought a Henry Big Boy in .45 Colt. The reason is that while I've fired Henrys before, I've never actually owned one, and I wanted to get to know them even better. Plus, I've always wanted a .45 Colt levergun to match the Super Redhawk 454, the latter of which has so far seen only various loadings of .45 Colt, both mild and wild.

According to Buffalo Bore, Henry Big Boys in .45 Colt will take the ".45 Colt +P" loadings with bullets up to 260 grains. Since I make just such a load (255gr cast boolit LRNFP over 22 grains of 2400--it's in the Lyman book's T/C section), this makes the Henry rifles as appealing to me as the W1892 actions. As Martha Stewart says, "it's a good thing!" :-)

As I said, you really can't go wrong with Rossi 92, Henry Big Boy, or Winchester 92.

[pennstater]

Cowboy T, you're going to really like that Henry .45 Colt. Believe me. It's my absolute favorite lever rifle to shoot. Henry's are shooters.

MLC

[heavyhaulin818]

Well, I ended up buying a HENRY X in .357 and a HENRY X in .44 at Turner’s. I was really trying to love the new Marlins but with HENRY having a loading/unloading tube and now side gate I just couldn’t pass them up.

[Jimi Jah]

Henry's are a pleasure to shoot. One fine gun.

[Cowboy T]

Originally Posted by pennstater

Cowboy T, you're going to really like that Henry .45 Colt. Believe me. It's my absolute favorite lever rifle to shoot. Henry's are shooters.

MLC

Thanks! Like the OP's .357M Henry X, mine is also a side loader, which is a nice touch. The action, as one would expect of Henry, is smooth. I've just got to give it its first cleaning and oiling and then take it to the range (I just ran out of Hoppe's #9--gotta get some more).

[DolphinFan]

Find a Marlin .44.

[OCEquestrian]

Browning B-92 in .44 magnum

[pzbike]

Marlin 336