Henry Big Boy Model X - 357 or 44??

[DueceMcGurk]

Penn,
In jail or in hand? Nice pickup.

[DrewN]

Hopefully, they drop a .41 as well. I load for all 3 anyway. That Buffalo Bore 170 gr JHP is over 1600 lbs of ME from a 16" barrel. And the Speer 210 Gold Dot is 1400+.

[bsumoba]

I just DROS'd an X-Lever in 45-70.

I already have a 38/357 in a Big Boy Case Hardened, 20" version.

[Dirtlaw]

Cheaper 38 cal works in 357 Henry. Makes it easy to match with 357/38 revolver Ruger GP100.

Good point. If you have a revolver in one of those calibers there is a benefit in staying with the same round.

[Over It]

Thx guys, was thinking about matching it with a revolver later. That will mostly be for fun as I use a 45 ACP and 9mm Glocks for HD & SD mostly. That may make getting a 357 much more practical as a 44 can be a beast in a handgun (especially with shorter barrels).

Hard to compare ammo prices these days, as everything is crazy at the moment. Got a little 22 takedown for a fun plinker, which will help keep costs down.

Thanks Cowboy, the 38spl is a nice option if my wife wants to shoot it, I saw a few videos where they use the model X with a suppressor and lower power 38 spl loads where it hardly seems to make any noise. May have to start with a 357 and see if there is a need for the 44, a 158gr soft point 357 should pack a pretty good punch in a long gun.

Lots of decisions, but maybe the good thing is that I can save a lot of money in the mean time as nothing is available, especially at a reasonable price.

Haven't had a chance to read the manual on Henry X's, but on other .357 Henry's lever guns, I do remember the manual states that it will only feed 158gr .38 Special so it doesn't automatically shoot any .38 special you can get your hands on.

[golfish]

I just DROS'd an X-Lever in 45-70.

I already have a 38/357 in a Big Boy Case Hardened, 20" version.

nice.


Please share some pics and range report.

[B2D]

Im planning on getting the .357 version because my Blackhawk will eat the same ammo and I don't plan on going out past 100 yards any time soon.

As always, shoot what works for you.

[200Apples]

.357 is more fun in a lever carbine, and the right loads (bullet design and construction + warmer velocities) will take deer-sized game through 75 yards.

.44 will be more powerful (when using Magnum loads) and will have more perceived recoil. And, commercial loads cost more than the same in .357

If you already handload, you're g2g, especially if you have all the fundamental components. Getting dies should not be a problem right now even though components are scarce.

[200Apples]

Mark, I went and bought another 1873 clone. A Taylor.
Sorry for slight hi-jack.

*ignores Tom*

Mark, I went and bought another Mojave desert tool. A trailer.

It's tiny and will require much work and will be converting it from cargo trailer stay-tus.




Gonna be a lil', tiny camper!

yay.


/threadjack

[larkja]

The Henry X is a light rifle. 44 is going to have a lot of recoil.

With the .357, you can shoot both .38 and .357. Much cheaper and .38 is way more fun to shoot. I would go .357 all day.

[golfish]

*ignores Tom*

Mark, I went and bought another Mojave desert tool. A trailer.

It's tiny and will require much work and will be converting it from cargo trailer stay-tus.




Gonna be a lil', tiny camper!

yay.


/threadjack

Now all we need is a quad to run out and setup the steel targets...hint hint

[200Apples]

Wish I could afford one. And even then I'd need a bigger trailer all of a sudden.

5 X 10 is an old-school truck sleeper on an axle. Not much more room than that.

[Cowboy T]

For self-defense, which is one of the OP's criteria, .357M is not only going to be a good deer/hog round out of the rifle, but those same characteristics will make it a very fine self-defense round as well. Imagine a 158gr .357M slug travelling in excess of 1,700 ft/sec. That's going to hit an assailant very hard, almost nipping at the heels of lower-end .30-30 loads. A .44M will hit even harder, of course, about like a full-house .30-30 load within anything resembling self-defense ranges.

Either one is exceedingly likely get assailant(s) to change their mind and leave you in peace, which is exactly what we want.

[Army GI]

If you're going to be shooting a lot, 357.

The 44 mag can be a bit punishing in a revolver. Since that is what you intend to do, have a rifle and revolver in the same chambering, I recommend 357. Especially if you're going to take friends/family to the range and they don't have a lot of experience with the 44 magnum.

If you're not going to shoot a ton, and want the extra power, then 44.

[champu]