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Old December 13, 2019, 02:05 PM   #1
Charlie1947
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Your thoughts please, your experiences

I am very fond of the .45-70 and also the Marlin 1895. However,
due to the Ruger No. ! and Winchester Hi Walls and I am also fond of
single shots. I have been looking at the Henry single shots of course
in .45-70! I haven't seen many comments concerning the Henry's,
so I was hoping to gain some of your experiences. Thank-you for your
time!
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Old December 13, 2019, 03:41 PM   #2
labnoti
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I have no experience with the Henry rifles, but a Henry single-shot shotgun is basically the same as the single shot rifles, just with a larger bore and no rifling or the rifle sights. I cannot compare it to a No. 1 except in price. It's about $1000 less.

The fit and finish on the Henry single shot are impeccable. Every detail about the gun is very pleasing. The 20 ga patterns very nicely with the provided modified choke and a skeet choke. I can't speak to the rifle's accuracy, but I would expect it to be as good as anyone could expect from .45-70. Having a Henry is something to be proud of or pleased with. I can't say the same thing about the cheap imported things that are popular in shotguns. I'm similarly very attracted to Ruger No. 1's, but I think it would have to be a configuration very distinct from anything Henry is offering to really compel me to pay so much more. The falling block action of the Ruger is very different, extremely strong, and I don't know that the Henry in .45-70 can be used with the high-pressure .45-70 loads that are specific to Ruger No. 1. In this article: https://www.ammoland.com/2018/06/hen...#axzz681SkQxNk the author uses a load with a 300 grain bullet going 1880 fps -- so definitely not limited to early .45-70 pressures. But the No. 1 has loads that will send 300 grains to 2580 fps.

If the Henry does what you want, I'm pretty sure you'll be pleased with everything else about it. It does what it does very well indeed.

Last edited by labnoti; December 13, 2019 at 04:05 PM.
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Old December 13, 2019, 05:05 PM   #3
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I will start out by saying I am not a fan of Henry rifles. I don't like the clunky feel and the weight of the lever rifles. I see them in my shop every now and then, usually for function issues but occasionally for repair. I dont know anyone who shoots their Henry rifles enough to wear them out. I have several customers who have bought Henry lever actions to hunt with (mainly for looks) and sold them to go back to their Marlins (mainly because of weight).

Their single shot rifles are in the same class as the old H&R Topper rifles IMO, break action hammer guns good enough to go BANG but nothing much to look at compared to the Ruger #1 or a Winchester High Wall. They look better than the H&Rs, though. Nicer wood and better fit and finish. I had one gentleman that bought one to try to shoot in the BPCR rifle matches and was surprised that nobody took him seriously.

Oh, and factory loads only, don't try to hot-rod the 45-70 break action rifles.
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Old December 14, 2019, 03:38 PM   #4
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I think the Henry single shot is about the perfect weight and proportion for a 45/70. They look good. For the price, not much to gamble. It is probably the only Henry I would think about. The only Henry single shot caliber I would go for. That is due to the weight.

I say take a chance and let us know what you think.
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Old December 14, 2019, 07:34 PM   #5
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My preference would be for a Uberti 1885 High Wall.
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Old December 15, 2019, 01:46 PM   #6
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I guess it depends on what you want.
The Henry is light, and probably accurate. I've never found a 45-70 that won't shoot accurately, with load development.
IMO, I don't light a break open action rifle. If you want short and light, look for a Ruger #3.
My next choice in a single shot would, more then likely be any of the 1885 Winchester clones.
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Old December 15, 2019, 09:02 PM   #7
Oliver Sudden
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The Henry is simple and inexpensive and will shot well enough for plinking. Ruger #1 and #3 are fine rifles in 45/70 as is the current 1885 Winchester copies. I prefer the Shiloh Sharps for its style, strength and accuracy. This rifle with iron sights shoots as well as many scoped modern rifles as this 200 meter target shows. And after 20 years of use I could sell it for more then I payed for it.
all 903 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
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Old December 15, 2019, 10:51 PM   #8
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Henry lists their .45-70 single shot at 6.83lbs. There will always be some variation due to wood density. Figure 7lbs, unscoped.

A 7lb .45-70 will have noticeable recoil with the standard 405gr factory loads at black powder speed (approx. 1300fps). The break action is not suitable for heavier loads, which is good, because they kick even worse!

If you're ok with the recoil, I don't see it as a bad gun, but there are better guns out there, though they cost more.

The Henry is neither the classic "buffalo rifle" style like the various Sharps reproductions, nor it is the ultra strong class like the Ruger No 1 and No 3.

If it were me, I'd keep adding to the piggy bank until I could afford a different .45-70, but then I've had the Marlin, a Siamese Mauser and still have my treasured Ruger No.3 and a T/C Contender, which does affect my choices, a bit.
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Old December 16, 2019, 06:44 AM   #9
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I purchased a Pedersoli sharps 45/70 because I did not want to wait the almost 2 year wait that C-Sharps and Shiloh had on their builds. With my luck I would die a week later after getting it. Anyway as Mr. Oliver Sudden has pointed out Sharps rifles have a great action and with the Creedmore or Vernier sights they are deadly accurate. Great Shooting and beautiful rifle you have there Mr. Oliver.

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Old December 16, 2019, 11:30 AM   #10
T. O'Heir
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"...the clunky feel and the weight of the lever..." Or the excessive price. However, a "Big Boy" .44 weighs about a pound more than a Win M94 in .30-30. So it has less felt recoil and the MSRP is about $500 less. Winchester has been marketing on the name for eons.
A 7lb .45-70 will hurt to shoot with a cast 405 as much as a TD Carbine does. The Henry singles remind me a great deal of the NEF/H&R Handi-rifles at much higher prices.
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Old December 16, 2019, 11:37 AM   #11
Catman42
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what is the rate of the twist on the henry 45/70?
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Old December 20, 2019, 10:01 AM   #12
Catman42
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i looked it up my self, the henry has a 1/20 twist. that means you can shoot up to a 500 grain bullet in it. i watched a couple of you tube videos on the single shot henry 45/70/s. they are a awsome single shot, gun in a good caliber. if i got one i would reload my own with a 400 grain bullet.
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Old December 20, 2019, 02:49 PM   #13
Tony Z
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I have a Henry single shot in .308 and for plinking, one in .357. I have a Ruger #1 in .45-70, and I would not think that round would be pleasant to shoot in the Henry. I would keep the Ruger. Also the Ruger #1 is far more pleasant to shoot than their #3 (I've shot both).
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Old December 20, 2019, 03:36 PM   #14
Nathan
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I have the Ruger #1 in 45-70. It is a great gun. It is pretty accurate like 1.7” at 100 yards. Not bad for the parts arrangement. Trigger is good. It is reasonably comfortable to shoot.

I would buy it again.
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Old December 20, 2019, 10:57 PM   #15
Sure Shot Mc Gee
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Residing in a State next to a State that builds Henry's. I have yet seen a single shot 45-70 shipped west of the Mississippi to date. I once had the urge to want one. But~ I supect these days by time there available to me. "I'll be walking thru the front door of a nursing home hoping for a short stay._ Oh well. (-:
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Old December 25, 2019, 08:48 AM   #16
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Quote:
If you're ok with the recoil, I don't see it as a bad gun, but there are better guns out there, though they cost more. The Henry is neither the classic "buffalo rifle" style like the various Sharps reproductions, nor it is the ultra strong class like the Ruger No 1 and No 3.
Agree with 44AMP on this one.

I've only handled the Henry SSs, but I wasn't impressed enough to prefer it over a Ruger #1 for Old School elegance and style as well as for strength, especially if you're seeking to hot-rod the .45-70 cartridge into 458 Win Mag territory.

The real issue with Ruger's #1s (regardless of caliber) has always been out-the-box accuracy, not looks or the action's inherent strength.

I have a #1S model in 300 H&H. When I got it years ago, it was a 3-4 MOA shooter coming out of the box, but after several 'accurizing' tricks were performed it settled into a mostly 1-MOA rifle. With certain handloads developed over time, it's sub-MOA.

I don't know if the #1s in 45-70 suffer from similar accuracy issues or not, but they can be remedied by a 'smith who knows what he's doing. So just FYI.

All that said, since the .45-70 is among the straight-walled 'deer-legal' cartridges where I hunt, I went ahead and got a Marlin SBL with the long Scout rail. It's accurate, handles well in the bramble bush, and the mid-range power of 'lever-gun' factory ammo is more than enough to put venison in the freezer.

Last edited by agtman; December 25, 2019 at 08:53 AM.
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Old December 25, 2019, 11:45 AM   #17
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So I don't own a Henry lever in 45-70 but I did take a few shots from a gun club buddy's and NO thanks. That Henry kicked like a hard mule with full house 45-70 "lever ammo". Now maybe if the ammo was more to the mild "Trapdoor Safe" cast load it would have been more pleasant to shoot. I do own a Pedersoli 1874 Sharps which I have done a lot of true black powder load development and my Sharps is an absolute hoot to shoot ! Accuracy for me is work in progress as hand loading black powder is a challenging task as opposed to traditional smokeless supersonic loads. Here's my Sharps fitted with a Malcom Hi Lux Winchester 5x scope that I shoot at 600 yds :

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Old December 27, 2019, 05:24 AM   #18
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I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the single shot Henry rifles don't have the ability to mount a scope, so if you want a scope you may be out of luck.

H&R made single shot .45-70's and those remain popular due to their low price, but they're becoming harder to find at those prices.

It's hard to beat a Ruger No. 1 in .45-70 tho with its indestructible action. It would also be more accurate given it's not a break action.

I see Henry is offering the .45-70 in the side gate models now. I'd much rather have that vs a comparable modern made Marlin lever action .45-70.
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Old December 27, 2019, 11:56 PM   #19
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https://henrypride.com/products/henr...=1505748582425
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Old December 28, 2019, 12:09 AM   #20
reynolds357
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie1947 View Post
I am very fond of the .45-70 and also the Marlin 1895. However,
due to the Ruger No. ! and Winchester Hi Walls and I am also fond of
single shots. I have been looking at the Henry single shots of course
in .45-70! I haven't seen many comments concerning the Henry's,
so I was hoping to gain some of your experiences. Thank-you for your
time!
I have never been impressed with Henry fit, finish, function, or accuracy. They are not bad, but not great either.
Everybody knocks the new Marlins. The new Marlins are excellent. There was a couple years of Remington transition junk, but those days are long gone. New stuff is excellent
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Old December 28, 2019, 07:45 AM   #21
Road_Clam
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Quote:
Originally Posted by reynolds357
I have never been impressed with Henry fit, finish, function, or accuracy. They are not bad, but not great either.
Well, I have a Henry 30-30 Brass which I paid $750 new. I also have a Traditions Pennslyvania .50 cal flintlock which I also paid $750 new. The Henry is excellent quality all around for the price point IMO. My Traditions flintlock is CRAP as far as fit and finish. So while I respect your opinion, I don't quite understand what you expect for the Henry's quality vs. price point....
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Old January 12, 2020, 05:29 PM   #22
gemihur
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45-70 shooting that's fun!

Ya gotta let your wrists and elbows be the fulcrums of the recoil
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