Henry Lever Action .410

[Tony Z]

Oh boy! A six shooter, ala Henry!

[TruthTellers]

Originally Posted by Tony Z

Oh boy! A six shooter, ala Henry!

Would make sense as the big draw to lever rifles is they can shoot the same ammo a revolver can. Also would definitely appeal to the CAS crowd as they can buy their rifle and revolver from the same manufacturer.

[Targa]

Here you go OP https://www.kygunco.com/Product/View?ItemNo=118678

[Buzzcook]

There is/was a Winchester 9410. Looks like it might be less than the Henry on Gunbroker.com

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/731671336

On edit, it ain't less by a large bit.

[DPris]

Both Win & Marlin have produced .410 leverguns in the past 10 years or so.
Neither sold well enough to stay in production.
Be interesting to see how the Henrys do.
Denis

[FrankenMauser]

Mr. DPris, I believe my own thoughts on the subject sum up the market:

I want one. I would really love to have one.
But I don't want one enough to pay market price for the shotgun.
Nor do I want to pay market price for ammo to feed said shotgun, after the fact.


Being me... I'd much rather have the Marlin, and might settle for the Winchester. But the fact remains for the Henry: I'll look, but won't buy.

[Mobuck]

I've handled 410 pump shotguns that were hitchy, stiff, and quirky. I've handled centerfire Henrys that were hitchy, stiff, and quirky. Combine the two (410 and Henry) and I can't imagine it would be much good except for something to talk about. Just my opinion.

[ilmonster]

Just curious, what does one use a .410 lever action shotgun for? Rabbit hunting, informal clay shooting... I own levers and shotguns, but never really thought about a lever action shotgun. Boy, I bet that would raise some eyebrows on the skeet field if I showed up with a lever action Henry!

As an aside, their color case hardened 30-30 sure looks like a sweet rifle...

[DPris]

Franken,
You don't want to pay market price for ANYTHING!

I've worked with the Win & Marlin .410.
Bubbles wanted to keep the Win, it's in the vault.
She hasn't fired it since I paid for it.
Dunno why it's still here, but it's her gun & up to her.

I briefly had thoughts of turning the Marlin into a Mare's Leg (which I thought would be infinitely cool), but when it arrived it turned out to be showing signs of the beginning of the quality decline BEFORE Remington acquired the company.
I returned it when I was done.

I've had pre-pro samples of both Henry .410 models here.
I did not fire them, but both appeared to be well done.

I have no idea if the market will accept or not, time will tell.
Denis

[RC20]

Just curious, what does one use a .410 lever action shotgun for? Rabbit hunting, informal clay shooting...

I could see it as a great grouse gun in thick woods hunting and Ptarmigan in the open as they are hard to see and tend not to fly.

I shot Ptarmigan with a Thompson contender on one hunt (we had a backup 20 gauge or maybe a twin barrel 410) lot of fun. Got 4 or 5.

[fredvon4]

.410 is good for getting mistletoe out of the tops of trees...but the Henry version is a little pricey for this application

grin

[DaveShooter]

I have owned both models of the Henry 410 lever actions. Shot a nice Pheasant @ 40 yds with the 24" barrel length. Gave the 20" one to my Hunting Blood Brother for Christmas this year. I have other Henry's in my Collection but I love the 24" 410 Henry as my go to Hunting Shotgun. Henry is the best as far as Lever Action Rifles as I have had Marlins and Winchesters but I will take Henry Rifles and Shotguns any day...

[TruthTellers]

Originally Posted by ilmonster

Just curious, what does one use a .410 lever action shotgun for? Rabbit hunting, informal clay shooting... I own levers and shotguns, but never really thought about a lever action shotgun.

.410's are for non gun people who don't live in cities or the suburbs who have property who might have to kill a rabid animal or a predator. They don't shoot much, they don't like recoil, they don't like a big, heavy gun they can't aim with, they don't hunt, so on. The .410 is still a shotgun, it just doesn't throw as much shot as other shotguns, but if what you're shooting at is within 10 yards, it doesn't really matter. #4 will work, 5 pellets of 000 buck will work, and a slug will be pretty accurate out to 25 yards for the owner who never shoots for fun.

For serious shooters and hunters, a 28 or 20 gauge will always be a better choice.

Since Henry actually runs TV ads, people who may not have a gun but have been thinking of getting one will see they offer a lever gun in a light recoiling, but still useful cartridge. And once you get the hang of it, a lever gun is simple. Pump guns can be tough for novices.

Now, I say all that because one of my grandfathers was not a shooter or hunter, but he had a single shot .410 tucked away in a closet for who knows how long, next to a pellet handgun. If even he had a .410, then I can see why others would for the reasons I mentioned.

Other grandfather had a lot more than .410, hehe.

[FrankenMauser]

I disagree with nearly all of that, TT.

.410s are generally light, handy shotguns that are easy to carry, and an entire box of ammunition can be carried in a single pocket without having to force it, or feeling like there's 20 lbs hanging from your belt (try that with 20 ga or 12 ga).
An experienced shooter/hunter can do just as much with a .410 as a novice with a 12 ga; but a novice will usually fail far more often with the smaller bore.
.410s are, as mentioned, generally lighter that larger gauge shotguns, which means that recoil is often just as bad as a 20 ga or 12 ga, if not worse for an inexperienced shooter with poor technique/form.

I could go on, but I'll stop with: Why go around launching an ounce of shot at a target with a 20 ga, when 1/2 oz out of a .410 is more than enough for the job?

.410s seem like a good "entry level" option in the shotgun world. But, in my opinion, it's just the opposite. .410s are better off in the hands of an experienced shooter/hunter, while a 12 ga or 20 ga should be used by the novice.


As for actual use...
My family and friends use .410s for ptarmigan, grouse, chukar, squirrels, and rabbits/hares. It's more than enough 'gun' for the job, and the lighter weight and (generally) more compact nature make the .410 shotgun(s) and ammunition nicer to carry. Coyotes would also be on the menu, but they are rarely in shotgun range (any bore size).
When we want to add some challenge while breaking clays, the .410(s) might come out to play.

[RC20]

TT: And I am a non gun person?

You might want to note where I live.

And yes I like 410s and have used my old single shot Sears a lot (before I gave it to an great guy who was happy to use it to teach his Grandkids) - oh yea, he was one of those non gun person Alaska Natives who do a lot of subsistence hunting.

[bamaranger]

Experienced or novice, the .410 is a niche cartridge. Small game at close range is when it's at its best. It is also useful as a pest gun, where ever one lives. I like the .410, and until recently, had two. There is still a .410 single barrel at my house now serving pest purposes. I've shot and seen the .410 used ahead of beagles on cotton tails, and was very effective inside 20-25 yds. The same for squirrels. Beyond that, you need a bigger gun.

That extra shot in the larger gauges is useful, weather the target has fur, feathers or not, especially on a fringed shot, or when needing larger pellets for larger critters. And why pay three times the price for a box of shells when a 20 or 12 will do the same job?

Note there are no steel .410 waterfowl loads, the .410 buckshot and slug loads are basically inadequate for their task, and there are no .410 turkey loads.

The Winchester .410 lever flopped, and once the novelty wears off, I think the Henry will too.

[TruthTellers]

Franken and RC, you guys can disagree with me, but I believe the majority of people who own a .410 shotgun fit into that group I described. Know several people in the family who aren't gun people, generally those older than me, who back in the day their fathers or grandfathers owned .410 shotguns and weren't gun people.

Just people who lived in the rural parts of New England, back before cell phones and emergency services, and wanted something for the homestead.

[RC20]

I took it as an all inclusive snooty response.

As I have owned and shot guns since I was in first grade, I just found it insulting.

If you aint a real he man who shoots a 458 Winchester to get your rabbits, you ain't worth spit

Yea I take offense when someone disses something out of ego.

Size of your gun has nothing to do with squat. Its what you do with them. I would say those back East folks were gun people. They picked what they needed for the job. You can't get any more gun savy than that.

I also shoot a lot of 22. 22 and 410 are the standard for survival rifles for a damned good reason.

I probably have owned 40 guns over the years, hunted with one of them that real he man guns (7mm). If I knew what I know now I would have used one of those wimpy 6.5s.

I still have a 410. Preferred for rabbits, grouse and Ptarmigan when I can get out these days.

While I could not justify one of the Henry guns, I would love to have one in a lever action (never had one but I love em) - loved the Fox side by side I got to shoot.

[TruthTellers]

It wasn't a snooty response and it wasn't meant to insult anyone. It's your choice to choose to be insulted.

I still think that for non-gun people who live in the woods who want a gun, a .410 is more appealing to them than 12 or 20.

[RC20]

Werid

[Tony Z]

My part of Western PA, a .410 is a dayam nice rabbit gun, as well as squirrel. Out of the many, many dozens of guns, I've acquired through my 65 years, I have two .410's: a Savage Model 24, with a .22 over .410 and a single shot .410. My next purchase will be either a Henry lever in .410 or an O/U in .410.

[10-96]

How cool would it be if somebody at Henry took a long look at an old Spencer and came up with a twist on that? A tube magazine that gets stuffed into the other end...

[darkgael]

.410's are for non gun people who don't live in cities or the suburbs who have property who might have to kill a rabid animal or a predator.

It's hard not to take that statement as anything but a summary judgement about the ownership and use of .410s.
It is, of course, wrong. The little .410 is for the shooter/hunter who is confident in his skills and enjoys the challenge of using those little shells.
I own four of them....hunt with them, shoot 16 yard trap with them (yes, I do a lot better with a 12 gauge).
Pete

[Bamashooter]

That would be a cool gun 10-96. A replica Spencer in .50AE, .50GI, or 500S&W. Whichever would work in that setup. I would buy one.

[TruthTellers]

I'm sure they could make it, but it would cost a lot of money. Tubular magazines in the buttstock haven't been popular for over 100 years, but that's not because of reliability or quality issues, but due to reloading speed.

And I'm really not sure who it would appeal to. The Original Henry that Henry makes, the one with the integral tubular magazine that has the follower tab that moves back towards the shooter as ammo is used, I'm not really sure how large the market is even for that. I'm sure Civil War reenactors and Henry rifle purists love them, but they're priced very high for general shooters and collectors. I'm not knocking the price, I fully understand why it's so high, just saying it's a lot to pay for a gun that's just a reproduction.

Any sort of repro of a Spencer would be similar.

And for the ammo, because .56 caliber would be considered a destructive device, I would have to think .500 Special would be the next closest alternative. Looks like bullet weights and velocities would be about the same.