Henry 1860 for Home Defense?

Bob,
It's a common misconception that any & every body will cut & run at the sight of your gun. :)

As one who used to point guns at people for a living, I can tell you THAT'S nothing to bet your life on.

I've had everything from "So, whaddaya gonna do, shoot me? Go ahead." through a refusal to drop a knife with TWO guns pointed at the knife, to a guy advancing on my .45 ACP SIG with a machete in his hand.

Most times, yeah, a gun will probably (PROBABLY) shut an encounter down, but you can't count on it.
Denis
 
Thanks for the replies guys, I gather that it's a very poor idea to use this gun for home defense.

I have been re-thinking my arsenal lately, and all I have available as far as long guns go is a Mosin Nagant M91/30, and, you guessed it, a Winchester Model 12 shotgun.

Instead of buying the 1860 Henry, I think I'm going to use the money for a tactical carbine instead. I've also been in the market for one of those for some time now, and that weapon will serve me better for the duel uses of home defense and as a range gun.

I was sort of stupid to start this thread I guess, I just didn't know if the 1860 Henry would be alright for the job. I will pass on it for now.
 
Not stupid to start the thread.
Now you know more about that gun for real life use than you previously did. :)
Denis
 
How do you get 1800fps with the 44/40?

How do you get 1800fps with the 44/40?
Click to expand...

With a 200 grain projectile, a 20" or greater barrel, and a load of Alliant 2400 that would appear, at first glance, to be injudicious...

http://reloadersnest.com/detail.asp?CaliberID=89&BulletWeight=200&LoadID=6562

http://reloadersnest.com/detail.asp?CaliberID=89&BulletWeight=200&LoadID=9260

I don't think I'd want to run these loads through a Henry Repro, but a modern design Marlin or Winchester might hold up to the stress.


It's a common misconception that any & every body will cut & run at the sight of your gun
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What about at the SOUND of a gun (and I don't mean when it's shot)? An ex-GF was awakened by the sound of breaking glass and strange voices in another room in her house, one night. She shouted from her bedroom, "Y'all need to leave, I have a gun!" And racked the slide on her Mossberg 500 shotgun.
Apparently, the "Schlick-SCHLACK" sound of her preparing to repel boarders evoked an instinctive response in one of the would-be burglars, for they commenced their departure by bailing out through one of her stained-glass patio doors. No other items of value were damaged or taken.
 
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While not what I have or use. Don't shoot me with it though. I have and us e a pistol, Ruger Super Blackhawk, stainless, 44mag, 5 1/2'. The rifles are stored not in grasping proximity.

I have two loads that I have loaded and like. 240gr@ over 1300fps that is for everyday. For hiking in the Beartooth mountains. I load a 300 Gr Sierra Jsp at about 1200fps. I wouldn't use these for home defense because of over penetration.

There being not that much difference in the energy of a 44mag pistol and 44-40 so 44-40 is as viable as any pistol,caliber. The question is how handy will it be in an emergency?
 
I think the reservations about the Henry are well founded. However, the 1866 Winchester is perhaps a lot more worthy of consideration.
 
I don't think it was stupid to start the thread. I wouldn't feel under-gunned with a Henry as a Home defense weapon. There ARE better weapons for the task, but there also many MANY weapons far less suited to it. By making inquiry and reading replies, you now have some idea as to the possible limitations that the Henry might have. If you had no choice but to defend hearth and home with it, you're better informed as to how best to do it.

Sounds like a win, to me, even if you don't buy the Henry. You might be in a situation in which someone else's lever gun is all that's to be had for defense, and your state of readiness is the better for it, for this conversation.
 
Yes I agree!

But for me, I think a lever gun is a silly idea for home defense now that I've done some research on it. I've been looking at the S&W M&P-15 tactical rifle, would make a great all around rifle for me and way better for defensive use.
 
A semiautomatic sporting rifle is not an option where I live. To be honest, a rifle isn't even essential to my home defense scenario, but I do have a Rossi M92 in .44 mag just in case.
 
Refer Cooper's "Brooklyn Carbine" and "Manhattan Carbine," lever actions in .357 and .30-30 for home defense in repressive jurisdictions not allowing private ownership of automatic carbines or handguns.
Feel free to debate the relative advantages of a lever action carbine versus a pump shotgun.
 
Kosh, have you tried any of those loads you posted? I'm not a fan of the safety first drones, but that 23 grs of 2400 sounds less like a cartridge and more like a pipe bomb.
 
Model 12, that rifle will be suitable for home defense. Any such post as yours will engender a proliferation of opinions as to why your suggestion is inferior to any number of other alternatives. With 14 rounds, the issue of reloading is irrelevant - if you can't do it with 14 rounds nothing else would have sufficed. Can you get a less expensive alternative - yes, but so what?
If you like it, buy it, and use it however you want. Few need an MG42 for home defense, and those folks should stop dealing drugs if they are worried about their personal safety.
 
You can't count on sound to deter & you can't count on round count in the gun to prevail.

This'll probably carry on for a while, lotta opinions by people who cite one or two incidents where the sight or sound of a gun was sufficient.
Those are not dependable stats to bet your life on.

The 1860 remains a bad choice.
Denis
 
You can't count on sound to deter....
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Plus one to this and the rest of the post.

If I could trust the SOUND of the gun to do it for me I'd just keep one of those solid state voice recorders by my bed...I could have shotgun and a Colt SAA...why not a Ma Deuce sound? Plus I wouldn't have to worry about any kids getting a hold of it, cleaning it or buying ammo for it etc.
 
44-40,s were loaded pretty heavy years ago, but to many 1873 winchesters got bent out of shape by shooting them along with old colt revolvers losing their top straps and the 1860-1866,s were alot weaker than the 1873,s. i own and shoot four 44-40,s, three winchester 1892,s and a baby sharps and the load i use is 10grs unique and a 200gr cast lead FP bullet for about 1400fps. i have killed several deer and a pile of ground hogs with those rifles and loads. i think they would take care of a home intruder if needed, but they would not be the first firearm i would pick up when things go bump in the night. eastbank.
 
Kosh, have you tried any of those loads you posted? I'm not a fan of the safety first drones, but that 23 grs of 2400 sounds less like a cartridge and more like a pipe bomb.
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No, I haven't. I'm in agreement with your assessment. As I said, I would be willing to try these in a Marlin or Modern Winchester. I Wouldn't get NEAR these loads, in a Henry.
Even so, Elmer Keith hot-rodded the .44-40 considerably, but finally gave up because because excessive chamber length stretched the cases and shortened their useful lives. If memory serves, the two loads he arrived at were 18.5/2400/205 cast & 20.0/2400/205 cast (I think the latter was for balloon-head cases, but not sure).
The loads I posted were from another site, posted by a contributor whose work I do not know. I DO NOT ENDORSE these loads. I merely report them in the interest of examining ALL the information I can find, not just what's convenient to examine.
I HAVE tried analogous loads in a Rossi M1892 Carbine chambered for .45 Colt (18.5 - 20.8/2400/250 RNFP). My SHOULDER started showing signs of incipient catastrophic failure way before the carbine made a whimper. And I wouldn't try THOSE loads in a Henry, either.

There being not that much difference in the energy of a 44mag pistol and 44-40 so 44-40 is as viable as any pistol,caliber.
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I'm guessing that you meant there's not much difference between the .44 Mag from a pistol and a .44-40 from a rifle? From revolver barrels, they're two different cartridges. The .44-40 more resembles the .44 Special than the .44 Mag.

Back to the point: I'd bet with confidence that many a home and hearth has been ably defended by a Henry rifle, whether within the domicile or at its exterior. It might not be IDEAL for inside use, but were I a would-be aggressor, I would not fail to take it very seriously.

Additionally, if you buy the Henry and find it wanting for indoor defense, then it might be considered your "moral duty" to procure a sidearm in the same caliber! I know it'd be a chore to have to buy ANOTHER fine firearm, but a man must do what a man must do. :D
 
I'll take a reproduction Henry (that is range tested) over:

1) golf club
2) baseball bat
3) machete
4) angry fist
5) cussing the intruder down
6) wolf stare
 
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