Henry 1860 for Home Defense?
- Thread starter Model12Win
- Start date
Little late to the party but I'll chime in too. If it's what you got it sure beats nothing.... back before I had some pistols and now my Ar's to fall back on my 20 inch 1892 was my go to gun for any home defense stuff that may come up. Was it ideal no... but much better than a knife and harsh language.
Model12Win
Moderator
Thanks so much gang, I was up at Cabelas today and they had a Henry Repeating Arms 1860 Henry, an American made 1860 Henry. Boy was it pretty, but the wood to metal fit could have been better for the $1999 Cabelas was asking for it.
Boy, it's a long gun that's for sure. I now know what you all mean by it being too long for home defense work. Alas, I'm researching other options. Either an AR tac carbine or something modern in .223 is looking better all the time. Supposedly it disintegrates on impact and won't go through the whole house, which I guess a .44-40 might.
Boy, it's a long gun that's for sure. I now know what you all mean by it being too long for home defense work. Alas, I'm researching other options. Either an AR tac carbine or something modern in .223 is looking better all the time. Supposedly it disintegrates on impact and won't go through the whole house, which I guess a .44-40 might.
Driftwood Johnson
New member
Howdy
Have any of you folks ever actually fired a Henry? Besides DPris, who obviously knows what he is talking about.
Here is my Iron Frame Uberti 1860 Henry chambered for 44-40. It is my CAS main match rifle and I shoot it all the time.
The only thing I would disagree with DPris about is the barrel heating up. I only shoot my Henry with Black Powder, and the barrel gets very hot, too hot to hold on a hot summer day. Not so true with Smokeless, it does not get as hot.
Other than that, DPris is right on about how unsuited the Henry would be in a home defense situation. Did he mention how heavy a Henry is? A full pound heavier than my 44-40 Uberti 1873 with the same 30" barrel barrel length, because the magazine and barrel of the Henry are formed from one solid steel bar, unlike the later lever guns which had a separate tubular magazine slung under the barrel.
The 1860 Henry is a great rifle for show, lousy in a modern tactical situation.
But I have to ask the Original Poster, your name is the perfect answer to your question. Why not a short barreled Winchester Model 12? The perfect riot gun.
Have any of you folks ever actually fired a Henry? Besides DPris, who obviously knows what he is talking about.
Here is my Iron Frame Uberti 1860 Henry chambered for 44-40. It is my CAS main match rifle and I shoot it all the time.
The only thing I would disagree with DPris about is the barrel heating up. I only shoot my Henry with Black Powder, and the barrel gets very hot, too hot to hold on a hot summer day. Not so true with Smokeless, it does not get as hot.
Other than that, DPris is right on about how unsuited the Henry would be in a home defense situation. Did he mention how heavy a Henry is? A full pound heavier than my 44-40 Uberti 1873 with the same 30" barrel barrel length, because the magazine and barrel of the Henry are formed from one solid steel bar, unlike the later lever guns which had a separate tubular magazine slung under the barrel.
The 1860 Henry is a great rifle for show, lousy in a modern tactical situation.
But I have to ask the Original Poster, your name is the perfect answer to your question. Why not a short barreled Winchester Model 12? The perfect riot gun.
DJ,
In my context, when I worked with an iron frame & a couple brass frames, I fired a bunch off the bench for accuracy, firing, loading, firing, loading, etc.
That barrel did heat up a fair bit with smokeless, but the average bear wouldn't be firing that many rounds in successive strings, so you're right in that respect.
One other comment re the AR (and this really is NOT an Old vs New thing, or promoting an AR)- also infinitely easier to keep up a string of fire one-handed if the other's injured.
Try running a Henry with only one arm & you'll notice how speedy & accurate you will NOT be.
Denis
In my context, when I worked with an iron frame & a couple brass frames, I fired a bunch off the bench for accuracy, firing, loading, firing, loading, etc.
That barrel did heat up a fair bit with smokeless, but the average bear wouldn't be firing that many rounds in successive strings, so you're right in that respect.
One other comment re the AR (and this really is NOT an Old vs New thing, or promoting an AR)- also infinitely easier to keep up a string of fire one-handed if the other's injured.
Try running a Henry with only one arm & you'll notice how speedy & accurate you will NOT be.
Denis
handlerer2
New member
I have read about 223 varmint bullets,ie, Hornady Varmint Max, Nosler, Barnes, Speer, all make varmint bullets . These are reported to very effective at close range.
Some say that they doubt the effectiveness of a frangible bullet on a Meth crazed intruder, I say if he takes all the energy from one Varmint Max, give him some more. These bullets will not penetrate much, but no penetration means no loss of energy going into interior walls.
I have a pistol for this purpose. It is much handier than a long gun and is kept, when the grandchildren aren't about, in a bedside drawer. When the little ones are about it's kept religiously under lock in a safe.
I bought my wife a Smith and Wesson MDL 642. A snub nosed 38SPL+p. She is a small business owner and has had some scares working on orders late at night. This is a very small pistol, hammerless, with enough power to make me back up, My wife loves it!
Consider all options, but realize that these situations, where you have to defend your family with deadly force is very traumatic and you have to be able to function under great stress and fear.
I like SAR's, but they are complicated when compared to a revolver. A revolver goes bang everytime you pull the trigger. No mags, no cycling a round into battery, no safety. the safety is behind the trigger. Whatever you chose good luck.
Some say that they doubt the effectiveness of a frangible bullet on a Meth crazed intruder, I say if he takes all the energy from one Varmint Max, give him some more. These bullets will not penetrate much, but no penetration means no loss of energy going into interior walls.
I have a pistol for this purpose. It is much handier than a long gun and is kept, when the grandchildren aren't about, in a bedside drawer. When the little ones are about it's kept religiously under lock in a safe.
I bought my wife a Smith and Wesson MDL 642. A snub nosed 38SPL+p. She is a small business owner and has had some scares working on orders late at night. This is a very small pistol, hammerless, with enough power to make me back up, My wife loves it!
Consider all options, but realize that these situations, where you have to defend your family with deadly force is very traumatic and you have to be able to function under great stress and fear.
I like SAR's, but they are complicated when compared to a revolver. A revolver goes bang everytime you pull the trigger. No mags, no cycling a round into battery, no safety. the safety is behind the trigger. Whatever you chose good luck.
Varmint bullets are not good choices for self defense.
They are designed to expand violently on small critters, they are not designed for penetration on larger critters.
It takes surprisingly little energy to penetrate the average sheetrock interior house wall.
Some time ago I built a dummy section of wall with studs at 16 inches & sheetrock on both sides.
Less-lethal RUBBER shot pellets penetrated completely through at about 15 feet.
You can plan on just about any bullet but a TOTAL frangible penetrating an interior wall, unless its backed by something like brick or ceramic.
If you're going to be using a gun & load for SD or HD, you want a realistic combination. Deliberately selecting a less-effective combination is pure foolishness.
Denis
Denis
They are designed to expand violently on small critters, they are not designed for penetration on larger critters.
It takes surprisingly little energy to penetrate the average sheetrock interior house wall.
Some time ago I built a dummy section of wall with studs at 16 inches & sheetrock on both sides.
Less-lethal RUBBER shot pellets penetrated completely through at about 15 feet.
You can plan on just about any bullet but a TOTAL frangible penetrating an interior wall, unless its backed by something like brick or ceramic.
If you're going to be using a gun & load for SD or HD, you want a realistic combination. Deliberately selecting a less-effective combination is pure foolishness.
Denis
Denis
johnwilliamson062
Moderator
I also fail to see why there is a search in progress. A model 12 would be a more than sufficient HD gun.
Technology is a crutch. IF you practice a lot with an 1860 and know it well, including retention with that long barrel out front, there are very few who will break into a normal house prepared to deal with you.
Model12Win
Moderator
Thanks all, my Winchester Model 12 was cut down many years ago by a previous owner to 20", I guess to make it look like a riot gun. It was a professional job and looks good.
The reason I hesitate to use it is that I have had some double feed type issues with it in the past. Occasionally, it would sort of release two shells when only one was supposed to come out the mag tube, obviously tying up the gun.
The reason I hesitate to use it is that I have had some double feed type issues with it in the past. Occasionally, it would sort of release two shells when only one was supposed to come out the mag tube, obviously tying up the gun.
Driftwood Johnson
New member
So get it fixed or buy another one. There are plenty of Model 12s around, I have three of them.
I have a bunch of different options, but a Win 1892 in 44-40 is what I keep handy upstairs. What's not to like? It's got all the same advantages of a Model 12 but with 8 more rounds. Plus it's unencumbered by safety features. The wife likes it; she can shoot a bunch without having to remember slide release, magazine latche, how to clear jams, etc.