Henry Big Boy steel in .44 mag or naw?

L

lockedcj7

New member
Just dropped into the LGS and found a used Henry Big Boy steel in .44 mag. for $550 in perfect condition. Price on a new one was $725. I've heard good things but never shot one. I need it like a hole in the head and the trigger was creepy. Grab it or pass?

I don't have anything like it and I don't have a light and handy woods gun for deer.
 
I've never shot one but Henry makes a good rifle and they stand behind them. If you like it and are happy with the price then I don't see a reason why not.
 
Big Boy Steel

Big Boy steel,44 Mag legal for deer,building a great reputation in In now.CS and accuracy reports are A1 for levers.
 
Sound like a really good deal--the only thing I would suggest, if you want to make a woods hunter of it, is compare it to a 44 16" mag carbine before you buy it. You might like the easy quick handling of the carbine better. I have a rossi 16" 44 mag carbine and it handles and shoots great--doesn't hurt that it weighs under 5 lbs either. : )
 
I have a brass frame model I have shot A LOT over the last couple years. all other assets of the rifle being equal, I am pleased with it in general. It has remained tight, supple, and very accurate. Mine has the creepy trigger too. I have one gripe with my Henry repeating arms products (also have a 45-70) which has been heavy recoil cartridges actually dislodging the magazine tubes. It was a two time fix on my big boy, after the second set screw replacement it has troubled me no more in the last 4,000 rounds or so. Its a go-to gun for me as a light, comfortable, powerful, and accurate woods carbine. I will say, like you, I needed it like a hole in my head, but since that purchase, this particular rifle has moved to the second gun-rack slot over the door. I have no buyers remorse.
 
I have the Big Boy steel in both .357 and .41 mag and love the heck out of them. The trigger for me is fine, a little gritty at first but breaks in fairly easy. I will eventually polish the triggers in mine just to smooth them up a little but for now they're ok the way they are.
 
I have a brass one in 45 colt. Picked it up about 5 years ago and I have never adjusted the sights. It will shoot 250gr LSWC into ragged groups out to about 75 yards no problems. A friend picked it up and within her first 10-20 shots she was picking off hanging 60mm clay pigeons at 75 yards. If they had the steel receivers back then I would've bought one of those instead. I'm picky about triggers and although I cannot remember measuring the pull on mine I've never felt it was creepy or had too much pull weight.
 
While the Henry's are well made, smooth action leverguns, their lack of a side loading gate make them 'non starters' in my book. It's just a preference but I don't like the idea of loading them with the muzzle pointed towards my face, dropping a loaded round primer first on the nose of another round, and the 'fiddlely' nature of dealing with the inner mag tube while you're trying to drop ammo down the mag.
 
"...need it like a hole in the head...don't have a..." Isn't a 'need' if you want one. You want a light and handy woods gun for deer? "I want one." is the best reason to buy anything.
Triggers don't count. They all need work.
MSRP is $899.95. Seem to be retailing at around $750 to $800(Bass Pro and Cabela's). Offer 'em $500(cash) and see what happens.
 
$550 for that rifle sounds good, buy it!

Doesn't everyone need a .44 mag rifle?

Although next you'll need a .44 mag revolver to match it. We'll help justify that purchase, too.
 
I just picked up a new Big Boy Steel 16" carbine in .357/.38spl yesterday, and today UPS was nice enough to drop off 500 rounds of .38 in my driveway.

So of course I had to go put 100 rounds through it. My eyes are old enough that I'm going to need to put a scope on it to shoot anything past 50 yards, but what a fun rifle this is to shoot.

I tried to figure out how I could possibly end up with the muzzle pointed at any part of me, especially my face, while loading the mag tube, and decided that I'd have to be some special kind of idiot to accomplish that.
 
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