Which Big Boy

8

'88Scrat

New member
Thinking I'm gonna pick up one of Henry's new Big Boy Silver lever guns here pretty soon. The only question is which caliber to get.

.38 SPL/.357 Mag
.44 Mag
.45 Long Colt

Each has its own thing going for it; the .38/.357 should be cheapest and easiest shooting; the .44 Mag I suspect has the greatest range and power; and the .45 Long Colt just oozes that replica feel.

Thoughts?
 
What do you want to use it for? Do you reload?

As for me, I am a .44spc and .44mag fan. The .38 and .357 are going to be easier on the pocket book to shoot and nicer on the wrist if you pickup a revolver to go with the rifle.
If I reloaded, I would go with the .45lc all day long. Load it from mild to wild..:D
 
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It will be a bottle buster for the most part. I gotta be honest I'm leaning towards the .45LC if for no other reason than nostalgia.
 
I gotta be honest I'm leaning towards the .45LC if for no other reason than nostalgia.
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Nostalgia? No rifle was ever chambered for 45 Colt until very recently. Can't quite see how a rifle that never existed, chambered for a cartridge that was never chambered in rifles, can generate nostalgia.
 
How about we just stick with the round itself as nostalgic and press on.. So what do you guys think he should get^^^
 
45 Long Colt just oozes that replica feel.
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The 45 LC was never chambered in a lever rifle. The 44/40 was the classic dual revolver/rifle round. I personally find the loading of 45LC in replica guns offensive. The Henry is not a replica and my feeling on the 45LC are just that. My opinion.

The 44 mag is far superior as a hunting round and as you been told the 357 is lighter recoil rifle for fun shooting. I have both contender and revolvers in 44mag so; the 44 rifle was a natural for me. And, it makes a great short range deer rifle with iron sights in bad weather. My lever 44 is a Marlin.
 
I forgot, the 44mag will also handle 44 special. There sued to be cheap non-re loadable alloy case 44 spec loadings.
 
At the risk of asking a dumb question can you shoot both jacketed and non-jacketed rounds in all calibers of the Big Boy?
 
Looks like Driftwood is the big winner, no 45 Colt lever rifles back then. Buy the 45Colt for many good reasons, but not nostalgia.
So I wonder why the 45 Colt was never offered in a lever rifle?
 
So I wonder why the 45 Colt was never offered in a lever rifle?
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This is the story I heard: The 45 Colt cartridge was a proprietary round and The Colt Mfg Co held the patent and didn't let anyone else chamber for it. Other chamberings such as the 44-40, 45-70 and 45S&W/45 Schofield were options until the patent ran out some 100+ years later.
 
So I wonder why the 45 Colt was never offered in a lever rifle?
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The patent expired some 20 odd years later but cartridges were still made with balloon head cases. The head of the original balloon head case was too small for an extractor to grip. Also by the time the patent ran out there were better rifle cartridges, so no need for a rifle chambered in .45 Colt. SASS is the reason we have .45 Colt lever guns now. Uberti saw a niche and jumped on it in 1984.
 
I love my Big Boy Steel Carbine in .38/.357, it's just flat fun to shoot. I paid about 21¢ ea for 158gr .38 Special and 25¢ ea for 158gr .357 range ammo, and 31¢ ea for 158gr .357 XTP from Freedom.
 
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