Anyone else reenact the American Civli War with a Henry??

major · January 06, 2008, 03:57:19 PM

Hello all
I have been Civil War reenacting with a Henry for several years now and once in a wile I run into someone else that does it too. I use a modified brass Uberti Henry and .44 Mag. caliber brass for ammo. What do you use for blanks and how do you make them?
Terry

Major 2 · January 06, 2008, 05:14:05 PM

I used to , I carried one in the 81 Saylor's Creek National event ( in fact we had a squad armed with them ) & at the Land'O Lakes tactical for several years.
I think I used it at Olustee several times too.
Mostly, I carried a Sharps though....

major · January 06, 2008, 06:07:52 PM

Major2
What did you use for ammo (blanks) back then?
Terry

Major 2 · January 06, 2008, 07:38:10 PM

My gun was 44/40 , I used 444 Marlin brass, I cut down, necked down and rolled the nose leaving about a 5/16th hole.
I loaded with FFF and a drop of white glue.

The 444 brass is tough

major · January 06, 2008, 08:47:35 PM

Major2
That sounds expensive and I bet that it would be even more so at today's brass prices.
Were you able to retrieve the brass and reuse it?
Last summer I started using an Armisport Spencer in 44-40 and was able to get blanks I made from used 410 shotgun shells to work in it. On one occasion I gave a guy I met at a reenactment that was using a Henry in .45LC some to try. To the surprise of both of us they chambered, cycled, fired and ejected just fine. I had tried them in my 44-40 Henry and could not get the ejector hook to grab the shell and eject it properly. Maybe that was the exception I will have to try it again with another Henry.
Do you still break out the old Henry once in a wile when you feel the need to really burn some powder?
Terry

Major 2 · January 07, 2008, 05:26:11 AM

I remember paying $50 for 4 boxes (200) so yeah that was 25 cents each, initially.
On horseback they would fall (some in my lap though) I'd loose some.
I Dismounted and fought on foot mostly , still lost a few not as many....
I'd had a few returned, picked up by others, even found some a year later

at Olustee.
I might even have a few still around.

At the time that was my only route.. I don't recall the plastic blanks available ( they are kind anemic anyway I've heard ).
I had that Henry 8 years... and sold it when my daughter was born, The owner still uses it in CAS.

11 years later, my wife bought me another Military Henry for Christmas "99" ( it's my Cas shooter )
Last year, I added a steel frame to the rack, in a trade.
I retired from CW reenacting in 2001 after 28 years of been there ,done that!
So no , the Henry's don't see blanks.

bluesuit01 · January 08, 2008, 02:26:02 PM

I use a Uberti .44-40 Military Henry sometimes. I rotate between a Spencer, Henry, Sharps and Maynard. It depends on the event time period and how many blanks I have made up at the time. I use Starline 5 in 1 blanks necked down with a .38-40 die. 35 gr of fffg and a floral foam plug. I've been told it sounds good in amongst everybody else. Feeds and extracts perfectly. I carry my rounds in a standard infantry cartridge box on my saber belt. Rides on my right hip behind the holster. I can reach in and grab 2 or 3 and slide them in with no problems. By the way, I have used a great deal of your info when I started using it and the Spencer.

major · January 08, 2008, 02:57:51 PM

Tim
I also rotate between guns. I have a Sharps & Hankins that uses the same .44 Mag. blanks that I use in my Henry. But last summer I mostly used my Spencer in 44-40 that I make blanks for out of used 410 hulls. And on occasion I use an 1863 Sharps. What caliber is your Spencer in? I am looking for someone with a Spencer in .45LC to try the 410 blanks in it to see how well they would work.
Terry

bluesuit01 · January 09, 2008, 08:34:55 AM

My Spencer is .45 Schofield. I use .44-40 brass blanks in it.

major · January 17, 2008, 04:17:32 PM

Bluesuit01
I don't know if I told you or not but I had an opportunity to try the blanks made from 410 hulls in a .45 Schofield version of the Spencer and they would not fit. The head on the 410 is too large for the action to fully close. But they seam to work fine in a .45 LC Henry.
How much blow back to you get using the undersized 44-40 brass in you .45?
Major

bluesuit01 · January 22, 2008, 10:59:20 AM

The cases do get fouled up from blowback, but no real problems. They feed and extract fine. I have to use a fairly weak load. I think about 20gr. I have a scoop I use. 30 gr sounds real good but splits the cases open.

major · January 27, 2008, 05:15:38 PM

[ed: I trimmed back your post and announce that 5th Cav is no longer allowed to post in this area of the forum if he continues this line of dialog]
Sorry to be so blunt, but I am just so tired of having to endure this constant harassment.
Terry

The Avocado Kid · February 08, 2008, 10:49:36 PM

I was in a CW unit that had 15 of them in the White finish in the 1980's. I sold it and that was a mistake.

Tuolumne Lawman · May 14, 2008, 02:15:22 PM

Resurrecting this thread,

I belong to Co. F, 12th Illinois Cavalry out of Greene, Calhoun, and Jersey Counties (where it was originally from). Several, including the CO, use Henries, and they encourage them. I plan on using my demo Henry, if I ever get off graveyard shift, weekends!

If I remember right from Joe Bilby's book, Henries were popular with individual troopers in the Army of the West, especially with Illinois and Kentucky units.