Cartridge Feeding ,Function and OAL in the Henry .45 Colt round

[Major 2]

Abilene, has posted this fine information by Larson Pettifogger,  
I have taken it as excerpt and made it a sticky
Credit to Pettifogger & thanks to Abilene

   

" I think you might want to check out this article by Pettifogger, might keep you from trying to re-invent the wheel:

http://www.theopenrange.net/articles/togglelink.pdf

This will help you to determine the range of OAL which will work in the rifle.  The length of the carrier mortice opening in the frame is what determines maximum OAL (approx. 1.600").  Minimum OAL depends on the ramp on the carrier.  Keep in mind that ammo which is too short will still feed fine from the magazine if it is the only round in the mag.  If you have any other rounds in the tube in front of it, you will have a jam.  Even a short .45 Cowboy Special brass with a stubby bullet will feed fine if it is the only round in the tube."

Good luck.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

The last .45 Henry I had fed Schofields loaded with the 200 grain Bear greek, but would not feed 180s until I beveled it a little more.  I will be using 230s in my Schofields in the Henry I am getting this week, so I imagine it will be fine. I also have a 1860 carrier mofied with a set screw I could use on shorter loads.

Thanks for posting the link to the article.

[Coffinmaker]

When still building Toggle Link competition rifles, I found none of them would run with Schofield cases with a bullet any shorter than a 200Gr RNFP.  Shorter bullets double fed and jammed.  With 200Gr bullets Schofield cases fed like wet grain thru a Goose.

Coffinmaker

PS:  With a simple set screw in the Carrier Block, Toggle Link Rifles will feed Cowboy 45 Specials really slick.  One could also use the set screw modification to feed short bullets in Schofield cases.

[Abilene]

For around ten years I ran 250gr 45 Colts in my 16" Trapper '73, always fighting to get that tenth round in the tube and then having to straighten it up on the carrier before starting the stage.  Then I started loading the Schofields for the Trapper, much easier.  I still load the 250gr bullet (same OAL as 200gr), because it is also my Wild Bunch rifle round, and seems I can shoot them just as fast in the carbine as a lighter bullet (no short stroke).  Plus the heavier bullet keeps the fouling in the carrier down a bit.

I've only got about 250 pieces of Schofield brass so always thankful for the vigilant brass-pickers!

[Coffinmaker]

Way Back in the WaBac (Sherman & Mr Peabody), I acquired a wonderful 45 Colt Henry Trapper with a 16inch Barrel.  8 rounds in the tube.  That was it.  Tried Schofield cases w/200Gr bullets, got 8 1/2 in the tube. 

Went to work on a special short 45 Schofield called the "45 Henry Squirt."  Cartridge turned out to be almost exactly the same as the Cowboy 45 Special, developed by Adirondack Jack.  I was making special carriers with modified return ramps to run the short cartridge.
Then I suddenly had the epiphany, to just use a set secret thru the carrier block and clearance a groove on the breach block.  Nirvana.  The little sucker ran my 45 Squirt and AJ's specials like grain thru a Goose.  Holds 12 or 13 rounds.  Then Out came the Uberti Henry Transitional thru Taylors with a side loading gate.  I finally take Uberti out a side gate and put it in my Trapper.  Instant side loading Henry Trapper, using AJ's primo carrier block with the little flipper cartridge stop.  Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

Messing with Guns is just too MUCH FUN!!  Especially now that I are retarded, er retired, yea that's it retired and have the time to build the guns I always wanted for myself.  LG.

Coffinmaker