Bobbing, how to...

[Slowhand Bob]

Bobbing barls, how tough a job would it be?  If one wanted a 20" barl on a brass framed .45 Henry would it be more problems than worth and just accepting a continued search for one with the 18' length?  In the end I do not want a bummy looking gun but a frontier conversion look would be acceptable.

[Pettifogger]

This is one of those times where the old saying "if you have to ask, you probably can't do it" probably applie.  On most rifles you can shorten the barrel without removing the barrel from the receiver and do a pretty decent job with hand tools.  Look at the end of your Henry.  The loading sleeve rotates on a turned portion of the barrel.  You would have to remove the barrel, shorten it to the desired length and then put it in a lathe and turn the end of the barrel round to match what you cut off the old one.  Can be done, just not cheaply or easy.