When did your Henry ?

[Major 2]

Just wondering,  When did you get your first Henry and what influenced your wanting one ?


For me it was 1980, I was well into Mounted Cavalry Reenacting and wanted the Henry.
I ordered an Allen Arms in what was then the only cal. available 44/40 ( had to make blanks from 444 Marlin cut & necked down)
I had it at the Huge Natioal 1981 Saylor Creek event.
I also shot it at Trail Glades range, in what was then a monthly meet of N & S shooters....
I use that gun for 9 years , later selling it to another Reenactor.

My second Henry was a Gift Christmas "99" from my wife.... No blanks through this one is my main Match gun today.

[Forty Rod]

About 1984 when I figured I needed a Henry and a '66 to go with my '73.  Then I got a '94 and a '95, sold the '94, got two more, sold them, bought and sold a couple of '92s, looking for a really good '94 again...and a '92...and a '76...and an '86.

[ColonelFlashman]

1980 was when I found my .44WCF, Navy Arms Henry w/ her 2 digit serial #, @ Fed. Ord. in El Montie, CA.
She'd been in thet rack on the wall, mixed in w/ the Hi-Tech garbage, for a few years completely ignored w/ a price tag of $150.00.
That's all I needed to want her for my collection of Victorian Era firearms.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Howdy to the camp!

I have to confess that I fell in love with the Henry when I first saw Cpt. Gus Mac Crae with his in Lonesome Dove when it came out in 1988!  When I started CAS in 1994, I knew I had to have one...BAD!!!!!  I horse-traded right away and wheeled and dealed until I got a Henry within the first year!  I have had a henry for probably all but maybe 8 or 9 months since 1995!

I started with 44-40 in 1995, then went to around 5 years ago .45 Colt to duplicate the Henry round with a 200 grain bullet and 28 grains of FFFG. Recently this last year, however, I sold the 45 Colt and switched back to a. 44-40 Henry due to blowback in the Schofield and Colt loads.

[litl rooster]

I guess it safe to say these forums can cost you money big time. Schofield's, Russian's, Open Tops & Conversion's. Damn I wish you guy's would stop talking about all the neat guns. I now have at least one of just about everything. My kids will have a heyday when I kick the bucket.

Joss

Just to stir it up......

You might want a pair of 1911 and a model 12 and one of these in your cart also (see below)

  I bought mine I guess in April or May...............Giving my SASS alias it was the right choice and the fact the Darkside was calling.  I first thought I wanted a 66, to go with my .45's now I am thinking either R&M's in .44 or a army or walker conversions and moth ball the Rugers(retire them to back ups)

[Fox Creek Kid]

Major 2, are you sure it was 1980? I bought an Allen Arms (Uberti) Henry in the spring of 1982 and I am pretty sure that was their year of introduction here in the States. 

[Major 2]

yes Sir , Absolutely sure , in fact Apr. 20, 1980....I remember the Barrel was stamped Henry's Patent 1860
It was a Uberti, ordered from Navy Arms.
I thought it strange it had Allen Arms and I think Santa Fe NM printed on a paper ring around the lever,
... $350 including 10% FFL receive and shipping.
Excellent turned out piece regardless if it was a Navy Arms or Allen Arms Import....

My current one is Stamped Henry's Patent Oct. 16. 1860 on the barrel top.... no Importer's stamps

[Coffinmaker]

My fall started with Lonesome Dove.  I did resist the temptation though, until Silverado.  Then I caved in.  Was at a gun show and there on display was the most gorgeous, Brass Frame, Martial (sling swivels and cartouche), In the White, Henry.  It called to me.  Loudly.  I was smitten.  That was the first Henry, then I had to have a Trapper (16" barrel) and bugged Maria Uberti for two years to get me one in .45 Colt.  That I know of, Uberti only made TWO Trappers in .45 and I am fortunate enough to have one of them.  don't know who got the other one.  Then came another martial Henry, Brass and Blue.  This year, I was first kid on my block to get the new Taylors "Transitional." 
I have, however a new LUST.  Driftwood Johnson posted pics of his new "Iron Frame" and with the CCH finish, I do believe I are in LUST again.  I just absolutely have to have a CCH Iron Frame Henry.  You just can't have too many!!!! 
Main Match Rifles? You betcha!!

Coffinmaker

[Major 2]

Dang !  " A Fist Full of Henry's "

I'm temped toward one of the King's Patent model ..... But I've wanted a Iron Frame even longer 

Bootsie in Germany,  just got an all Blue First Model Iron frame, that is a beauty.
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,12097.0.html

[Silver Creek Slim]

I few years back I was using a Fish rifle with .45 Colt BP loads. No matter what I did in the loading process I couldn't stop the BP fouling blowback into the receiver. I had read on the CAS boards that the .44 WCF would stop blowback in rifles. So, I went to the local "toy" store to see what he had. I was wanting another Fish rifle in .44 WCF. The only rifle he had in .44WCF was a Henry. It took about a month to convince myself to buy it. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. It has been my main match rifle ever since. 

Slim

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy Boys

I just picked up my Henry last Wednesday!

For the longest time though, I wasn't interested in a Henry at all. The very first rifle I ever used in CAS was a beat up 100 year old Marlin 1894 chambered in 44-40, that had been kicking around the back of my closet for about 20 years. That rifle developed a problem though and I soon aquired a beautiful 100 year old Winchester Model 1892, also chambered in 44-40. I shot that beautiful '92 for my first year. But then the Black Powder bug bit, and I didn't want to be cleaning BP fouling out of the pitted old bore of the '92, so I found a nice used Uberti '73, in 44-40 of course, and started shooting BP through it's nice shiny bore. I was fat, dumb, and happy and shot the '73 for a good 3 or 4 years.

I just didn't get it with the Henry. Why would anyone want to shoot a rifle that weighed a good pound more than a '73, had originally been chambered in a pipsqueak caliber, had to be loaded carefully, might jam if you didn't watch where you put your hand, and had no wood to protect your hand from the heat of Black Powder? Didn't make any sense to me, I was very happy with my '73. After all, nobody made a movie called 'Henry', did they?

I dunno what changed my mind. Maybe watching Dances With Wolves, or Lonesome Dove too many times. Maybe I thought I could drop a buffalo just by raising the rear sight, or maybe I thought I could outshoot a badguy with a Sharps. I have a sneaky suspicion though that it was watching Danny Glover in Silverado. When he was shooting the Henry, not the '66 without the fore stock. Maybe I just wanted to hear an English sheriff say that today his jurisdiction ended right there.

For whatever reason, sometime last winter I started looking at and pricing Henries. Come spring, I had made up my mind to get one. I still think the original cartridge was a pipsqueak, and I am not at all inclined to mess with the cartridge like some do, down loading cartridges to duplicate the old rimfire ballistics. My new Henry will be shooting nothing but 44-40 stuffed to the brim with FFg.

Anyway, you can see photos of my beautiful new steel framed, color cased Henry elsewhere on this page. Yeah, I know, none of the real Henries was ever color cases. But mine sure is purty.

Gonna take it to its first shoots tomorrow and Sunday. Planning on having a lot of fun. I'm even thinking of complimenting it with my 1858 Remmies with cartridge conversion cylinders tomorrow. Who knows, I may even decide to come up with a Civil War outfit next year.

[Major 2]

I though I was the lone ranger... sorta going backwards
But I see many good folks have gone retro.

I actually started shooting my First Henry & C&B Colts in Blue/Gray shoots.
Then years later, CAS was introduce at the local range.
I was there with a Henry , a Hartford Cavalry 45 and a borrowed Fox SXS all fed with BP.
I had great fun....

Over the years, I had sold the Henry , returned the Fox , and bought two Rugers.
For while, I was all about my Rugers,  Fish Gun and a Stoeger
I got bored with those and made excuses not to go shooting.

In 2000. I returned with a new Henry, Sold the Fish , Rugers & the Stoeger..
And regressed to the Henry, OT's and a Muley SXS (and a Spencer) Back to the basics and BP..
then found this BB,
It's fun again.
I though it was maybe just me regressing , but It seems I'm in fine company.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Howdy,

Am I the only one who is not sure what  a "fish" gun is? I am guessing its a Marlin!  I have had a couple original 38-40 Marlins (two 1889s, and one 1894), but always went back to my Henry.  In fact, my very first Henry I got in 1995, I traded a Marlin Century Ltd. 44-40 for!

I have to confess, however, that recently the Henry shares the top spot with my Taylors .56-50 Spencer carbine.

[Dusty Morningwood]

My Henry came to me just a few weeks ago.  Always liked the look and feel, but somehow .44-40 or .45 Colt just seemed wrong to me.  Then I read about .44-40 being rechambered for .44 Special.  Since I shoot a .44 Special 66 and a pair of OTs in .44 spl, seemed the answer (apparently it will handle the .44 Colt, easily enough, so getting real close to the original w/o going rimfire).  Got a great deal on Gunbroker for a "vintage" Navy Arms Henry.  Sent right off to Happy Trails (should be coming back this way soon).  So my reloading just stays the same and the number of classes I can shoot in has increased (I have a pair of 51 Navies, too!). 

[Coffinmaker]

There isn't any regression.  There is just something nifty about shooting a Henry with Open Tops/Conversions and a S X S with horns.  It ain't the fastest thing in the world, but it ain't necessarily all about fast.  It's all about FUN!!!  This game is suppose to be FUN!!!!
I thought I had enough Henrys. 
Then I saw the photos of Driftwood's new CCH iron frame ...............
I'm in lust again ............

Coffinmaker

[Long Johns Wolf]

It was Gus McGrae who infected me with the virulent Henritis when Lonesome Dove was first aired in Germany during the 90s in Germany. However, it was until 2003 that I finally caught up with one at a gun show that had my name written all over it: preowned brass frame/military model in .44 40 manufactured at Uberti's 1998. Had her immediately converted to .44 Colt as the companion rifle for my OT & R+M. And shooting she does...
Long Johns Wolf

[Major 2]

"regressed"  maybe a poor choice of words 
It's all I came up with when writing...

I simply meant, I went back to the Guns that made it fun in the first place.
I had some how forgotten "FUN".
I suppose because at my local range, speed & gaming were dominate & my pards were into that !

But in reality, as a long time reenactor, I preferred the history & the style "nifty" as you put it....
I see, I am not alone. 

[Be-A-triss Bandit]

Maybe "Gone full circle" has a more positive connotation.  I hate to admit, I still shoot my 92 when I don't feel like reloading two cartridges.  Where is "Happy Trails" and how expensive is a 44 Colt or 44 Special conversion?  Don't have access to a lathe anymore and don't know where I can get a prethreaded 44 barrel in Special or with no chamber at all.
Thanks if you know, 
BB

[Major 2]

"gone full circle " " back to my roots" 

You'll find "Happy Trails " proprietor of http://www.thesmithshop.com/

If you shoot OT's or Henrys his shop is a good one to know. 

[Coffinmaker]

Be-a-Triss,

Check with Happy Trails at "the Smith Shop."  I think it runs about $170 to have Bill sleeve the chamber to .44 special.  If on the other hand, you also shoot hand guns with .44 Russian, there are several methods to modify the Henry carrier block to handle the .44 Russian cartridge.  About the same overall length as the .44 Henry Flat.
My next  project is a pair of Open Tops, chambered for .44 russian and a Henry shooting .44 Russian.  Some superb style points there.  this game can really be FUN!!!
Uberti may even have 2 - 3 .44 Special henry barrel assemblies left, but getting them to screw one of them onto a receiver would be a real groan.
Now lemmie see, a CCH iron frame with a .44 Russian chamber .....................
I just gotta talk to Santa ...........

Coffinmaker