'Big Boy' Failure After Failure

Shotgun Franklin · October 15, 2012, 11:02:10 AM

We had a shoot last week. Two more shooters tried the 'Big Boy', neither was able to finish the match. The gun is maybe OK for occasional plinking but I have never seen one complete a match without a failure. There are now two more Shooters looking for real guns. It's a pain in the butt watching a Shooter on the line screwing with their Big Boy while the whole rest of the Posse stands and waits. And yeah, I finally talked one of'm into using my '73.

August · October 15, 2012, 12:14:48 PM

I've always found it entertaining.

It is sad, however, to see the pride of ownership of that shinny hunk of brass turn into bitter disappointment as the match progresses. I feel genuinely bad for fellas that buy those rifles and, instead of a shooting iron, find out they just have a new sack full of problems to deal with.

Buffalo Creek Law Dog · October 15, 2012, 01:30:12 PM

I have a Big Boy in .357 and don't have any problems. It shoots both .357 and .38 spl cases with ease. A friend has one in .45 and he swears by it (not at it

). He uses it at all matches.

Shotgun Franklin · October 15, 2012, 04:48:08 PM

I guess by the Law of Averages some have to work OK.

Cliff Fendley · October 15, 2012, 05:03:08 PM

Quote from: Shotgun Franklin on October 15, 2012, 04:48:08 PM
I guess by the Law of Averages some have to work OK.

Kinda like a blind hog finds an acorn every once in a while. I guess Henry must make a few that work.

Garand · October 18, 2012, 08:03:03 AM

I've never seen anyone who bought one, used it for more than 3 matches, before they looked for a replacement though.

Buffalo Creek Law Dog · October 18, 2012, 10:27:27 AM

Quote from: Garand on October 18, 2012, 08:03:03 AM
I've never seen anyone who bought one, used it for more than 3 matches, before they looked for a replacement though.

Wes Sturn an AFS member also has one in .357 and he had an offer to sell it for $800. and he turned it down. The other person who I mentioned earlier is Windy Peaks and he uses his exclusively. I alternate my Big Boy with my Chaparral '66 which is also flawless, had it ('66) for three years and no regrets.

Just lucky, I guess.

Major 2 · October 18, 2012, 11:28:52 AM

It's not that the Big Boy is a bad gun.... it's not

It's fine for general shooting or a truck gun, I suppose.

What it isn't ....It's not suited for the speed CAS shooters wish to approch.

Sure you can use it , but you could use a Vespa for Dirt Bike too....

rickk · October 18, 2012, 11:49:19 AM

I have one in .45. I had issues with it feeding when I got it. About 2 out of every 10 rounds would hang up coming out of the magazine tube.

I sent it back to HRA. It returned in about a week. The shell carrier had been replaced. It works 100% now. I am shooting BP, not smokeless... no issues with it whatsoever.

If someone has a problem with theirs, I would recommend that they do not suffer with the resulting frustration... just give them a call. They will send you a prepaid UPS mailing label right away and, in my experience, they will make it right.

Lets not forget that most people who buy a more traditional lever gun (like a '73) pretty much assume before they buy it that they will be plunking down more money on it to make it work well. With the Big Boy, if it doesn't work to well, you just send it to New Jersey and they will fix it No Charge.

Rick

Major 2 · October 18, 2012, 11:55:35 AM

Well there you go

Jefro · October 18, 2012, 03:05:03 PM

Quote from: Major 2 on October 18, 2012, 11:28:52 AM
It's not that the Big Boy is a bad gun.... it's not

It's fine for general shooting or a truck gun, I suppose.

What it isn't ....It's not suited for the speed CAS shooters wish to approch.

Sure you can use it , but you could use a Vespa for Dirt Bike too....

That's it in a nut nut shell, once you try to run one at speed it locks up tighter than Dick Tracy's hat band. I cringe everytime I see a new shooter trying to make it through a stage with one. Most come back in a couple of months with a 92, Marlin, or a 73. We have one feller that can make it through a stage with his, but it is a very slow deliberate action....kerchunk.......kerklunck......BANG!....kerchunk.......kerklunck......BANG! As soon as he tries to go..Kerching-Bang, Kerching-Bang, Kerching-Bang it locks up, as do all the others I've seen. Good Luck

Jefro

Relax-Enjoy

Garand · October 31, 2012, 04:52:25 PM

Quote from: Buffalo Creek Law Dog on October 18, 2012, 10:27:27 AM
Wes Sturn an AFS member also has one in .357 and he had an offer to sell it for $800. and he turned it down. The other person who I mentioned earlier is Windy Peaks and he uses his exclusively. I alternate my Big Boy with my Chaparral '66 which is also flawless, had it ('66) for three years and no regrets.

Just lucky, I guess.

Wes Stern and the kids were on the posse I was on, earlier this month at the 2 day match in Medicine Hat, it might be my memory but I don't remember a "Big Boy" being shot.

Buffalo Creek Law Dog · October 31, 2012, 05:51:07 PM

Quote from: Jefro on October 18, 2012, 03:05:03 PM
That's it in a nut nut shell, once you try to run one at speed it locks up tighter than Dick Tracy's hat band. I cringe everytime I see a new shooter trying to make it through a stage with one. Most come back in a couple of months with a 92, Marlin, or a 73. We have one feller that can make it through a stage with his, but it is a very slow deliberate action....kerchunk.......kerklunck......BANG!....kerchunk.......kerklunck......BANG! As soon as he tries to go..Kerching-Bang, Kerching-Bang, Kerching-Bang it locks up, as do all the others I've seen. Good Luck

Jefro Relax-Enjoy

Quote from: Garand on October 31, 2012, 04:52:25 PM
Wes Stern and the kids were on the posse I was on, earlier this month at the 2 day match in Medicine Hat, it might be my memory but I don't remember a "Big Boy" being shot.

He also uses a Marlin in .357. I was the one who offered the $800. for his Big Boy but, he wouldn't sell it. So, I went out and bought a new one. haven't used my Marlin or Rossi '92 for the last two years, just the Big Boy or the Chaparral "66. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Garand · November 12, 2012, 09:42:59 AM

I shot an indoor Cowboy match yesterday with Wes, his son and his son's g/f "Aimee Oakley". I was the RO when she was shooting one of the stages and the Henry jammed badly totally screwing her times while we tried to get the rifle running again.

Abilene · November 12, 2012, 11:32:29 AM

I've shot with several pards lately at matches that were shooting Big Boys. They all worked fine but these were all new shooters and they were not shooting fast.

ChuteTheMall · November 20, 2012, 10:06:26 PM

For you guys who shoot the Henrys, how fast is your average stage?
Compared to the average of the rest of your posse?

Buffalo Creek Law Dog · November 21, 2012, 09:22:10 AM

Quote from: ChuteTheMall on November 20, 2012, 10:06:26 PM
For you guys who shoot the Henrys, how fast is your average stage?
Compared to the average of the rest of your posse?

It really doesn't apply to me as I don't shoot for speed. Heck, most of the time I don't even look at my scores, I'm playing old west cowboy and having fun. Maybe that is why my Big Boy works all the time.

Cliff Fendley · November 21, 2012, 11:32:19 AM

I don't shoot very fast either but I prefer to play old west cowboy with at least a replica of a gun that really did exist in the old west.

I suppose it's really what fits a persons requirements since we all have different goals of the sport.

I prefer the NCOWS part of the game because it has more emphasis on authenticity and many NCOWS members do it more for fun. The Big Boy is not allowed in NCOWS because the design is not authentic.

Big T · December 29, 2012, 07:27:07 PM

Good they make all kinds the 73 seems to be king as long as its the right 73 ,the beretta I tried I would swap a 92 rossi for but my cimmeron 66 is flawless long as you dont load an long bullets in it , had a 92 trapper from emf that was flawless running gun just wouldnt hold 10 rds in the tube good ones an bad ones in all of them id say ,t