Gonna switch my .45 Colt Henry to 44-40!

Major 2 · June 29, 2017, 05:29:18 AM

Quote from: OD#3 on June 28, 2017, 08:24:17 PM
I'm not too keen on this gunsmith. I think he could have lathe-turned the barrel. The portion covered by the pivoting nosecap is completely round, so that could have been chucked into the lathe, and the chamber end could have been supported. So I don't know why he didn't increase the barrel shank by 1/4 inches and re-thread and re-chamber, unless he just doesn't have the tools to do so. As long as the bore is correctly sized for .44-40, a competent gunsmith should be able to swap barrels, no matter what. The only thing he probably couldn't guarantee is that he wouldn't have to shorten the barrel a little to make it work.

I'm afraid I agree, or centered in 4 Jaw Chuck ( less he didn't have a large one ) but the burning question in my mind

is why he'd even consider dis-assembly before measuring .... ( old rule "measure twice, cut once" applies )

maybe, he is looking into getting it done via outsourcing the turning & thread.... $:-\$

Baltimore Ed · June 29, 2017, 07:42:52 AM

Dirty Harry said it best, ' a man's got to know his limitations.' But that doesn't make Tuolumne Lawman feel any better. Hope you get your rifle reassembled and a competent machinist/ smith who can actually do your job. Remember, it's only money, it's only your kids inheritance. They didn't work all those weekends or nightshifts. I've got a year long horror story about a shady smith I'll tell you sometime. Good luck.

Tuolumne Lawman · June 29, 2017, 01:26:24 PM

Update:

Finally got it back with original 45 Colt barrel re-installed. Total: $65. The good news is he went through and polished everything, lightened the springs a tad, and sharpened the rounded end of the extractor. Actually pretty smooth now, so I suppose the money wasn't a waste. The guy I got the barrel from says he can change, but I am a little gun(smith) shy!

Major 2 · June 29, 2017, 07:36:42 PM

Don't go poking it with a stick....sounds like he did you OK ...

Leave it be .... life is to short to be Henryless

Baltimore Ed · June 29, 2017, 08:00:52 PM

Glad you and your Henry have been reunited and it feels so good. You'll just have to go on a quest and find one in .44-40. Watch out for the Black Knight though, he's tough. Cue clopping sound.

Coffinmaker · June 30, 2017, 10:59:40 AM

Hey!! I must agree with the Pryor guys. Now you have your rifle back. "It's a Good Thing" (stolen line from famous personality). It's a 45 and suffers Blow-By. That's rather normal. A nuisance, but normal.

I go back to my Patented Snake Oil suggestion. Skip the Schofield cases and run 44-40 cases. You already have a 44-40 rifle so you should have a few 44-40 cases laying around. Give it a try. OR:

Follow OD#3's lead. Anneal 20 or so Schofield cases, load em up and see how it works. After all, I'm finally throwing in the towel, biting the bullet, taking the medicine then hiding in the dark. Yep ..... I'm gonna anneal some 44 Russian cases and see if I can cure some 44 Blow-By.

As another suggestion. My 44 Henry Flat duplication load is done with Cowboy 45 Special cases. Full case of 2F or 3F APP (give that 777 stuff the heave ho) with a 160Gr RNFP or 200GR RNFP bullet. Contact "The Smith Shop" in RI for their custom Henry Carrier Block with cartridge stop. Or save a few bucks (lots of Bucks) and drill your carrier block for a set screw cartridge stop and relieve the side of the bold for stop clearance and run the curious little cartridges. Oh, did I mention, you can load 17 of them in a Henry. Loads on Sunday and Shoots All Week!!

Coffinmaker

PS: I Still suffer Blow-By with C45S cartridges. A little squirt of water or PAM on the Carrier Block after 3 or 4 stages takes care of it.

Major 2 · July 01, 2017, 06:47:08 AM

I have to agree, " APP " ......JUST SAY NO to 777, I don't care for Triple Seven or Pyrodex

I'm not being facetious, I believe APP is a better powder. I use Jim Shockey's Gold a premium grade version of APP.
I see less fowling and what I do get is dispatched with 20 -1 water & Ballistol ( 10 to 1 Moose milk cut 50% with water )
A spritz between stages on the unload table is more than adequate.

APP needs no lube you don't really need the Ballistol , but I like the idea of a bit of anti-oxidation.

Coffinmaker · July 02, 2017, 10:30:01 AM

Well .... POM has antioxidants. POM wonderful antioxidants at that

Coffinmaker
Who's Perky today

Tuolumne Lawman · July 02, 2017, 03:42:32 PM

Moved to own thread...

Tuolumne Lawman · July 18, 2017, 01:49:32 PM

Well, I did it. I am listing the .45 Henry on Gunbroker to sell it, so I can buy a 44-40 one. I love the 44-40 1866 so much, I want the 1860 to be .44-40 also!.

Tuolumne Lawman · July 18, 2017, 05:41:07 PM

Listed for $850 opening bid... should sell

Tuolumne Lawman · July 19, 2017, 09:28:20 PM

A pard here is offering his 44-40 Henry to me...Now I really need to sell my 45 one!

I have 6 watchers on Gunbroker.

Tuolumne Lawman · July 23, 2017, 04:39:21 PM

Unbelievable! 14 watchers, 1 1/2 days left, and an opening bid of $795 for a 6 month old Henry (with military model sling swivels), and no bids! I want to buy that 44-40 Henry I was just offered, but I already have an 1866 rifle in 44-40, and don't need TWO Henry rifles...

Tuolumne Lawman · July 24, 2017, 09:13:33 AM

Well, I have to have that 44-40 Henry.... dropped the 45 Henry to $795 buy it now. It was used in an upcoming Cowboy Chronicle article, so like Hickock 45 does with the video guns he sells, I am offering a "Letter of Authenticity". How come he can get more than he paid for them, and I am losing money?

OD#3 · July 24, 2017, 07:27:20 PM

I feel your pain, really I do. I thought the one I had on the classifieds here was a real bargain, but bargains are no good when the market is soft. I finally just withdrew mine from sale, and I've discovered that the pain of not selling it wasn't any worse than the pain of having to take such a loss. And at least I still get to enjoy owning a fine rifle instead of gambling on having seller's remorse down the road. Which, given the number of times I've had such remorse, was more of a probability than a possibility, anyway.

Coffinmaker · July 24, 2017, 08:42:57 PM

Being a member of the "Multiple Henry" club ain't so bad. I have four. I like all four. I don't wanna sell any of em.

I just got home from a 3 day match. Shot the whole match with a 45 Henry with NO maintenance (well, I did have to load it). My next match I'll be shooting Annealed cases for a valid compare.

Besides, as long as OD#3 has that Iron Annie, I know where to find one when I get something in my sock drawer besides dust bunnies

Coffinmaker

OD#3 · July 24, 2017, 09:11:41 PM

Coffinmaker, it is no longer for sale to anyone except you. When your sock drawer turns green, give me a yell. And I'll just consider myself a conservator of this rifle until that blessed day. Mind you, I can't guarantee a low round count by then. You understand....

Tuolumne Lawman · July 24, 2017, 09:36:02 PM

Going to drop to $750 tonight, but that is the bottom.... Money goes out for the 44-40 tomorrow!

Tuolumne Lawman · July 25, 2017, 12:24:30 PM

Ahhh... Sold the 45 Henry! Now I don't feel bad about having an 1866 and a 1860 Henry in 44-40. To main match rifles is a good thing. With two 45 pistols, and two 44-40 pistols, and two coach guns, it gives me two full sets. Three main match rifles is too many.

Coffinmaker · July 25, 2017, 01:07:10 PM

BLASPHMY

I say!!!

There is no such thing as "Too Many" main match rifles (to my warped way of thinking). I'm only maintaining 8 main match rifles. Soon as I can save up the appropriate "box tops" I wanna make it .... 9

Coffinmaker