[JEBar]

comments from anyone who has experience using a Henry 45-70 would be appreciated

 

[ditto1958]

comments from anyone who has experience using a Henry 45-70 would be appreciated

I don't have one (yet), although I do have a Henry .30-30 and a Henry .22. The Marlin Owners Forum has a pretty active Henry section. You can also try the Henry forum (henry firearms.org). The latter, while very friendly, is still small and slow.

Do you have any specific questions about your Henry .45-70?

 

[JEBar]

I don't have one (yet), although I do have a Henry .30-30 and a Henry .22. The Marlin Owners Forum has a pretty active Henry section. You can also try the Henry forum (henry firearms.org). The latter, while very friendly, is still small and slow.

Do you have any specific questions about your Henry .45-70?

our family has always enjoyed lever action rifles .... we currently own two, a Winchester Model 94 30-30 that as been passed down through the family and a Browning BLR 308 that was purchased in the mid 60's .... we are now in a position were we can do so and are considering expanding our collection (last firearm purchased was in the early 80's) .... we have friends who live in one of the states where they now allow rifle hunting for deer with straight wall cartridges .... the 45-70 has a rich history and we are considering it

 

[bwinters]

I own a henry in 22 lr and 45 colt both wonderful.

 

[ditto1958]

The Henry H010 .45-70 is a fine rifle, and should be an excellent choice for deer hunting. What you can expect if you buy one is a rifle with excellent build quality. Wood to metal fit will likely be really good. It will likely come with a very smooth action, as well as a good trigger.

Some shooters, used to shooting Winchesters and Marlins, object to the lack of a loading gate (Henry rifles are tube loaded, just like a .22 lever gun). Yes, it's different, but it works just fine.

Henry rifles come with a lifetime warranty. In the unlikely event of an issue of any kind, Henry has the best customer service in the business.

If I were looking for a .45-70 for deer hunting, I'd also consider a Marlin 1895. I'd be very careful about buying a new one, though, as the ones now being made in NY by Remington have had some issues. A better bet is looking for a good used "JM" stamped Marlin made in Connecticut.

I really like my Henry .30-30. It has pretty wood, and the action is just as smooth as my 1982 Marlin 336. The trigger on my Henry is better than the one one my Marlin.

 

[JEBar]

its good to hear such positive comments from people who actually own/use a Henry .... in looking at their both their 44 mag and 45-70, it appears that the 45-70 hits a bit harder and has a longer useful range .... not that there is anything wrong with a 44, I've never seen a deer fight off a well placed 44 round

 

[Hunter49]

I do not have a Henry 45-70 but do own a Big Boy. 357 and I absolutely love that rifle. I bought the Henry because it is all American made AND I do believe they have the best warranty in the business.
I actually sent mine back because of feeding issues when I first got it. Upon return, they not only made the action the smoothest I've ever felt, but also replaced the forend free because they thought there was a flaw on it.
I was actually wavering on the lack of a loading gate, but have come to appreciate the tube load. It saves the thumbs, and unless you are shooting SASS or something will you need more than 10 rounds? The weight of the gun is also a plus. It holds on target and dampens recoil.
I would not hesitate to get that Henry 45-70. I thinkit would be a great addition to your collection.

 

[White Squirrel]

I second all the Henry praise. I have no experience with the 45-70, but I do have the .22 and my son-in-law has a 44. mag and both are just excellent quality rifles. Action is smooth and they are sturdy and well made. I have a .357 mag on my short list.

 

[JEBar]

would a Henry 357/44/45-70 work well with a an Aimpoint H-1 type scope or would a traditional cross-hair scope be better

 

[JEBar]

another question : do any of you Henry owners have a Large Loop Lever on your rifle .... I like the looks .... brings John Wayne to mind

 

[gqucool]

I have 2 Henry .22 lever action rifles & love both. I would also consider a Henry or a Marlin 1895 in 45/70. The build quality when Remington first bought out Marlin was rough. But there is no way I would be afraid of a new Marlin right now top build quality. Now yes finding a JM Marlin 1895 you will pay for the JM markings & well worth it. To me the Henry 45/70 lever action copies the Marlin other then how the rifle is loaded. The Henry today is a really very fine rifle beautiful wood used & Henry stands behind their product. My only question if I was to consider either a Marlin or a Henry is the way each gun is loaded yes the Henry loads like a lever action .22 tube fed. Nothing wrong with either rifle it's a matter of personal taste. Personally I would stick with a traditional cross hair scope, good luck!!!

 

[ditto1958]

Would an Aimpoint work well? Well, sure. But it would look out of place. A traditional scope would work just fine. I'd suggest looking at a 2-7x scope, such as a Redfield or a Leupold.

 

[Bonk]

I owned one briefly. Fit, finish and action were all fine. However, it did have a problem that Henry was unable to resolve. When the rifle was fully loaded the lever wouldn't stay closed. I don't know if it was the weight of all those big bullets in the magazine or a weak latch but it would drop the lever open. You could latch it shut but the slightest bump or inertia would cause it to become unlatched again and the lever would drop about an inch. I sent it back to Henry but when they returned it it still did the same thing. Fortunately the gunshop refunded my money and they dealt with Henry directly.

I did a little research and it was a known issue affecting some of the center fire rifle caliber Henrys (30-30 and 45-70). It wasn't a problem on the pistol caliber Big Boy rifles. Not all rifles had the problem but it wasn't unique to my particular gun either. The rifle I'm talking about is the matte blued 45-70 with the ghost ring sight mounted on the receiver. The 30-30 version had reports of the same issue.

Henry CS was responsive and prompt but after they returned it the first time they weren't too interested in looking at the rifle again. Like I said, thankfully the gunshop was willing to refund my money.

To be fair, I own two other Henrys. A 22LR and a 22mag. Both are great rifles and I heartily recommend them.

FWIW, after my experience with the Henry 45-70 I bought a RemLin 1895GBL. Excellent rifle. I liked it so much I traded for similar one (1895GS). I still have both of them and I've never had a problem with either one. I also own a JM 336 and the newer RemLins are just as good IMO. YMMV.

 

[JEBar]

Would an Aimpoint work well? Well, sure. But it would look out of place. A traditional scope would work just fine. I'd suggest looking at a 2-7x scope, such as a Redfield or a Leupold.

excellent point .... realistically a 45-70 isn't a long range cartridge .... for me, setting it up for use within 100 would be realistic .... historically our family has used Nikon scopes, we would probably look for one of theirs

I don't know if it was the weight of all those big bullets in the magazine or a weak latch but it would drop the lever open. You could latch it shut but the slightest bump or inertia would cause it to become unlatched again and the lever would drop about an inch. I sent it back to Henry but when they returned it it still did the same thing.

I did a little research and it was a known issue affecting some of the center fire rifle caliber Henrys (30-30 and 45-70).

Henry CS was responsive and prompt but after they returned it the first time they weren't too interested in looking at the rifle again. Like I said, thankfully the gunshop was willing to refund my money.

info most certainly appreciated .... was your Henry equipped with the standard or large loop lever .... how long ago did you have a Henry with this problem ....

 

[Hunter49]

I have the large loop on my Henry Big Boy 357 and like it.

Not sure if you are dead set on a scope or not, but I have Skinner peeps and front blades on my Henry Big Boy .357 and Buffalo Classic 45-70 and love them, especially up to 100 yards. Just throwing that out there.

 

[White Squirrel]

I have the Skinner barrel mount peep sights and a 3 x 7 scope on my Henry. Son-in-law just has the factory sights on his .44 mag. An Aimpoint would work just fine. The "traditionalists" will cry sacrilege, but if it works for you for your intended purpose, go for it.

 

[JEBar]

I have the large loop on my Henry Big Boy 357 and like it.

Not sure if you are dead set on a scope or not, but I have Skinner peeps and front blades on my Henry Big Boy .357 and Buffalo Classic 45-70 and love them, especially up to 100 yards. Just throwing that out there.

I'd prefer open sites (specifically a smaller peep site) but the reality is I'm pushing 70, wear trifocals, and my vision isn't anywhere near as sharp as it once was .... low light (dawn/dusk) conditions magnify the need .... a good light gathering scope would be most helpful

 

[Magnum cum loude]

comments from anyone who has experience using a Henry 45-70 would be appreciated

Speaking to tube fed lever actions, the Hornady LEVERevolution plastic pointed
projectiles allow the .45-70 (and the other .45's) to move closer to being a true long range rifle. 325 grains leaving the muzzle at 2000+ f.p.s. leaves a mark.

At 100 yards it nearly equals the energy of .30-06 but at longer ranges it falls off by comparison pretty quick. You're looking at nearly a 30 inch drop out at 300 yards.

 

[JEBar]

Speaking to tube fed lever actions, the Hornady LEVERevolution plastic pointed
projectiles allow the .45-70 (and the other .45's) to move closer to being a true long range rifle. 325 grains leaving the muzzle at 2000+ f.p.s. leaves a mark.

At 100 yards it nearly equals the energy of .30-06 but at longer ranges it falls off by comparison pretty quick. You're looking at nearly a 30 inch drop out at 300 yards.

we hand load all of our ammo .... when I was looking for 45-70 components, I saw the Hornady plastic pointed bullets and wondered about them .... most every firearm I've ever touched is capable of making shots at much greater ranges than I am .... I've been doing some reading on the 45-70 and its most certainly an impressive round

 

[ditto1958]

What distances do you anticipate for shots where you will be deer hunting?