Initial Review: New .41 Mag Henry Levergun

[Pete44ru]

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I spotted this review elsewhere, and thought it of interest here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthr ... ial-review

New Henry 41 Mag initial review

I received my Henry Big Boy in 41 Mag today. It is shipped in a cardboard box. The gun itself is heavily oiled and wrapped in VCI paper. It comes with an owners manual and that's all I found in the box.

The bluing is an even black blue color but the metal finish is a bit rough. A little more polishing would have been nice to see at this price point. The walnut was a nice straight grain and the finish was evenly applied and a satin type finish. The wood is fitted good. Not very good or excellent. Just good. Proud in all areas and gaps fitted well.

The action was a little stiff. It smoothed up with a few hundred dry cycles. The level had a little more side to side play than the Marlins and Winchesters I've handled in the past. The sights were composed of a brass bead on the front and semi buckhorn in the rear with a stamped steel elevator. The receiver is drilled and tapped for bases. The filler screws were proud and quite rough.

The gun is advertised as 10+1. With loads housing a 210 XTP, 10 in the tube leaves a bit of room, however, if loading anything else longer, 9 is all I could fit. The gun cycled all my loads except the 265 LFNGC. The nose of the bullet would jam at the 12 o'clock position as it attempted to chamber. Traditional 410459 cycled without issue same with all the WFN varieties from the group buys here.

Its been raining here so I shot from my basement out into the woods as a function check. I shot a total of 27 rounds and they all cycled, went bang and ejected just fine. No accuracy testing this time out.

While I applaud Henry for bringing out a 41 Mag in a lever gun, I find the Marlins and Winchesters overall to be better fit and finished. I give this gun a grade of "B-". It should have been better finished overall and id like to see something other than stamped steel parts for the elevator and lifter.

My intention is to put a low powered scope on it and see what it can do at 50, 75, and 100 yards.



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[AJMD429]

Thanks for posting.

What I always roll my eyes at is when people say stuff like "It should have been better finished overall and I'd like to see something other than stamped steel parts for the elevator and lifter" - because those same people are often the ones griping that they can't buy a perfectly finished new levergun for $250 like they did back in their youth...

Fitting, finishing, and craftsmanship cost real money, because they require real people to spend real time doing them. That's what keeps Turnbull conversions in business.

I think inflation has gone up about 6-fold since I was a kid, and my first centerfire rifle cost about $260.00, for a 'well-made, but field-grade' rifle - so that translates to about $1,200 or more now days. That's just reality.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Another thanks for this post. Interesting to read about bullet feed. I am not surprised a LN (maybe LBT) would not chamber easily.

I am looking to purchase one after the initial "swarm" settles a bit and maybe all the production bugs are tweeked out. Figure the caliber 41 should be on par with the 44 mag version after a month. Possibly after the "feeding frenzy" slows the price will also be more on par with the pother Big Boy Steel frames.
Mike in Peru