My New Assault Rifle... Ooops

[Griff]

Well, not exactly new, it's really the same 1860 Henry that I've owned for about 14 years... just gained a few rounds!

I've toyed with the idea of putting a Cowboy45Special carrier in it for a while, I finally bit the bullet and bought a couple. Thinking I'd also do my 1873 Short rifle.

Any way, the Henry now hold 18 rounds... yes (originally miscounted) it only EIGHTEEN rounds in the magazine... that's a 19 round capacity fully stoked with one in the chamber! Ok, so it's the C45S round with a 160 grain bullet, right now the load is 3.4 grains of Clays over a WLP primer in a variety of cases. Which include C45S cases from Starline and several cut down 45 Colt cases that another shooter sold me when he retired from cowboy action. (A good use for any Colt cases that have developed neck splits)! I cycled the full magazine thru with nary a bobble or hiccup. Maybe I'll get to the range and see what this little bullet can actually do... At cowboy distances I only miss when I try to get moving too fast... Seems to be a truth that if your front sight isn't on a target when you pull the trigger, you aren't going to hit that target. And when running for speed, there's NO target too big or too close that can't be missed!
It holds 16 rounds of the same case with a 200 RFN. The rifle won't interchangeably feed 45 Colt rounds, but they can be singly loaded over the top thru the ejection port.
But a group on paper will tell the true tale.

DSCN1404.JPG

If you count the rounds, there's one on the carrier plus the one just sticking its nose out of the frame. Those are a powder coated bullet, 160 grain RFN. I have a few rounds of this cartridge loaded to 45ACP specs with a 200 grain Speer HP... the wonderous "Flying Ashtray" of years past... and they're quite zippy. If I can get to the range on Monday, I think I'll try a few out over the chronograph and see what my various loads actually perform like!

[.45colt]

Very Nice.! Seems I re member "load on Sunday and shoot all week". might be a little longer Now. .

[CowboyTutt]

I've always had a crush on those 1860's. The design has it quirks to work around, but just so elegant! -Tutt

[piller]

Cool.

[Ysabel Kid]

Sweet!

What dies do you use to reload the C45S?

[Blaine]

[gamekeeper]

Hey Griff, won't you require an asbestos glove after 20 rounds down range?... nice job though I have always admired the 1860 Henry for looks and firepower in its day..

[Scott Tschirhart]

Now that’s sweet!!!!

My 66 Winchester should get the same treatment.

[Griff]

Hey Griff, won't you require an asbestos glove after 20 rounds down range?... nice job though I have always admired the 1860 Henry for looks and firepower in its day..

Nope, shot today in a PCC (Pistol Caliber Carbine) match... (on the one stage that only had a 18 round count), and with the puny 3.4 grains of Clays behind the 160 powder coated bullet, no heating of barrel. With BP, that might be another outcome... Tho' I have shot 10 round of 45 Colt with BP and didn't burn my hand... but it also wasn't a 100ºF day out either!

Scott, I have a 1873 "Border Rifle" (18-½" halfround/octagon bbl), that's going to get the same treatment, along with a short stroke kit. The new carrier was $169, the short stroke links are $185, and shorten the stroke to about 2-¾" vs the stock 3-½", (measuring from the back of the trigger guard fully opened to where the same point contacts the lower tang).
I also ordered a Henry Trapper (18-½ bbl), from Taylors with the CCH steel receiver that's stopping enroute to have the rifle short stroked, the C45S carrier installed along with a spring kit as my new competition rifle... I figure as long as I'm shooting a pair of 1851s that've been slicked up and modified to use a Ruger plunger and coil hand spring, a slicked up and tuned TTN hammered double (Colt 1878 copy), I might well go all in on "go-fast" mods for the rifle!