Will Henry .44 Mag feed Keith and LBT WFN bullets?

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Neal
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Will Henry .44 Mag feed Keith and LBT WFN bullets?

Post by Neal »

Hello. I have been aware of this forum for many years as I was a reader of Paco Kelly's writings
on the Sixgunner website, but just registered this morning, Have in interest in a Henry 44 mag steel levergun and want to know if they will feed Keith bullets, and also LBT WFN bullets. Can any of you Henry .44 Mag owners tell me? Did a forum search and found no threads on this topic. Bought a Marlin 94 saddle ring in 1974 that I modifed to feed Keiths as per a Beartooth article and it worked great. Sold that rifle in 2018 when I thought I was not going to be around much longer. Now wishing i had not sold it. However, if the Henry is a nicer action than the Marlin, and will feed my cast bullets, that would be a big plus.
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AJMD429
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Re: Will Henry .44 Mag feed Keith and LBT WFN bullets?

Post by AJMD429 »

I don’t have a Henry 44 Mag but someone here likely does.

Bummer you sold the Marlin, but glad you are still around to regret the sale.
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piller
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Re: Will Henry .44 Mag feed Keith and LBT WFN bullets?

Post by piller »

Sorry to not be of any help. Hope you get an answer. Keeping this topic going may help.
D. Brian Casady
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Advanced is being able to do the basics while your leg is on fire---Bill Jeans
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765x53
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Re: Will Henry .44 Mag feed Keith and LBT WFN bullets?

Post by 765x53 »

I can' say about Keith bullets. I have been loading some commercial semi-wadcutters that look like an RCBS design and my own Lee tumble lubed semi-wadcutters.
They function in my brass Henry carbine.
As for WFN bullets, I have also used the Ranch Dog 265 grain designed for the .444 Marlin, with no problems.
Neal
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Re: Will Henry .44 Mag feed Keith and LBT WFN bullets?

Post by Neal »

Thanks for the replies. After I made this post, I remembered my #2 son has a Henry brass .44 Mag Carbine. I do not care for the short barrels, but he is going to bring it over and let me shoot it. I will get to see what it feeds. It sounds promising.
Neal
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Re: Will Henry .44 Mag feed Keith and LBT WFN bullets?

Post by Neal »

My son just brought his rifle over here and I was wrong. It is not a carbine, but the full length octagon barrel. Fired a few rounds of my mid range loads and I like it. At 8.68 pounds, it feels very heavy for a lever gun. Looked up the specs on the Marlin and they say about 6.5 pounds. The steel Henry is listed at 7 pounds. I think that is acceptable. I believe one of these in steel round barrel just went onto my "want" list. There is just something special about a lever action. Oh yea, it is smoother and better built than my old Marlin.
piller
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Re: Will Henry .44 Mag feed Keith and LBT WFN bullets?

Post by piller »

I like most of what I know about Henry. I even have one of the take apart .22 lr survival rifles they make. It is sort of a special purpose gun, but for something like a canoe trip it would be outstanding. Hope you get the one you want.
D. Brian Casady
Quid Llatine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur.
Advanced is being able to do the basics while your leg is on fire---Bill Jeans
Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up---Robert Frost
mickbr
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Re: Will Henry .44 Mag feed Keith and LBT WFN bullets?

Post by mickbr »

Not sure how it works with Henry's but other lever action brands can be individual as to their preferences. Eg one 1892 might love 38 special WFN and the next one may not. I try and run some dummy rounds through guns I have my eye on before I buy. Mostly as I like the shortest OAL and widest bullets I can get away with.
Neal
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Re: Will Henry .44 Mag feed Keith and LBT WFN bullets?

Post by Neal »

mickbr: I have a box of 280 grain LBT WFN GC bullets loaded up in front of a full charge of 296, but
did not want to shoot any of them in my son's Henry. It has a very sharp edge brass butt plate and
there is no need to abuse my old shoulder. ha ha I guess I could have loaded one and cycled it but
I did not think of it until later, I just grabbed the most convenient box of ammo which was 240 gr Win
Swaged SWC GC, like the old Winchester Lubabaloy bullets from back in the 70s. Loaded with 9 grains of Universal. I knew these would not cause any discomfort.

My first try at posting a pic on this forum. Son took this yesterday while I was firing
his Big Boy Classic.
IMG_0858.jpg
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mickbr
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Re: Will Henry .44 Mag feed Keith and LBT WFN bullets?

Post by mickbr »

Neal, very nice!
Brasso
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Re: Will Henry .44 Mag feed Keith and LBT WFN bullets?

Post by Brasso »

Hello,

I have the Henry Big Boy in 44mag. HO12 model.

It won't feed either of my two home brewed cast bullets. Both rounds get caught on the bottom edge of the chamber. One is an NEI 285gr Keith and the other a Mountain Molds 250gr WFN with an 80% meplat. The WFN will feed if loaded in a 44spl case. I haven't bothered to see if the NEI will feed in a spl case as it's just not practical. It feeds factory ammo (Federal 270gr Hammer Down) just fine. I suppose the long OAL together with the sharp edges contribute to this. My cases are all cut to 1.372.

Rob
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