Spring has sprung. Get out and shoot your Henry
April 14th, 1860
- RanchRoper
- Forum Ambassador
- Posts: 12681
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 12:14 am
- Location: Land of Shining Mountains, Alberta
April 14th, 1860
40F today with a 45 mph wind. Cold! Not the best conditions to try out some lighter bullets but it's real world shooting out here at the best of times. The wind was ripping down the eastern slope of the Rockies today like springtime...and summertime...and fall...etc. Not to mention I have the head-cold from hell right now too.
My 1860 Henry in 45 Colt. Open sights. Have I ever told you I love this rifle? Shooting nothing but my own reloads today! These are all 8" targets.
First up is 20 rounds 200 gr LRNFP and 6.6 gn of Universal powder. Starting load for this bullet is 6.4 gn. So actually quite nice to shoot, sort of a shoot all day load. Zero recoil. This is off hand standing at 25 yds. all rounds in the 5" ring at least but I expected better accuracy from myself, not blaming the ammo. They are most definitely different to shoot than the usual 250gr bullets I am used to. Next up is 50 yds shooting from 1 knee position, which I quite like on windy days. 24 rounds of 250 gr LRNFP reloads with 6.6 gn of same powder. I imagine this was a popular stance for old frontier shooters if you had to get serious. Again, all hits in the 5" circle so that's meat on the table I think. 12 rounds just for the heck of it at 100 yds from 1 knee...8 hit paper, better than none. But all over the place as I expected in the wind. 250 gr bullet again. Ladder sight on first notch. Binoculars to help see what is going on out there. Severe windage adjustments today! My version of an MLB curveball. Last but not least, I shot the last 14 rounds of 250 gr bullets I had with me at 50 yds off hand standing. Pleasant surprise, must have started to figure out the wind. All hits in the 5" ring again. Finished on a good note. The verdict?...my reloads work! Thanks again for the all the assistance and expert help on reloading. Shoot safe, hope you enjoyed the report.
RR
My 1860 Henry in 45 Colt. Open sights. Have I ever told you I love this rifle? Shooting nothing but my own reloads today! These are all 8" targets.
First up is 20 rounds 200 gr LRNFP and 6.6 gn of Universal powder. Starting load for this bullet is 6.4 gn. So actually quite nice to shoot, sort of a shoot all day load. Zero recoil. This is off hand standing at 25 yds. all rounds in the 5" ring at least but I expected better accuracy from myself, not blaming the ammo. They are most definitely different to shoot than the usual 250gr bullets I am used to. Next up is 50 yds shooting from 1 knee position, which I quite like on windy days. 24 rounds of 250 gr LRNFP reloads with 6.6 gn of same powder. I imagine this was a popular stance for old frontier shooters if you had to get serious. Again, all hits in the 5" circle so that's meat on the table I think. 12 rounds just for the heck of it at 100 yds from 1 knee...8 hit paper, better than none. But all over the place as I expected in the wind. 250 gr bullet again. Ladder sight on first notch. Binoculars to help see what is going on out there. Severe windage adjustments today! My version of an MLB curveball. Last but not least, I shot the last 14 rounds of 250 gr bullets I had with me at 50 yds off hand standing. Pleasant surprise, must have started to figure out the wind. All hits in the 5" ring again. Finished on a good note. The verdict?...my reloads work! Thanks again for the all the assistance and expert help on reloading. Shoot safe, hope you enjoyed the report.
RR
10 x
1860 Colt SA Richards Conversion Revolver .45C
1860 Henry .45C
1885 High Wall .45C
1820-1840 Frontier Percussion .50
1790-1820 Frontier Flintlock .50
Ohkínohkomit - Shoot skillfully
1860 Henry .45C
1885 High Wall .45C
1820-1840 Frontier Percussion .50
1790-1820 Frontier Flintlock .50
Ohkínohkomit - Shoot skillfully
Re: April 14th, 1860
Excellent!!
Has to be a great feeling knowing that you"ve been able to get the right combination and for such a terrific gun as well.
Has to be a great feeling knowing that you"ve been able to get the right combination and for such a terrific gun as well.
1 x
- Vaquero
- Ranch Boss
- Posts: 10257
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- Location: Somewhere between Memphis & Nashville
Re: April 14th, 1860
I did enjoy.
Looks like some pretty shootin to me.
RP
Looks like some pretty shootin to me.
RP
1 x
Monte Walsh "You have No idea how little I care".
Ain't No Apologies for My Temperament
Si vis pacem, para bellum
H001, H006, H012
Ain't No Apologies for My Temperament
Si vis pacem, para bellum
H001, H006, H012
- Cowboy Gun Fan
- Cowboy
- Posts: 1574
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 9:42 am
- Location: SW Virginia
Re: April 14th, 1860
Interesting story and good shooting, but I first thought that this was going to be a Civil War thread, lol.
1 x
NRA Member
Re: April 14th, 1860
Great results on all your targets, RR.
You definitely are, in this real world and also in 1860, quite at home-on-the-range!
PT7
You definitely are, in this real world and also in 1860, quite at home-on-the-range!
PT7
RanchRoper wrote:40F today with a 45 mph wind. Cold! Not the best conditions to try out some lighter bullets but it's real world shooting out here at the best of times. The wind was ripping down the eastern slope of the Rockies today like springtime...and summertime...and fall...etc.
1 x
~Пока~
- North Country Gal
- Firearms Advisor
- Posts: 6056
- Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2016 12:46 pm
- Location: northern Wisconsin
Re: April 14th, 1860
Anyone who can dope the wind like that is a true plainsman. Reading the wind and being able to adjust for it really is an art and an increasingly rare one, at that. Good work, cowboy. Hope you beat that cold, soon. Take care.
0 x
- RanchRoper
- Forum Ambassador
- Posts: 12681
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 12:14 am
- Location: Land of Shining Mountains, Alberta
Re: April 14th, 1860
Thanks very much. I rarely get sick but this is day 4 of this one...wanted to reload a bunch this weekend but just feel too lousy. Oh well, this too shall pass.
0 x
1860 Colt SA Richards Conversion Revolver .45C
1860 Henry .45C
1885 High Wall .45C
1820-1840 Frontier Percussion .50
1790-1820 Frontier Flintlock .50
Ohkínohkomit - Shoot skillfully
1860 Henry .45C
1885 High Wall .45C
1820-1840 Frontier Percussion .50
1790-1820 Frontier Flintlock .50
Ohkínohkomit - Shoot skillfully
Re: April 14th, 1860
Nice loading and even better shooting, but not surprised at either one working out for you. Thanks for sharing, entertaining and educational, as always!
1 x
BB Steel .357 | SGC 22LR | LR .308 | CCH 30-30 | BB Brass .45 Colt (Carbine) | Single Shot 20 gauge | Single Shot .223 | Single Shot 357
Re: April 14th, 1860
Aside from the wind youre cold and how you feel in general. There had to be that RR smile on youre face after seeing these targets especially the last one. Nice job my friend go Avs
1 x
Don't worry about getting older and still doing stupid stuff. You'll do the stupid stuff as always, only much slower. Hold my beer and watch this.......
H001T .22LR
H001T .22LR MONUMENT VALLEY
H003T PUMP .22LR
BBS .41 MAG
SS .357
SIDE GATE 38-55
H001T .22LR
H001T .22LR MONUMENT VALLEY
H003T PUMP .22LR
BBS .41 MAG
SS .357
SIDE GATE 38-55
- markiver54
- Deputy Marshal
- Posts: 10284
- Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2018 11:49 am
- Location: Biue Ridge Mountains, NC
Re: April 14th, 1860
Don't reload myself, but that doesn't really matter to me on this post. THAT! Is some dynamic shooting!
At least you can lose that cold with a smile on your face...nice RR.
At least you can lose that cold with a smile on your face...nice RR.
1 x
I'm your Huckleberry