Side Gate vs Tube Feed

[ditto1958]

The loading gate dead horse rises again!

[Sir Henry]

I prefer a loading gate because that is the way Lucas McCain loaded his Winchester in the opening sequence.

One advantage no one has mentioned is with a gate you can top off with a round if you shot a round.

[JEBar]

One advantage no one has mentioned is with a gate you can top off with a round if you shot a round.

true but I can do that by dropping one in the loading tube

[clovishound]

I have had limited experience with gates. I did have the opportunity to load my buddy's Marlin in 44 mag. I really didn't like loading it. I can't imagine having to load 10 rounds at a time that way. My Big Boy gets most of it's work at the range. That is where the loading tube shines IMO. Even when hunting, if I have to shoot 10 rounds and then quickly reload a couple rounds, something is seriously, seriously wrong. At that point, I will drop my Henry and pull my sidearm loaded with 17 rounds, and another spare 17 round mag readily available. I see people carrying lots of bolt action rifles while hunting that have a 5 round box mag. I doubt many of them carry 4 or 5 spare mags, ready to reload. Some probably have one extra mag on them. Many will have some extra rounds, just in case, but only one mag.

[North Country Gal]

Good points, Clovis. Out in the woods for hunting or even for protection against toothy critters, both versions carry more than you need. I typically carry a single action revolver as a woods carry gun and don't feel the gun lacks capacity.

[Cowboy Gun Fan]

Well, I wasn't going to say anything, but yes, I prefer a Loading Gate, but I would not let that stop me from buying a Henry.

I already have one, lol.

[johnsgwh]

I think true blue Marlin owners can't admit that Henry rifles are superior to Marlin so they bring up the loading gate issue which in their eyes makes Marlins far superior. Sure, if we still had marauding Indians about and was constantly having a good ole western shootout every other week then yes, I would have a loading gate on my levers. But thankfully those days are long gone and the NEED for a loading gate has went the same way. I own both and like them both but I did notice that when my family goes to the range for a day of .44 mag fun by the end of the session everyone is only shooting the Henry's due to sore thumbs from the loading gates.

[Travlin]

I own both and have no problem with tube loading.

[tx gunrunner]

I prefer and manual transmission in all my cars and trucks . I hate automatic transmission . I like side loading gate over loading the tube feed . I can name 10 thing why the tube loads suck and the same thing with the side gate loading .

[Henry88]

I prefer a loading gate because that is the way Lucas McCain loaded his Winchester in the opening sequence.

X2 I think the folks at the Marlin forum fancy themselves as Steve McQueen, reloading in the heat of battle, rather than some pre-puberty adolescent loading his Glenfield model 60.