Henry Big Boy - Dumb Question

[Mags]

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The loading part is used as an excuse. What they are really having issues with is authenticity. Leverguns need a sidegate to be a real authentic levergun. What they dont realize is the tube feed has been around for a long time. I might be mistaken but Im not remembering a 22LR levergun with a sidegate.

It's a lot easier to tube load a 5lb 22LR rifle, user free standing than tube loading a 12lb 30-30 with scope.
Annie Oakley used an Lewis L. Hepburn-designed Marlin 1891 .22LR sidegate.

Pictures of a 22LR sidegate.
https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns- ... =100966678

[BigAl52]

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The loading part is used as an excuse. What they are really having issues with is authenticity. Leverguns need a sidegate to be a real authentic levergun. What they dont realize is the tube feed has been around for a long time. I might be mistaken but Im not remembering a 22LR levergun with a sidegate.

It's a lot easier to tube load a 5lb 22LR rifle, user free standing than tube loading a 12lb 30-30 with scope.
Annie Oakley used an Lewis L. Hepburn-designed Marlin 1891 .22LR sidegate.

Pictures of a 22LR sidegate.
https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns- ... =100966678

Ease of loading though isnt what I was getting at. I agree loading a 22 tube is alot easier thats a given. I used the 22 as an example for the tube feed being around for a while.

[Bill.68]

I never fully remove the tube. I pull it far enough to clear the cartridge window, pull rounds from my coat pocket or belt pouch, drop them in and close the tube and go to work.
Dont get me wrong, I fault no man for his preferences or choices, I just tire of hearing how much better a side loader is, iys just different. I can load 10 rounds in mine pretty quick. Like everything else it just takes practice and muscle memory.
Again, I own both and in probably 80% of the time I find the tube just as practical as the gate. To reiterate, I van see a few situations where the gate would be the only way to go but I definitely have other platforms much better suited but if I were caught unawares with only my tube fed Henry my tactics would shift to making maximum use of cover and picking my shots carefully and selectively. At those times it sure would be nice to have a loading gate to top up with, otherwise....

[JVogler]

Unless the side gate Big Boy steel in 357magnum that I've tried several times lightens up real quick by the next use my tube feed Big Boy Brass will still be a quicker reload than the side gate steel.