Spring has sprung. Get out and shoot your Henry
New X in .357 Magnum
New X in .357 Magnum
Found this last week & snatched it up right there. Pre-panic price, plus they happened to have all lever guns on sale (it was a good day!). Cleaned & took to the range right away. Not much daylight left, but managed to get her zeroed with the factory sights.
Like leather slings on my walnut rifles, but the paracord sling seemed like a good fit with the X. Put a Ranger Point Precision sight on today, with a standard round aperture. Note that it wasn't because the factory sights are bad... they're actually very good. The aperture does help with smaller targets at longer ranges, and gives a longer sight radius, but the main reason was to have an easily adjustable rear sight. 357 Magnum is a very versatile cartridge, but different loads can produce massively different POI. While the RPP doesn't have nice graduated clicks like a good scope, it's very easy to adjust. Have also found it predictable in adjustment once you get a feel for how much things move for each 1/8 turn on the screws. Two small adjustments & I was in business.
Very pleased with the accuracy! The handload that was used has done well in several rifles & revolvers. Had no problems with feeding, extracting, or ejecting. Action is fairly smooth out of the box. Used the side gate exclusively on the first trip and it's both easier & less critical of exact alignment than the one on my Marlin. Prefer to top load from empty, (& definitely prefer unloading from the top!), but I do like having the option to top off through a gate. Best of both worlds, well done Henry. Same can be said of the lever- I like having an enlarged loop for gloved hands, but many are way larger than necessary. This one's just right; big enough for a gloved hand but not much more.
Trigger is crisp & breaks right at 5 lbs. Might prefer a pound less, but like the results both from a bench & offhand, so I'm calling it good.
Probably going to get a Versacarry ammo caddy for the stock. Also contemplating factory rear sight removal & replacement with a dovetail filler. The rear sight didn't seem to bother me today (it & the RPP are actually co-witnessed, lol), but it does occupy most of the sight picture's lower half. No problems today with a bright orange target on a white background, but want to try it with something more field realistic... maybe tape up a plain brown grocery bag & see if I can center it without issue.
Length of pull is ~3/4" longer than ideal for me. Not Henry's fault that I'm 5'8", short armed & barrel chested, of course. Can't say it affected accuracy today, nor cycling, but I was making a conscious effort to throw the lever open all the way. Can envision a scenario where I short stroke it a bit & an empty doesn't quite make it out, especially if I have a heavy coat on. Not sure yet how I'll go about the reduction.
All in all, I'm a happy camper!
Like leather slings on my walnut rifles, but the paracord sling seemed like a good fit with the X. Put a Ranger Point Precision sight on today, with a standard round aperture. Note that it wasn't because the factory sights are bad... they're actually very good. The aperture does help with smaller targets at longer ranges, and gives a longer sight radius, but the main reason was to have an easily adjustable rear sight. 357 Magnum is a very versatile cartridge, but different loads can produce massively different POI. While the RPP doesn't have nice graduated clicks like a good scope, it's very easy to adjust. Have also found it predictable in adjustment once you get a feel for how much things move for each 1/8 turn on the screws. Two small adjustments & I was in business.
Very pleased with the accuracy! The handload that was used has done well in several rifles & revolvers. Had no problems with feeding, extracting, or ejecting. Action is fairly smooth out of the box. Used the side gate exclusively on the first trip and it's both easier & less critical of exact alignment than the one on my Marlin. Prefer to top load from empty, (& definitely prefer unloading from the top!), but I do like having the option to top off through a gate. Best of both worlds, well done Henry. Same can be said of the lever- I like having an enlarged loop for gloved hands, but many are way larger than necessary. This one's just right; big enough for a gloved hand but not much more.
Trigger is crisp & breaks right at 5 lbs. Might prefer a pound less, but like the results both from a bench & offhand, so I'm calling it good.
Probably going to get a Versacarry ammo caddy for the stock. Also contemplating factory rear sight removal & replacement with a dovetail filler. The rear sight didn't seem to bother me today (it & the RPP are actually co-witnessed, lol), but it does occupy most of the sight picture's lower half. No problems today with a bright orange target on a white background, but want to try it with something more field realistic... maybe tape up a plain brown grocery bag & see if I can center it without issue.
Length of pull is ~3/4" longer than ideal for me. Not Henry's fault that I'm 5'8", short armed & barrel chested, of course. Can't say it affected accuracy today, nor cycling, but I was making a conscious effort to throw the lever open all the way. Can envision a scenario where I short stroke it a bit & an empty doesn't quite make it out, especially if I have a heavy coat on. Not sure yet how I'll go about the reduction.
All in all, I'm a happy camper!
5 x
- fortyshooter
- Ranch Foreman
- Posts: 6306
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:37 am
- Location: Va.
Re: New X in .357 Magnum
Looks like you got a great early Christmas present! Nice shootin' ! What type load were you shooting? I'm loading up some Missouri Bullets cast coated 180's that pack a nice punch.
0 x
Re: New X in .357 Magnum
Thanks fortyshooter! These were 158 grain jsp over 6.7 grains HP38. I've followed some of your range reports & been wanting to try some of the 180 grain pugs, but they've been unavailable for a while. MBC website says they've narrowed the product selection to only the most popular for now to help speed up production & shipping. All they show in .358 are 158 swc & 125 tcfp. Makes sense & I don't blame them, guess I'll just have to be patient!
0 x
- beaverislander
- Cowhand
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2020 7:58 pm
Re: New X in .357 Magnum
I like the looks of all brass Henry rifles. I really like the brass Big Boy in 357magnum, with assorted reviews and videos of the x models that I have seen those "black" rifles are growing on me.
0 x
Re: New X in .357 Magnum
That’s some fine shooting with sights. Always interesting to follow adjustments to zero, thanks for sharing that.
0 x
Re: New X in .357 Magnum
Thanks for the comments!
I do love the looks of walnut & steel / walnut & brass, & have a beautiful Henry single shot, among others. The X does have a utilitarian appeal to me though, and I appreciate that Henry was able to give it some useful "modern" features while retaining the same basic dimensions, manual of arms, and handling characteristics of a more traditional lever action carbine.
Mine will very likely never sport a suppressor or bipod, but plenty of others will buy them specifically because it will accept those items. Mine will likely be home to the spare Streamlight TLR-1A I have. All my repeating firearms are eligible for home defense duty, & I do like an onboard light for that purpose.
I do love the looks of walnut & steel / walnut & brass, & have a beautiful Henry single shot, among others. The X does have a utilitarian appeal to me though, and I appreciate that Henry was able to give it some useful "modern" features while retaining the same basic dimensions, manual of arms, and handling characteristics of a more traditional lever action carbine.
Mine will very likely never sport a suppressor or bipod, but plenty of others will buy them specifically because it will accept those items. Mine will likely be home to the spare Streamlight TLR-1A I have. All my repeating firearms are eligible for home defense duty, & I do like an onboard light for that purpose.
0 x
- Rifletom
- Deputy Marshal
- Posts: 3904
- Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2018 11:26 pm
- Location: California Territory
Re: New X in .357 Magnum
That was a pretty good introduction wolfman, pictures, report, everything. You're gonna fit right in here. Welcome!
1 x
Re: New X in .357 Magnum
Great shooting and welcome to the forum. Looks like you have the X model dialed in.
0 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