Big Boy Steel, carbine or rifle

[Hatchdog]

I’m planning on picking up a Big Boy Steel .357 this week and I am wondering for those of you who own both a carbine and a rifle in the same caliber which do you prefer? Both are available to me at my LGS with a price difference of $20 with the carbine being the more expensive. I tried a search on this question but did not find a post specific to this. Appreciate your input.

[Rifletom]

I have the BB brass with 20" octagon barrel, so, I'm not much help. But, I've always liked the rifle with the 20" barrels. My .45 Colt is that version. Love it.

[Cofisher]

I bought the rifle first. Just as the carbine was being introduced. Quickly traded. While the rifle was very traditional and comfortable, the carbine was simply way too handy. It was by far the better choice for me. Good luck with your choice and with your new Henry.

[markiver54]

I wrestled with the same question before buying my BBS 357. I went with the rifle.
I figured 4 more inches of barrel is not going to hinder me, as little as I carry it in the woods anymore. Also, even though it's probably hardly measurable, I figured I might get a bit more velocity and accuracy from the longer barrel.
Cannot give a comparison though because I don't have a carbine.

[JEBar]

I too debated which one to buy .... in the end, if I needed a rifle to carry in the woods on walking hunts, I'd of gone with the carbine .... since any future hunting I may do will almost certainly be form a stationary stand/blind I chose to go with a rifle

[BigAl52]

I dont hunt with any of the pistol caliber levers at this time. But even if I did the 16 inch carbine barrels are my choice. I like the way they handle. Just my 02 cents worth

[fortyshooter]

I have the .357 rifle in CCH and think it shoots great with the 20 inch barrel. Love the Carbine size too especially in .45 Colt and .44 Mag!

[Team Roper]

Hunting Ohio with strictly straight wall cartridges I chose the longer barrels ( 20 inch) for my 44 mag Henry and my 1894 ,45 Colt). I want all the extra velocity I can squeeze out of the longer barrels. I sit on stand mostly and usually get there on my Yamaha Grizzly or Rhino so the extra length is no hindrance. The only short barrel rifle I hunt with is my Marlin Guide Gun 45-70 and it is what it is, a heck of a thumper on both ends. Maybe a longer barrel on it would have helped tame it down a little.

[GunnyGene]

I wrestled with the same question before buying my BBS 357. I went with the rifle.
I figured 4 more inches of barrel is not going to hinder me, as little as I carry it in the woods anymore. Also, even though it's probably hardly measurable, I figured I might get a bit more velocity and accuracy from the longer barrel.
Cannot give a comparison though because I don't have a carbine.

Depending on the ammo, you are probably getting somewhere between 50 and 100fps faster than a carbine. For example my .41BBSC chrono's at 1738fps (avg) with Underwood 210grn XTP. That same ammo from my NMBH (6.5" bbl) avg's 1560fps, for a 178fps difference. Which works out to about 18.7 fps per inch of additional barrel length. YMMV. .357 should be roughly similar FPS/Inch.

[Vaquero]

Well both of my center fire Henrys wear the 20" barrels. When I bought the 41 the first year they didn't and said they weren't going to make them in the carbine, or I'd waited.
Now I have a pair of Marlins in 35 Rem. and three years ago now I had one of them shortened to 16.5".
It's nice, and carrys right well, and the deer I took with it the first season couldn't tell the difference.
At 75 yds., that 200 gr. piece of lead went right through him at that distance.
In the steel version I don't think the weight difference will be very noticeable, but
in the BBB's with the thick octagons, it probably does.
It's all really a person thing, I like the short barrels a lot.
But I do have a few Long barreled one also.
Like Gunny said the shorter barrels will be just a tad slower.

RP