Henry Rifle Forums

Stopped into a shop yesterday to check on components and found a big pile of the Sierra .224 77gr Matchking I use in my match rifle. After getting excited to find the bullet I’ve been looking for I noticed the price. $27 for a box of 50. I USED to be able to buy them locally for around $18 and from Grafs and Sons online for $15 plus about $2 shipping when buying five boxes or more. I bought two boxes hoping to find more later at a more normal price.

After getting home I began to wonder if maybe this is the new normal as I understand that metal prices are very high. I’m hoping I didn’t make a mistake buying only two boxes and unfortunately this shop is about 60 miles from my home.

But the good news is they had a very large and varied inventory of Hornady bullets. Rifle only, no handgun which seems unusual to me. It didn’t appear that they had just sold out of the handgun billets as there were no empty spots on the shelf. Anyway, nice to see some bullets in stock. Only powder was 50BMG and the counter was too busy to ask about primers which are kept in the “back”.

I'm not going to concede that this is the new normal, but it is going to be like this for quite a while. Might want to go back & get a few more boxes,.....if they're still there.

There is no new normal and I dont see normal being the case ever again

I have always preferred to use Hornady XTP JHP bullets in my .357 (158 Gr) and .44 (240 Gr) Henry rifles but have not been able to find any for sale on line or locally.
I recently found some Hornady FTX bullets for sale. The same bullets Hornady uses in their LeverEvolution ammo. Their information says reloaders must trim the cases to a specified shorter length in order for them to function in a rifle because the OAL will be too long. I bought two boxes of the 140 grain FTX bullets to try in the .357 rifle and two boxes of the 225 grain FTX bullets to try in the .44 rifle. I loaded up a few 140 grain rounds for the .357 and I did not trim the cases. I had an OAL of 1.62' and they fed flawlessly through the Henry. I have not shot any yet to check accuracy. I am hoping the 225 grain FTX bullets will also feed in the .44 Henry without trimming the cases.

Steve51 wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 30, 2021 4:03 pm

I have always preferred to use Hornady XTP JHP bullets in my .357 (158 Gr) and .44 (240 Gr) Henry rifles but have not been able to find any for sale on line or locally.
I recently found some Hornady FTX bullets for sale. The same bullets Hornady uses in their LeverEvolution ammo. Their information says reloaders must trim the cases to a specified shorter length in order for them to function in a rifle because the OAL will be too long. I bought two boxes of the 140 grain FTX bullets to try in the .357 rifle and two boxes of the 225 grain FTX bullets to try in the .44 rifle. I loaded up a few 140 grain rounds for the .357 and I did not trim the cases. I had an OAL of 1.62' and they fed flawlessly through the Henry. I have not shot any yet to check accuracy. I am hoping the 225 grain FTX bullets will also feed in the .44 Henry without trimming the cases.

Looking at my 8th edition of Hornady's manual, they say its "critical that cartridge cases be trimmed to length specified".
Be careful Steve51.

Never used the FTX's in 357, but have in the 44 mag, and never trimmed those.
They cycled fine, but I mostly load cast in my pistol cal. rifles though.
I know my 44 BBB will cycle up to 1.622 with ease.

RP

Relax, its all going to get better when the current administration jacks up the taxes of businesses, consumers, and oh yeah, even when we die.

Rifletom wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:12 pm

Steve51 wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 30, 2021 4:03 pm

I have always preferred to use Hornady XTP JHP bullets in my .357 (158 Gr) and .44 (240 Gr) Henry rifles but have not been able to find any for sale on line or locally.
I recently found some Hornady FTX bullets for sale. The same bullets Hornady uses in their LeverEvolution ammo. Their information says reloaders must trim the cases to a specified shorter length in order for them to function in a rifle because the OAL will be too long. I bought two boxes of the 140 grain FTX bullets to try in the .357 rifle and two boxes of the 225 grain FTX bullets to try in the .44 rifle. I loaded up a few 140 grain rounds for the .357 and I did not trim the cases. I had an OAL of 1.62' and they fed flawlessly through the Henry. I have not shot any yet to check accuracy. I am hoping the 225 grain FTX bullets will also feed in the .44 Henry without trimming the cases.

Looking at my 8th edition of Hornady's manual, they say its "critical that cartridge cases be trimmed to length specified".
Be careful Steve51.

I believe.......believe that the Hornady FTX ammo is made from the shorter brass. So if you have a supply of once fired from Hornady factory FTX it should be the proper length. Personally I haven’t had much experience with FTX ammo but I seem to recall shooting a box in the past and measured the brass and it was short.

Not many bullets on shelve at my LGS. Only thing they have on the shelves is the very uncommon calibers. There were probably less than 10 boxes total on the shelves.
Jake

I just trim the flex tip flush and load in standard length brass for the .45 Colt 200 gr. FTX. Works great!