Henry Rifle Forums

I've reloaded for about 5 years for 9 rifles and 4 hand guns. The 45 colt Henry is a brass receiver and I find no reference to cup pressure in this rifle. It's a toggle link action I think so I am a little leary of running close to Ruger only loads through it. It seems to handle a 250 grain Rimrock coy boy bullet under 9.5 grains of Unique with no issues. Chronos sound 1200 fps give or take. I would like to run around 12 grains but don't want gun or myself blown up. Henry suggests No reloads but I don't shoot factory due to cost. Other forums suggest or think cup is around 12000 but I'm thinking it can handle more. Not looking for full powered load but would like to see around 1400 fps.

You'll be playing with fire at 12 grains of Unique. That's a grain higher than what is suggested by Alliant for a .454 Casull load and I don't believe Henry has proofed the BB for it.

2guns wrote:...but don't want gun or myself blown up.

You might find this Chuck Hawks article helpful.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/high-pressure45.htm

Mistered , you are correct. The Sierra manual shows 11.1 of Unique as top load in a RedHawk. I guess the 1200 is as good as I am going to get. Would still be nice to know what cup pressure the Henry will withstand if I ever change to cleaner powders. Now I'm going to have to buy a 44 in a Henry also. I've always got the old Marlin 45-70 to fall back on but I sure like this 45.

Would still be nice to know what cup pressure the Henry will withstand if I ever change to cleaner powders.

Don't concern yourself with how much pressure the gun can stand - but do concern yourself with ensuring you do not exceed published load data for the cartridge - and a bit less is not a bad idea either.

I'm in no hurry to lose any body parts. I've worked up in 1/2 grain increments from lowest charge in Hornady 10th edition. Not so sure I like the brass receivers though.

The Linebaugh load data show 12gr with a 260gr slug as 30k psi. I’ve shot that load myself a few times with zero issues.

I think some of the responses here may be talking about the wrong Henry rifle. You are talking about a Henry Original and not a BigBoy, right? If so I'd be very careful about what you put in that rifle - it's toggle-link action can't handle anything close to what a BigBoy can handle...

tractortad wrote:I think some of the responses here may be talking about the wrong Henry rifle. You are talking about a Henry Original and not a BigBoy, right? If so I'd be very careful about what you put in that rifle - it's toggle-link action can't handle anything close to what a BigBoy can handle...

Agreed and I think the title of this thread is misleading. A Big Boy doesnt have a toggle link action. Al

It is the bbc and not the original. It was made and sold at the end of last year.

2guns wrote:It is the bbc and not the original. It was made and sold at the end of last year.

If it is an H006C (commonly known as a Brass BigBoy -BBB) it doesn't have a toggle link action and it is built like a tank - you can run any load with an OAL that will cycle in it.

Spoke with Henry this morning and it’s an H006c. They did confirm it isn’t a Toggle link action but when asking cup all they would advise is that it could handle heavy Buffalo Bore ammunition but from what I seem to remember reading the oal of the Buffalo Bore is too long to cycle.

~1.65” seems to be the max oal my 45 Colt Big boy steel will cycle.

I think I will just be happy with the result's I'm getting now and save heavier and faster work for bolts and the 45-70. I'm a 7mm mag fanatic and 90% of the time if I am headed into the woods it's going with me.

all they would advise is that it could handle heavy Buffalo Bore ammunition

Does anyone know if the load data for Buffalo Bore Ammo is posted anywhere?

I googled everything I could think of and they probably use powders not available to us.

I googled everything I could think of and they probably use powders not available to us.

Kinda what I was thinking but I had not yet checked. Would have been interesting to read their load data. I would have a hard time trusting ammo I could not reference the data - but then I reload so a moot point.

Mistered wrote:

I googled everything I could think of and they probably use powders not available to us.

Kinda what I was thinking but I had not yet checked. Would have been interesting to read their load data. I would have a hard time trusting ammo I could not reference the data - but then I reload so a moot point.

Buffalo Bore does share muzzle velocities, so regardless of the powder used, it should be possible to replicate an equivalent pressure. I'm certainly not experienced about this topic, so forgive me; but it seems to me if the brass case can handle the load, the rifle ought to handle it as well. Please set me straight.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l ... tail&p=292

it seems to me if the brass case can handle the load, the rifle ought to handle it as well. Please set me straight.

Consider yourself set straight! This is not correct! The case is considerably thinner than the receiver and is contained within the chamber so it is 'supported' . This is why guns with less than 100% case support (Glock for one) eject semi bulged cases. Conversely if a firing pin were to slam fire prior to the case being completely chambered (some ARs have been knows to do this) it will burst in the receiver. The case is in no way a benchmark for how much the gun can 'handle'!

I think he means the brass receiver of his gun