Dialing in a 44Mag BBS Carbine

[tractortad]

Picked up a nice Henry 44Mag Steel Carbine from a LGS the other day - didn't really need it - but it just felt really nice and shouldered well. The wife saw me drooling over it and said "oh, just go ahead and buy it"... Anyway, I installed a Skinner "Low-Pro" rear peep and a Lyman .404" 17A Globe that were laying around from previous experiments and took it out to the hayfield to sight it in.

IMG_0405.JPG (160.87 KiB) Viewed 1619 times

I used Federal 44Mag 240g JHP at 25yds. First three shots were about 2" high. I dropped the Low-Pro as far down as it would go (had to grind off about 1/16" off the stem) and sent three more rounds downrange - got em to fall close enough for Shenandoah Valley plinking standards...

IMG_0406.JPG (131.46 KiB) Viewed 1619 times

This is a fun little rifle - it's light and really handles well - really lets you know when you're shooting 44 magnums. After this I shot some 200g 44sp cowboy action loads just for kicks - they printed about three inches higher than the 44mags at 25yds - I'm sure there's a good explanation for it, but it just seems kind of strange to see a much slower round print higher on the target...

I guess I'm addicted to these big bore Henrys - there's just something about loading those big fat 44 rounds in the tube, watching them rack into the breech, feeling that jolt, hearing that boom echo off the hills, and seeing those big holes in the target that just makes my day - 45-70 is even better...

[ditto1958]

Pretty cool! Nice Henry, nice day, good range report.

[JEBar]

nicely done .... you are correct, "45-70 is even better"

[Cofisher]

Nice wood on that 44! I really like the steel carbines! Mine is coming along. These things are so easy to shoot, it makes it a pleasure. Thanks for the update

[BigAl52]

You know Tad need never even crosses my mind when I see one I WANT

[DAVIDF]

Picked up a nice Henry 44Mag Steel Carbine from a LGS the other day - didn't really need it - but it just felt really nice and shouldered well. The wife saw me drooling over it and said "oh, just go ahead and buy it"... Anyway, I installed a Skinner "Low-Pro" rear peep and a Lyman .404" 17A Globe that were laying around from previous experiments and took it out to the hayfield to sight it in.
IMG_0405.JPG
I used Federal 44Mag 240g JHP at 25yds. First three shots were about 2" high. I dropped the Low-Pro as far down as it would go (had to grind off about 1/16" off the stem) and sent three more rounds downrange - got em to fall close enough for Shenandoah Valley plinking standards...
IMG_0406.JPG
This is a fun little rifle - it's light and really handles well - really lets you know when you're shooting 44 magnums. After this I shot some 200g 44sp cowboy action loads just for kicks - they printed about three inches higher than the 44mags at 25yds - I'm sure there's a good explanation for it, but it just seems kind of strange to see a much slower round print higher on the target...

I guess I'm addicted to these big bore Henrys - there's just something about loading those big fat 44 rounds in the tube, watching them rack into the breech, feeling that jolt, hearing that boom echo off the hills, and seeing those big holes in the target that just makes my day - 45-70 is even better...

The reason that slower velocity loads print higher is because the bullet is in the barrel longer and more effected by recoil. The barrel moves upward just a fraction more before the bullets exits. Also, if you have two different loads with the same velocity the heavier bullet load will print higher for the same reason. More recoil and thus the barrel is slightly higher before the bullet exits. This applies to certain distances of course as gravity will take effect and the slower velocity load will eventually drop below the trajectory of the higher velocity load. This is the theory that I am familiar with anyways.

Thank you for very report and great photos. That is a beautiful rifle!