Henry Rifle Forums

Is there any real difference between the Henry hexagonal barrels and their round barrels? I understand that the hex will be heavier, but is there any difference in the accuracy, or balance etc?

Interesting questions...hadn't really thought about the Henry barrels much before.

But recently I did read one thread on The High Road. Quite a few comments on the comparison of these barrels, including this somewhat humorous one:

"The only difference is that the octagon isn't round."

I think folk might enjoy reading the entire thread. It was posted 5 years ago, and is archived here:
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/inde ... 04530.html

As I re-read this stuff today, I'd say that mostly it is personal preference based on the reasons listed in the discussion thread. There are some manufacturing considerations that were noted, but don't know if they are very significant. After you read these comments, you might share with us what you think.

BTW, I've had Henrys with both types of barrels. A .22 Magnum (H001M) with a 19.25" round barrel, and my current .22LR Small Game Carbine (H001TLP), which has the shorter 16.25" octagonal barrel. Both rifles shoot very accurately. I've noticed the octagon does remain a little cooler to the touch. But mainly what I've liked is the excellent balance of the SGC. A pleasure to hold and to shoot. Well, that's my two cents worth on your quite interesting questions.

Have a great day.

I can't read the article at work, but to me the octagon would be nice in a short length, kind of giving you the inertia of a rifle in a carbine size.

Though I've never shot one, I've held the long octagon and didn't really care for all that weight.

PT7 wrote:Interesting questions...hadn't really thought about the Henry barrels much before.

But recently I did read one thread on The High Road. Quite a few comments on the comparison of these barrels, including this somewhat humorous one:

"The only difference is that the octagon isn't round."

I think folk might enjoy reading the entire thread. It was posted 5 years ago, and is archived here:
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/inde ... 04530.html

As I re-read this stuff today, I'd say that mostly it is personal preference based on the reasons listed in the discussion thread. There are some manufacturing considerations that were noted, but don't know if they are very significant. After you read these comments, you might share with us what you think.

BTW, I've had Henrys with both types of barrels. A .22 Magnum (H001M) with a 19.25" round barrel, and my current .22LR Small Game Carbine (H001TLP), which has the shorter 16.25" octagonal barrel. Both rifles shoot very accurately. I've noticed the octagon does remain a little cooler to the touch. But mainly what I've liked is the excellent balance of the SGC. A pleasure to hold and to shoot. Well, that's my two cents worth on your quite interesting questions.

Have a great day.

So, if the octagon isn't 'round, is the octa-gone? Hmmm...

This is a super short version and it will take a small book tell you why . Octagon barrels are more accurate round barrels . Taper barrels are more accurate then cylinder round or octagon . Short rifle barrels are more accurate long ones . Now there is 10,000 variable to make one more accurate then the other . Harry Pope wrote a book called Pope's Barrels on this subject and I sold my book and it is in San Diego . The paste below is a little longer but the book tell it all .

http://sandiegoschutzenguilde.org/Histo ... yPope.html

Most interesting article; well worth reading.
I think I'll check out WorldCat if I can get the book to read.

PT7 wrote:Most interesting article; well worth reading.
I think I'll check out WorldCat if I can get the book to read.

I sold my copy for $100 in 1981 with my Pope Ballard rifle #425 in new condition .. Good luck finding one . The pic below is not mine Ballard . But is a exact copy of mine with all the tools , plus I had pope bullet mold that was made with rifle . [no Scope ]

https://www.amazon.com/Story-Popes-Barr ... B000O1KIKC

When I bought my Big Boy steel, I looked at the octo barrel BB. I didn't care for the weight or balance compared to the steel. I love the looks. In a carbine length, I might prefer the octo.

I like the Henry Small Game Carbine with the octagon barrel because it is shorter yet slightly heavier. The heavier barrel makes it easier to steady in my opinion.

There is a reason many guns claim heavy target barrel

seak89 wrote:There is a reason many guns claim heavy target barrel

I'm by far no expert, but I think at least part of that is heat dissipation for situations like the range, where it's not unusual to fire somewhat continuously. There are many sporter weight barrels that are accurate, but not after the 10th shot, or whatever.

I'm pretty sure it's about "looks" and whether you want a rifle that looks like it's a "period piece" or not. I'm no historian, but I'm fairly certain the original Henry (1860's) were made with a octagon barrel by the New Haven Arms Company (since re-named to Winchester). The current Henry Repeating Arms Company produces replicas...excellent rifles in their own right.

Just a minor correction, to the thread title and to one or two of the comments. The hexagon is not the shape Henry uses to build its barrels. A hexagon has six sides. Henry rifles are built with an octagonal barrel, which has eight sides. Here is the Henry picture from their BB web page.

PT7 wrote:After you read these comments, you might share with us what you think.

I certainly can't argue with any of the comments. I don't have any personal experience concerning the accuracy of the two types of barrel - yet - so I can't really comment on that point.

It stands to reason that a barrel which has more mass per unit length will heat up more slowly than a lighter barrel, but whether this makes much difference to normal sporting or target rifles is a question that would probably trigger a long lasting debate, with a 50:50 split at the end of it.

The question of aesthetics is much easier to answer. A hexagonal or octagonal barrel definitely looks 'cooler' than a round one, and I think that Henry as a company has been very clever to include the octagonal barrel in some models of their range.

PT7 wrote:Just a minor correction, to the thread title and to one or two of the comments. The hexagon is not the shape Henry uses to build its barrels. A hexagon has six sides. Henry rifles are built with an octagonal barrel, which has eight sides. Here is the Henry picture from their BB web page.

Duly noted!

I didn't notice it in the thread title but my first comment was written correctly.

PT7 wrote:Just a minor correction, to the thread title and to one or two of the comments. The hexagon is not the shape Henry uses to build its barrels. A hexagon has six sides. Henry rifles are built with an octagonal barrel, which has eight sides. Here is the Henry picture from their BB web page.

Henry octagon barrel.jpg

Sir Henry wrote:I like the Henry Small Game Carbine with the octagon barrel because it is shorter yet slightly heavier. The heavier barrel makes it easier to steady in my opinion.

Never counted the number sides on a Henry barrel and no need to start now . If it not round or egg shape then it must be hexagon or octagon . Who cares .

tx gunrunner wrote:Never counted the number sides on a Henry barrel and no need to start now . If it not round or egg shape then it must be hexagon or octagon . Who cares .

A person needs to know so they can buy either hexagon or octagon bullets.

Remember the first Henry, Winchester 66 and 73 were all built for war not sportsman. Most all new rifle and handgun designs were for killing men in battle.

You mean my Henry is an evil assault rifle??