Safe loading of your Henry

[Ojaileveraction]

Safe loading of your Henry.
I don't mean Long Rangers.
For my BBB
Lever closed, hammer down.
I will stand my rifle up but on a table or stool or my toe if that is all there is.
Holding with one hand around the barrel below the muzzle the other hand turning and lifting the tube till it's clear, the first hand holding it while the second loads.
Keeping the muzzle pointed up and away from the line and my hands away from the muzzle.
The rimfire I can keep the hammer at half cock, lever fully open other wise the same.

A club I shot at they all lay the rifle on the carpeted barrier/ table holding it up side down and pointing slightly up, pull out the tube and load.

How do you folks load you tube mag.

[Mistered]

Typically I simply hold mine with my left hand, muzzle slightly up and slide out the tube to clear the cutout, add rounds and close the tube.
Often I am outside without a bench so this is the easiest for me.
This is where a load gate is undeniably more convenient, I.E. loading outside with no where to rest the rifle but I can load my Henry pretty fast and smoothly as I described.

[JEBar]

ditto

[GFK]

I do something similar. I tilt my gun slightly, maybe at 2 o'clock or so. I am somewhat cautious about too great of a force on the primer. I use the cutout most of the time.

[GFK]

. . .
This is where a load gate is undeniably more convenient, I.E. loading outside with no where to rest the rifle . . .

I was thinking something similar.

[Mistered]

I was thinking something similar.

There is simply nothing more satisfying (lever gun wise) than having a load gate system tube spring adjusted so perfectly as to when you push a round in the gate the tension holds it just enough to keep from pushing it back out so the round 'sticks' and holds the gate open and you just push another round in on the base of that one and so on till its full.
My 1899 Mod 94 is perfect in this respect and I need to cut a couple more coils off the tube springs in my other two Winchesters until I get the same load action.

[RanchRoper]

With my 1860 I have a slight angle while I cradle in my right arm. Then the rounds are loaded with my left hand. The angle is enough they slide but no slamming into each other. Load same way every time. 12 rounds later, it's go time.

[Ojaileveraction]

All the rimfires in this type of Silhouette are tube fed.
My Henry of course doesn't have a loading gate.
I have my routine I'm don't need a change in it right now.

[Mags]

Brass .30-30 with octagon barrel. It's muzzle heavy and hard to load when out in the open. Have to sit or kneel with the rifle across in my lap or knee with enough of an upward angle to let the ammo slide down the tube, and with left hand through the lever with fingers wrapped around the stock hand grip to keep the lever from popping open when I close the mag tube. I don't do vertical loading of .30-30 ammo just in case.

Safe loading of your Henry. ....How do you folks load you tube mag.

[dddrees]

With my 1860 I have a slight angle while I cradle in my right arm. Then the rounds are loaded with my left hand. The angle is enough they slide but no slamming into each other. Load same way every time. 12 rounds later, it's go time.

Unfortunately even on YouTube you"ll find some of those who even have their own channels and demonstrate numerous guns doing this wrong. I can't even tell you the number of posts I read where people have seen others doing this wrong and some who have actually experienced an unfortunate accident for doing so. Not a good thing that's for sure.

[Rifletom]

The same as Ojai' does. Simple, safe, almost by instinct I suppose. We all know "accidents happen", but, I don't see how a Henry can go off with the hammer down, lever closed while loading.

[RanchRoper]

Agree. My 1860 has a half cock as well but as long nothing in the chamber I just need to keep the rounds from banging into one another while loading. And I never carry one in the chamber, horseback or otherwise.

[Jenkinsd]

With my 1860 I have a slight angle while I cradle in my right arm. Then the rounds are loaded with my left hand. The angle is enough they slide but no slamming into each other. Load same way every time. 12 rounds later, it's go time.

So I'm wondering how much force does a firing pin have to ignite the primer? Think you would get that kind of force from rounds siding down the tube?

[RanchRoper]

Don't know but my rounds just slide slow and gently bump the other. Plus all I shoot is flat nose lead.
I imagine that firing pin goes down hard and concentrated in 1 tiny spot.

[Ojaileveraction]

With my 1860 I have a slight angle while I cradle in my right arm. Then the rounds are loaded with my left hand. The angle is enough they slide but no slamming into each other. Load same way every time. 12 rounds later, it's go time.

So I'm wondering how much force does a firing pin have to ignite the primer? Think you would get that kind of force from rounds siding down the tube?

The slide down an upright mag tube can not detonate a cartridge. The recoil is a many times stronger bump.

[ESquared]

While there are subtle differences in techniques, it seems we're all in violent agreement about the basics: slide 'em in gently, no slamming of one cartridge into the next one.

Thankfully, I've never seen any YouTubes of guys doing it incorrectly, and I don't think I want to... Some people just shouldn't own firearms.

[RanchRoper]

Why take chances with anything we do? Be safe out there folks.

[Jenkinsd]

sure like my ss

[Ojaileveraction]

At my day at The range loading and shooting the BBB, the lever would constantly open on put down the mag spring.
During my ride hom e it occurred to me that with lever fully open it would block the mag tube.
At home I opened the lever and Loaded a brace of eight snap caps and racked the action a it worked great.
My main concern being safe but also don't won't to be called out as unsafe with my loading technique because of it's difference.

[Omegaspeedy]

I always load lever open with no worries at all. This also allow you to get one in the chamber too. It's never jammed or done anything out of the ordinary.