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Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2020 4:55 pm
by carlesque
Pretty new to guns, so please bear with me. I've always like lever-action rifles but wrote them off because their lack of range and the types of ammunition they were limited to. However, it seems the Long Ranger changes things, so some questions:
1. Are there still any advantages to a bolt action, or disadvantages to the Long Ranger's action? Now that we have a lever action that's just as accurate and can feed modern rounds from a magazine, are bolt actions obsolete?
2. Is it possible to build a higher capacity magazine for a Long Ranger? watching videos of people working the action, it seems like a 10 or 15 round magazine might actually get in the way of the lever. Just wondering if we'd ever see one aftermarket.
3. I hear rifle barrels wear after 2000+ rounds. Can barrels be replaced easily? I don't see any for sale in Henry's parts website...
4. Long Rangers seem to be out of stock everywhere. Any word on when new stock is coming, and where to look for it?
Many thanks everyone!
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2020 6:22 pm
by JEBar
first, welcome to our forum, delighted to have you join us .... do hope you will read and post often .... in answer to your questions :
carlesque wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 4:55 pm
1. Are there still any advantages to a bolt action, or disadvantages to the Long Ranger's action? Now that we have a lever action that's just as accurate and can feed modern rounds from a magazine, are bolt actions obsolete?
bolt actions are available in a much wider range of calibers .... they are preferred by a substantial segment of the gun buying market .... I don't foresee them phasing out any time soon
carlesque wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 4:55 pm
2. Is it possible to build a higher capacity magazine for a Long Ranger? watching videos of people working the action, it seems like a 10 or 15 round magazine might actually get in the way of the lever. Just wondering if we'd ever see one aftermarket.
at this point there aren't any on the market that I'm aware of .... they could certainly be custom fabricated but would come at a pretty high cost
carlesque wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 4:55 pm
3. I hear rifle barrels wear after 2000+ rounds. Can barrels be replaced easily? I don't see any for sale in Henry's parts website...
one size doesn't fit all .... we've run literally tens of thousands of rounds through our Henry 44 Mag and its barrel still functions well .... the higher the speed and the shorter the time between shots have a definite influence in barrel wear
carlesque wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 4:55 pm
4. Long Rangers seem to be out of stock everywhere. Any word on when new stock is coming, and where to look for it?
we have no way of knowing what lines will be produced at any given time .... some folks have had good luck calling Henry customer service and having them find a specific rifle
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2020 11:47 pm
by carlesque
Hi JEBar, thanks very kindly for your warm welcome! And thanks for the tip with asking customer service to help track down a rifle. I'll give that a try.
Some clarifications on my questions (it's super hard to ask them in the right way on the first try)
1. I was asking about this more from a design point of view. For example, if an engineer were asked to design a new rifle, for the uses bolt action rifles have historically been chosen for: basically accuracy at distance with medium to high power calibers, either for hunting or target shooting, would there be any reason to go with a bolt action over Henry's new form of lever action? Is there anything bolt actions are still better at?
2. I guess what I'm asking here is whether the design of the gun makes larger magazines even possible, the concern here being that if you had a magazine sticking out below the rifle, would the lever still be actionable?
3. Question is still open: Is the barrel replaceable, or do you need to buy a whole new rifle if the barrel wears out? IE: can I reasonably expect to give this rifle to my kids, or do I buy a new one every 10 years or so...
Cheers, an thanks again for your answers!
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2020 12:15 am
by plr
Dahlonega Armorey has some deluxe models/engraved ones in stock. They are more expensive though.Keep looking on guns.deals you will find one
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2020 9:18 am
by Hatchdog
carlesque wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 11:47 pm
Hi JEBar, thanks very kindly for your warm welcome! And thanks for the tip with asking customer service to help track down a rifle. I'll give that a try.
Some clarifications on my questions (it's super hard to ask them in the right way on the first try)
1
. I was asking about this more from a design point of view. For example, if an engineer were asked to design a new rifle, for the uses bolt action rifles have historically been chosen for: basically accuracy at distance with medium to high power calibers, either for hunting or target shooting, would there be any reason to go with a bolt action over Henry's new form of lever action? Is there anything bolt actions are still better at?
2. I guess what I'm asking here is whether the design of the gun makes larger magazines even possible, the concern here being that if you had a magazine sticking out below the rifle, would the lever still be actionable?
3. Question is still open: Is the barrel replaceable, or do you need to buy a whole new rifle if the barrel wears out? IE: can I reasonably expect to give this rifle to my kids, or do I buy a new one every 10 years or so...
Committed long range shooters use bolt actions as they are capable of being tuned (blueprinted) to eek out that last little bit of accuracy. Barrel swaps are common in the long range game due to the huge volumes of shots fired both in competition and practice. I can’t imagine that the long range shooters would even consider a lever action particularly since many competitions are from the prone position which makes working a lever difficult. Now, a long range lever action set up for longer hunting type of shooting well, that makes sense.
Cheers, an thanks again for your answers!
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2020 10:31 am
by JEBar
carlesque wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 11:47 pm
1. I was asking about this more from a design point of view. For example, if an engineer were asked to design a new rifle, for the uses bolt action rifles have historically been chosen for: basically accuracy at distance with medium to high power calibers, either for hunting or target shooting, would there be any reason to go with a bolt action over Henry's new form of lever action? Is there anything bolt actions are still better at?
the rotary bolt in Henry's Long Ranger is not new technology .... Browning came out with it in large production in the '60's .... the first rifle I bought for myself was a 1970 BLR chambered in 308 .... there is no telling how many rounds have been fired through it since then .... I can't tell any difference in its accuracy over time .... I do believe that its rotary bolt plays a part .... in my mind, the action people choose is pretty much dictated by personal preference and availability .... in looking at all calibers and the purposes they are designed for (long range precision, hunting, etc), lever actions and more specifically lever actions
with rotary bolts make up a tiny portion of what's available .... I don't believe there is a single, universally right choice .... I have a personal history that dates back over 65 years of owning and using rifles with various actions .... when there is a choice, the bottom line goes back to personal preference
carlesque wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 11:47 pm
2. I guess what I'm asking here is whether the design of the gun makes larger magazines even possible, the concern here being that if you had a magazine sticking out below the rifle, would the lever still be actionable?
our guys who have Long Rangers can address this question far better than I can .... there aren't any longer magazines available for my BLR .... I have 2 magazines for it .... with one in the chamber that gives me a total of 5 rounds in the rifle and 4 more available for a quick reload .... for big game hunting and/or range use that more than meets my needs .... in thinking about it, it does make sense to me that if it was possible to install a longer magazine in it or in the Long Ranger, some aftermarket company would be doing so
carlesque wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 11:47 pm
3. Question is still open: Is the barrel replaceable, or do you need to buy a whole new rifle if the barrel wears out? IE: can I reasonably expect to give this rifle to my kids, or do I buy a new one every 10 years or so...
there are several threads on this forum that speak to the fact that barrels in Henry rifles can most certainly be replaced .... the barrel in my BLR has had several times 2,000 rounds fired through it .... the barrel of our Henry 44 Mag has literally sent 10's of thousands of rounds down range .... I have no clue how many rounds have been fired in our Remington 700 BDL chambered for 300 WBY Magnum that I've owned and used since 1992 ... none have shown to need to be rebarreled .... if/when they do, I'll have a replacement barrel installed and keep on shooting .... in saying all this, I don't buy safe queens .... I buy then to shoot and plan to pass them on down the line
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2020 10:51 am
by Rifletom
The chances of shooting out a barrel on a Henry, or most other rifles is slim. Some calibers had a history of "burning" a barrel, but, those are very few and far between. Your Henry LR will be fine.
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2020 12:24 pm
by BigAl52
Welcome to the forum. Ive never heard of a gun being shot out in 2000 rounds. Ive own one of the notorious barrel burners in my life a 220 swift. Shoots at about 4000 fps. As far as I know all rifles can have a new barrel put on them. Just need to find the right gunsmith to do the job. Henrys have a life time warranty and Im sure that if there was a barrel issue with one of there rifles they would replace it. As far as magazines go. I think myself that these high capacity magazines have some give and takes with them. Im almost to the point of just having multiple smaller magazines because of weight and convenience. If shooting from a bench those longer magazines get in the way. In a hunting situation Im not sure Id be going hunting if I need 30 rounds to go with. Just my .02 worth.
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2020 8:15 pm
by carlesque
Thanks hugely JEBar, plr, Hatchdog, Rifletom, BigAl52 for answering my questions. I guess I read a bad article about barrel longevity. I don't think I'll miss the bigger ammo clips. Like BigAl52 said, a few 4 round mags should be more than enough for most purposes. The only place I might want some more capacity might be wild boar hunting (If I ever get into that, and who knows if I would), since I've heard they can turn on you, and many people use semi-autos for that reason, but 5 rounds + a friend with another rifle, should probably be ok. Hopefully there will be a 6.5 CM in my near future...
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2020 8:51 pm
by Cofisher
A lot of curiosity about that 6.5. Let us know your thoughts.
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2020 1:41 am
by carlesque
JEBar mentioned "Browning came out with it in large production in the '60's". I originally thought that the long ranger's action was brand new. Interesting to hear it's been around for so long. I wonder why it never caught on. To me, it seems like it has virtually all the advantages, along with a faster (and just way cooler) action, it should have largely replaced the bolt action.
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2020 10:08 am
by JEBar
carlesque wrote: ↑Sat Nov 28, 2020 1:41 am
I wonder why it never caught on. To me, it seems like it has virtually all the advantages, along with a faster (and just way cooler) action, it should have largely replaced the bolt action.
one factor is the complexity of the gear movement in lever actions with rotary bolts .... the gear timing is critical and its next to impossible to find someone who hasn't been trained by Browning to work on the action .... having been in use for 50 years it does seem a bit remarkable that our BLR's action has never been taken apart and cleaned .... the bottom line is, its action is still I exceptionally smooth .... if/when it should ever need service, I'll find a place to have it taken care of .... I tend to believe but have no direct confirmation that it will be much the same with the Long Ranger .... our folks who have them are in a far better position to answer that question .... as to popularity, folks who prefer lever actions make up a relatively small part of today's market
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2020 11:22 pm
by Travlin
Sako made a levergun for 308, 243 etc. several years ago. I believe that it was a turning bolt design. Don't forget the Savage 99 was made in 284, 22-250 and all of the 308 family of cartridges. I have one in .358 and I like the rotary magazine with the round counter. Also with the rotary magazine there is nothing to lose.
Re: Some questions about the Long Ranger
Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2021 4:09 pm
by Michael-AZ
This is an old thread, but I will post a question update here because it's relative to what's been asked. May also start a new question thread because I don't see it when I search.
I just a Long Ranger (6.5), and I am also interested in a higher capacity magazine - maybe 10 rounds. I have no concerns about interference. First, a 10 round clip is not going to extend very far beyond flush. Second, supposedly the lever does not travel as far on the Long Ranger. Unless it is a bananaclip that extrudes backwards, I can't see a magazine interfering.
With that in mind, have any of you Long Ranger owners (especially 6.5 owners) found a slightly higher capacity magazine?