Spring has sprung. Get out and shoot your Henry

Henry 357 side loader shooting 38 special

Growlers
Tenderfoot
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2022 7:23 pm
Location: NE WI
United States of America

Henry 357 side loader shooting 38 special

Post by Growlers » Thu Mar 10, 2022 1:10 pm

Hi everyone. I'm new to this board, and currently don't own any Henry rifles. However, I plan on correcting that soon!

I'm really interested in a Henry 357 side-loading model. My question, specifically, is this: does this model have problems feeding 38 special ammunition? I'm mostly looking for personal experience with this by Forum participants.

I expect to almost entirely shoot 38 special ammunition through this rifle, since I currently reload this caliber.
0 x

User avatar
Cofisher
Drover
Posts: 2472
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2016 8:02 pm
Location: Colorado/Nebraska
United States of America

Re: Henry 357 side loader shooting 38 special

Post by Cofisher » Thu Mar 10, 2022 2:20 pm

If you load 38's, it's no big deal to use 357 cases. They seem to function better. I have shot both, and prefer the 357. Just don't load to heavy. Shoots easy.

Welcome to the site.
0 x
Remember, it's not how many guns you have. It's how many bullets you have.

leverjc
Cattle Driver
Posts: 623
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2020 4:28 pm
Location: Kansas
United States of America

Re: Henry 357 side loader shooting 38 special

Post by leverjc » Thu Mar 10, 2022 2:45 pm

I have only shot a few 38's through mine and it doesn't like to feed them.
0 x

User avatar
Rifletom
Deputy Marshal
Posts: 3899
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2018 11:26 pm
Location: California Territory
United States of America

Re: Henry 357 side loader shooting 38 special

Post by Rifletom » Thu Mar 10, 2022 4:03 pm

If you load 158gr rnfp, you should be fine, even with .38spl cases. As mentioned, even better in .357 cases. I don't seem to have issues with regular .38 spl loads; just be a bit aggressive when working the lever. You should be fine.
2 x

JVogler
Cowhand
Posts: 268
Joined: Wed May 27, 2020 7:57 pm
United States of America

Re: Henry 357 side loader shooting 38 special

Post by JVogler » Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:03 pm

No problems with 38special in either Big Boy Brass or Big Boy steel. However 148 grain flush wadcutter would not cycle in Brass but would cycle in Big Boy steel.
0 x

User avatar
BigAl52
Forum Ambassador
Posts: 13640
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2016 12:43 pm
Location: Evans,Colorado
United States of America

Re: Henry 357 side loader shooting 38 special

Post by BigAl52 » Thu Mar 10, 2022 10:24 pm

Welcome to the forum. Id load 38 special loads in 357 cases and shoot it that way. It will be easier to clean the gun doing it that way
3 x
Don't worry about getting older and still doing stupid stuff. You'll do the stupid stuff as always, only much slower. Hold my beer and watch this.......


H001T .22LR
H001T .22LR MONUMENT VALLEY
H003T PUMP .22LR
BBS .41 MAG
SS .357
SIDE GATE 38-55

User avatar
fortyshooter
Ranch Foreman
Posts: 6270
Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2017 10:37 am
Location: Va.
United States of America

Re: Henry 357 side loader shooting 38 special

Post by fortyshooter » Fri Mar 11, 2022 9:05 am

Welcome to the Henry forum Growlers! You say you load for 38 Special so yes you could just transfer that load into 357 Mag brass.
Myself I like 158 gr. RNFP coated cast lead like the Missouri Bullets with 5.7 Power Pistol in .38 Special and bump it to 6.0 gr when loading in .357 Mag brass. Shoots in my Henry really well. What loads do you use?
0 x

Growlers
Tenderfoot
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2022 7:23 pm
Location: NE WI
United States of America

Re: Henry 357 side loader shooting 38 special

Post by Growlers » Fri Mar 11, 2022 11:36 am

Thanks for the great advice, everyone!

As far as what i currently load for 38 special: 125 gr RNFP (Exteme plated bullets) over 4.6 gr of Bullseye. My brass currently is all 38 special cases. So far I have just been reloading this caliber for hand guns.

Sounds like I might want to tweak this load a bit for best results in the Henry long gun.
1 x

User avatar
Ceapea
Tenderfoot
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: S.E. Mitt
United States of America

Re: Henry 357 side loader shooting 38 special

Post by Ceapea » Sat Mar 26, 2022 11:29 am

Not often talked about by most, but another solution is to load (heavier is better) bullets long, to 357 lengths, in 38 cases. I do this with several bullets. All feed well in any lever gun I have ever tried them in. John Taffin talks about this technique fairly often.
2 x
It's always the operator, never the machine!
AKA: Know more misses!

User avatar
Leftofcenter67
Tenderfoot
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Oct 14, 2017 10:58 am
Canada

Re: Henry 357 side loader shooting 38 special

Post by Leftofcenter67 » Sat Mar 26, 2022 2:04 pm

I have a Henry BBS .357. Even the manual states if you shoot .38 special. You need to use 158 grain bullets. I've shot .357 LeveRevolution rounds in 140 grain, and it struggles but still works. I've tried 38 Special 158 grain and they work they just don't cycle as smoothly.
I'd just stick to 158 grain .357 magnum rounds if you can.
3 x

Post Reply