245gr Keith SWC mag bullet in the HBB

[Bill.68]

How many of you have been able to load this bullet into your BB and have it feed well? Im talking load mag, cycle the lever, have it leave the tube onto the lifter and then chamber.

I do have some 200gr RNFP bullets that I can shoot in mine but the big SWC I jist cant get to cycle, they wont even make it all the way out of the tube and onto the lifter.

Yes, I know there are other designs that would cycle but I dont have any of those, other than those 200gr RNFPs, but theyre not the correct diameter.

Speaking of diameters, do henry rifles bore sizes trend towards one end or the other? I remember reading a post somewhere on here about one bore that was up around .432"? Im asking because with the rnfp, which are .431" I got an awful lot of leading. Theyre 15bhn and I wasnt pushing them very hard. However, Ill admit to being quite green in the lead boolit arena.

Since this is my post, let me bring up another semi-related subject about Henry bores, specifically the quality of the machining.
While looking at mine with my borescope I saw all kinds of what look like craters in it. Not machining marks but places that look like just chunks missing, think potholes in a road because thats exactly what they look like.

[Vaquero]

First off mine is an older BBB, and it will cycle a 240 gr SWC no problem.

Now: Since this is my post, let me bring up another semi-related subject about Henry bores, specifically the quality of the machining.
While looking at mine with my borescope I saw all kinds of what look like craters in it. Not machining marks but places that look like just chunks missing, think potholes in a road because thats exactly what they look like.

I'd be calling Henry first thing tomorrow and it would be on it's way back to them.
They'll make it good, it's a pain, I know as I had to send one of mine back once.
Different isusse.

RP

[Bill.68]

If I could post a vid I would show yall what Im seeing. It looks abbynormal to me.

This is a replacement barrel vaquero. I understand that they could replace the replacement but dang! Really? Again? This one is one of the 1:29 barrels too. Id hate to get one of the 1:38's again.
Im going to contact them though.

[fortyshooter]

My BBS carbine 44 Mag was crap when shooting less than full Magnum loads. Cast bullets at low to mid level loading would key hole the target.
Shoot a Hornady 230 XTP bullet at standard 44 Mag level and it would shoot okay but it was no good for plinking steel loads. The bore measured .432 and it had the slow twist rate. Sold it a while back and found a very nice Uberti 1873 .44 Mag carbine that shoots everything great.

Not a knock on Henry rifles but they just got the earlier 44 Mag version all wrong. They make a very good .45 Colt and .357 Mag though!

[Vaquero]

My BBS carbine 44 Mag was crap when shooting less than full Magnum loads. Cast bullets at low to mid level loading would key hole the target.
Shoot a Hornady 230 XTP bullet at standard 44 Mag level and it would shoot okay but it was no good for plinking steel loads. The bore measured .432 and it had the slow twist rate. Sold it a while back and found a very nice Uberti 1873 .44 Mag carbine that shoots everything great.

Not a knock on Henry rifles but they just got the earlier 44 Mag version all wrong. They make a very good .45 Colt and .357 Mag though!

Ya know, you'd think as damn many 44 mags. as they sell (supposably) their best/ most popular seller.
They'd get it right.
Good luck to the OP.
Forty, I'm thinking very seriously about departing from mine also.

RP

[Bill.68]

Well, I remember reading fortys posts about his delima. It was disheartening to say the least.
Mine does at least have the 1:20 twist tube. But, Ill have to say I am far from impressed with its accuracy thus far. Ive shot factory rounds and handloads. The bulk were handloads for sure. Ive been thinking about temporarily mounting some glass on it to see if its my poor eyesight combined with the iron sights or its the bore or its just not got the accuracy potential altogether. With the 1:20 I was sort of expecting to see better.
Ive not checked the bore dimension but I did see leading when last I shotblead. Being nee to cast I have no frame of reference this dont know what is a significant amout of leadung or what is normal or acceptable. The 200gr rnfp's I was shooting are .431" but I may have been pushing them too hard too. I certainly want to like the BB and plan to give it a fair chance but if its not there its just not there and Ill say farewell.

[fortyshooter]

Try the coated bullets which seem to shoot clean or plated bullets. With my Uberti 1873 Carbine 44 Mag I got the best groups with 200 gr. Xtreme plated bullets loaded over 9 gr. Unique powder in 44 Mag brass. Now these are very mild loads like top end .44-40 but for target and plinking
shoot very well and hit the steel hard too!

[Bill.68]

Ah, yes, Unique. I remember Unique. Many many moons ago anyone could actually buy it. Now? Not so much. Whats up with that company?

Im not quite ready to give up on my BB just yet but it is frustrating me a bit. Im just not used to a firearm confounding me. I buy what are generally considered to be, by most, quality firearms. I guess thats the power of slick advertising at its finest maybe.

Just did a "trigger/action job" on it. I hope it will still set of primers other than Federal. Wow that trigger was atrocious. It had to be in the 9-10lb range. Jeez! Bought some shims from TriggerShims and a new spring as well. Did some polishing with the dremel and Flitz, put it back together and while I dont have a trigger gauge I could immediately tell a huge difference. So, its off to the range in the morning with the BB, my cz CZ 22mag again, the redhawk, the 696, cz p-01 and my cz97. Should be a good day. Got 300 rounds of 44Spl and just 100 magnum rounds.

[Vaquero]

Be waitin on that range report Bill.

RP

[Rifletom]

While I don't have a .44 mag in anything, I'll be waiting on Bill's range report also.