Henry side loader

[Old Syko]

I have to admit I prefer octagon over round.
I prefer the greater weight and even with my 26" Winchesters do not find the extra weight to be a problem even when shooting off hand.
The Winchesters are trimmer than say the Big Boy and don't really feel barrel heavy.

A tapered octagon barrel is wwonderfully balanced for shooting off hand.
Henry's Octagon barrels are more like varmint bull barrels.

Are Henrey round barrels tapered. Only seen brass Henrys but for the one SS and don't recall.

Winchesters are usually lighter built to begin with and the tapered barrels reduce that unneeded muzzle weight. If you need extra weight to offset recoil you want it at the back of the gun anyway. If you need extra weight to offset flip of course it needs to be in the barrel as with bench shooters. Those big barrels aren't to just help manage heat buildup. Personally I have always handled a short barrel better regardless and the older I get the more prominent this becomes

Henry barrels are tapered from the chamber to just behind the barrel ring and consistent from there to the muzzle are consistent. The 38-55 tapers to .725 for the final length. Even the rimfires follow a similar contour although smaller diameter.

[Mags]

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Oh I do do most of my shooting with support. Was just a comment related to weighing in on the weight of the barrel differences and how it affects me when I choose to shoot offhand. I use a Vanguard Porta-Aim at the bench and the side of a tree when shooting varmints.

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I prefer the heavier weight for lessening/buffering recoil, but aiming off hand, I have difficulty holding up the weight steady. Muzzle drifts down, correcting I'm up then drifting right or left as the muzzle sags, repeat. Don't have the steady strength in my arms I once had.

Nothing wrong with using a shootin' stick. It's about hitting what you're aiming to hit, not about arm wrestling.

[Threeisme]

My trip to the range with the new side loader in 30-30 from 50 yards, but I couldn’t make out the target from 100 yards so I have a 3-9x 40 scope going on it, I hope it doesn’t ruin the look of the rifle

[Rifletom]

A scope will change the look, but, certainly won't ruin it. I have a fixed 4x Weaver on my 30-30[Mod 94] and 1-3x Weaver on my Henry BB brass .357. I don't mind them at all. I simply need optic help. Dang age thing!

[RanchRoper]

Ya those 100 yd targets are a postage stamp with open sights, even the ladder sight is a guessing game some days. That's been a project for me for the last year or so.

Nice 50 yd shooting.

[Mags]

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Ditto what RifleTom said. Although it is an eye of the beholder thing. Thing is, if it's not to your taste, the scope can come off.

I don't have the side-gate, but this what my .30-30 looks like with it's scope.

20180728_103811.jpg

My trip to the range with the new side loader in 30-30 from 50 yards, but I couldn’t make out the target from 100 yards so I have a 3-9x 40 scope going on it, I hope it doesn’t ruin the look of the rifle

[BigAl52]

I dont even worry about paper at 100 yds if I have it dialed in at 50 with irons Im good at 100 shooting game Like RR says there a postage stamp at 100.

[Mags]

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Bringing the discussion here from http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 60#p108872 where I got us way off topic.

Ok, when you do start shooting it more often, let us know. I'm particularly curious to see what people actually do given the option to load both ways on the same rifle.

Got a question for you. When you load your .38-55 which way do you load it most often?

To be honest with you I havent used it in a field situation yet. I have only shot it at the range off hand and off the bags. When I have done that I have loaded one at a time. But I have carried the 45-70 CCH hunting and with my left hand I held the gun with the muzzle point up so as when the tube was pulled out past the slot where I could drop in 4 rounds it would not slide back and be in my way. Never had an issue. With that Im going to ask JEBar to start a new thread for any other responses because this we have wandered way off what the original topic was.