Firearm partners

[PT7]

RetiredSeabee made a comment in CT_Shooter's 9/16 Range Report, "SmokeWagon and Heritage Roughrider," which is prompting the subject for this thread. This is his "big brother" comment:

Glad you got in some gunpowder therapy. I still need a big brother for my .22 single action.

And in some other threads, Henry folk have briefly shared pictures and comments about their "guns that go well together."

My basic question is, What is your thinking behind a pairing of firearms?

I've read different factors, which have been stated in other threads; e.g. same caliber, action type, maybe use of firearm, history behind the guns, plain 'ole reason that "it looks great," and so on. I'm curious as to what Henry folk "plan" when they, as RSb said, "need to or get a big brother for my .22 single action." TIA for any comments.

[CT_Shooter]

What is your thinking behind a pairing of firearms?

Good question. I paired both of my Henrys with a single-action revolver of the same caliber (.22LR and .357 magnum). I wanted to use the same ammo in each of my rifles and revolvers to keep things simple, so I never considered owning another caliber. I also selected single-action revolvers in order to maintain the spirit of the old west that Henry lever-action rifles have. I never bought holsters or gun belts for them and I don't ever intend to participate in Cowboy Action Shooting, but I do enjoy alternating between my same caliber rifles and revolvers while shooting at the range.

[JEBar]

in the mid '60's I was a member of a bear hunting club in Western NC .... our hunting land was located in the thick forest on the northern slope of Mt Mitchell .... shooting distances were universally short, most of the time 30 yards or less .... most of the members carried 30-30 Winchesters, 35 Marlins, 12 ga shotguns, with a few '06's thrown in .... liking the concept of having a pistol and rifle that could shoot the same ammo, for a time, I carried a Ruger Blackhawk 44 Mag (did take both bear and boar with it) and a companion Ruger 44 Mag Carbine ..... the more I used the Blackhawk, the less I like it .... with a one hand hold, its western style grip allowed it to roll in my hand and caused me to have to reposition my hand between shots .... for me, selling it was a good move but letting the Carbine go was my worst mistake in selling a gun .... moving to a Ruger Redhawk 44 Mag has worked well for decades but, until purchasing a Henry BBS 44 Mag, I never found another 44 Mag rife that I like .... the reality is, at my age, the Henry will never spend anywhere close to the hours in the woods working for a living that my Carbine registered .... I still like the one ammo concept and am delighted with my Redhawk/Henry combo

[RanchRoper]

I'm a bit of a stickler for things historically accurate and period correct. That being said, people may ask why I'm not shooting a Uberti 1866 or 1873 rifle replica. However, even though my Henry Big Boy in 45 Colt is not a copy of an old west rifle, and it's not period correct to the 1800's; it FEELS and LOOKS like it is and if cowboys of the day had the option, I think it would have been a popular choice. It handles great, and more importantly shoots great. I went with a period correct revolver when I ordered it, the Cimarron/Uberti Colt copy of the 1860 Army cartridge transition with the barrel stamped 1871. So I'm pretty darn happy with that match up, and like the old west days, I can carry 1 cartridge size.

[JCN]

The idea of pairing firearms is very interesting to me as well in order to keep some consistency in my ammo supply. Right now, I only own firearms that shoot .22lr, .38/.357, 9mm, and .223. This makes stocking up on ammo more affordable as bulk purchases are possible for each caliber. I even sold off a 10mm and a 45acp for this reason. Just didn't make sense to have so many calibers.

This doesn't mean I won't add another caliber at some point (I've been drooling over the Henry 45-70 lineup for months).

In the tactical world it takes on a different meaning as some rifles and handguns can share not just calibers but magazines (especially with 9/40/45).

As an example, here is a youtube video I watched a while ago showing some options: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO1H9oKgjL4

[RanchRoper]

If HRA ever offered the H011 1860 original in other calibers I'm sure there'd be a few owners on here. I'd have one in 45 Colt in a heartbeat. But 44-40 ammo is not easy to find around here and right now I just don't have time to get into reloading.
I'll keep hoping but one day I might just have to own a Cimarron 1860.

C'mon Henry...vary the calibers!!

[seak89]

Where I live the 44mag is always on my hip no matter what rifle I'm carrying.

[JEBar]

This doesn't mean I won't add another caliber at some point (I've been drooling over the Henry 45-70 lineup for months).

well understood .... back in the '60's we settled on 30 caliber for our centerfire rifles rifles .... a major factor in that decision involved reloading components .... collectively we have 3 - 308's, 3 - 30-06's, 1 - 30-30, 1 - 300 WBY .... a while back one of our sons bought a 223, I bought a 44 Mag and a 45-70 .... the 45-70 has quickly become one of my favorites ... when you get one, I'd bet you will be delighted with it

[RanchRoper]

Where I live the 44mag is always on my hip no matter what rifle I'm carrying.

I wish we could carry a sidearm here....but nope.

[PT7]

All interesting and useful comments given --- thanks, Henry Folk.

As I re-read them tonight, it appears that caliber match weaves in/out of most answers. Makes a lot of sense. What caught me by surprise was JCN's noting that a rifle and a handgun can not only share the same calibers, but the same magazine. That was cool to learn.

I'd like to add my own brief thoughts. Caliber match is a primary focus for me, too. I have my Henry .22LR Small Game Carbine, and a Ruger SP101 in .357 Magnum/.38 Special. This last week, I ordered a handgun from my LGS, which will match both of these. It's the Bond Arms Snake Slayer IV (model BASSIV), a 2-shot derringer in an over/under configuration.

This stainless steel derringer comes with a 4.25” barrel, and will be in .357 Magnum/.38 Special calibers to match my SP101.
Since BA also makes a large variety of interchangeable barrels, which fit all their derringers, I ordered a 3.5" barrel in .22LR caliber. This will match my Henry SGC caliber. I guess I could "stretch the match" a shade by noting that I'll have a SA handgun to shoot when I take it out with my SGC. Granted, it’s not the typical/traditional cowboy-action handgun, but it is very much fun to shoot!

Two and one-half years ago I sold my first BA derringer, the smaller Snake Slayer model with a 3.5" barrel. It was also in .357 Magnum caliber. I've been wanting to replace that derringer with another, and finally was able to get this new one. Right now I'm getting a small taste of the waiting for it to get in, just like RR looking over yonder hills for the arrival of his revolver!

Anyway, appreciate your good comments...thanks again.
Have a great day!

[JEBar]

interesting post .... I'd never heard of Bond Arms so I looked them up ===> http://bondarms.com/bond-arms-handguns/snake-slayer-iv/ <=== I'm really looking forward to your range reports

[DWD445]

After getting my DW 445 SM and $2.00+ per rnd for ammo, I decided if I want to shoot it much. Reloading was the only way to afford it.
Other than primers, dies, bullets etc. are the same as 44 mag !! Also having several 357s, I had thought about a Henry in 357.
I decided on 44 cal. because I felt if I'm going to shoot a rifle, I want to feel it and make some noise ... So 44 it is.
And yes I can feel it

[PT7]

Thanks...and I'm looking to doing some range time with the derringer.

The BA site is quite busy....a lot of stuff there. Here are two links, just for fun:

http://bondarms.com/test-your-shooting-skills/ This one is a cowboy-action shooting game. Nothing like shooting the real thing of course!

http://bondarms.com/bond-arms-news-and-reviews/ This is a review link with the video titled: "You Won’t Believe this: How Far Away Can a Bond Arms Backup be Accurate…" I'd like to challenge this fellow (TheFireArmGuy), and shoot my derringer at a farther distance than his 55 yards. That will be fun to help me re-learn shooting this style derringer.

Finally, below are photos of the first Snake Slayer I sold 2-1/2 years ago. It's identical to the new one ordered, just had a shorter 3.5" barrel. I had two barrels - .357 Magnum/.38 Special and a 9MM. The Snake Slayer IV comes with the 4.25" barrel. My first one had a Hogue wrap-around grip that went over the stock Rosewood grip. For my new one, I'll change out the Rosewood grip (although it is beautiful wood), and put on a Hogue-style black rubber grip offered by BA. This will help the derringer from slipping around in my hands whenever I shoot the stouter .357 Magnum rounds. It definitely is a fun S/A derringer to shoot!!

Have a great day!

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interesting post .... I'd never heard of Bond Arms so I looked them up ===> http://bondarms.com/bond-arms-handguns/snake-slayer-iv/ <=== I'm really looking forward to your range reports

[steelersfan97]

in the mid '60's I was a member of a bear hunting club in Western NC .... our hunting land was located in the thick forest on the northern slope of Mt Mitchell .... shooting distances were universally short, most of the time 30 yards or less .... most of the members carried 30-30 Winchesters, 35 Marlins, 12 ga shotguns, with a few '06's thrown in .... liking the concept of having a pistol and rifle that could shoot the same ammo, for a time, I carried a Ruger Blackhawk 44 Mag (did take both bear and boar with it) and a companion Ruger 44 Mag Carbine ..... the more I used the Blackhawk, the less I like it .... with a one hand hold, its western style grip allowed it to roll in my hand and caused me to have to reposition my hand between shots .... for me, selling it was a good move but letting the Carbine go was my worst mistake in selling a gun .... moving to a Ruger Redhawk 44 Mag has worked well for decades but, until purchasing a Henry BBS 44 Mag, I never found another 44 Mag rife that I like .... the reality is, at my age, the Henry will never spend anywhere close to the hours in the woods working for a living that my Carbine registered .... I still like the one ammo concept and am delighted with my Redhawk/Henry combo

I wish Ruger would make that gun again. I never owned one, but it seems as though it would be fun to shoot.

[JEBar]

I wish Ruger would make that gun again. I never owned one, but it seems as though it would be fun to shoot.

I couldn't agree more .... their 44 carbine looked much like a big brother to their 10-22 .... compact, easy handling, low recoil (in that area, its bark was much worse than it bite), out to a hundred yards it delivered a really hard hitting 240 gr bullet .... if they were to ever put out another that is built to the same standards, I'd have one with a very low serial number .... that being said, with the exception of being semiautomatic, all of the positive things I liked about it also apply to our Henry 44 BBS ....

[seak89]

Where I live the 44mag is always on my hip no matter what rifle I'm carrying.

I wish we could carry a sidearm here....but nope.

You could get the mares leg in 45 colt,kind of heavy on the hip

[RanchRoper]

Where I live the 44mag is always on my hip no matter what rifle I'm carrying.

I wish we could carry a sidearm here....but nope.

You could get the mares leg in 45 colt,kind of heavy on the hip

Ya I looked at one, nice but I'm on and off my horse so many times a day (gates, doctoring, etc) it would not be practical. Too bulky.

[RanchRoper]

I see that the Cimarron guy here is a Bond Arms dealer too. That's a pretty nice looking small gun.

[Catherine]

I started out with pairing calibers shy of 2 Calibers back in the late 90's and on with my first 15 or so firearms bought back east. They were in 22lr and 357Magnum shy of my FIRST gun in a sweet Glock Model 19C in 9mm and a Ruger Blackhawk in 45Long Colt all bought within three years time. Three of my rifles were in 22lr. (I did not personally own a CF rifle back east.)

I did get a VERY good deal on a Smith and Wesson Model 60 in a 38Special Plus P NIB (On sale plus a rebate.) at my favorite gun store, back east, in the late 90's and that was a cool gun. I shot a LOT of 38s and 38 Plus Ps out of my 357Magnum firearms so I bought it even though it wasn't in a 357Magnum gun. S&W made it in a 357Magnum caliber of course. That MODEL 60 served me very well as did ALL of my handguns until I got out of all handgun shooting due to my arthritis and old accident side flare ups.

My Ruger single action revolvers did have 22 WMR (Magnum) cylinders but I rarely used or shot them back east. I shot them a bit more out here in the west but not a lot. I did shoot 22wmr out of the former, sweet HENRY GB rifle and I found out that I liked that caliber very much.

My late husband only owned 22lr and 357Magnum calibers on purpose. He only owned 5 or less firearms during his entire life on purpose. His 357Magnum d/a revolver was the one and only gun that I used for a house gun long BEFORE I got into shooting and buying my own guns later on in my life.

Out here, I owned and/or shot CF rifles in a few other calibers (30-30, 45Long Colt and 357Magnum.) in a few famous brands that SHARED ammo too. My former Marlin 336C, my MT husband's 336SS, three Winchester Model 94 Trappers and the Henry Big Boy in 357Magnum. I shared ammo with my Montana husband in a few guns that I and/or we owned. Later on, I gifted a few of my handguns to him when I got out of shooting ALL handguns. I did the same with some rifles.

I shot some other calibers in rifles and handguns that I never owned specifically in some calibers to TRY them out too. I did this back east, in Colorado at a shooting event and out here in Montana. I shot a couple of shotguns but I never owned one.

The only 44Magnum caliber that I owned was in a Smith and Wesson Model 29. A surprise gift. My husband and I had a 29-2 and a 29-3 in that famous model. At that stage of our lives, we only owned two '44' calibers and we sold them down the road too. They were COOL guns and I shot a lot of 44Special out of them too. A bit of 44Magnum of course. I carried that Model 29 handgun using 44Magnum ammo for a long time as a woods/wilderness protection gun as I did with my 45Long Colt (Ruger Blackhawk.) from back east. Later on out here, I started to carry a CF rifle more often and when I got out of all of MY handguns... I still carried a RIFLE in the woods/wilderness.

Right now, I shoot 22lr rifles 99% of the time. Mainly the one CZ 455 Lux 22lr rifle but I shoot the CZ Scout some too. I shoot a Savage Rascal - 22lr on and off too.

I shoot his CZ bolt action rifle in .223 a bit and that CZ .223 rifle SHARES ammunition with the only other .223 rifle that my husband owns. I don't shoot that other brand bolt action rifle since it has a scope on it. I do not like or use scopes. He shoots with and without using scopes.

I do think that matching firearm calibers makes a lot of sense if you buy ammunition and/or if you reload ammunition as my Montana husband has for over 40 years. I do not reload or hand load ammunition. I do not hunt. My husband does hunt.

And if you hunt a lot or a little, compete or not, used to be a HIGH volume shooter as we USED to be or if you are still shooting a lot, if you only plink a little or a lot, if you practice your self defense shooting and/or if you teach other people to shoot... it still makes sense.

My MT husband loved the 357Magnum caliber but he loved the '45' even more all of his life so since he got out of his firearms in that 357Magnum caliber as I had already done... it was the '45 acp' Caliber that he decided to keep. He loved the 45Long Colt a lot too. But since he was already downsizing... it made more sense for him to keep his 45acp pistols for conceal and open carry.

He does not own any type of 22lr handgun. Zero! (He sold the last, sweet, only single action 22lr/22wmr revolver that we had left in the house and his famous Colt Woodsman some time ago.) I don't own or shoot any handguns as I already stated.

If I did not have some issues with heavier rifles... I most likely would have KEPT a few of them but I did what suited me.

I have NO regrets on any gun that I ever owned and shot in any caliber, brand or simple style since they were all good, sweet and tack driving handguns and rifles. I enjoyed all of them.

Past calibers for me:

9mm - GLOCK (My main self defense firearm when I got into shooting and buying my own guns. First handgun of my own and it worked well with my recovered broken arm too. It was a tack driver even when I was a Newbie and first learning more about ALL guns. Not just using my late husband's d/a revolver as a 'house gun'. I only had one 9mm gun back east and I was thinking about getting another one back there. I sold my Glock after my late husband died and before I moved out west since it was the ONLY 9mm caliber firearm that I owned at the time. I thought that my 45 Long Colt would be better for me especially in the woods/wilderness for protection. I did not own a CF rifle back east.

22lr (Most of my former guns were in this caliber for handguns and for rifles from the late 90's and on.)

22wmr (Extra cylinders in my Ruger s/a revolvers and in the sweet Henry GB rifle.)

I only had one gun (Model 60 - Smith and Wesson) in 38 Special Plus P caliber but I shared that ammo and 38 Special in my 357Magnum firearms.

357Magnum (Second most popular caliber for a long, long time for me. Back east and out here.)

45Long Colt (I always loved this caliber in my Ruger Blackhawk and in a rifle. Good for defense and a fun caliber.)

44Magnum - Gift to me.

30-30 (A VERY sweet and classic caliber and, in my opinion, the 30-30 comes in SECOND to the 22lr for a RIFLE and for an all purpose caliber. Out here in Montana and across the country, I think that this caliber works great for woods/wilderness protection and for a person who may or may not hunt. It depends on the terrain and if your non hunting or hunting terrain varies. I do not hunt but I have and still do spend time in the great outdoors. Factory ammo is out there and my husband made some great mild and regular reloads for me too.

~~~

Present firearm calibers that I shoot:

I shoot a few 22lr rifles the most as I said.

I don't own the CZ .223 bolt action rifle but I do use that one rifle of my husband's for a woods/wilderness rifle. I do not shoot a 30-30 rifle any longer.

Cate

Typos!

[Catherine]

BOND ARMS makes a good gun according to the people that I know from back east to out here who have owned them.

I never owned one.

Cate