Henry Single Shot Rifle

They are not nearly as strong as the No.1. The weak spot is the hinge pin... I built a .45/120 on a SB2 Handi rifle frame and bent the hinge pin on the first shot, and the brass did not show pressure signs. I replaced the pin three times before I stubbed the barrel back to a .45/70 and used moderate loads. I have not examined the Henry hinge pin, but I would not think it is substantially stronger than the Henry. If you want to load the .45/70 hot, I would suggest a falling block.
 
hoytcanon said:
They are not nearly as strong as the No.1. The weak spot is the hinge pin... I built a .45/120 on a SB2 Handi rifle frame and bent the hinge pin on the first shot, and the brass did not show pressure signs. I replaced the pin three times before I stubbed the barrel back to a .45/70 and used moderate loads. I have not examined the Henry hinge pin, but I would not think it is substantially stronger than the Henry. If you want to load the .45/70 hot, I would suggest a falling block.
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Hmm, as the song says "on the other hand"...some of the hardest hitters used in the "self preservation" games of Africa & India have a hinge pin that holds quite well. That's not saying the Henry's pin will be "as strong", it just says that the fact that there is a pin isn't the deciding factor . No doubt Henry has done some extensive testing on their action before entering the US litigation game with it, so they would be the ones to have the "end-all answer" as to pressure limitations.
 
fingers284 said:
Hmm, as the song says "on the other hand"...some of the hardest hitters used in the "self preservation" games of Africa & India have a hinge pin that holds quite well. That's not saying the Henry's pin will be "as strong", it just says that the fact that there is a pin isn't the deciding factor . No doubt Henry has done some extensive testing on their action before entering the US litigation game with it, so they would be the ones to have the "end-all answer" as to pressure limitations.
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Just relating my experience with hinge pin designs and high pressure loads... I am not saying it can't be done, but I will go so far as to say "I will not do it."

However, I have had plenty of .40 cal plus Express rifles in the No.1 and used max loads with no issue whatsoever.
 
Double Rifle rounds are actually generally low-pressure rounds and chambered in those arms because of the overall length of the cartridge - especially when historical loads are fired in this climate since they're generally made for volatile powders that increase in pressure with African heat. It's also important for reasons of relatively weak extraction that is much harder to do with a violently expanded case in a double rifle versus something like a Mauser 98 claw extractor.

For a couple examples - the 470 Nitro Express has a chamber pressure of around 31k psi, and the 450 3 1/4 is only around 38k psi, roughly the same as the 600 Nitro Express.

The double rifle design without locking lugs or a non-hinging breech just cannot handle the pressure that a bolt action or falling block can - high energy does not mean high pressure in this case.
 
I know that the wildcatters shooting the TC contenders and Encores need to beef up their hinge pins, and I have seen the hinge pins of several big African doubles and they are much larger that the typical H&R, TC,, and Rossi break actions, etc.
I would not want to hot load one of those break actions in 45/70 with my experience with H&R, Sharps, Remington and Winchester replica and original rifles and after looking at a 708 Henry break action.
I think it would be fine with factory 45/70 ammo or BP loads though.
As far as being as strong as a Ruger No.1 or a modern Highwall , no way.
Cat
 
remington jim said:
WHY ? look at ALL the big SxS Doubles using HI PRESSURE loads - they are break action hinge pin rifles ? :) RJ
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They are and they shoot low pressure loads. All the old Nitro Express ect. Loads meant for doubles are big cases and low pressure.

Double rifle load for a 450 NE 3 1/4" is a 480 grain @ 2050fps. A Ruger No. 1 can get a 500 grain pushing 2500 fps in the same cartridge.

So to the OP, no do not run No. 1 loads through the Henry.
 
cam1936 said:
They are and they shoot low pressure loads. All the old Nitro Express ect. Loads meant for doubles are big cases and low pressure.

Double rifle load for a 450 NE 3 1/4" is a 480 grain @ 2050fps. A Ruger No. 1 can get a 500 grain pushing 2500 fps in the same cartridge.

So to the OP, no do not run No. 1 loads through the Henry.
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LOT's of SXS doubles run HIGH Pressure Cartridges thru them ! 458 LOTT - 458 Win Mag - 375 H&H -30-06 - the list goes ! RJ
 
That's true but you can't shoot a steady diet of high pressure .458 rounds through a double that will be proof in a bolt action '98 without eventually shooting the double off face and rendering it unsafe.

Many manufacturers don't like to chamber double rifles in high-pressure rimless cases for dangerous game because the pressure will make the brass stick in the chamber, foil extraction and get you killed. That's why the Magnum Mauser action was a revelation for dangerous game rifle builders in the early 20th century and led them to build .416 Rigbys etc instead of the cordite-loaded Nitro Express rounds.

There are double-gun loads, and there are bolt actions loads. You'll probably notice that most modern manufacturers load a Rimmed case in their doubles (8x57R, 7x64R Brenneke, 9.3x74R) etc for lower-pressure factory rounds that are extracted safely and easily in double rifles.

Just because they are chambered for a big round does not mean they are safe to use the high-test max loads in. Like how a modern 8mm Mauser handload isn't safe to fire in a Gewehr 1888 even though it's chambered for the same round as a Tikka.

Worth noting that there is also a massive difference between a Henry, an older W&C Scott actioned-double, and a modern Merkel 140 in terms of action strength as well. One is completely unsuitable for heavy loads, and the other is perfectly safe as long as SAFE pressures are not exceeded by overzealous handloading and chasing FPS over performance in a quest for "I can handle big fast guns better than you" type bragging rights.
 
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remington jim said:
Right on ! Hows the Accuracy of that rifle ? What other ammo have you shot in ? thxs RJ
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I have shot the HSM and Hornady Leverevolution. The Hornady is more accurate than the HSM probably due to it liking jacketed bullets at the higher velocities. I averaged over 1-1/4-1/2" groups with the Hornady. A bit larger with the HSM. Handlaods you could probably do better.
 
I will be grabbing one of these as soon as they come out with their own version of the Buffalo Classic...but I won't be hot-rodding it. If you want a .458WinMag...then just buy a .458WinMag.
 
jjohnwm said:
I will be grabbing one of these as soon as they come out with their own version of the Buffalo Classic...but I won't be hot-rodding it. If you want a .458WinMag...then just buy a .458WinMag.
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That's the ticket... I don't get why people choose a lesser cartridge and then try to jack it up to the level of the cartridge they rejected.
 
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