Yellowboy or Henry?

[v0lcom13sn0w]

i've been binge watching "hell on wheels" on netflix. every time i see one of those yellowboys on there i just cant but help wanting one

i really have the itch to buy either a current production winchester 1866 or a henry big boy in 45 Colt.

does anyone here have one of these and can maybe share alittle about their experiences?

i own a couple winchester 94s pre and post 64 and a glenfield 20A all in 30-30. im leaning towards the winchester. i just think it'd be cool to have a civil war era rifle with a pistol in the same caliber

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[Roundball58]

The Henry Big Boy is a modern rifle and is not based on anything historical.

I have Uberti reproductions of the Henry, 66 and 73 Winchester all in 45 Colt. I went with that caliber to match my handguns, but if I could do it over, I would go with the 44-40 as I load BP and the 45 doesn't seal very well and the elevator gets gummed up. With smokeless loads it's not an issue.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

The Henry Big Boy is a modern rifle and is not based on anything historical.

I have Uberti reproductions of the Henry, 66 and 73 Winchester all in 45 Colt. I went with that caliber to match my handguns, but if I could do it over, I would go with the 44-40 as I load BP and the 45 doesn't seal very well and the elevator gets gummed up. With smokeless loads it's not an issue.

yeah from what i understand the henry big boy is a modern rifle, i just like the looks of them.

how do you like the uberti reproductions? i have a co worker with some uberti and cimmarron reproduction pistols and hes happy with them so far.

 

[Roundball58]

They've held up well for CAS. The toggle link action is very smooth and the elevator controls the round so well that jams just don't happen very often.

Stripping/reassembly can be a pain, especially with the Henry and 66 frame. The 73 is not so bad as the side plates are different.

 

[Joe13]

I love my Henery .22lr - very fun rifle.

Can't say much about the bigger ones but knowing you and suppressor's I would get something with a loading gate back by the trigger.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

oh man i dont think i could ever thread one of those things! if i did, it probably would be a marlin or rossi

 

[41mag]

how do you like the uberti reproductions?

I have a 73 Uberti 45LC reproduction shot in SASS for about 5 years.
I was at first a bit disappointed until got it slicked up cowboy match style.

Very impressive & pleasing now. No mechanical issues with thousands downrange. Haven't used for hunting, loaded with my moderate SASS pistol loads.

Had a brass 66 Navy arms in 38, also slicked up. It was heavier less agile to handle, but worked fine. Sold it eventually, kept the Uberti 45.

It handles 45 very well.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

I have a 73 Uberti 45LC reproduction shot in SASS for about 5 years.
I was at first a bit disappointed until got it slicked up cowboy match style.

Very impressive & pleasing now. No mechanical issues with thousands downrange. Haven't used for hunting, loaded with my moderate SASS pistol loads.

Had a brass 66 Navy arms in 38, also slicked up. It was heavier less agile to handle, but worked fine. Sold it eventually, kept the Uberti 45.

It handles 45 very well.

thats awesome!

is it just a matter of polishing surfaces to slick it up?

 

[41mag]

is it just a matter of polishing surfaces to slick it up?

One of the well know cowboy 'smiths slicked it up, a little internal polishing, and custom toggle link geometry to decrease length of lever travel needed to move the elevator & bolt mechanism. One of the reasons Win 94 is at disadvantage in this game because they aren't amenable to such.

 

[Throckmorton]

curious if the OP ever made a decision on what to buy. FWIW I dearly love my tuned '66 Uberti. It's used strictly with low pressure rounds...45 colt..for cowboy action and occasional milk jug splattering.
For 'everyday' use you don't have to have them tuned, but the smile factor is huge when and if you do.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

i havent chose one yet! im still him/hawin about it. inreally like your rifle. i bet that action is butter smooth!

 

[Throckmorton]

come over to florence after the 1st week in May, and we'll take it for spin. It's not super tuned, but a hundred times better than stock. (that might be a slight exaggeration , lol

) we have a real nice covered range here in Florence.Not allowed to shoot steel except for matches, but we can shoot clays on the bank, etc. We have a 300 yd dinger if u have something for that kind of range.

 

[Magnumjohn]

I have a henry big boy steel 44 mag cabinet length and I love it..it has been a very great rifle for me accurate and reliable... the grouping in at 75 to 80 yards open sights.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

I have a henry big boy steel 44 mag cabinet length and I love it..it has been a very great rifle for me accurate and reliable... the grouping in at 75 to 80 yards open sights.

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that rifle is beautiful!

 

[RVTECH]

yeah from what i understand the henry big boy is a modern rifle, i just like the looks of them.

Although modern it is a nice design with a touch of nostalgia.
I have a BBB in .357 and really like it. A little heavy but balanced well, smooth and very accurate.
With the introduction of the new side loaders many are hoping they will expand this into the pistol caliber models as well but nothing is certain yet.

 

[Spitpatch]

The Uberti guns are of such quality that to compare them with the "Henry" guns is apples and oranges. While I respect the business model of the "Henry" outfit (made in America), I am not partial to the design. They look "cobbled together" to me rather than graceful. If the intent is nostalgia, then one should gravitate toward a faithful replica. More recently the "Henry" company made a fair attempt at a (true) Henry replica. Having handled one with enough time for detailed inspection, these guns still do not compare to the quality and finish of an Uberti.

In the stable here (all Ubertis) are a Model 1866 Sporting Rifle (hand engraved by Barry Lee Hands in a Nimschke pattern), A Model 1873 One of One Thousand (engraved as the originals by the Uberti factory), and a Model 1866 Saddle Ring Carbine.

These are all .44-40 Caliber. If one is enthralled with the idea of caliber-identical pistol and rifle, this caliber is a more faithful choice than a .45 Colt, as no frontier Winchester rifle was ever chambered in .45 Colt. (Admittedly, the '66's were never chambered in .44-40 either, and so the only truly "faithful" rifle where calibers are concerned here is the '73.)

The '66 sporting rifle accompanied me on an Antelope chase some years back and gave a fine account of itself.

 

[41mag]

I had a brass Navy Arms 1866 version in 38 I shot cowboy matches along side a 45 Uberti 73. The brass 66 was less pleasant to handle due to weight & balance. YMMV.

 

[Member 34319]

i've been binge watching "hell on wheels" on netflix. every time i see one of those yellowboys on there i just cant but help wanting one

i really have the itch to buy either a current production winchester 1866 or a henry big boy in 45 Colt.

does anyone here have one of these and can maybe share alittle about their experiences?

i own a couple winchester 94s pre and post 64 and a glenfield 20A all in 30-30. im leaning towards the winchester. i just think it'd be cool to have a civil war era rifle with a pistol in the same caliber

If I were to dip into 45 colt. Id get the original Henry.

 

[41mag]

another issue to consider, is the 66 Yellowboys didn't have a wooden forestock, and the modern clones didn't either ....which can become an inconvenience as the barrel heats up.

 

[RVTECH]

They look "cobbled together" to me rather than graceful.

I can't agree with 'cobbled' together - as mine has very nice fit and finish, is glass smooth and very accurate.
I will say my BBB is 'robust' and not particularly 'graceful' but it is balanced well, shoulders and holds offhand easily.
Whether intentionally or by accident Henry found a unique market for a large part of their sales. I don't know how to specifically describe the demographic but 'neophyte' would be a good description. A lot of them are 'causal' gun owners, entry level and some returning to an interest in firearms after a long hiatus - but have little to no interest in 'modern' firearms.
Regardless Henry is obviously not trying to imitate or replicate anything historical (other than the 'Original' 1860 model) and is more like a modern Renaissance and improvement of a classic design.