HOW STRONG HENRY 66 73'S?

[m-g Willy]

I been shooting a rossi 92 in 45 colt loaded with 255gr.swc with 22gr. 2400 .
I'm thinking I'm getting around 1700fps out of the rossi with this load.
This load works great on deer and pigs.
But now I want another lever gun, :shock:  and being a fan of the civil war and the old west. I decided I need one of the 1860 Henry's or the 66 or 73 Winchester's.
I don't shoot in CAS so I have no use for a gun loaded down to bb gun levels.

I know these repro's wouldn't stand up to the loads that the 92 can take,
but I could live with a 45 loaded to 1200-1400 fps with a 250 gr. bullet out of any one of these 3 rifles.
My question is --Can these guns stand up to these kind of loads?
If anyone has one of these guns they use for deer what loads do you use?
Thanks for any info,

Willy

[jd45]

Stick with std-pressure loads..........the gun'll last longer. 10.9grs of VV N350 w/250grXTP will give 1022fps in a 6" bbl. It oughta come pretty close to 1200 in a 24" rifle bbl & it's 14k-psi. It'll handle just about anything within reason, too. JD45

[Larry Gibson]

I'd suggest you get one in a different caliber than the Rossi M92. You don't want to get those 22 gr 2400 .45 loads in the weaker rifle by mistake.

Larry Gibson

[Oldtimer]

Use black powder loads in a 66 or 73 and you will get along fine.  That's what they were designed for and they will last longer than you will.  It's not that last few fps that kills game, but the hunter aiming the gun.

[WD45]

The 92 is a very strong action and can take a lot of pressure. The henry and the 73 actions will not take those loads. I would suggest some reading of Paco Kelly's articles on the different types of actions and thier strengths. Makes very informative reading and may keep you from destroying a gun and all your apendages intact :grin:

[Dan Chamberlain]

I shoot my iron frame Henry exclusively with triple 7.  My load gives me 1365fps average with a 210 grain bullet .44 caliber.  If that doesn't satisfy you, you need to stick with the 92.  As you go up in bore size, you can still stay within that velocity range, between 1200 and 1300 fps with correspondingly heavier bullets.  

I know some people don't like to mess with black or black substitutes, but triple 7 is as close to a smokeless style powder as you can come and still have the pressures of black powder but the clean up of smokeless.  Yes, it is slightly more powerful.

My load is 30 grains of 777 in the .44-40.  Remember, these guns are strong enough for the pressures and velocities of the day!  If you are a speed junkie, stick with the 92/94 style actions.

Dan C

[Dan Chamberlain]

I served with a Larry Gibson at Lowry AFB in Colorado in 1981.  He was a wild man!

Dan C

[jd45]

Dan, when I went to Hodgdon's website for load data using 777 in cartridges, they said to use a volume measure, not a weighed charge. Is your 30grs by volume or weight? Thanx, JD45

[Dan Chamberlain]

I use a powder flask with a 30 grain spout to drop my charge.

Dan