Henry Rifle Forums

** I had a bunch of pics to include but can't figure out how to attach them. I'm a drag and drop from my laptop guy and don't use a photo server to insert a url, so for now, it's just my review in text that I wrote on another forum.

I'm one of those that really enjoys many of the Henry long gun offerings and have them in lever, pump, single shot and even semi auto. Haven't found one I don't like yet.

When Henry announced a while back that they were making a .38/357 revolver, I was pretty excited. Then I saw pictures of them and took a step back. I gave it some time, read some reviews and thought I was going to pass on these. They offer both a larger "Gunfighter" grip and a Birdshead style, the latter never really fitting my hands well. I actually thought they were a bit ugly.

Time went by, I brought many other guns home and never looked back. With MSRP being $928, I was sure I wasn't even going to bother. That's Colt money level.

Recently, I stopped in a local haunt that moved locations and had just opened up again. Wandering through, it was the same old stuff, priced pretty dang high. Literally in the last case to peruse before I left, there was the Gunfighter model, priced just a tad north of 7 bills. Ok, I might as well hold the dang thing. The owner said it was the first he's gotten and it just arrived.

Damn. It felt really good. The Gunfighter grip is something I'd describe as a cross between how my Colt Trooper and a Bisley feel. I have large hands and it fills them but, it's circumference works well for smaller hands as well.

The brass frame looks way better in person than online. The blue finish everywhere else is standard but nicely done, sort of a semi gloss I suppose. The trigger pull is actually just about on par with my 2020 Python. Lyman trigger gauge did DA at 10.10/10.10/10.11/10.10 and SA as 4.4/4.6/4.5/4.4. Pretty legit for a standard revolver coming from a company that's never made them before. It comes with three front sights, so elevation changes to adapt to your favorite loads are back on the table. The barrel is undercut to make way for the ejector rod. The rod itself isn't classy but, it's purpose driven, beefy and all get out and you get fantastic purchase on the grooves if that's how you manipulate yours. Cylinder lockup is tight both in single and double action. The mainspring assembly is a captive unit, so it appears you can likely swap between the two brass grip frames if they ever become available separately.

The hammer is small in size, a bit under what I'm used to but, the thumb cocking grooves are enough to get positive traction off the thumb. The large trigger guard initially turned me off but, once held it brought back a feel of the Colt 1902 Alaskan, or others of similar larger trigger guards. Thinking on it, this just allows it to be an even better woods gun if one finds themselves wearing gloves.

My mind has started to change. It's actually an understated gun with many positive attributes, even if many just a wee bit still high in price. By now, you've probably figured that it came home with me and you're right. $729 out the door. We don't have silly stuff like sales tax, made up dros fees and 10-30 day waits here.

Oh, and there's this genius little tab inside the forward part of the trigger guard. Push it forward and the entire cylinder, yoke, ejector rod assembly pulls right out. No screwdrivers needed for routine disassembly unless you're pulling the grips off. Speaking of the grips, I like a bit more traction and have a checkered set on the way as I type.

I haven't had a proper range session with it yet. I did have a few frozen minutes to put a box of .38spl I had handy through it in a hurry and damned if this isn't a shooter as well! I'm sure with better loads, better shooting conditions and a little more effort on my part it'll cut ragged holes where you want them. These are the results of standing in a snow bank with ankle high shoes and getting it done quickly at about 15yards. Color me brass (impressed).

Just figured I'd toss out my initial review of a gun I thought I'd never actually desire or acquire.

Great info. Thanks. I saw my first Henry revolver at a local gun shop this last week. Looked better in person than what you see on the internet and pics. Unfortunately, this shop has started to use plastic ties on their revolvers to keep customers from working the action, so no chance to test the trigger or action. Oh, they would have allowed me to try the action if I had been serious about buying, but I do understand why they started doing this. Only takes a few customers mishandling a revolver to get turn lines on the cylinder.

Thank you for that great initial review.

I haven't seen on in person and probably won't for a while. My trips to gun stores have been voluntarily reduced. Too busy with other things I guess.

I will be looking forward to your observations once you can adequately test it.

inspcalahan wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 02, 2023 2:07 pm

** I had a bunch of pics to include but can't figure out how to attach them. I'm a drag and drop from my laptop guy and don't use a photo server to insert a url, so for now, it's just my review in text that I wrote on another foruum.

inspcalahan,

I'll try my hand at verbal description of how to post pics. I hope this might help......

When you go to post, there's a "field" you type in your text. Just below that field are 2 clickable boxes with words in them. Click on the that says "Full Editor & Preview". That takes you to a new field to type in your text, with a lot of options above the field, and smilies off to the right.

Below that field box is what looks like a folder tab that says "Attachments". There's a box just below that folder tab you can click on that says "Add files". Click on that. On my Windows laptop, it launches right into my folder called Pictures, where I have my photos stored. I'd guess that yours will be there, or in some similar type of folder. Select the picture you want to post by single-clicking on it once. Again, on my laptop, the window my picture is in will now give me the "Open" option box in the lower right hand of that window to click on, so hammer that one.

After that go back to the window that you're posting in, and look below all the Attachments/add files stuff. You should see the filename of your picture, with a box to the right of it that says "Place inline". Now when I do this, before I click on Place inline, I will put my cursor for text around 4-5 lines below my last text entry by simply hitting "ENTER" 4-5 times. This helps me locate my photo where I'd like it within the post. After I've done this, I click on the "Place inline" button. The computer will "think" for a second or three, then you will see the name ofyour photo/attachment code come up in the field of your post. Clicking on "Preview" will allow you to see what you've done, or in my case, need to redo, usually...... If you're happy with everything, click on "Submit", knowing you can always go back a short time later and edit the thing. Most of my posts take me several tries to get it right.......



This is a photo of my son he took of himself on my phone. My phone fell outta my pocket, and he went back down the trail and found it for me. After he found it, he unlocked my phone, took this picture of himself, and placed it on the home screen of my phone. In probably less than 20 minutes total!!! I normally can't figure out how to do ANYTHING on my phone in under 20 minutes, let alone find it on a trail somewhere.......

Added in EDIT: Does your new revolver pretty much shoot to point of aim, inspcalahan? Did you need to swap front sights?

^^^^^^^^^^^

Your son has a wonderful sense of humor, that’s a classic story!

Thanks, Hatchdog!!

I didn't mean to veer off the course of the thread. I was just hoping my photo loading description was accurate, and posted the first photo that came up to show that even a computer Goober like myself can do it. On my laptop, these are the steps I use, and it's easier than my description makes it sound. Probably even better ways to do it I haven't learned. I just know I haven't been able to successfully drag and drop pics, for some reason......

And again, Thanks, Hatchdog. That was on a hunt along Oregon's lower Deschutes River. We hunted off of mtn. bikes on the old railroad turned hiking/biking/horseback riding grade/trail. I do indeed love my son's sense of humor very much.

Back to revolvers, I hope this might help inspcalahan show off his new shootin' iron and some of his groups to come!

I can get over the looks and price to ever want one.

I actually held a Henry revolver in my hand yesterday. If it had an adjustable rear sight I may have bought it. I ended up with a new .44 magnum revolver instead.

Excellent review of the Henry revolver, I just my name on a waiting list for the Birds head. I haven’t been able to find one in the local shops, so will try mail order.

Ok - hitting the submit button to see if this works....fingers crossed..