Henry Rifle Forums

I have seen the carbine version, but Taylors has the Infantry version which is really cool...would be fun to shoot.

https://www.taylorsfirearms.com/long-gu ... rifle.html

No doubt in 56-50 to. Here this guy will give you a sampling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGSHapPH_f8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4KfTs9uvZo

You might like this one to. Looks like he is in RR country or close to it.

Cool. Got as far as the first commercial, then backed out. Hate commercials.

Always thought the Spencers were cool rifles.
About 20 years ago an acquaintance of mine had a friend whose grandmother had passed away (granddad already gone) and while going through the house they discovered an original, cased, cleaned and
well oiled original Spencer with some boxes of original .56 rimfire ammo for it!

Wow what a find...

Given their history and the fact that I thought they were kind of cool I thought about potentially getting a reproduction at one time until I saw a few videos and what it actually takes to fire them. Although true that I would never need to fire one with speed in mind just seemed like a lot of work in order to fire one.

just seemed like a lot of work in order to fire one.

Personally I don't see cocking a hammer and operating a lever a 'lot of work' - less work than shooting a single shot rifle actually.
Owning and shooting guns like this is typically due to an appreciation for the history and tradition of it and the operation to fire it is a part of that.

Better not ever consider a muzzleloader!

Mistered wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 09, 2019 9:37 am

just seemed like a lot of work in order to fire one.

Personally I don't see cocking a hammer and operating a lever a 'lot of work' - less work than shooting a single shot rifle actually.
Owning and shooting guns like this is typically due to an appreciation for the history and tradition of it and the operation to fire it is a part of that.

Better not ever consider a muzzleloader!

And for some of those very reasons I never have.


However when viewing videos it appeared more than just the explanation your using with regards to working the lever and hammer. Based on videos and descriptions of lacking a good extractor it appears it takes more than just that.

Regardless at some point I have to decide which ones do and do not appear to be a good fit for me and the Spencer although it seemed rather cool for a number of various reasons ultimately was something that I didn't think would be a good fit for me.

for a number of various reasons ultimately was something that I didn't think would be a good fit for me.

And I understand this - been there myself

dddrees wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 09, 2019 10:30 am

Regardless at some point I have to decide which ones do and do not appear to be a good fit for me and the Spencer although it seemed rather cool for a number of various reasons ultimately was something that I didn't think would be a good fit for me.

I'd thoroughly enjoy looking and reading about them, and wouldn't pass up an opportunity to handle and/or fire one .... doing so just might change my thinking but the only single shot firearms I have a glimmer of interest in are old style black power

JEBar wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 09, 2019 12:27 pm

dddrees wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 09, 2019 10:30 am

Regardless at some point I have to decide which ones do and do not appear to be a good fit for me and the Spencer although it seemed rather cool for a number of various reasons ultimately was something that I didn't think would be a good fit for me.

I'd thoroughly enjoy looking and reading about them, and wouldn't pass up an opportunity to handle and/or fire one .... doing so just might change my thinking but the only single shot firearms I have a glimmer of interest in are old style black power

I wouldn't mind checking one out or shooting one. I purchased a New Original Henry from Henry because of my interest in the Henry Rifle as well a Winchester Miroku 1866, 1873, and 1892. I found the research and the history just added to the experience. Not only did the Henry design with a few small modifications eventually become the lever gun as we know it but the Henry Rifle was just more appealing to me. So I actually decided to eventually go the Winchester route and not only the Henry Repeating Rifle but basically it's siblings as well. Probably because it' did become the lever gun as I remember it. Anyway when it came to purchasing a Spencer that's when I decided there were things I was more interested in purchasing that would be better fits for me. Same that was ultimately true when I started considering the purchase of a Sharps Rifle although this had more to do with caliber than anything else.

Regardless a Spencer Rifle although purchased in more numbers by the Union Army than the Henry Rifle during the Civil War was in fact slower to fire than the Henry for a number of reasons. That in itself did not dissuade me as much as when I started to paying attention closer to the details.

Regardless in an overall view of what I wanted ultimately there were guns which I wanted much more so at the time anyway the Spencer did not meet the cut. Personally even though the Sharps is a one shot I still think I would want one of them more than a Spencer. Besides the Sharps has a longer more intriguing history to me. So although it could be had in 22LR the 45-70 seemed more appropriate for a Sharps Rifle but that is much more expensive round and I don't reload. So I still look at Sharps but it's kind of on pause for now.

The Spencer is a repeater and of course being one of the first has it issues. So does the Henry, but the Spencer just doesn't appeal to me as much and the issues it has is more not fitting for me. Of all of them the Extractor seems more problematic for me.

I like the long barrel Spencer better than the carbine. It is a cool historic firearm.

RanchRoper wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 09, 2019 3:03 pm

I like the long barrel Spencer better than the carbine. It is a cool historic firearm.

I get it, and in fact that's why I spent the time I did looking into it.