Henry Rifle Forums

Hello folks, I picked up one of the single shot .308’s earlier this year and am having trouble getting it to group well. So far I’ve tried two different scopes and two different mounts and also just the iron sights with several different brands of 150 gr factory ammo. So far best I’m getting is 2-3 inch groups at 50 yards. And this is after letting the barrel cool between shots. I have been using sandbags for a rest and believe I have ruled out the human factor as I shot my Marlin 336 off the same rest and I am well under an inch at 50 yards. Has anyone had the same experience or have any suggestions? These rifles are beautiful and I had been waiting and waiting for their release and really would like to get this this thing shooting. Any help would be appreciated.

Good Day, Andy,

Sorry that your first Forum post doesn't bring a happy camper report. Still, Greetings from the Show-Me-State.

I don't know how many .308 owners are on board here, but I'm thinking you'll get some good help with your ammo and shooting accuracy questions. There are any number of very good shooters with a lot of skill & experience in our membership.
PT7

andyrping wrote:Hello folks, I picked up one of the single shot .308’s earlier this year and am having trouble getting it to group well. So far I’ve tried two different scopes and two different mounts and also just the iron sights with several different brands of 150 gr factory ammo. So far best I’m getting is 2-3 inch groups at 50 yards. And this is after letting the barrel cool between shots. I have been using sandbags for a rest and believe I have ruled out the human factor as I shot my Marlin 336 off the same rest and I am well under an inch at 50 yards. Has anyone had the same experience or have any suggestions? These rifles are beautiful and I had been waiting and waiting for their release and really would like to get this this thing shooting. Any help would be appreciated.

2-3" @ 50 yds with a scope from a rest doesn't sound real good, huh? A pic or two of a target would be helpful. Are you landing a fair number, with a couple of "fliers," or are they all spread out?

Has someone else fired it, with the same results?

Does all the ammo really deliver the same results or is some noticeably better or worse?

Bore is clean (of course)?

These are just things that pop into my head from years trouble-shooting "short guns," but others here with more Henry and rifle experience will certainly chime in with thoughts.

Definitely following this thread for details and outcomes...

first, welcome to our forum, happy to have you join us .... yours is one of the first reports I've seen on the new single shots .... some rifles are picky about ammo, some aren't .... do you mention having tried several brands of ammo, you might want to experiment with different weights .... do you plan to hand load your own ammo ..?.. doing so opens up many more options .... if nothing else works, I'd suggest calling Henry and seeing what advice they may have .... please take a look at our How Many ? thread (link below) and add your Henry to our community's total


http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 115#p68115

andyrping wrote:... So far best I’m getting is 2-3 inch groups at 50 yards.

IMO that is pretty good shooting, especially for a single shot. Reloading between shots means POI has to be reacquired each time. Even when using sandbags the rifle gets moved during reload. I'm sure others will chime in with something more helpful.

Also, welcome to the forum from the TV Oregon.

Mags wrote:

andyrping wrote:... So far best I’m getting is 2-3 inch groups at 50 yards.

IMO that is pretty good shooting, especially for a single shot. Reloading between shots means POI has to be reacquired each time. Even when using sandbags the rifle gets moved during reload. I'm sure others will chime in with something more helpful.

Also, welcome to the forum from the TV Oregon.

@ 50 yds with a 2 different scopes, 2-3" is to be expected, just because it's a single shot? Isn't that the same as saying every time you pick up your zeroed in lever action that it might print 2-3" from the last time you used it?

Folks, thank you all for your prompt replies! And I apologize for having to have a negative first post. It’s just I love this rifle and want to rule out possible issues on my end before I contact Henry...

Just to clarify, these are 5 shot groups that I’m referring to, and every time I change a variable, I shoot a new 5 shot group. For example, when I put a different scope on, I shoot another 5-shot group. I’m not comparing POI between the different setups.

Anyhow, thanks for the suggestions and keep them coming. So far I have not had someone else shoot the rifle and I have only used 150 grain loads from three different manufacturers.

andyrping wrote:Folks, thank you all for your prompt replies! And I apologize for having to have a negative first post. It’s just I love this rifle and want to rule out possible issues on my end before I contact Henry...

Just to clarify, these are 5 shot groups that I’m referring to, and every time I change a variable, I shoot a new 5 shot group. For example, when I put a different scope on, I shoot another 5-shot group. I’m not comparing POI between the different setups.

Anyhow, thanks for the suggestions and keep them coming. So far I have not had someone else shoot the rifle and I have only used 150 grain loads from three different manufacturers.

Got it. I guess the next question is, are you zeroing in the scopes when you swap them out? That, and the question about having someone else try it are just typical of the line of questioning that Henry would go through in trying to help figure things out. Pictures of the groupings will be very helpful, too, I would think.

If it get to it, I've found the best course is Patrick Hall at Henry. Very responsive and accommodating. He may be aware of model-specific issues that none of us are familiar with. His email is patrick@henryusa.com should you get to that point.

Could be a barrel issue, I guess, but Patrick will be straight with you, so don't hesitate, would be my advice.

Go get some Barnes TTSX 168 grain bullets and give them a ride. Yes there pricey but I have had good luck with there bullets in my 338.

Reloading between shots means POI has to be reacquired each time.

Hmm, I can't really agree with you on this. Go watch long range 'Creedmore' shooters sometime with their SS Sharps and open irons and you'll see they aren't too inhibited by loading single shot..
I load my Winchesters single shot when target shooting and got much better results with a new load last weekend and my groups were about half what the OP reported - and with open irons. Pretty close to the same with my Henry - and it had to be cycled for every shot.....
There could be a variety of issues taking place here and I would START with a known quality brand of ammo - heck even factory ammo should shoot better than this.
I would also have someone else shoot it as previously recommended - this can reveal problems YOU may be having - especially if the 'other' shooter has much better results.
What is your range situation? Good bench & rest? clear lanes and sun to your back? How about your targets? You got good contrast on the bullseye and can see your crosshairs clearly?
Last but not least are the scopes known quality and have you used them on other rifles with BETTER results?
Sorry to throw so much at you but there are a lot of variables here that could be influencing the less than optimal accuracy. I don't expect MOA out of the Henry but it should be in the 1" category to start at this range and with factory ammo.
The fact you are shooting your Marlin much better kind of rules out 'you' and focuses on the gun, ammo or scopes.
Oh, BTW - welcome to the forum from Wickiup Junction Oregon!

Mistered wrote:

Reloading between shots means POI has to be reacquired each time.

Hmm, I can't really agree with you on this. Go watch long range 'Creedmore' shooters sometime with their SS Sharps and open irons and you'll see they aren't too inhibited by loading single shot..

I think that it is going to come down to the individual skill of the shooter. With a single shot, cheek weld to the stock is likely disturbed or even broken during reload and the hand doing the loading comes off the rifle (causing shoulder movement) so there is unintended rifle movement during that and some re-aim required afterwards unless one is really/really good at not moving the rifle between cheek and shoulder and forearm.

I find with my single shot rifles that it matters how I support them on the bench rest. It seems to work best when the rifles are set on the rest just in front of the receiver, exactly the same each time. Of course, one has to remove a break action rifle each time to reload, while a falling block can remain on the rest. Still, you have to move around, reload, and reacquire the sight picture. I'm talking about sighting in, to see what's the best they'll do. They shoot "minute of Moose" pretty much no matter what, but it's a confidence builder to know they're spot on .

Now I am upset, when I tried to order a single shot rifle
Last November, my dealer told me they weren't available,
A didn't look like they were going to make any.
Only 45/70 and 44 mag in the brass receiver.
So I ordered the 44 mag for my wife. Which came in
About 7 months later. Now the scope base is on order.
I most definitely would have ordered the 308, that's the
Caliber my wife has shot for many years.

biglever wrote:Now I am upset, when I tried to order a single shot rifle
Last November, my dealer told me they weren't available,
A didn't look like they were going to make any.
Only 45/70 and 44 mag in the brass receiver.
So I ordered the 44 mag for my wife. Which came in
About 7 months later. Now the scope base is on order.
I most definitely would have ordered the 308, that's the
Caliber my wife has shot for many years.

Assuming we're still talking about the 308 Single Shot, there's a healthy handful on Gunbroker, this one with Free Shipping, No CC fees and one of the lower prices listed.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/789742619

Yup and some 308's on GB that have some really nice wood on them.

Just got back on this site. couldnt log on.
Are the 308's made in brass receiver or just blue steel.?
That is what I wanted.

biglever wrote:Just got back on this site. couldnt log on.
Are the 308's made in brass receiver or just blue steel.?
That is what I wanted.

they have several engraved models but none in the classic Henry brass models

biglever wrote: Are the 308's made in brass receiver or just blue steel.?

Welcome back, biglever.

308s are only offered in Steel. Brass models are .44 Mag, .357 Mag and .45-70.
https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/single-shot-rifle/

That's what I though.
I ended up getting my wife a brass single shot 44 mag
That she is dieing to carry , when deer season opens in
Less than two weeks.