Henry Big Boy 44 and 45-70

It’s been a very long time since I’ve posted here, but still love this place!

I’m looking for info regarding running cast in a Henry 44 Big Boy and Henry 18.5” 45-70.

I’d like to get a load with cast boolits suitable for northeast Whitetails. I had some 310gr WFN in my cart from Missouri bullets, but now I’m concerned they won’t cycle and/or be accurate in the Henry.

I thought the 300gr bullets in .459 and the 405’s would be fun to try in the .45-70.

Anyone have experience with the Henry to recommend a specific bullet? I’ve never loaded for a 44 or 45-70 lever, but have loads for 44 in revolvers and 45-70 in a Contender pistol and carbine.


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I'd load up what I had on hand.

You might be pleasantly surprised.

If not - back to the reloading bench!

Lots of fun just around the corner.

I had my best results with Oregon Trail .431 240 grain laser cast sitting on 6.8 grains of Unique in a 44 Special case. Commercial HSM Cowboy loads in 44 Special keyholed at 15 yards - I could not believe it! Must have been around .428 or .429. In 44 Magnum in my Rossi 44 I shot the same bullet sitting on 7 grains and it was accurate and ran about 1150 fps. The Speer swaged .430 in 240 grain were also very accurate.

I caved and order Somme j words too. Will report back with results. Hope I can shoot a peep sight!


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No experience with the Henry's but for a cast deer bullet in the 45/70 I don't think you can do better than the Lyman/Gould 457122HP. Cast them out of 1/20 or 1/30 and load them to 1400-1450fps. Very effective on deer and the recoil does not beat you up.

We load my dad’s with a 300 gr bullet, shoots them nice. His 44 Henry we’ve only loaded 240 swc


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Thanks guys!

As an update:
I mounted a Leupold VX3 1.5-5x20 in Talley rings on the .45-70. Well, actually, first, I mounted it in quick detach low Warne rings in Warne steel bases, but it was mounted too high for my liking. Ended up still putting on a neoprene sleeve with comb raising pad on it anyway.
Haven’t put any rounds down the tube yet.

On the .44, I mounted a Skinner Express peep. I shot it just few times offhand and had no trouble hitting “minute of water bottle” that way with a couple factory Winchester White box and Hornady LeverEvolutions.

I tried one of my SWC cast boolits I had on hand, and confirmed that they do not feed reliably from the tube.

I also tried the non large loop lever on the .44, but it is too short for me to get my fingers in it comfortably. This is the lever that comes on the 20” barrel model. I put the large loop back on.


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There was a time when Henry used their equivalent of micro-groove barrels in their 44’s, either their production or they bought them from Marlin. Count the lands/grooves and if the lands number upwards of 10 or so, you have one. If so, they can still shoot cast well, but you need a larger diameter bullet, or you can also go the jacketed route.

I have a BBB in 44 mag.
I shoot a 240 gr cast RFN bullet from Missouri Bullet co. they call it the Smasher over 9.5 grs of Unique.
Also the 240 gr xtp but I can't recall the load at the moment.

RP