Henry 45-70 as a comp rifle.

[GojiraSteve]

Hey all, I'm about to pick up one of the 22 inch barreled Henrys in 45-70. Ostensibly it'll be a hunting rifle but I'm thinking I might run it (with light handloads) in the lever action matches at Mary's Shooting Centre in Sydney (when they reopen).

It'll be the older type with no side loading gate, and even with the 22inch barrel it's only 4 round capacity which leaves me at a disadvantage in the 5 round rapid fire section of the match. I'm wondering if anyone knows whether loading wadcutters might give me just enough room to jam 5 in the tube. Also would wadcutters be less accurate (bearing in mind At Mary's only runs to 50m). Also would you invisage feeding issues with the squared off projectiles?

Cheers
Steve

[wrenchman]

i dont think it will they make speed loaders for the steel boys they might make one for what you have

[GojiraSteve]

Cheers Wrenchman. I believe they do make a speedloader type thing for Henry type tube mags. But for this purpose it wouldn't really apply. Unless I've got it wrong the rapid fire section of the match is 5 shots in 15 seconds. Bellying up to the line with 4 in the mag would mean single loading the last one straight into the breech makes more sense than pulling the sleeve and loading the "conventional" way. Assuming it's allowed...

[in2anity]

FWIW they used to run lever action comp in the afternoon last Sunday of the month at Silverdale. After rimfire metallic silhouette in the morning. Differing distances, but the far target is at 100m.

[boingk]

If the rules let you use the hammer safety to keep one in the chamber on starting it could be allowed?

Or start with the action partially open and a round about to be chambered?

I'd chat to the guys at the club. There's also the 1895 Marlin's in 6 round 45-70 full-length tube.