Henry Big Boy .357 Mag
Model: H006M
Henry Big Boy .357 Mag
Model: H006M
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The Henry Big Boy is the brass-and-walnut lever action that most people picture when they imagine a classic American cowboy rifle. The polished hardened brass receiver, blued 20-inch octagon barrel, and American walnut straight-grip stock produce a rifle that looks like it belongs in a glass case — but Henry built it to shoot. It accepts both .357 Mag and .38 Special, so you can run inexpensive .38 Special for practice and load full-power .357 Mag for deer season.
At 138.88 oz (8.68 lbs) unloaded, the Big Boy is the heaviest rifle in the .357 Mag lever group by a wide margin. That mass absorbs .357 Mag recoil noticeably better than the 90 oz Rossi R92, but it also makes extended carry in the field fatiguing. The 20-inch barrel gets the most out of the .357 Mag cartridge — published ballistic data shows .357 Mag pushing 1,800+ fps from a 20-inch barrel, putting it well into 100-yard deer territory. The 10-round tubular magazine loads through a side gate.
The Big Boy is not a gun for someone who wants to mount accessories, thread a suppressor, or run fiber optic sights — that buyer should look at the Big Boy X instead. This rifle is for the buyer who wants the heritage look, a smooth single-action lever, and a rifle they can hand to the next generation. If you're pairing it with a .357 revolver for a matched set, bring the rifle to the counter and cycle the lever a few times — owners consistently report the factory action is smooth enough to shoot well straight from the box, with no smoothing work needed.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- The polished brass receiver and octagon barrel are genuine — not plating over zinc. Owners report fit and finish on production models is consistent, with tight wood-to-metal contact at the receiver.
- Accepts .38 Special from the same chamber. At typical .38 Special prices, you can shoot hundreds of rounds for the cost of a box of .357 Mag, making it a far more practical range rifle.
- At 138.88 oz, it is the heaviest lever action in the .357 Mag field. That weight makes recoil with full-power .357 Mag loads noticeably softer than lighter alternatives like the 90 oz Rossi R92.
- 138.88 oz unloaded is genuinely heavy for a pistol-caliber rifle. Carried all day in the field, it is about a pound heavier than the Winchester 1873 (116 oz) and nearly 3 lbs heavier than the Rossi R92.
- No threaded barrel, no M-LOK rail. Buyers who want a suppressor host or accessory mounting need the Big Boy X instead.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Henry Big Boy, Big Boy X, and Big Boy Carbine in .357 Mag?
The classic Big Boy (H006M) is the brass-receiver, octagon-barrel, American walnut model — heritage look, 20-inch barrel, 10-round capacity, 138.88 oz. The Big Boy X (H012MX) is Henry's tactical take: synthetic X-stock with adjustable length of pull, M-LOK forend, threaded 5/8x24 barrel at 17.4 inches, 7-round capacity, 116.8 oz. The Big Boy Carbine shortens the barrel to 16.5 inches and uses a round rather than octagon profile, bringing overall length down for easier handling in close quarters. If you want the classic look and maximum tube capacity, buy the standard Big Boy. If you want suppressor compatibility or accessory rails, buy the X.
Can the Henry Big Boy shoot .38 Special?
Yes. The chamber is dimensioned for both .357 Mag and .38 Special — they share the same bore diameter, with .38 Special being shorter. Running .38 Special produces less recoil, less noise, and lower cost per round, making it a practical everyday training load. No conversion is required; just load and shoot.
Does the Henry Big Boy need a break-in period?
Most owners report the factory action is smooth enough to shoot well immediately. Unlike some lever actions with tight tolerances that require a few hundred rounds to loosen up, the Big Boy's action is generally described as cycling freely from the first box. If the carrier feels stiff, a light application of lubricant at the action pivot points is usually all that is needed before the action settles in.
