Consider a 6 ½ pound, 16-inch barrel lever action carbine in .357 Magnum – the Henry Big Boy Steel Carbine. "Steel" because it's not the brass receiver or the 'silver-' finished, but one of blued steel. It's lighter than the 'shiny' guns and has a round barrel. Checkered walnut furniture, a rubber butt pad, sling swivel studs and buckhorn sights round out the features of the not-so-little gun. I expected it to be "M1 Carbine" class, but it feels more solid – if that's possible. It handles quickly and has some handling quirks, as I found out. Still it's quite a practical rig for a range of field applications. What isn't it? Well, it's not a primary hunting rifle. It certainly has the accuracy and power needed for light and some medium game. It's light and shoots a decent cartridge – as well as having the apparent ability to cycle with some .38 Special loads. This gun arrived a few weeks ago, but some of the ammo didn't – and other projects intruded. They were all good projects but I couldn't pass up a revolver caliber carbine. The big deal about the revolver caliber carbine? Well I was raised on Western movies, "oaters," in which every outdoorsman was armed with the Browning/Winchester Model 1892 – a revolver caliber carbine – even in pictures set long before that gun was developed. This critter has the large loop lever popularized by a Western picture star – and that has practical application when you're wearing gloves. No, I didn't spin the Henry BBS by the lever. In terms of power, it depends on velocity – and usable power depends on construction of the projectile in terms of the speed it's likely to be delivered. I've not yet gotten to chronograph any loads from the gun, a chore that's on the list. Doing a little research, I found that one load I used and a close analog to another was yielding close to 2,100 feet-per-second with the lighter bullet and just over 1,700 fps with the heavier slug. Depending on bullet construction, you're getting into medium game territory. Before a traditionalist cries out, no – there's no loading gate on the side of the receiver. This is a field gun and the folks at Henry Repeating Arms simplified the design by using a front-loading tubular magazine. Like the tube-fed .22 rimfires of old, you turn the follower rod out of its catch and pull it forward. I simply left the follower rod in the tube, just pulling it forward enough to open the cartridge cut. The capacity of the short carbine is 7 rounds – it's 10 in the 20" barrel version of the gun. When pushing the follower rod back into the tubular magazine, keep it under control. I provided a moment of comedy when I let it get away from me and spring out in front of the firing point. Lesson learned. Make sure that follower rod is secure. To chamber a round, run that lever like it owes you money – if you baby it, like other lever guns and pump shotguns, it'll refuse to run. The gun as a sliding transfer bar "safety" system: unlike the Henry Rimfire lever guns, you lower the hammer on the Big Boy all the way down. There is no 'half-cock' position, no cross-bolt, tang mounted nor hammer safety switches. That's keeping handling simple.

The front sight features a brass bead. The magazine follower rod locks into a notch to keep it secure -- a simple system.

Similarly simple is unloading the gun: unlike handguns that are worn all the time they're not locked up, rifles and shotguns are often transported to the field empty and loaded there. Unloading before the drive home is easily accomplished with the Henry Big Boy series of lever guns. Ensuring the hammer is down and having the carbine under control, just turn the follower rod under the barrel – I was able to do this keeping my hand clear of the muzzle, a good thing. Keeping it under control, remember the spring pressure, withdraw it from the magazine tube, turn the rifle muzzle down and let the cartridges fall into a suitable container. Replace the follower rod into the mag tube and, keeping the muzzle in the safest available direction, lever the round out of the chamber. Don't turn the rifle on its side to rack a round out. It's a bad habit and, if you're doing that at the range with other rounds in the magazine, you'll kick a live round out with the empty. Ask me how I know this. Better yet, don't. A hasty range trip with three different loads was arranged. I started at 25 yards just to ensure the gun was on paper. I needn't have worried. Using Federal Premium Law Enforcement 158 grain Hydra-Shok Hollow-point ammo, five rounds hit three inches low into a 1 ½" group. That doesn't sound like much, but I have to shoot iron-sight long guns left handed these days – it's a vision thing. I adjusted the rear sight up one level and shot Cor-Bon 125 grain .357 Magnum. It was authoritative, like the Federal load, but it felt 'lighter,' a function no doubt of the lighter-yet-faster bullet.

Keep that mag follower rod under control. When the tube is loaded, it's under spring pressure. The rod can be manipulated without putting your hand in front of the muzzle.

That load hit just over the sights and five rounds went into 1 ¾". I put three rounds onto a fifty-yard target while I was at it. Those rounds hit to the sights into 3 ½". I can't do that with a service pistol even from a rest. I loaded five rounds of Federal American Eagle 130 grain full-metal jacket .38 Special, a range load. It was like shooting an old air rifle in terms of felt recoil and blast (or lack thereof). Those hit an inch high and to the right of aim. Those five rounds went into 2 ¼" – just fine for range practice. In using the semi-Buckhorn sights, I put the front brass ball deeply into the notch for every round fired. The action was noticeably smooth. Need some reasonable power in a light, compact package that won't beat you up every time you press the trigger? I think I found an answer. If you're keeping coyotes away from the chicken coop, needing long gun protection in the farm fields and pastures without the 'look' of America's most popular modern rifle and like the ability to unload it when needed without running loaded rounds through the action, the Henry Big Boy Steel may be the answer. Available also in .44 Magnum – which, in some locales would be a better choice – as well as .41 Magnum, .45 Colt, and .327 Federal Magnum, the Henry Big Boy Steel is traditional feeling yet simplified. I'll be doing more with this handy gun in the future – and will keep you posted. -- Rich Grassi