Henry’s “industrial hard chrome satin” metal finish stands against the black-stained hardwood stocks, which are also noted to be finished with a “durable industrial grade coating.” Caliber selections include the .357 Mag/.38 Special, .44 Magnum/Special, and .45 Colt. Each offers 10+1 round capacity in the full-length magazine tube. 
 

Our Test Rifle

Our test rifle came chambered in .357 Magnum/.38 Special. Inside the Henry cardboard box, buyers will find the rifle, felt receiver cover, and paperwork. Fit and finish is impressive and the action smooth right out of the box. There’s a 20-inch round barrel with a 1:16 twist rate, fitted with adjustable iron sights. The expected fully adjustable semi-buckhorn rear pairs with a brass bead front blade. 
 

Swivel studs come standard. Length of pull measures a full 14 inches to the end of the solid black rubber recoil pad. The gun’s overall length is 37.5 inches, with an unloaded weight of 7 pounds even. Suggested retail price on our test gun, and all the Big Boy All-Weathers, is set at $1,283. 

Right out of the box, the All-Weather Big Boy looks and feels the part of a quality firearm. Fit and finish are on point, and the action runs smoothly and begs to be shot. Having both the side loading gate and Henry’s more traditional tubular magazine port means buyers get the best of both worlds. Loading and unloading via the tube is simple, but quick recharges are best done through the receiver’s port. 
 

We’re especially pleased that Henry forgoes chintzy black synthetic furniture, instead opting for dark stained hardwood, itself a more unique and substantial-feeling choice. The stained hardwood stocks are sleek and comfortable, with the only consideration we’d note is the lack of checkering, which could add a slick element on rainy days. That said, the stock finish is touted to be “tough, moisture-resistant industrial grade coating” – so shooters needn’t be as nervous about using the gun as it was intended instead of staying cozily in the safe. 
 

Field Notes

Our test model .38/.357 Big Boy All-Weather trigger measures 4.5 pounds on a Lyman digital pull gauge. Having fired many lever guns old and new, this rifle shows one of the better triggers we’ve tested. It’s crisp and creepless, which was quite the pleasant surprise. 
 

Because the receiver is drilled and tapped, adding an optic is straightforward. A number of bases are available, either directly from Henry’s own Outfitter web store or on the open market. While it’s nice to see companies including bases, some users prefer a more DIY solution. Henry sticks with its standby irons on the Big Boy All-Weather. They’re plenty practical for most users, though we’re certainly considering an upgrade to a quality peep like Skinner Sights' aperture offerings. 
 

Range Time

We headed to the range with a mix of .357 Magnum and .38 Special loads, including Hornady American Gunner XTP, Federal Hammer Down 170-grain, Hornady LeveRevolution 140-grain FTX, and Magtech FMJ. The nice thing about running what are traditionally handgun chamberings through a weightier lever-action rifle is surprisingly low recoil. Even with the most potent .357 Magnum hunting loads, the All-Weather Big Boy is both a mild and accurate shooter. 
 

Not surprisingly, our test rifle ran with 100-percent reliability through the range of different ammunition chamberings, bullet types, and weights. We fired three-shot accuracy groups at both 50 and 75 yards. Given chambering restraints, along with my iron sight comfort, the ideal range for the All Weather .357 sans optic is inside of 100 yards. 
 

Though Henry’s website notes that the All-Weather finish “lets you hunt in the rain and the snow with no fear of creeping rust,” we still strongly advocate for proper and regular firearm maintenance. The nice thing about the Big Boy All-Weather we’re testing is that buyers get the same quality in any of the company’s other Big Boy variants.