Overview
The modern version of Henry Repeating Arms has been around for nearly 30 years, and most folks know the company as a maker of fine lever-action rifles. Moreover, in recent years Henry has been expanding its all-American workforce and moving into shotguns, throwback 9mm pistol caliber carbines, pump-action rifles, and now, it has opened the door to become a revolver maker.
Whereas lots of companies new to the revolver world start small, say, with a simple rimfire .22 single-action, Henry jumped in the deep end and went double-action .357 – territory dominated in America by a handful of big names that have been doing it for generations, folks like Colt, Ruger, and Smith & Wesson.
So how does the Henry Big Boy stack up?
In disclosure, Henry sent Guns.com this revolver for test and evaluation purposes.
The Specs (Gunfighter grip model as shown)
- Caliber: .357 Magnum/.38 S&W Special
- Capacity: 6 round cylinder
- Trigger Pull: 9.5 pounds D/A, 3.75 pounds S/A (10-pull average)
- Weight: 35 ounces
- Barrel Length: 4 inches, 1:16 twist rate
- Overall Length: 9.5 inches
- Height: 4.9 inches over top of rear sights
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Width: 1.5 inches across cylinder (widest component)
Features
The Henry Big Boy revolver has a very Film Noir detective feel to it, and its profile seems about 1930-1950s vintage, especially with its unshrouded ejector rod under the barrel.
For reference, look at this circa 1947 Colt Official Police in our Vault:
Mechanically, the Big Boy revolver line is very S&W K-frame in layout, with a left-ejecting, left-hand-turning swing-out cylinder, a right-hand side plate to the frame, and a push-forward release latch toward the rear of the cylinder on the left side of the frame.
The two-part grips on the Gunfighter variant of the Big Boy revolver are smooth walnut with a Henry rifleman logo on each panel and a brass inlet around the screw position. They look good, but I would rather have something with some checkering to it. Luckily, Henry has a variety of factory replacement grips for both the Birdshead and Gunfighter pattern, including checkered walnut, engineered Cocobolo, and laminates.
Trigger
Factory double-action revolvers, almost as a rule, tend to have a stout primary trigger with a pull in the 11-to-15-pound range complemented by a single-action option typically in the 4-to-6-pound range. The Henry proved a bit smoother and lighter than that, with the double action averaging out to 9.5 pounds across a straightforward 0.70-inch pull through the wall, while the single action was a crisp 3.75 pounds.
Observe in double action:
Reliability
The Henry Big Boy revolver proved dependable in testing on the range and never left us hanging or with some sort of curious malfunction across 500 rounds of factory ammo run through the handgun. One of the saddest facts of 2023 is that there weren't a ton of .38 Spl loads on the shelf for us to tap, and the bulk of what we had (250 rounds) came from boxes of PMC Bronze 132-grain FMJ.
When it came to spicier loads, we ran 250 rounds of assorted Federal .38 Special +P defensive loads and .357 Magnums. The Henry, with over 2 pounds of steel to help mitigate recoil, handled it fine.
The only problem we could cite when speaking of reliability was a common one with wheel guns – sticking brass on a dirty cylinder. By the time we were above the 400-round mark, we'd typically have to pluck out a few "stay behinds" after ramming the extractor rod. Sure, in a gunfight situation, you could simply smack the extractor hard a few times with your palm before moving a speed loader into place, but just know that you may have this issue when dirty.
Accuracy
With a decent DA/SA trigger, a nearly 6-inch sight radius, and the interchangeable front post options making up for the limitations of the fixed rear notch sight, the Henry was a natural shooter on the range. Proving dependable across several different loads, we easily kept it on the paper out to 25 yards when firing offhand.
Carry
Although there is doubtless a wide range of generic pancake-style holsters that will fit the Henry Big Boy, several holster makers are stepping up to make sure those wanting to carry this six-shot .357 have options. Diamond D Custom is making a nice all-leather Alaska Hunter in both hip and chest holster variants, Simply Rugged has three models (the Cattleman, Eldorado, and Sourdough), and DeSantis has come through with a pair of ambidextrous holsters that I liked: the #189 The Wild Hog and #M90 Wild Hog Hybrid.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Smooth trigger
- Classic styling
- Reliable
- Accurate
- Uses common speed loader types
- Widespread holster availability, at least for OWB carry
- Ships with multiple front-sight options
- Pairs with Henry .357 lever guns
Cons
- Fixed sights
- Poor grip ergos
- Some may dislike the brass backstrap/trigger guard
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An uncommon grip pattern
Conclusion
The Henry Big Boy .357 revolver came out of nowhere and was likely not on anyone's bingo card when it was introduced earlier this year. Few companies these days elect to get into the medium-framed .357 Magnum caliber double-action revolver market, and some (looking at you, Colt and Rossi) have even tried to exit that space in recent memory.
Still, Henry is doing a lot of things right with its inaugural wheel gun. It is accurate, has a decent trigger, and borrows enough things from proven legacy designs to seem familiar while having a very "Henry-ness" about it at the same time. You just don't see lots of brass-accented revolvers in a double-action format, but Henry has pulled it off while still delivering a very solid-feeling and capable handgun to the market.
As far as purpose, Henry stresses the Big Boy revolver is meant for recreational range trips for target shooting and for discerning collectors. Will it also work as a carry gun if necessary? For sure. Home defense? Yes.
And, of course, it always serves as a caliber twin to the company's .357 Magnum lever guns. Check out the soft-shooting and eye-catching Henry Big Boy Brass Side Gate rifle in the same caliber for reference, review inbound.
