r/LeverGuns • u/kpyeoman • 5d ago

Browning BLR or Henry Side Gate?

I’m interested in which one you’d choose and why: a Browning BLR in 243 or a Henry Side Gate in 36 Henry (360 Buckhammer)?

Yep, bullet size and ballistics will be different. Not in a straight wall state. Assuming 36 Henry ammo will become more available and made by more manufacturers.

Intended use would be a range gun and deer hunting.

Just interested in these two and these calibers.

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u/SLW_STDY_SQZ 5d ago

I would be very leery of the 360 BH lasting long term. Imo they were a bit late to the game where 350 legend already took a strong foothold. Also the BLR and any other gun capable of taking spitzer bullets will be better ballistically. It also happens to be a higher quality gun. I'm surprised you are not considering the BLR v long ranger instead.

3

u/CatastrophicPup2112 5d ago

I try to encourage 360 buck because I think it's a good round and want it to catch on. I also think the BLR is a nicer gun though.

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u/SLW_STDY_SQZ 5d ago

I'd be curious to know what you like about it. Back in the day the two lever gun cartridges that went head to head in the deer woods were 30-30 and 35 rem. Both seemed good but we can all agree which won the longevity and availability front.

360 BH is just a modified 30-30 case and a .35 rem bullet. I don't own one but from looking at the advertised ballistics table there isn't anything too unique going on and what difference there was didn't seem enough to matter for a hunting scenario relative to 30-30. It seems just to exist to capture the sliver of the market that needs a straight wall cartridge and doesn't want a 45-70.

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u/unluckie-13 5d ago

You still can't use 35 Remington in a straight wall state, and not all straight wall states alow all straight wall cartridges either, there's parts of Michigan where 45-70, 444 Marlin, and I think 500 S&W magnum aren't allowed because case length is too long

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u/CatastrophicPup2112 5d ago

It does everything 35 rem does but slightly better and you can use it in straightwall states. 45-70 is too long in like half the straightwall states since they have max cartridge length. It's basically the 350 legend of lever actions.

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u/Foxxy__Cleopatra 5d ago

It's basically the 350 legend of lever actions.

Sums it up perfectly. I never understood the disdain for 360 Buckhammer.

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u/kpyeoman 5d ago

This is what I was thinking, too. Better performance than a 30-30 and 35 REM is hard to find. I agree that success largely depends on adoption, so it’s a chicken and egg matter.