How do you like the big boy? I've never owned one, but have thought about buying one. I wanted a stainless 1895 but when I was looking they were never in stock so I purchased a blued 1895bl, got the 336bl on sale at the same time.
The Big Boy is awesome, I love mine. I put Skinner sights on it and a Golden Boy .22lr, top notch. Once I got past the idea of the tube loading and tried it, it was great. The .44 was my first one. I got it few years ago because the FFL couldn't lay his hands on a Marlin .44 for me.
Now, Henry is building some firearms now that have side gate loading. They have side loading .45-70s available now. The Marlin I got had to go to an authorized repair shop, and then back to the factory because it wouldn't cycle. It actually damaged the cartridges when I tried to run it. Back then I was wishing I would have got a Henry .45-70 instead.
I will probably end up with a Henry .357. I won 3 firearms last year and 3 this year. I am still hopeful to break my record of three. Typically, I win one or two a year. Still hoping to break my record this year.
I would like to watch Ruger turn the Marlin brand around, but I think that will take some time. A line of lever action rifles would be a nice compliment to the wonderful Ruger single action revolvers.
I won a Ruger Predator .22-250 and a Glock 44 early this year. Then most of the gun socials where canceled because of the dam Chinese Virus. I finally went to one that was held back in August and won on a gun bowel....I took the $400 store credit. Last week, I went and was going to put that towards a Ruger GP 100 in .357....ha, nothing in the shop, no Blackhawks either. Maybe I will use it for a Henry .357, or maybe wait and win another gun bowel to cover the whole price.