Henry Long Ranger Big Woods Carbine: Box-Mag .308 Lever

Last updated July 2026 · By Nick Hall, covers lever-action and hunting rifles for USA Gun Shop

Quick take: Henry Repeating Arms teamed up with hunting brand Big Woods Bucks on the Long Ranger Big Woods Carbine, a short and light .308 lever gun built for still-hunting whitetail in thick timber. It feeds from a detachable box magazine instead of a tube, wears a peep sight for fast aiming, and ships now at an MSRP of $1,500. This is a working deer rifle, not a safe queen.

Henry Long Ranger Big Woods Carbine, a short blued .308 lever-action rifle with a walnut straight-grip stock, detachable box magazine, and Skinner rear peep sight

What it is: A cut-down .308 Win lever-action carbine (SKU H014SBWB-308) made for dense-cover deer hunting.
Key detail: A 4-round detachable box magazine, not the tube magazine most people picture on a lever gun.
Specs: 18.5-inch blued barrel with 1:10 twist, 39-inch overall length, 6.9 pounds, Skinner rear peep plus red fiber-optic front.
Who it is for: Timber hunters who want a modern box-fed lever in a full-power hunting cartridge.

What Henry and Big Woods Bucks built

The Long Ranger Big Woods Carbine is a collaboration between Henry and Big Woods Bucks, a hunting brand focused on tracking deer in thick northern forest. Henry took its existing Long Ranger platform and trimmed it down into a short, handy carbine meant to move quietly through brush. The result is a .308 Win rifle that weighs 6.9 pounds and measures 39 inches from end to end.

The pairing is not just branding. Master Maine Guide Hal Blood, a name attached to the Big Woods Bucks side, described the gun as a short, light, smooth action topped with a peep sight, calling it the right combination for the woods. That is a clear signal about who this rifle is meant to serve. If you want the wider category, our roundup of the best lever-action rifles shows where this one slots in.

What a box-magazine lever gun actually is

Most lever-action rifles store their ammo in a tube that runs under the barrel, but this one uses a detachable box magazine instead. A box magazine is the same kind of removable, spring-loaded ammo holder you see on a bolt-action hunting rifle or an AR. On the Big Woods Carbine it holds 4 rounds and drops free so you can swap in a loaded spare in seconds.

That design choice matters for two reasons. A box magazine lets you safely load pointed spitzer bullets, which are more accurate at distance and are risky to stack nose-to-primer in a tube. It also makes reloading faster and keeps the gun balanced the same whether the magazine is full or empty.

Sights, barrel, and the peep-sight setup

The carbine ships with a Skinner rear peep sight and a red fiber-optic front bead. A peep sight is an aperture, meaning a small hole you look through rather than a traditional open notch. Your eye naturally centers the front post inside that circle, so aiming is quicker and cleaner in low light, which is exactly when timber deer tend to move.

The barrel is 18.5 inches of blued steel with a 1:10 twist rate, and it sits on an American walnut straight-grip stock. The receiver is drilled and tapped for a Weaver 63B base, so you can mount a low-power scope later if you prefer glass over irons. For a rundown on feeding it, see our guide to the best .308 ammo for hunting and home defense.

Price and where the carbine fits

Henry lists the Long Ranger Big Woods Carbine at an MSRP of $1,500, and it is shipping now. That puts it in the mid-tier of new hunting rifles, above budget bolt guns but below custom work. You are paying for the walkable weight, the peep-sight package, and a lever action chambered in a full-power deer cartridge.

The launch fits the broader lever-action revival, where makers keep finding fresh takes on an old design. A box-fed .308 lever aimed squarely at close-cover whitetail is a narrow pitch, and that focus is the point. For a hunter who tracks deer in tight timber and wants iron sights that work fast, this carbine reads like a purpose-built tool rather than a novelty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What caliber is the Henry Long Ranger Big Woods Carbine?

It is chambered in .308 Winchester, also marked 7.62x51, a full-power cartridge widely used for deer and larger game. That gives it more reach and knockdown than the pistol-caliber cartridges found in many traditional lever guns.

Does it use a tube magazine or a box magazine?

It uses a 4-round detachable box magazine, not a tube. A box magazine is the removable, spring-loaded holder you see on bolt-action rifles and ARs, and it lets you load pointed spitzer bullets safely.

What sights come on the Big Woods Carbine?

It ships with a Skinner rear peep sight and a red fiber-optic front bead. A peep sight is an aperture you look through, which makes aiming faster and easier in the low light common to timber hunting.

Can I mount a scope on it?

Yes. The receiver is drilled and tapped for a Weaver 63B base, so you can add a low-power scope while keeping the option to run the factory iron sights.

How much does the Henry Big Woods Carbine cost?

The MSRP is $1,500, and Henry says the carbine is shipping now. That places it in the mid-tier of new hunting rifles for 2026.

Who is this rifle designed for?

It is built for hunters who track whitetail deer in dense timber and want a short, light lever gun. At 6.9 pounds and 39 inches overall, it is meant to carry easily and swing fast in close cover.