Henry Rifle Forums

Is this freakin' drop safe? H&R had rebounding hammers on the handi rifle and that ended up with some lawsuits cause people dropped a loaded gun and ended up with new peep holes in their house.

Just looking at my H 009 30-30, I would say so. The transfer bar is moved into position to contact the firing pin when the trigger is pulled. With the hammer down, I don't see it being possible to contact the firing pin. Even with the hammer cocked, it couldn't contact the firing pin if the blow caused release of the hammer, unless, somehow, the transfer bar moved independent of the trigger. The single shot is constructed differently, but is supposed work similarly. I haven't studied it enough yet to figure it out .

as one who obsesses on safety, when I received our first Henry (BBS 44 Mag) I spent some time trying to make its safety fail .... with a round in the chamber with a new primer (no powder or bullet), finger off of the trigger, and the hammer down, I pulled it back and let it go a bunch of times .... I did this at various points between hammer down position and where the hammer locks back in firing position .... at no point did the firing pin leave any mark whatsoever on the primer ..... further, with the same shell in the chamber I did jar it by dropping it a couple of inches so that the recoil pad would contact a solid surface .... this was done both with the hammer in safe and firing position .... same result, no contact mark on the firing pin .... in thinking about it, a test I haven't conducted (that I now plan to) is to ease the hammer part way back, pull the trigger and let the hammer go ..... I can't see any way it will fire but I think it is a test well worth making

Yornoc3 wrote:Just looking at my H 009 30-30, I would say so. The transfer bar is moved into position to contact the firing pin when the trigger is pulled. With the hammer down, I don't see it being possible to contact the firing pin. Even with the hammer cocked, it couldn't contact the firing pin if the blow caused release of the hammer, unless, somehow, the transfer bar moved independent of the trigger. The single shot is constructed differently, but is supposed work similarly. I haven't studied it enough yet to figure it out .

Old Handi rifles have no transfer bar, these Henry's don't detail one in their specs either. A rebounding hammer with no transfer bar seams risky, which is really sad cause I wanted one of these as a dangerous game gun.

All I can say about the single shot's rebounding hammer is that the hammer spring itself is pretty powerful, and the spring that "rebounds" the hammer is also pretty strong. It takes some force to make it "give" when you push on it to feel it move. I agree that there is no transfer bar shown on the schematic for the single shot, there are blocks that won't let it be cocked if not closed properly.

SingleAction357 wrote:Old Handi rifles have no transfer bar, these Henry's don't detail one in their specs either. A rebounding hammer with no transfer bar seams risky, which is really sad cause I wanted one of these as a dangerous game gun.

have you considered calling Henry customer service and directing the issue at them .... I have no doubt that they have technical, engineering information along with knowledge of years of in the field use .... I can't think of any better source from which to get solid info on your concerns

I would call HRA and get their take on it. They'll give you the straight goods.

SingleAction357 wrote:Is this freakin' drop safe? H&R had rebounding hammers on the handi rifle and that ended up with some lawsuits cause people dropped a loaded gun and ended up with new peep holes in their house.

Rebounding hammer was design for break open gun . The real old guns break open guns the hammer rest on firepin making the firepin sticking out of frame if you forgot to put gun on 1/2 cock and closing the gun the firing pin would hit the primer . I prefer rebound hammer with float firing pin on my hunting guns , that way I can carry them loaded safely .

I have a newer Model 94 WIn., with the hammer block crossbolt safety, that also has a rebounding hammer, no half cock. I believe that most "modern" versions of leverguns have them, in some form.

My .22 mag mares leg has a transfer bar safety, so I know they use them, I just wonder why not here?