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H015-243 Problems

Henry's new single shots
FDP
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H015-243 Problems

Post by FDP » Thu Nov 22, 2018 11:22 am

Received my first Henry earlier this year and like most on this forum,the wood is great. That's about where it ends. I noticed when opening the action (breaking open) the movement was very stiff. I proceeded to do a cleaning as described in the manual. After reassembly,I noticed the tightness of opening was gone and it seemed to function correctly. I also found as others had posted the grinding or extra click in the trigger. After mounting a scope and a range session of not so good groups. 4 and 5 inch at 50 yd.from sand bags.I then used a snap cap and worked the trigger a few hundred times over a week or two with no success. I then proceeded as one poster wrote to remove the trigger assembly and worked the mechanism with some fine emery cloth.
This seemed to help a little but still had that click. I continued with the snap caps and more range sessions. I don't have an exact count but I've probably ran about 100 rounds of different ammo through it.
Then I noticed when opening the gun for cleaning the barrel to receiver movement. With the gun open,there is approximately a 1/4 inch movement side to side between the barrel and receiver. Either the pivot pin is worn or the receiver is worn.
I contacted Henry and the gun was shipped out Monday. Wondering if anyone else has seen this?
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CT_Shooter
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Re: H015-243 Problems

Post by CT_Shooter » Thu Nov 22, 2018 11:43 am

FDP wrote:...I contacted Henry and the gun was shipped out Monday.
Welcome to the forum from CT. I know what a bummer it is to need to send it back for repair (I had to do it, myself), but they will make it right (in my case, they replaced the rifle with a new one). Please keep us posted. I look forward to reading more about it.
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Re: H015-243 Problems

Post by Mistered » Thu Nov 22, 2018 11:45 am

Welcome to the forum.
When you say 'a 1/4" movement between the barrel and receiver' do you mean there is physical movement, side to side of the upper portion when the action was open? I.E. meaning you could 'rock' it back and forth?
Was it this way when you examined it at the LGS when you picked it up?
My point to this is a 1/4" is a huge amount of movement in this area and not something that is going to happen in just a 100 or so rounds.
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Re: H015-243 Problems

Post by bandit1250 » Thu Nov 22, 2018 1:26 pm

I hate to say it but some of these Henry problems sound more like being on the Marlin forum. What is going on with Henry? Never used to hardly ever hear of a issue. Now it seems like people are constantly sending one back. I hate to hear of these problems and hope Henry gets it fixed. To many folks seem willing to accept the amount of guns from all the makers that will need to be returned for issues as the way it is now. I don't accept this as the way things should be. The Henry Long Ranger I recently bought was very rough at one spot in the cycling of the action but I didn't like the gun to start with so I didn't mind seeing it go down the road. I can say that I must have been lucky with the amount of guns I bought through the years I returned one Remington 541-S for a unsatisfactory blue job. Henry may be just having some issues until they get some things worked out with making so many different models in their line. I think there seems to be more center fire issues than the in Henry rim fire rifles.
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Re: H015-243 Problems

Post by Mistered » Thu Nov 22, 2018 1:44 pm

I hate to say it but some of these Henry problems sound more like being on the Marlin forum.
Seems to be an epidemic no doubt.
I believe Henry to be a good, customer service oriented company but looking at their web site it is a no brainer they have spread themselves way too thin and coupled with what are most likely the same labor issues most companies are dealing with its no wonder why they are experiencing these issues.
If i were the 'Commander in Chief' of Henry I would seriously look at the problem areas, sales figures and maybe 'circle the wagons' and concentrate on my target market areas.
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Re: H015-243 Problems

Post by FDP » Thu Nov 22, 2018 2:17 pm

Mistered wrote:Welcome to the forum.
When you say 'a 1/4" movement between the barrel and receiver' do you mean there is physical movement, side to side of the upper portion when the action was open? I.E. meaning you could 'rock' it back and forth?
Was it this way when you examined it at the LGS when you picked it up?
My point to this is a 1/4" is a huge amount of movement in this area and not something that is going to happen in just a 100 or so rounds.
Sorry ! I should have been more specific.
The 1/4 inch side to side movement is seen at the end of the barrel when the gun is open.
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Re: H015-243 Problems

Post by Mistered » Thu Nov 22, 2018 3:52 pm

The 1/4 inch side to side movement is seen at the end of the barrel when the gun is open.
Ok so it has to be loose somewhere to be creating this much movement.
I'll simplify this - is the 'upper' portion loose at it's pivot point with the 'lower' part?
A 1/4" is still a lot - something is dramatically wrong here.
I have a 130 year old Belgium double Barrel 12 ga. that has virtually no movement when opened.
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Re: H015-243 Problems

Post by Yornoc3 » Thu Nov 22, 2018 5:15 pm

One thing about break action hammer guns being "looser" feeling than other break actions is that they have little to no spring tension. Since Henry rifles have no ejector, there is none. Hammerless shotguns are cocked by breaking open the action; break action guns with ejectors are also "fired" by opening the action, so they feel a lot tighter. A hammer single shot is pretty much just a barrel hanging on the pivot pin, when it's open. Any play whatsoever when closed, though, is big trouble. Still, there shouldn't be a lot of movement of the opened barrel within the action. I'd wonder about the fit of the forestock iron to the receiver if it's that loose.
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Re: H015-243 Problems

Post by FDP » Thu Nov 22, 2018 6:45 pm

It's in the pivot area. So much so that the bluing is rubbed from the barrel on one side by the receiver. The pivot pin was loose enough that I could push it out easily with my thumb. First thought was that the pin was to small or the receiver hole was to large but remembering back to when I first got the gun as to how stiff opening it was.
I have owned several guns over the years. My first gun was purchased in 1968 and it's still as reliable as when I took it out of the box.
Also have an old Winchester 37 single shot shotgun that was made sometime in the mid 50's. It still opens and closes tight as it did when my dad had it.
Very few new guns had to be returned for repair.
Maybe gun makers should go back to the basics like that old model 37. I know it would cost a little more but most of us would buy it and appreciate the workmanship.
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Re: H015-243 Problems

Post by Yornoc3 » Thu Nov 22, 2018 7:40 pm

That's definitely not right. The pin should be snug enough to require a punch to tap it out. That one never should have got past quality control. Henry should replace it without question. And they should send you some other stuff for your trouble :) .
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