Henry Rifle Forums

I was able to take my new Henry single shot rifle in .223 Rem./5.56 Nato to the range earlier today to sight in the scope. I started with some Wolf .223 Rem. 62gr. FMJ ammo to get it on paper at about 25 yards or so. I didn't expect much from Wolf steel case ammo but I thought it would be sufficient at 25 yards to get on paper. If I have to expend ammo to get on paper, the russian steel case stuff is the first to go. The first shot was surprisingly close and I used a few more to get the windage right and moved my target to the 50 yard line. The Wolf steel case was quite poor so I moved to some Wolf 62gr HP ammo and it was only marginally better but still poor.

I then tried some IMI 77gr ammo, then some Hornady 55 gr. SP ammo and last, some Hornady Black 75 gr. ammo. I was not getting what I consider acceptable accuracy but suddenly, after maybe 40 or 45 rounds or so, the Henry started shooting 3-shot cloverleafs with the IMI 77gr ammo.

Has anyone else experienced this? From abysmal to ideal like a switch was turned on. I don't think that my mediocre shooting skills improved significantly between shot 1 and shot 45.

I think the scope (Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9X40) is mounted correctly and I never let the barrel get hot. I clean any new gun before I shoot it the first time so I was starting with a clean barrel.

Got me stumped. Any thoughts?

HenryFan wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 6:06 pm

... I clean any new gun before I shoot it the first time so I was starting with a clean barrel.

Got me stumped. Any thoughts?

Some guns too clean and or excessively too dirty don't shoot well. Looks like maybe you found the fouled sweet spot in between.

Mags wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 8:42 pm

HenryFan wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 6:06 pm

... I clean any new gun before I shoot it the first time so I was starting with a clean barrel.

Got me stumped. Any thoughts?

Some guns too clean and or excessively too dirty don't shoot well. Looks like maybe you found the fouled sweet spot in between.

Agree with that. And I wouldn't clean it again until accuracy/precision showed it was needed and then only gently, not scrubbing it down to base metal or he'll have to start from scratch again.

Round count will vary from what's shown in this pic:



See this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOmco59 ... n&index=37

and: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeAdf4b ... n&index=38

Also, Parts 39 thru 41.

But from the title I was expecting some kind of UFO abduction, or supernatural experience.

Some barrels do funny things as they break in, but do some more shooting. It often take a couple hundred rounds or so before a barrel settles down and shoots, consistently. Also agree not to be in a hurry to clean the barrel and when you do, no need to scrub super clean.

Note, too, that how tight you torque the forearm bolt on single shots such as the Henry can also affect accuracy. Also, where you rest the forearm on a bag can affect accuracy. Most important is to be consistent on both.

I understand and appreciate all of the comments. Good advice all.

But I think if I put a gun back in the safe without a cleaning, I'd have nightmares. In fact, I cleaned the rifle upon my return home and had plans to give it a second cleaning tomorrow morning.

I guess I am still afraid the unit armorer will find some black soot somewhere on the piece.

As a Marine, I resemble that remark. I clean my guns after each session, if we spend time in foul weather, and about every six months if they are EDC guns. We were taught to take care of our equipment if it's to take care of you. My twenty five year old P220 with tens of thousands of rounds thru it, still shoots perfectly.

HenryFan wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 9:37 pm

I understand and appreciate all of the comments. Good advice all.

But I think if I put a gun back in the safe without a cleaning, I'd have nightmares. In fact, I cleaned the rifle upon my return home and had plans to give it a second cleaning tomorrow morning.

I guess I am still afraid the unit armorer will find some black soot somewhere on the piece.

Check out the section "Clean Your Guns Based on Usage—"
https://www.concealedcarry.com/firearms ... lean-guns/

Mags wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 11:46 pm

HenryFan wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 9:37 pm

I understand and appreciate all of the comments. Good advice all.

But I think if I put a gun back in the safe without a cleaning, I'd have nightmares. In fact, I cleaned the rifle upon my return home and had plans to give it a second cleaning tomorrow morning.

I guess I am still afraid the unit armorer will find some black soot somewhere on the piece.

Check out the section "Clean Your Guns Based on Usage—"
https://www.concealedcarry.com/firearms ... lean-guns/

Many people spend extraordinary time and effort on the bore, and little to no time on the moving parts in the receiver, or under the stock/grips. To me that's like brushing your teeth, but not wiping your butt. I tend to blame this on the people who market and sell cleaning kits and assorted chems that are nearly always targeted at the bore, and ignore the rest of the gun. I take the opposite approach, and rarely do more than run a dry patch thru the bore to wipe out powder residue, or a little oil if it's not going to be shot for a year or so.

My thinking, a clean gun is a happy gun. Yet, barrels may have pits. So, the copper could fill in the pits to allow the bullet to exit the barrel more consistently. Therefore, getting rid of the power residue is good. However, a little cooper could good a long way. Anyway, that is how I look at my Henry.

For me it all depends on the gun and ammo. Having shot a lot of corrosive ammo I would first clean my hands then the exterior of the entire rifle. Next would be the bore with boiling water and ammonia. Then repeat cleaning my hands and exterior. During WWII it was a Court Martial offense to have pits in your bore. If you were issued a rifle with pits it was stamped with a P and sometimes R for rust. That was common with Enfields.

My concealed carry would get all the lint cleaned off it almost daily even if I never shot it. My rimfire only gets a bore snake down it. All the sage queen rifles and pistols would get a wipe down and oiled at least once a year.