SGC customized and shooting great!

[Redthies]

I decided not long ago that I needed a .22 to quietly help rid my acreage of all the rabbits I seem to have. The Redtailed Hawks and Coyotes seem to get a few, but I think my freezer deserves a few as well. As the neighbors sell off to developers, my rabbit population seems to grow.

Enter a Henry (my first) SGC in .22 LR. I bought it sight unseen from a gun store back east as nobody local had one. I asked for the one with the most interesting wood. What I got was nice, but looked like it had plastic furniture. Perfection is great, but I like my levers to look like levers should. The black paint on the receiver cover was less than inspiring too. I’m really being fussy here. It was a beautiful gun. I put three rounds through it out my office window to see how loud various subsonics were.

Then, I saw Badrats thread on his customized H001. I was hooked. So I took mine apart, and stripped the wood and receiver and barrel band. I didn’t polish the receiver or barrel band, but just scuffed them with scotchbrite. The stock got a coat of boiled linseed oil. I’m going to do a few more coats of oil to deepen the finish. I’ll just say thank you here to Badrat for the inspiration! I’m now seriously in love with this rifle. Shooting made me fall deeper in... Although I will need to hassle Henry for the taller front sight as I am also shooting about 2-3” high at 25 yards. And I think I’ll contact Andy at Skinner for a .070 aperture as the .096 is a bit too “loose” for my liking. I think I can dial in the accuracy a bit with the smaller one.

Now, pics!

Before:

[Redthies]

And after:

[Redthies]

50’ standing.

[PT7]

The wood stock and forend turned out beautifully on your SGC; the grain patterns are really excellently highlighted. Great-looking customization. I can easily see why you're pleased with it. Looking forward to more wood pics after you deepen the finish.

I have all 5 Skinner aperture sizes. Used the .070 quite a lot with my SGC, but did find it a bit too "tight" for me. Opposite of course from your experience with the .096 size. However, you will be more accurate using the .070 I think.

Of course you are right that the .096 is a bit too "loose." Still, I went back to the .096 and enjoy the eye relief it affords. Have you ever tried the smallest, .040? That is a real challenge from my perspective! Interesting how different these sizes perform...

One comment. I don't believe you'll have " to hassle Henry for the taller front sight." Working with the Henry reps has never been a hassle for me, and I know the same for many other Forum Folk. Henry tends to bend over backwards to keep us Henry rifle owners completely content!

Nice job on your SGC....you have a beautiful rifle there.
PT7

Enter a Henry (my first) SGC in .22 LR. ….Then, I saw Badrats thread on his customized H001. I was hooked. So I took mine apart, and stripped the wood and receiver and barrel band. I didn’t polish the receiver or barrel band, but just scuffed them with scotchbrite. The stock got a coat of boiled linseed oil. I’m going to do a few more coats of oil to deepen the finish. …. Although I will need to hassle Henry for the taller front sight as I am also shooting about 2-3” high at 25 yards. And I think I’ll contact Andy at Skinner for a .070 aperture as the .096 is a bit too “loose” for my liking. I think I can dial in the accuracy a bit with the smaller one.

[Lyman]

Wow that turned out looking great. Nice work.

[Redthies]

I shouldn’t have said “hassle” I guess, as I have also heard they are super easy to deal with on issues like this.

I’ve only shot the .096 aperture. I don’t expect I’d ever need to try anything other than the .070 since this is primarily a hunting rifle. Frankly, bigger than the .096 for small game seems silly to me...

I was shooting CCI shorts on the target above in case anyone wants to know. I’ve never owned a rifle that could shoot them, so I’ve never tried them before. Being able to load 16 in the mag tube really is nice. In a hunting situation you could go all day on that, and they made a fine mess of the 1/2” plywood my targets were on, so I’m pretty sure they’ll take out any grouse or rabbit that I want to eat!

[North Country Gal]

Me, too, on that wood. Loved what you did to it. Great job.

[Mags]

That turned out looking great! Very beautiful contrast between the blonder wood, bar metal receiver/band and blued barrel.

[jstanfield103]

Great job and great looking rifle.

[Redthies]

Thanks guys (and gal)! I have a model 94 made in 1912 and it is really very similar looking to the Henry now, with a bit more graying of the barrel. I wasn’t about to mess with the blued portion of this gun. The receiver cover and barrel band are only $60 for both so I figured I had nothing to lose by stripping them. The wood is far easier to maintain as a hunting rifle when coated in linseed. You can refinish at will.

I have a new taller front sight enroute from Henry, and a .070 aperture on the way from Skinner. 12 days until the season starts... tick tock!