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Newbie Question about brass butt plate finish

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TexasPatriot59
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Newbie Question about brass butt plate finish

Post by TexasPatriot59 » Thu Sep 20, 2018 9:56 pm

I just completed my introduction post, so for post#2 I wanted to get feedback from the rimfire team about a concern with the butt plate finish on my brand new H004ML. I just received this gun today from a purchase on GunBuyer and brought it home from my FFL to clean it before taking ti the range. At the FFLs I noticed what appeared to be a “smudge” of some kind on the corner of the butt plate. The gun still had the light oily film you typically find on new guns, so I figured it’d just clean up when I wiped it down with my Hoppe silicon rage at home. Unfortunately, closer inspection, as seen in the photos, look like theres a defective clear coating and brass plating situation. This is even seen on the thin side edge of the plate.

Has anyone seen this before on any of your rifles? I’m still excited to have the rifle, but a bit bummed at the butt plate condition... :(
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Re: Newbie Question about brass butt plate finish

Post by Mistered » Thu Sep 20, 2018 10:06 pm

Welcome to the forum from Wickiup Junction, Oregon.
I do not have this model rifle but the butt plate should be solid brass and the 'smudge' looks like nothing more than getting scuffed from setting on the ground and there DOES appear to be a coating of some kind of lacquer or other clear coating that CANNOT be expected to last.
I suggest you take the butt plate off, use some acetone to remove the clear coat and polish it out with some Never-Dull Wadding Polish - good stuff - and it will look better than new with a little 'elbow grease' !
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Re: Newbie Question about brass butt plate finish

Post by PT7 » Thu Sep 20, 2018 10:28 pm

You also have another option, TexasPatriot. My first BBB had a damaged butt plate, but I caught it at the Cabelas counter before I processed the FFL papers. So the gun technically still belonged to Cabelas. They sent it back to Henry for me, and I got another new rifle.

For your situation of already having the rifle-in-hand, I'd suggest you send your excellent photos into one of the Henry techs. I've often contacted Jeff Post at jeff@henryusa.com, and he has been most helpful. I'd say Henry would possibly send you a new butt plate, and that should be easy to install having only two screws. The only consideration might be how well the plate fits against the wood stock. So I'd check with Henry and see if they can help out, or what they suggest....their CS is top-notch!
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Re: Newbie Question about brass butt plate finish

Post by ESquared » Thu Sep 20, 2018 10:55 pm

^^^^
What PT7 said. Contact Henry, send them the pics. They'll take care of you. You shouldn't have to turn a new rifle into a DIY project.
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Re: Newbie Question about brass butt plate finish

Post by TexasPatriot59 » Thu Sep 20, 2018 11:29 pm

Thanks to you all for the quick replies. I plan to contact Henry CS via their website service request to discuss a resolution. Hopefully I’ll get the same great service I keep hearing about from all of you. I don’t mind the DIY approach as I’m pretty comfortable doing minor work on my guns, but definitely hope Henry team will step up and wow me like they have everyone else.
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Re: Newbie Question about brass butt plate finish

Post by Mistered » Thu Sep 20, 2018 11:55 pm

I can appreciate your reaching out to Henry and more than likely they will provide you with a new buttplate but if it is clearcoated like the original it too will eventually wear off due to handling, shooting and resting on the butt plate if you lean it against say a tree.
My BBB is ready for a polish job and fortunately it did not have any clearcoat to deal with but 'beauty marks' are almost inevitable if you take it out shooting to any degree.
Its one of the reasons I HATE new guns,! (or like new used - and not really on the hate!) - but I am a 'perfectionist' and try as best as I can to maintain them perfectly but eventually you see the first little dent in the stock, a pinprick of bright steel where the blue used to be or some other little mark. I don't like it but I live with it. I shoot a lot in the woods & field and no matter what I do to keep my guns nice the environment eventually creeps up and takes its toll!
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Re: Newbie Question about brass butt plate finish

Post by TexasPatriot59 » Fri Sep 21, 2018 8:52 am

Mistered wrote:I can appreciate your reaching out to Henry .....
Its one of the reasons I HATE new guns,! (or like new used - and not really on the hate!) - but I am a 'perfectionist' and try as best as I can to maintain them perfectly but eventually you see the first little dent in the stock, a pinprick of bright steel where the blue used to be or some other little mark. I don't like it but I live with it. I shoot a lot in the woods & field and no matter what I do to keep my guns nice the environment eventually creeps up and takes its toll!
I hear you brother :). I’m a perfectionist too and recognize the inevitability and even desirability of those “character markings” that indicate a gun that’s served a useful purpose and helped create great memories. Kinda like dings in the paint of a new car; it’s gonna happen if you take it out of the garage. My 1944 Garand M1 with it’s imperfections and markings is still my favorite gun largely because I know it was present during a critical time in history and used for an awe inspiring purpose right after it was “born” in the Springfield Armory factory. I know I’ll really enjoy my Henry. I just want to enjoy the perfection of the new for a short time and create the character markings via my own personal storyline of experiences. :D
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Re: Newbie Question about brass butt plate finish

Post by CT_Shooter » Fri Sep 21, 2018 10:01 am

TexasPatriot59 wrote:I plan to contact Henry CS via their website service request to discuss a resolution.
You may get a quicker response by taking PT7's advice to send your pics by email to Jeff Post at jeff@henryusa.com. Include your phone number along with a short written description of the problem, too. Good luck.
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Re: Newbie Question about brass butt plate finish

Post by ESquared » Fri Sep 21, 2018 10:25 am

Nothing wrong with character marks, nicks and what-not, as long as I'm the originator of them. I may not be the perfectionist that some of you are, but I do expect a NIB gun to truly be NIB. The pics shared here do not reflect NIB condition, IMO. Hard to say what happened, beyond simple careless handling by the seller, but it's fairly safe to say that it didn't leave the Henry factory looking like that.
And, +1 on the direct email approach to Jeff Post. More direct is better.
Please keep us posted on the resolution; I'm guessing they'll offer to send you a new butt-plate.
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Re: Newbie Question about brass butt plate finish

Post by TexasPatriot59 » Fri Sep 21, 2018 11:05 am

WOW!!! Excellent Customer service!!

I just called their main number and spoke with a great guy named Patrick. After I described the problem, he apologized and indicated they’d received similar calls during the past week. He said they had determined that the problem was due to a reaction between the protective paper used to wrap the guns and the coating(s) being applied to the butt plate by the parts subcontractor. He immediately offered to send a replacement plate (no pictures required) and took down the serial number and shipping address.

With awesome service like this, I can almost guarantee I’ll be acquiring more of these beautiful guns soon! :D
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