Dovetail is Loose

[parson48]

Hey, folks- Picked up a new Big Boy steel 44 mag side gate last week. The forearm is loose and a little noisy. I removed the screws and took a look, and the dovetail that the screws go into is quite loose in it's slot.

I've tightened the screws as much as I dare to, but the forearm will not stay tight. Is this a common problem? If so, is there an easy fix or should I send it in for repair?

Thanks
Bill

[Mags]

Hey, folks- Picked up a new Big Boy steel 44 mag side gate last week. The forearm is loose and a little noisy. I removed the screws and took a look, and the dovetail that the screws go into is quite loose in it's slot.

I've tightened the screws as much as I dare to, but the forearm will not stay tight. Is this a common problem? If so, is there an easy fix or should I send it in for repair?

Thanks
Bill

My BB45 Colt CCH rifle had the same issue. From a narrow broken tape measure strip, I cut a piece and wedged it between the rifle barrel and the forearm support dovetail. Made of spring steel the curvature of the tape strip acts as a spring to hold the dovetail rigidly in place. Fortunately this was an easy fix and didn't need to send it back to Henry for repair.
This is my pet peeve with Henry. Things getting out the factory door that shouldn't have. The person doing the assembly should have caught this, as well as the person doing the test fire and the person doing the final quality check. And anyone else that signed that final inspection card that comes in the box with the rifle.

[parson48]

Thanks, Mags. I thought about shimming it, and I still may.

Have to agree with you about Henry quality control. They seem to go to lengths to take care of you, but some things shouldn't get out the door in the first place.

[leverjc]

Mags I believe you had a better idea than what I did. My solution was to cut a piece of feeler gauge and used it as a shim. I wonder if Henry has that part that is slightly oversized that would fit. When I get my Big Boy back from the smith that is re- barreling it for me I don't think it will have the same problem.

[parson48]

Didn't have any cans but I did find an old set of feeler gauges in my tool cabinet. Small piece of .005 has it tight like it oughta be!!

Hey- I'm a gunsmith now!!

[The Happy Kaboomer]

OR lightly tap down the "ears" of the dovetail and tap it back in....Here Loctite is your friend.

[Mags]

OR lightly tap down the "ears" of the dovetail and tap it back in....Here Loctite is your friend.

The ears of the forearm dovetail slot aren't accessible without removing the mag tube, which then involves removing the mag tube support dovetail. Loctite works good on capillary fill in screw threads, but not gap of the size seen with these dovetails.

[Mags]

Mags I believe you had a better idea than what I did. My solution was to cut a piece of feeler gauge and used it as a shim. I wonder if Henry has that part that is slightly oversized that would fit. When I get my Big Boy back from the smith that is re- barreling it for me I don't think it will have the same problem.

I suspect, one of these
The dovetail gap was over cut in the bottom of the rifle barrel or
The dovetail itself was a defect or
Mixed inventory, dovetail from a different model of rifle was used.

[BrokenolMarine]

One trick that sometimes works on sights.
Lock the dovetail insert, edge up in a vise, then use a center punch to tap a divot in the angled edge. (Or, depending on how loose, flip it, and do both edges.)

When you center punch the metal, it slightly raises the metal around the circular divot. Swelling the side slightly. Tightening the dovetailed insert. Or so I've been told. It worked the one time I had a loose sight on a handgun

[BrokenolMarine]

Or, you can simply call Henry Customer Service and ask them to send another dovetailed insert to try before returning the rifle for repair.

[Mags]

One trick that sometimes works on sights.
Lock the dovetail insert, edge up in a vise, then use a center punch to tap a divot in the angled edge. (Or, depending on how loose, flip it, and do both edges.)

When you center punch the metal, it slightly raises the metal around the circular divot. Swelling the side slightly. Tightening the dovetailed insert. Or so I've been told. It worked the one time I had a loose sight on a handgun

I did that for the sight on my 1858 revolver. Also had to do that on on the ejector rod dovetail.
As for sending back to Henry, that's to me an option of last resort. The shim was an easy fix. I might still ask Henry to send me an oversized forearm support dovetail just so I have it, but unless the problem comes back after being shimmed I am loath to remove the mag tube and mag tube dovetail to install it. As for 'tap a divot' on this dovetail slot see previous post https://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic. ... 63#p208687

[parson48]

The shim was quick and only required the removal of 2 screws. I was at the range yesterday and fired a few pretty stout loads and everything remained tight. Fast, easy and totally reversible.

[Centaur]

My new BB 45 had that little rattle. Thanks for the tip, I shimmed it and the rattle is gone.