Henry Rifle Forums

Hello all, new member/lever owner here. My wife just bought me a Henry Color Case Hardened .45-70 as a graduation present. I have always wanted a Henry. I have spent days scouring the internet reading about the proper care of the CCH finish. I have seen people recommend Renaissance Wax as a protective finish. In regards to that, is there any coating that needs to be cleaned off before applying the wax? If I do apply the wax, how would I remove it before applying more after a day at the range? And is the wax only for the metal or the wood also? Alot of people also recommend just wiping it down with oil. I have Hoppes Elite on hand, would that be ok? I also was looking at Buffalo Bore/Garrett cartridges. Leaning more towards Garrett as they publish the CUP amount for each cartridge and I couldnt find that on BBs website. Would these be safe to fire in my Henry? I know its alot of questions, just an excited new Henry owner. Also i'm not sure how to rotate the image.

I've used Renaissance on all kinds of things, wood, steel, and other. It was originally developed for use by Museums to preserve historical artifacts. It is difficult to remove, but that shouldn't be necessary anyway. You can use it with confidence on nearly anything, but I wouldn't advise using it (or any wax) on the internal parts of a gun or other machinery. It not only prevents moisture, but also blocks oxygen from attacking the metal/wood. You can use it on silver, and other metals to prevent tarnishing also. Really great stuff.

Here's some info about it. As for any oil on the gun exterior, just wipe it with a dry cloth before applying the wax. Any existing finish on the wood is not an issue, just wipe it clean before applying the wax, as with anything else. A small amount on a clean cloth will cover a large area, let it dry a few minutes and buff.

https://restorationproduct.com/shop/renaissance-wax/

Wow! That is a handsome rifle. You got a winner.

Not a 45-70 fan, but that is one good looking firearm. Congrats and a nice snag.
Welcome to the forum.

RP

Good looking Henry. I have a 45/70 myself. You're going to like it.
Gunny gave you some good advice on the finish.
Good luck, pard.

first, welcome to our forum and congrats on your graduation .... delighted to have you join us .... your Henry is most certainly beautiful .... our CCH 45-70 has proven itself to be one heck of a rifle .... will yours be a hunter .. .. if so, for what type of game .. .. are you familiar with the recoil common to 45-70 full power loads .. .. yours should chamber and fire any ammo that meets SAMMI standards .... some will kick harder than others .... be sure to follow the link below to where you can add yours to our community's total



http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 48#p172948

It will be a hunter...eventually. I am in Texas right now with plans to move to Montana someday. I've never shot a .45-70 but have experience with firearms. I'd like to take an elk and defend myself against bear with this rifle. I believe Garrett cartridges exceeds SAMMI but I have read alot of people have shot them without a problem. Thank you all who have replied so far, have some renaissance wax on the way.

within its range, it should serve you well .... do you plan to mount a scope on it .... I'd recommend you consider starting out with cowboy action level ammo .... its fun to fire and can really help you to become familiar with your rifle without going through the heavy recoil .... once you get it sighted in with you can switch to heavier loads with minimal adjustments

No intentions for mounting a scope on this rifle. With cowboy action ammo, do I need to be concerned about leading in the barrel at all? I was gifted several boxes of Hornady Leverevolution FTX. At least one box was 325 grain. What brand do you recommend for general range plinking?

"general range plinking".....HSM Cowboy loads[factory], IF you can find it. Somewhat milder than other factory offerings.

Welcome to the forum. Very nice 45-70. I know alot of people have different ideas about wax. Im not knocking anyones personal preference. Mine is plain ole pledge. Ive used it for years and its simple and works well. As far as lead in the bore if the lead bullet diameter is correct for the bore you should be fine. I have not had many leading issues with Henrys