Listen up Henry

[HenryHoarder]

Having collected many Henry lever rifles, I am truly wondering why Henry Repeating Arms does not make the hardened base for its customers.
I would surely be first in line to buy one of these colored rifles.
Add to that the ones that are lacking the forearm wood and I surely would have my tongue hanging out.
Oh well, Maybe Andy will see the light before my days are up.

[Sir Henry]

Andy owns Skinner Sights not Henry. I would like to see a steel receiver cover for the H001 series but understand why they aren't. The Winchester 9422 was steel but not affordable. Just because you build it doesn't mean people will buy it. It has to be priced right and Henrys are.

The design of the H001 is quite remarkable and allows me to do what I do to mine. There is no other lever action currently made that I can do the modifications that I do. But I'm not the average Henry owner. Henry is going after the first time buyer or someone that just likes to plink.

Making the receiver cover of steel isn't going to make a Henry more fun to shoot. And that is what the H001's are made for, not for hanging on the wall.

I'm a bit confused. You posted this in the centerfire section yet it sounds like you are talking about the rimfires. Am I wrong? And you talk about no forearm wood. Are you talking about the original Henry Rifle?

[HenryHoarder]

Re: Sir Henry. I was speaking to the center fire as I own many 38/357' Henrys. At one time I had 5 new safe queens.
To tell you the truth I do have many Henry rim fires too.
Down to brass tacks.
When I go to the range, I take my Rossi 38/357 as I have no fear of scratching it or marring the finish.
All of my precious Henry's stay in the safe under wraps. Sounds stupid I know, but that fake brass finish is too easily marred.
Now as to the oil fired finish on other rifles and pistols, they stand up to daily use better than the brass.
What I am suggesting it that Henry make a rifle available to the henry fans in the oil fired finish.
Now as to the forearm, I would like to own one like they auctioned off to raise money for the NRA, but in the 38/357 version without a wooden forearm.
My preference surely is not to everyone's liking, but, I ask you... would not you like to own one of the above mentioned Henry's?
Some one did as the fund raiser Henry bought in the high $50,000.00's

[JEBar]

how a person decides to legally use most anything they buy should be pretty much up to them .... I don't collect rifles for display pieces or to become safe queens ... many folks do and I say that's great, more power to them .... in my eyes the Golden Boy series is stone cold beautiful but I seriously doubt I'll ever buy one ... I'm told both the Golden Boy and H001 receivers are made of a zinc alloy called Zamak .... its tough but certainly can be scratched .... should it become too scratched up for your tastes, one great thing in the Henry design is, the receiver cover doesn't have a serial number .... that means replacement covers can be purchased from Henry and delivered direct to your home

[White Squirrel]

I agree, JEBar. I have always admired the expensive, classic firearms that are collectibles. Personally, I would not buy one even if I could afford it. Because the first thing I would do is take it out and shoot it and immediately devalue it by 50% or more!

I acutally love the dings, scratches, and wear on my firearms. It reminds me of all the fun I have shooting them. That is one of the reasons I bought a Henry Frontier in .22LR and not a Golden Boy. That's why I bought a Rossi .357 and not a Big Boy. That is also why I am so glad to see Henry come out with the Big Boy Steel rifles. That is on my short list but I just have to decide whether to get a .357 and duplicate my Rossi or .45C and go into a new caliber.

Yeah, I know, just get both!

Glad Henry now has product lines to satisfy both the collectors and the shooters.

[Sir Henry]

Re: Sir Henry. I was speaking to the center fire as I own many 38/357' Henrys. At one time I had 5 new safe queens.
To tell you the truth I do have many Henry rim fires too.
Down to brass tacks.
When I go to the range, I take my Rossi 38/357 as I have no fear of scratching it or marring the finish.
All of my precious Henry's stay in the safe under wraps. Sounds stupid I know, but that fake brass finish is too easily marred.
Now as to the oil fired finish on other rifles and pistols, they stand up to daily use better than the brass.
What I am suggesting it that Henry make a rifle available to the henry fans in the oil fired finish.
Now as to the forearm, I would like to own one like they auctioned off to raise money for the NRA, but in the 38/357 version without a wooden forearm.
My preference surely is not to everyone's liking, but, I ask you... would not you like to own one of the above mentioned Henry's?
Some one did as the fund raiser Henry bought in the high $50,000.00's

Thanks. I'm really not at all familiar with the centerfire Henrys.

[Squatch]

The only Henry's that have a FAKE brass finish is the 22's. The centerfire's are a hardened brass alloy. Scratches can be buffed out.

I think the term you are looking for is "Color Case Hardened".

[Sir Henry]

The only Henry's that have a FAKE brass finish is the 22's. The centerfire's are a hardened brass alloy. Scratches can be buffed out.

I think the term you are looking for is "Color Case Hardened".

He did mention in his second post about it being an oil fired finish which is a true case hardening.

[Travlin]

I believe true color case hardening is done while the part is heated surrounded by bits of bone and and burned leather. When Colt started making the S.A.A. after several years of non production, they had to call back some retired workers who knew the process.

[HenryHoarder]

Thanks "Squatch". I just could not think of the "Color case hardened" description I was looking for.
But all things aside, I surely would like to own a Henry in Color case hardened finish and in 38/357 caliber.
I guess Andy just can't get the idea in his head and put it into production.
If he ever does, put me down for #1, #2 and #3.

[Sir Henry]

I believe true color case hardening is done while the part is heated surrounded by bits of bone and and burned leather. When Colt started making the S.A.A. after several years of non production, they had to call back some retired workers who knew the process.

That is correct and then it is cooled rapidly by dipping it into oil. But I've also heard of surrounding it with other material. The oil dipping is what case hardens it and the material is what gives it a certain color and pattern. I believe the case hardening only hardens the very outer part of the metal so the inner metal stays softer. They do this because they want the outer material to withstand dings but not let the inside to become too brittle.

At least that is what I've been told. I've never done it but have heard of home kits where you can do it at home. I think it only works on steel. Has anyone here actually tried it?

[Travlin]

That's true about only the outer surface gets hardened. Also if not done by one who knows the correct procedure, I think that there is a chance of warping the frame or part .

[Skinner Sights]

I wouldn't count it out... Henry has been bringing out so many new models, they cant bring them all forward at once. There may be a case hardened Steel frame Big Boy in the future.

[eldermike]

I have done some case hardening in my life. A long time ago I was a tool and die maker and we used the process to add wear resistance to low carbon steel parts. We used a product called Carbonite to bring up the carbon percentage of the surface. You heat the part to about 1400 degree from and then dip in carbon and reheat and then oil quench. Produces a very hard surface. Getting special colors would require knowledge beyond the process of hardening.

[Travlin]

Case hardening vs Color case hardening.

[HenryHoarder]

Form the posts on the color hardening it is obvious that there is definitely a market for this type if finish on the Henry Big Boys.
I refrain from shooting my shinny brass guns as It only takes one mistake to mar the finish.
To begin with, my first lever 38/357 was a Rossi.
The action was awful which led me to a "Steve's slick up job" which took me a week to bring the action to the standard of what I know now is typical of a Henry off the shelf.
I sold the long barrel Rossi and found a short barrel to replace it. It was more in line with the Henry's which I found out before I bought it.
I later found that Rossi was impossible to get parts for from the factory. Here again I had made a mistake, but shooting it takes the worry of scratches off of me.
Oh well, Maybe someday Andy will take the plunge.

[Sir Henry]

Form the posts on the color hardening it is obvious that there is definitely a market for this type if finish on the Henry Big Boys.
I refrain from shooting my shinny brass guns as It only takes one mistake to mar the finish.
To begin with, my first lever 38/357 was a Rossi.
The action was awful which led me to a "Steve's slick up job" which took me a week to bring the action to the standard of what I know now is typical of a Henry off the shelf.
I sold the long barrel Rossi and found a short barrel to replace it. It was more in line with the Henry's which I found out before I bought it.
I later found that Rossi was impossible to get parts for from the factory. Here again I had made a mistake, but shooting it takes the worry of scratches off of me.
Oh well, Maybe someday Andy will take the plunge.

I have a couple Rossi' too and had to do the Steve thing to them. Even the wood needed some improvement but in the end I ended up with a nice rifle.

I have three rimfire Henrys with the Brasslite finish and while in the beginning I thought they would be delicate I've found they can take a lot of range trips. I buy firearms to shoot, not hang on the wall.