Field stripping the Big Boy

[SloopJohnB]

I consider a field strip to be a disassembly ONLY to where you can effectively clean the bore. No more, no less. unfortunately every youtube video on this topic goes over a complete disassembly which is very involved and time consuming.

One of my concerns is being able to put back in the ejector. So my question is: To allow cleaning the bore from the breech, can the bolt be removed from the Big Boy, simply by removing the one screw holding in the lever? I haven't tried this yet for fear of not being able to proper reinsert the ejector.

[tractortad]

I consider a field strip to be a disassembly ONLY to where you can effectively clean the bore. No more, no less. unfortunately every youtube video on this topic goes over a complete disassembly which is very involved and time consuming.

One of my concerns is being able to put back in the ejector. So my question is: To allow cleaning the bore from the breech, can the bolt be removed from the Big Boy, simply by removing the one screw holding in the lever? I haven't tried this yet for fear of not being able to proper reinsert the ejector.

Yes - that's how I clean mine every time. Open the lever half way, take out the screw, pull the lever out, slide the bolt out all the way the rear (may have to push the hammer down a little), and take out the ejector to prevent losing it. Assemble in reverse. Goes back together pretty easily.

Check out Henry's videos on the bigboy - they are excellent.

[ditto1958]

Sloop, look at Marlin 336 videos on YouTube. For what you are doing, a Henry is almost identical to a Marlin.

[Steve51]

If I want to clean the bore in the field, I just drop the lever to open the bolt and run a "bore snake" through the bore a couple of times. This should be satisfactory until you get in an environment more suited for disassembling your rifle.

[SloopJohnB]

I consider a field strip to be a disassembly ONLY to where you can effectively clean the bore. No more, no less. unfortunately every youtube video on this topic goes over a complete disassembly which is very involved and time consuming.

One of my concerns is being able to put back in the ejector. So my question is: To allow cleaning the bore from the breech, can the bolt be removed from the Big Boy, simply by removing the one screw holding in the lever? I haven't tried this yet for fear of not being able to proper reinsert the ejector.

Yes - that's how I clean mine every time. Open the lever half way, take out the screw, pull the lever out, slide the bolt out all the way the rear (may have to push the hammer down a little), and take out the ejector to prevent losing it. Assemble in reverse. Goes back together pretty easily.

Check out Henry's videos on the bigboy - they are excellent.

Good -- that's what I needed to know. Now, how hard is it to get the ejector in place before putting the bolt back in? I can't tell from the videos -- is the ejector on top or on the bottom of the bolt?

[JEBar]

as an alternative to disassembly, I use a cable system to clean our Henry rifles .... I do not use the kit shown in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN8lIB-aMNU but do use the same methods .... all powder and grime is pulled away from the chamber

[tractortad]

Good -- that's what I needed to know. Now, how hard is it to get the ejector in place before putting the bolt back in? I can't tell from the videos -- is the ejector on top or on the bottom of the bolt?

The ejector isn't hard to get back in - just lay the gun down on its port side and drop the ejector into its hole/slot with a pair of tweezers or needle-nose pliers, then slide the bolt back in - after you do it a couple of times it's a 10 second evolution...

[SloopJohnB]

Ok -- got it.

[clovishound]

Or you could just clean it from the muzzle and then clean the action. Disassembly of the action puts more potential wear on it than a liitle extra grime that will be cleaned soon after it's deposited IMO.

[SloopJohnB]

For those interested readers who may be seeking an easy way to field strip the Big Boy for thorough bore cleaning from the proper (breech) end, but do not want to have to read this thread from the beginning, there is an extremely easy way to break her down without having to do a complete disassembly {like shown in just about every video). (This works for Big Boys but I don't believe removing the lever on a Golden Boy can be done without complete disassembly.)

Yes - that's how I clean mine every time. Open the lever half way, take out the screw, pull the lever out, slide the bolt out all the way the rear (may have to push the hammer down a little), and take out the ejector to prevent losing it. Assemble in reverse. Goes back together pretty easily.

The ejector isn't hard to get back in - just lay the gun down on its port side and drop the ejector into its hole/slot with a pair of tweezers or needle-nose pliers, then slide the bolt back in - after you do it a couple of times it's a 10 second evolution...

Tad

I found the time this morning to play around with your advice. It works great with one caveat -- pushing the hammer down while fiddling with the bolt and/or ejector is somewhat cumbersome. So I fixed up a work-around. using a 1/8" piece of nylon cord, I lash the hammer down as far as possible, and tie it off. This of course does not mar the finish. Now the bolt can slide in easily without having to mess with the hammer. Works like a charm -- I ought to patent this!

This piece of cord will stay in my cleaning kit.




Update -- I just figured out that a Velcro cinch strap 3/4" x 8" will work even better.
I'm going to see if a small Velcro strap (maybe one with a nylon buckle) would be even better than a piece of cord.

[RanchRoper]

Or you could just clean it from the muzzle and then clean the action. Disassembly of the action puts more potential wear on it than a liitle extra grime that will be cleaned soon after it's deposited IMO.

Agree.

[SloopJohnB]

Or you could just clean it from the muzzle and then clean the action. Disassembly of the action puts more potential wear on it than a liitle extra grime that will be cleaned soon after it's deposited IMO.

Agree.

Please explain as I don't understand how removing one screw (that holds in the lever) is "putting more potential wear on the action parts"? Also, cleaning from the muzzle end is a no-no according to most.

[RanchRoper]

I clean from the muzzle end as per the Henry manual "you do not have to disassemble this rifle in order to clean it and keep it operating properly" & "open the action, run cleaning rod down the bore from the muzzle end to the breech." After that I clean out the action in the receiver. I'd rather not dismantle anything if I don't have to. That's just me.

[SloopJohnB]

Yes, I've seen those instructions in my manual. I'm not sure why Henry has published that as it goes against just about every cleaning recommendation I've ever read or been taught. IMO, always clean from breech to muzzle in the direction of the bullet.
Also, on occasion I would think you'd want to thoroughly clean your bolt.
YMMV

[RanchRoper]

Ya I read that too in lots of places too. Maybe a misprint in the HRA book? Anyhow, I'm sure I'll pull it apart sooner or later, but for now I try not to monkey with it.

[SloopJohnB]

One thing is for sure -- I'll never have the ambition to do a complete disassembly. Just watching those videos makes my head hurt. But I shouldn't have to if I continue with what Tad and I have described. Just remember RR that when the day comes when you to want to get at that bolt, the hammer is dang stiff and very little room to depress it further when you have the bolt half way out. Remember to use either a small nylon cord or a Velcro cinch strap to get the last 1/8" pulled down.

[clovishound]

Or you could just clean it from the muzzle and then clean the action. Disassembly of the action puts more potential wear on it than a liitle extra grime that will be cleaned soon after it's deposited IMO.

Agree.

Please explain as I don't understand how removing one screw (that holds in the lever) is "putting more potential wear on the action parts"? Also, cleaning from the muzzle end is a no-no according to most.

Anytime you remove and reinsert a screw you accerate the wear on the screw head, threads and tapped drilling in the reciever. Not a huge deal, but perhaps more of an issue than a little extra grime that will be cleaned out anyway. There is also the risk of starting a cross thread, or trashing a screw slot if you get ham fisted. I don't like removing screws on my firearms any more than necessary.

On another note, when you clean with a rod you pull the brush back down from muzzle to breech anyway, unless you remove the brush once it comes out the muzzle. Using a cable cleaning system will get around that, although it makes using a jag difficult.

I would agree that breech to muzzle is preferred, but IMO not a requirement.

[SloopJohnB]

I have to disagree somewhat on the wear on the screw head, and threads, etc., as long as you are using proper screwdrivers (I recommend Brownells Magna-tips and/or Grace). Now -- I probably will clean this gun maybe 12 times a year. I am 74, so let's say I continue shooting for another 20 years (that is being an optimist). The math says 240 times. I seriously doubt that I'll ever see any wear. The key here is the right tools and NOT over-torqueing.

One man's opinion

[SloopJohnB]

On another note, when you clean with a rod you pull the brush back down from muzzle to breech anyway, unless you remove the brush once it comes out the muzzle. Using a cable cleaning system will get around that, although it makes using a jag difficult.

I would agree that breech to muzzle is preferred, but IMO not a requirement.

Several years ago, with all of my rifles and most of my handguns, I adopted the method of one-direction and removing the brush at the muzzle end. It's just good practice.

Here is some tips on this subject from Otis:

http://www.otistec.com/Support/Gun_Cleaning_Rules.asp

[SloopJohnB]

Final configuration of how to easily remove the bolt on the Big Boy.

The last picture I posted showed using a 1/8" nylon cord, which was an improvement over trying to brute force the hammer down while removing the bolt -- pretty hard on the fingers. I have since begun using a Velcro cinch strap, and without question it is 10 times easier.




Here are a couple of closeups that show the very small clearance of maybe 0.010" between the bolt and depressed hammer. But the important thing is that there IS clearance, making the whole operation easy peasy.