Henry "U.S. Survival Rifle"

Discussion in 'Firearms' started by kckndrgn, Jan 30, 2008.


  1. wbfos

    wbfos Monkey+

    I have one of these that lives in my "Get Home Bag" (goes everywhere with me) this weapon is designed for EMERGENCY use (not a back yard "plinker), get yours, sight it in (CCI Copper coated high velosity ammo worked best for me), clean and oil then put it with your "Oh ****" stuff untill you need it. The newer ones made by Henry have addressed the past issues that plagued the design and it will store 3 mag's in the stock and as long as they are empty it is 50 state (and yes Washington D.C.) legal I keep 200 rounds in my bag with it.
     
    IR192 likes this.
  2. dragonfly

    dragonfly Monkey+++

    My danged AR-7 style rifle was so bad that it was returned to me, AFTER I gave it away! Now I'm going to disassemble and do some mods to it....I can't go wrong at this point! I like the model, but not when the danged thing shoots 3 shot bursts.. I sure miss the AR-7 one! Anthony Imperato was NO help at all....He claims that his company NEVER made my rifle, and said the serial number was NOT even from their factory!
    Go figure huh?
    I checked.... and LO and behold, it was made in Cocoa Florida by a company that re-named the rifle the AR-7 EXPLORER! Then they went out of business too!
    Was that the 3rd company, or the 4th?
    Before Henry bought it?
    Maybe the Chinese had already been busy making xerox copies way back when?
     
  3. dragonfly

    dragonfly Monkey+++

    I Just got this email back from Henry....:
    Thank you or your email. We are not able to service a gun made by another manufacturer but we can sell the parts to a Gunsmith willing to repair it. Beyond that,the gun is actually not legal in it's current state and is supposed to be turned in.
    Best Regards,
    Thomas Kotz
    Customer Service Supervisor
    Export Manager
    Henry Repeating Arms Company
    59 East 1st Street
    Bayonne,NJ 07002
    Tel. (201) 858 4400
    Fax (201) 858 4435
    "Henry Rifles Will Be Made In America or They Won't Be Made At All"
    "Load On Sunday,Shoot All Week Long"
    "Made in America and Priced Right"
     
  4. IR192

    IR192 Monkey+

    X2 on AR-7 pupose

    Agreed. I recently picked one up for the same purpose. It's important to understand its purpose; to be there when you need it - not for an afternoon of plinking. There are many rimfires better suited to recreation/training purposes.
    Up North on my side of the line there is no CCW - if you get into trouble, in the woods or otherwise, you are expected to phone for help [loco] instead of taking care of yourself, and so this is just the ticket for folks who want to have capabilities within the legal framework without a conspicuous barrel sticking out of their backpack. [winkthumb]

    On the downside though, the design does need a few refinements. I would like to see the thick plastic front sight blade replaced with something metal, and a bit more precise, and a stiffer, hinged buttplate, as mine always seems to either come loose, or flop forward when it warms up a bit...


    IR



     
  5. BIGDAVE54

    BIGDAVE54 Monkey+

    Mr. Anthony Imperato has done more to straighten out the Survival rifle than anyone since Eugene Stoner created it, Mr. Imperato refined it He has said in public that he designed the heavy recoil springs in it to keep from people trying to fire the "subsonic" bullets in it. In other words he did not want it used by crooks to make a hit on others. He has said in public that the rifle should only be loaded with high quality,high velocity rounds like those produced by CCI(STINGER and VELOCITOR). The handbook in the shipping box states plainly that only high quality,high velocity rounds should be used. I don't understand why people still get on these sights and whine because somehow they think someone took advantage of them.
    I have followed the developement of this weapon since I was in the US Air Force(12-71/12-75). It is at the highest level of workmanship it has ever been. The new rifle has a decent place to mount a scope without screwing on sideplate attachments. Fit ,finish,and layout are good,not perfect,but good. It is not in the same class as a Marlin Papoose,it is a backpackers tool among other things. I own one and I will not be parting with it any tme soon.
     
  6. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    A buddy at work has the Charter (third... fourth company?) AR7 rifle and the Explorer II pistol version. He keeps them clean and uses good ammo, and has no fucntional problems.
    One problem, from reading on many forums, seems to be the magazine..... the Achilles Heal of many semiautos. Henry is supposed to have re-engineered the magazine for better reliability.
    I find the weapon interesting, but just don't care for the feel of it. I may buy one if I found a good deal, but can't see paying 'New' prices when there are better 'survival rifles' out there.
    I learned long ago to 'never say never'. I may well wind up with one.
     
  7. teeter

    teeter Monkey+

    You couldn't run fast enough to give me one, if I had to keep it. If they made it out of proper metals, with decent sights, it would cost twice as much, and the cheapskates to which it appeals would never go for that much money coming out of their pockests for such a limited use item.
     
  8. dragonfly

    dragonfly Monkey+++

    I bought my 1st in Phx after I returned from 'Nam in 1971. An Ar-7s...
    It was pretty good for a $99 rifle !
    It was very accurate for the model/design back then..I NEVER had one single malfunction, no jams with that model. Since then the newest versions seemedto have gone sideways. My 1st had the aluminum external barrel with a steel insert.
    I'd trade my 3- Ruger 10/22's for that same one today! It was light and yes they did float, as we discovered when our raft flipped over in the Verde River! I Wish I had that rifle today. The newest one I own is plastic covered, and I had to trim the end around the muzzle to remove what appeared to be slag from injection molding. The sights were never good and it's a complete malfunction. It is NOT a Henry however!
     
  9. Falcon15

    Falcon15 Falco Peregrinus

    gunkid5hn.
     
  10. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    So easy to bash something when having NO experience with it.
    A LOT of rifles are tack drivers and reliable inthe long term being made of 'pot metal' and light alloys...........

    Your favorite, the AR-15 platform, comes readily to mind. But then, we don't really know you've ever handled one....... can a convicted felon even look at a gun these days without getting some undue attention, Gunkid?
    Climb back into the Tactical Wheelbarrow and chill out. Let the adults discuss the real issues.
     
    Sapper John likes this.
  11. Falcon15

    Falcon15 Falco Peregrinus

    Sea, he is an ex-con, a felon. He is not even allowed near a weapon. Of course he does not have experience. He can have an opinion though. We, that is the entire internet community, just ignores them.
    newgunkid.
     
  12. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    They need to take away his thirty year old gun magazines. He parrots all the out-dated stats and opinions, but has no experience to temper the conflicting writings. Hard to do that as an ex-con.......
    Probably has never seen any Henry rifle, beyond the occasional magazzine ad.

    He goes off his meds like clockwork though. Every month or two, he's back like a bad penny.
     
    Falcon15 likes this.
  13. dragonfly

    dragonfly Monkey+++

    I want a tactical wheelbarrow!
    Mine always has a flat though!
    Can I get one with a suppressed automatic .22 or a GE mini-gun?
    Or maybe with a Soviet made Katusha rocket launch tube system?
    That would be awesome, but I have trouble keeping it upright when there's a load inside, so can I get one with 4 wheels?
    Maybe lawnmower powered?
    Do they come with armor plating too? Or is that all optional?
     
    Falcon15 likes this.
  14. GrandpaDave

    GrandpaDave Monkey++

    As a retired gun smith... I have to say... pass on any Henry made rifle...

    it's a real shame too... I had such high hopes for the company... I'm a huge fan of the old lever guns and spent 30 years trying to get my hands on a real Henry "Load on Monday, shoot till Sunday" gun... that's the way the way Sears advertised them back in the day... Sadly every weapom I've seen come out of the Henry factroy has been junk... poor craftmenship... lesser grade steels... I just dont trust the company anymore....

    Another gun that really let me down was the Walther G22... couldnt get through a mag without at least one missfire....

    me I'm sticking to my old 10/22's they never let me down
     
  15. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    Well, different folks have different expeiences. Had my Henry .22LR lever rifle for years, never a hitch. It went to the range far more often than my 'better quality' Marlin 39A, it was just more fun to shoot and just as accurate.
    I finally traded it to a buddy, in part for a nice .308Win bolt rifle. I needed the hunting rifle more than the Henry, as I have over thirty rimfires of differing makes and styles. Simple economics.
    Besides, I've been needing a reason to get the Goldenboy .22. Couldn't justify it already having a Henry.
    My buddy loves the Henry - we bought more ammo today for him to shoot.
    He's been a very good hunter for years, and always a 'bolt guy'. Now he's having a barrel of fun just plinking. All others who I know who have Henrys love them. Good value for the money - does what it's designed to do, looks good, feels good, is reliable and accurate. What more to ask of any firearm?
     
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