Henry Big Boy Malfunctioning

[lightload]

After successfully digesting 350 rounds, my Henry .44 is malfunctioning in this way: loaded cartridge fails to feed from tube on to lifter. This event occurs with factory ammo. It's just like the rifle is empty when in fact it is not. I bought it at Cabelas, and the store has agreed to send it back for repair. I'll report on the results when it's returned.

[44man]

After successfully digesting 350 rounds, my Henry .44 is malfunctioning in this way: loaded cartridge fails to feed from tube on to lifter. This event occurs with factory ammo. It's just like the rifle is empty when in fact it is not. I bought it at Cabelas, and the store has agreed to send it back for repair. I'll report on the results when it's returned.

Must be the magazine spring. I found the problem with Remington's long ago. 870 and 1100. springs got weak and failed to feed. I bought Wolfe springs by the dozen. Every single gun would fail and blame was put on other parts. A spring fixed all of them.

[pietro]

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It sounds like there's something amiss in the transition area located at the rear of the magazine tube and/or it's junction with the lifter.

The cure might be a few different things, but since EVERY Henry is under warranty, for the life of the gun or the life of the company, returning it to Bayonne would be the best all-around solution.


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[FergusonTO35]

Yep, Henry will fix you right up!!

[lightload]

Today I got my Henry .44 back from the factory, where it had been sent for repair mentioned above. Although the serial number on the rifle is the same, the rifle appears to be new. Wear marks are gone, and the action is tight and crisp but very smooth. Actually, it's smoother than before. Perhaps Henry used the same receiver and replaced everything else including sights that I had removed. Accuracy had been fair in my non scientific tests, and the gun had shot low--requiring the highest sight setting. When I shoot it, I'll be able to say more. Henry came through again with great customer service.

[wksimple]

Your original post was in December. Did it really take that long? I ask because I sent my Big Boy 357 back last week because it would not eject spent cases. I guess I better settle in for a long wait.

[lightload]

Wksimple, don't fret about the wait. I got mine back in about five weeks. Because of the Christmas rush, the flu, and a bit of procrastination, I delayed in sending mine back. I bought it at Cabellas and had them return it, and I really don't know how long it set in their back room.

[wksimple]

Thanks for the reply. I feel a little better now.

[TrashcanDan]

Whats the twist rate on that .44?

I'm seriously considering buying one

[pietro]

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Any waiting for a Henry warranty repair can be shortcut by contacting HRA's Customer Service directly, ILO going through the FFL the rifle was purchased from. (like a Cabela's)

HRA's Prexy, Anthony Imperato, maintains a direct email addy ( info@henryrepeating.com ) that he monitors daily, to speak with, and handle any issues, his customers.

If you ask, you may be supplied with a prepaid shipping label to return your rifle directly to HRA, and receive the same rifle back - all w/o the use of an FFL on the customer's end (as provided for under US Federal Law).

BTW - Since Henry is a manufacturing FFL, and not a transfer FFL, they have the ability (like any firearms manufacturer) to legally destroy an errant (serial-numbered) receiver & replace it with a receiver carrying the same SN as the original rifle.


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[pirkfan]

I had an issue with my Henry Big Boy within the first week I had it, the local retail store sent it back, and they sent me a NEW RIFLE within 2 weeks. This would only work if you took it back to the retail seller because they have the FFL record book on the firearm and can then describe the return and reissue of a new firearm. If you send it directly to Henry and the fault is so great that they need to replace it, the only way they can do that I would think is to destroy the original receiver (in the fault is in the receiver) and produce a new one with the same serial number (not sure that's legal). This caused a lot of work for the retail store, but boy that new rifle sure shoots nice.

[lightload]

I have received two replacement firearms with different serial numbers from manufacturers when said guns were shipped back for warranty repair. In each case I shipped the guns myself without going through a dealer. I did not complete any newpaperwork. Cabelas wanted me to fill out a new yellow form(white now, I know), and I objected. I told them to check with ATF and left. They called me the next day, and I picked up the rifle. I signed a disposition form showing that I picked up the rifle. I know other people who also have received factory replacements with different serial numbers without new paperwork. ATF makes their own rules.

Also I've learned that most dealers, UPS, Fed Ex, and the postal service are confused about they can and can't do.

[pietro]

I've learned that most dealers, UPS, Fed Ex, and the postal service are confused about they can and can't do.

+1 - I've learned to take along a copy of the whatever organization's (USPS, UPS, etc) publicly documented rules with me, when I take a shipment there.


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[lightload]

Trashcan, 1:38 is Henry's twist rate for the .44, and the experts here say that a faster twist would allow better accuracy.

[Traffer]

This is one of the hazards of a tube magazine. I had a Winchester Model 1890 when I was a kid and rounds would routinely hang up in that part of the gun. It is not a good situation when you think the gun is empty and there is still a round in there. My brother had that gun go off on him one time when he started taking it down to clean. Put a hole in our bedroom. That is something you don't forget.

[lightload]

I took the Henry outside and ran live rounds through the action to test function. All was not right. I noticed that out of every 10 rounds, at least twice an odd thing happened. The lever would not close the last 1/16 inch. The "safety" piece next to the back of the trigger would not go all the way in. The result was that the lifter would not pick up the next round, and of course, the trigger would not trip the sear either.

My remedy was to hit the rifle's nether region with a short blast of Kroil and let it set for a while. Next, with the rifle unloaded, I operated the lever through its cycle 200 times. Then I cleaned up excess Kroil and tried again. The rifle--with live rounds--cycled perfectly and did so until I got tired of doing it. Also, it was more smooth than before. It even sounded better.

Why did my trick work? My guess is that I removed a small burr or got rid of some debris or mated parts that were not fit perfectly. We live in an imperfect world, and I'm glad that I could fix this nice rifle.