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Henry Frontier and "Pot Metal"


bgavin

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Academic question:  I've seen the usual Henry-hate where some guy is claiming the Frontier 22LR is a "pot metal" rifle, and of course not up to the level of a Winchester 9422.

I'm just curious if anybody can speak to this.
 

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21 minutes ago, bgavin said:

Academic question:  I've seen the usual Henry-hate where some guy is claiming the Frontier 22LR is a "pot metal" rifle, and of course not up to the level of a Winchester 9422.

I'm just curious if anybody can speak to this.
 

 

Call Henry and ask.

My bet is the rec'r is hard anodized aluminum.

OLG 

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The Henry .22 is a redux of the old Ithaca Model 72.  The 72, I believe, was manufactured for Ithaca in Germany by Erma Werke, and was steel.  My son's Henry, which I bought for him about eighteen years ago, has a painted receiver made of an alloy called Zamak-5, a base metal of zinc and alloying elements of aluminum, magnesium, and copper.   

 

Would I prefer steel?  Yup.  Is the alloy up to the job?  Oh, for sure.  

 

There were a couple of things I did not care for with the rifle - it wasn't steel, the screws were secured by stamped, "star" lock washers, some of the innards were plastic, and the front sight was plastic - with a slight but discernible list to port.

 

But it's always shot well and accurately.

 

As an aside, this is actually his second Henry.  The first malfunctioned horribly; the dealer shipped it back to Henry for repair, and it disappeared.  The dealer couldn't/wouldn't do anything, so I called Henry directly and actually got Mr Imperato himself on the phone!!

 

The gentleman was extremely apologetic, and said that rather than delay us anymore he was going to ship out a replacement immediately - and he did!  Excellent customer service...!  The only downside was having to do the waiting period again when it arrived, as it was not the same firearm, but that was a California issue.  

 

                                                                     Ithaca 72                                                                                                           Henry

                                     1080402924_Ithaca72.jpg.af4fbec69d19002e2a723477cf73c635.jpg                                     51616087_SassparillasHenry.thumb.jpg.2d46d6904614f035462e295367239f24.jpg

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Thanks for the info everybody.
I was going to put a magnet on the receiver, but figured that is a morning's work digging out in front of the gun safe...
So I will send a message to Henry and inquire directly.

I have absolutely no complaints with the Frontier at all.
Fit and finish is very nice indeed, and it shoots where it is aimed.
 

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bgavin,

 

I've worked on close to 100+ Henry .22 lever rifles.

Pot metal.......NO.

Aluminum for some parts..... YES.

 

Pot metal is a subjective term some folks use to describe metal strength, or lack thereof.

To me, Aluminum is different.   But even some Aluminum can be different than others.

Just like some steel is 'softer' than other steels.   Example: the steel carrier inside a Marlin 1894 is not as hard as the 

steel used for the lever, hammer, etc.....

 

Early one, Henry used plastic for their carrier.   Remember, the carrier in the Henry .22 stays stationary.   

Some years later, their carriers were being made with Aluminum...which remain to this day.

They serve the rifles perfect.   In my opinion, even a steel carrier would not serve any better.

 

Plastic parts on their 'less expensive' models:  front sight, barrel band, magazine follower.

Aluminum parts:  barrel bands and carrier, receiver, and receiver cover (hood)

Steel Parts:   barrel, cartridge lifter, ALL the pins, Hammer, Trigger, Hammer spring and all other springs, Ejector, Extractor, Bolt,

Firing Pin, lever, safety lug.

 

If I've missed something, I apologize.

 

As for the comparison with the Winchester 9422..... beauty and function is in the eyes of the beholder (or gunsmith).

 

I own both and both are beautifully crafted rifles.  

The 9422 can be slightly tweaked but not much.  They are no longer made but one in good to great condition: $6-700+.

One LNIB will probably cost $1000+. 

I don't think they can be short stroked.

 

The Henry can be made smoother than the 9422 AND, it can be short stroked.   For the few SASS matches I have attended

that allowed a .22 Rimfire Speed event, the 'Widder Soft Stroke'  Henry .22's reign supreme over the 9422, Marlin 39, etc.....

 

I have fired my own Henry over 5,000 times with NO issues.   I have fired my 9422 a few hundred times with no issues.  I just never

enjoyed shooting the 9422 as much as the Henry, for various reasons.

 

If you're interested in a Henry .22 lever rifle, already modified with action & trigger work, call 'Slater's In-house-guns'.

They are a stocking dealer for the Widder Soft Stroke Henry .22 lever rifles.   865 / 591-5129.

 

..........Widder

 

 

 

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I was hopin' you would chime in...
Thanks so much for the deep dive into the knowledge pool.
Much obliged.

I own a brand new Frontier in 22LR, and really like it.
The fit and finish is superb, and it hits where I aim it.
This was just an academic question for me, no complaints of any kind.

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We FINALLY got to take the Henry.22 that Widder and Slater did for my grandson to the range last week. Hatfield checked it out first.  He had taken Bopper through the manual of arms and all of the safety procedures on a couple of recent occasions and after checking the youngster out, he put Bopper through a stage.

 

By the second time around, Bopper was loading, staging, and shooting the course of fire safely on his own and placing the entire string in basketball sized patterns at 35 yds.

 

Hatfield says he was firing nearly two rounds per second and running the rifle smoothly by the third string!

 

Both son and grandson were totally pleased with the rifle and the Bopper was completely stoked by the time he got back home!!

 

 The Henry rifles are a quality product and the work provided by Widder and Slater is top shelf!!  Worth every penny that they ask!!

 

Thanks Widder! Thanks Slater!! You’ve made three generations of my family VERY happy!!

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Thanks for the offer!
I'll catch up to you when I'm smart enough to follow along without wasting your time.

I figure several tear downs and cleanings will get me familiar enough with the Henry and the Marlin 94, so I'm not an idiot when we speak again.

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I SCREWED UP and broke the firing pin in my Henry golden boy .22 LR by dry firing it.  Henry fixed it at no cost and paid shipping both ways.

 

I’m a fan.

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 We have one that never leaves the UTV. It is horribly taken care of/ abused. Looks like someone drug it across a barn lot. After I’m guessing 8-10k rounds through it, it’s still running fine.  All it gets is a cleaning a few times a year. Still shoots good.  Durable rifle

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The rifle that Blackwater speaks of was in a house fire.....a bad house fire.

Another Cowboy shooter, Long Gulch, was able to supply a new stock for it because the house fire basically melted

the plastic butt piece.

I didn't repaint anything, but rather smoothed up the insides, changed out some critical springs, short stroked it, etc.....

Then SLATER worked on the trigger, of which I think he does great work.

 

Whatever the strength of the Aluminum might be, the fire didn't warp any of those ALUM parts.  But from the effects of the

butt stock piece, there was considerable heat.

 

I agree Dry Ball,  they are Durable.

 

..........Widder

 

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14 hours ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

bgavin,

give me a holler sometime and I'll  tell you how to short stroke it.

865 / 696-1996

 

..........Widder

 

Not to derail the thread...

I picked up a Henry youth 22. Who do I send it to for the softstroke action and trigger work. She is almost 3 months old, so I need to get it done right away!

Thanks. 

BTW...she will be shooting Frontier cartridge buckarette. Yep, loaded the 22lr with 3F and the 410 with renactor. 

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19 minutes ago, Trooper Ozzy said:

Not to derail the thread...

I picked up a Henry youth 22. Who do I send it to for the softstroke action and trigger work. She is almost 3 months old, so I need to get it done right away!

Thanks. 

BTW...she will be shooting Frontier cartridge buckarette. Yep, loaded the 22lr with 3F and the 410 with renactor. 

 

There ain't but one answer when it comes to Henry .22s!!  CONTACT WIDDER!!  He's posted his phone number in this thread!!  He and Slater will make that li'l feller sing for ya!!

 

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I did own a Henry Golden Boy in 22LR.  I shot the dickens out of it and never had a problem one.  I guess it is pot metal and is built unique to a Henry.  I also have a Winchester 9422, two completely different rifles and the cost shows it.  My dad bought the 9422  back in the 70's are it is a very well built rifle.  I'm sure the 9422 shoots better, but  for the market is designed to compete in, the Henry is a quality rifle.  I no longer own the Henry because I gave it to a young shooter, a well deserving youngster  who fell in love with it.  This kid now owns a Ruger Wrangler and is living the cowboy dream.  Just a final thought, the Henry is not designed to shoot like we shoot our 1873's or Marlins at a match, just keep it clean and it w ill not fail you.  There's my 2 cents worth.

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On 4/18/2020 at 2:26 PM, bgavin said:

Academic question:  I've seen the usual Henry-hate where some guy is claiming the Frontier 22LR is a "pot metal" rifle, and of course not up to the level of a Winchester 9422.

I'm just curious if anybody can speak to this.
 

Druther have the Winchester (in .22 Magnum), but the the new Henry is no slouch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A few years ago my dad wanted to buy me a Golden Boy for my birthday, but I picked out the .22 pump instead as I have enough lever guns. I find it to be a really nice gun. Plus it turns out that was the last gift my dad ever bought me so that makes it kind of  special too.

 To understand the insides of them and the so-called "pot metal" parts, dig through your magazine pile and find the Spring 2017 Guns Of The Old West issue.

It is a great article describing what they are made of and describes the test the author put a Golden Boy through to see how long it would go before breaking down without cleaning it........

 

..... 28,000 rounds should be enough to convince anyone that they make a pretty decent rifle.

 

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4 hours ago, Hashknife Cowboy said:

Just a final thought, the Henry is not designed to shoot like we shoot our 1873's or Marlins at a match, just keep it clean and it w ill not fail you.  There's my 2 cents worth.

 

 

Missouri Lefty shooting the Widder Soft Stroke at Black Gold, above.

 

Below: Deuce shooting a 'Widder Soft Stroke'  set up by Billy the Avenger.

 

"Pot Metal" would have melted!

 

 

 

 

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17 hours ago, Hashknife Cowboy said:

 Just a final thought, the Henry is not designed to shoot like we shoot our 1873's or Marlins at a match, just keep it clean and it w ill not fail you.  There's my 2 cents worth.

 

Ha!    '73s and Marlins are not designed to shoot like we shoot'em at a match either.

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1 hour ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

Are you sure that wasn't a finger joint burning out?

 

Friction burn on the fingers in the lever!!  :o  :lol:

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I want to take time out to thank a special cowboy friend here!

 

Like Widder said!!  Long Gulch donated a new butt plate and stock to make this little rifle happen for my grandson!!

 

THANKS, PARD!!!!

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