Henry .327 PSA

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Out of the clear blue sky I got an email from an LGS that the Henry .327/.32 Mag was available.  I had not seen any for quite a while.  We have all read the opinions on the wire of the Henry for SASS competition so I decided what the heck I will see if they are true.  I had just completed a complete tune-up on a new Ruger Marlin so I could do a direct comparison.  Not enough space here or probably enough interest for a full Chronicle article so here is a BRIEF summary.  The overall fit and finish is very good.  It functioned OK stock but like all new untuned guns was very stiff and clunky and something I would not shoot in competition.  I noticed there were at least two big differences from the older Henry's to the current production models.  The firing pin (the old was two piece, the new one piece) and the extractor.  The Henry also has a firing pin block and a transfer bar.  The Marlin does not.  The new Henry looks like a miniature Marlin 336.  The trigger pull was odd.  It broke at six pounds but felt much heavier.  It was like pulling against a solid wall.  The trigger did not cleanly break.  Just after a while of pulling the trigger the hammer would unexpectedly fall.  The trigger felt dead.  I have boxes of springs and parts so I replaced or removed the following parts.  (These are not great photos.  I did not set up any lights and just shot them freehand.)

 

 

I took an old Uberti firing pin extension and turned it down to the OD of the firing pin.  Bored a hole in it and then cut off and pressed a section on the back of the firing pin to convert it from transfer bar (which is now gone) to direct impact by the hammer.

 

 

As noted the trigger felt odd.  When you pull the trigger it is pressing up on the sear.

 

 

However on the other side of the trigger there is a link that is pushing up on the transfer bar.  This makes the opposite end of the transfer bar rocker push down on the sear spring so you are pushing and pulling at the same time.  Finding a replacement for this spring was somewhat of a challenge since it is curved in its movement and fits tightly on a stud on the sear to keep it in place.  After a bit of searching I finally hit the proper combination of spring tension and ID.  This trigger mechanism is completely different than the Marlin.  After looking at it I decided to make no changes that would keep me from reinstalling the original parts and returning the gun to stock.

 

 

Videos of disasembly and reassembly of the receiver show a simple process of simply shoving the hammer screw through the receiver.  I do not know if they have changed between the older and newer versions but it was a PITA trying to get that scew back in place.  A regular screw has the thread diamenter the same as the shank diameter as shown on the screw on the right.  The screw in the gun is a shoulder screw like the one on the left.  That shoulder kept hanging up on the transfer bar rocker.  It took me quite a while to figure out how to reach a probe up into the receiver to align the rocker.  (You can't use a slave pin because of the step in the shoulder screw.)

 

 

One other big difference between the Marlin and the Henry is the trigger guard and trigger placement.  With the Marlin I have impaled or bitten my finger a few times.  I have had no contact with the Henry trigger.  Henry on the bottom.  Also notice the new style extractor.  The older Henry .327s had a completely different extractor.

 

 

OK so how does it work?  Quite frankly I am astonished.  The trigger pull is now down to three pounds with a clean break.  It levers smoothly and lightly.  I have fired ten matches with it and it has not had a jam and can be run as fast as the Marlin.  The only bobbles I have had have been a couple of ejected live rounds.  Shooter error as the gun levers different from the 73s I am use to.  I am switching over to .32s as I am having a harder time with gun weight.  These steel Henry's seem to be in short supply as they dried up locally shortly after I bought this one.  There are brass framed ones still listed at different distributors.  BUT, the steel frame weights 6 3/4 pounds.  The brass model weighs two pounds MORE so that one is not a consideration.  I only want to carry one type of ammo so I use the same ammo in the pistol and this rifle.  I will see how its long term durability is but right now I am very satisfied with the rifle after the tune-up.  There are parts I removed that I would not remove on a hunting rifle and I made sure I did not make any changes that cannot be reversed and the original parts reinstalled.  Can YOU do this?  I don't know.

 

 

[Vail Vigilante]

So how many variations of 32 length cartridge have you tried this with?

[Eyesa Horg]

Thank you Larsen, for another most informative post.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

1 hour ago, Vail Vigilante said:

So how many variations of 32 length cartridge have you tried this with?

I am only using H&R Mag brass.  I have loaded from 1.340" to 1.400". 

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

Glad to see someone is attempting to work with the Henry Rifle , and try to improve it for our game !

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Nice work Larsen.

 

Slater has worked on a few Henry's and one of them was the .32

It felt really good.   I started to buy it but the 'heft' of it was more than my Marlin .32

and of course, I didn't want to spend money on another rifle.

 

..........Widder

 

[Griff]

Larsen, that's good work.  Kudos for taking on the challenge and seeing it thru successfully!  It's too bad the rest of their tomato stakes are so heavy!  

[Rough 'N Ready Rob]

Larsen,

  On the Marlin trigger, I cut about a 1/8" off the bottom then round it off big time smoothing every thing up, has stopped the trigger bite for me.

   My 2 cents, try it you'll like it.

Rob

[Widder, SASS #59054]

6 hours ago, Rough 'N Ready Rob said:

Larsen,

  On the Marlin trigger, I cut about a 1/8" off the bottom then round it off big time smoothing every thing up, has stopped the trigger bite for me.

   My 2 cents, try it you'll like it.

Rob

 

Yes Indeed.  I'm sure I ain't the first to do this, but I also have done the same modification to the

trigger as Rob stated.   I've probably done over 200 triggers this way.

 

..........Widder

 

[Rough 'N Ready Rob]

1 hour ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

Yes Indeed.  I'm sure I ain't the first to do this, but I also have done the same modification to the

trigger as Rob stated.   I've probably done over 200 triggers this way.

 

..........Widder

 

Thanks, coming from the Marlin Man that's a compliment.

  Rob

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

But us Henry shooters do not have to worry about that!