Henry U.S.Survival AR-7. Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you don't.

[Moonpie]

Thought it would be fun to change a few things on the Henry U.S.Survival rifle.
Started out as a plain old AR-7.

Fun enough as it was but when I found out there were some goodies out there for it I just had to have.

Swapped out the polymer coated barrel for a solid steel version.
Also swapped out the buttstock for the collapsing version. The AR-15 type grip went with the adjustable stock.

Added a Burris FastFire III sight.

So now I haz a James Bondy lookin' AR-7.

 

[robertc1024]

You be a nut. Looks good.

 

[rl96ss]

Nice little package you got there. Very sleek, never seen one configured like that.Looks good.

 

[orbitup]

Now all you need is a can on the end.

 

[Dawico]

Nice change from the huge factory stock.

I am guessing that it doesn't pack up so nicely anymore though.

 

[Jakashh]

I like the minimalist look. But does that stock detatch quickly?

 

[ROGER4314]

That goofy stock was always the weak point of that rifle but I kept it stock so it retained the "pack" capability. How does it shoot?

Flash

 

[Jakashh]

How much does it weigh now? I love the concept of light weight low recoil rifles, like the M1 carbine.

 

[jrbfishn]

I Like It!
Now you got me wanting one. I used to have the pistol version of it. Amazingly accurate and a blast to shoot.


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[Moonpie]

I am guessing that it doesn't pack up so nicely anymore though.

Well.....sort of.
I never really did like the way the original plastic stock just sort of sits there where it is broken down/stowed.
There is no way to carry the thing easily. It just sort of rolls around. No way to sling it.
So you're pretty much going to carry it in a soft/hard case anyways. I went with a small zipper soft case.

When its taken down in its current configuration you can see the stock/action section is actually slightly shorter than the factory stock.
This stows as one piece in the small soft case. The barrel also fits in the bottom of the soft case. I do wrap it in a towel to prevent nicks/scratches/etc. This also allows the towel to be used as a pad while shooting.

I like the minimalist look. But does that stock detatch quickly?

No. The adjustable stock does not detach. As you can see in the above picture it collapses smaller than the original stock.
This allows it to fit into my regular range bag as well as its own soft case. No need to detach the stock now.

That goofy stock was always the weak point of that rifle but I kept it stock so it retained the "pack" capability. How does it shoot?

Flash

Honestly I can't answer this just yet.
I just got this thing together last week and only have one quick range trip done so far.
The gun runs fine with ammo it likes(high velocity). El-Cheapo bulk pack not so much.
I gave it a quick sight-in with the new FastFire sight at 25yds. It was doing 1" groups with W-W Super-X 40gr solids.
Didn't have time to go out farther distance.
I'll bring it out to Bexar Community on Sunday for the Meet&Shoot and run the heck out of it.

How much does it weigh now?

About the same as factory configuration, possibly less. I'd say 4.5 pounds. The all steel barrel added about 1lb. to the weight.

Here's a couple of pics of the soft case.

 

[jrbfishn]

I am seriously wanting one now.


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[jrbfishn]

Where did the stock come from? I have been wanting something like that in .22.


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[M2MikeGolf]

Nice setup. I used to have a Charter Arms AR-7 and it had some serious issues. I just got a Henry the other day, and it's a vast improvement. I plan on getting on of those steel barrels, and a thread protector. I have a fastfire III that I want to mount on it, and am a little confused as to what I need to put between the dovetails on the receiver and the stock fastfire mount. What is it that you have on yours? Looks like just what I need. Look forward to a range report on that steel barrel.

 

[Moonpie]

Nice setup. I used to have a Charter Arms AR-7 and it had some serious issues. I just got a Henry the other day, and it's a vast improvement. I plan on getting on of those steel barrels, and a thread protector. I have a fastfire III that I want to mount on it, and am a little confused as to what I need to put between the dovetails on the receiver and the stock fastfire mount. What is it that you have on yours? Looks like just what I need. Look forward to a range report on that steel barrel.

NOTE: being this was Chinese it was out of spec on the top cross slot. The mounting bolt of the Fast Fire base was too thick in diameter to fit so I had to file the cross slot out to get it to fit together properly. Looked like poo but once the sight was mounted it covered the file marks.
It's a $5 part.

 

[Glockster69]

So now I haz a James Bondy lookin' AR-7.

When are you and your nutty friends going to make a Hicksville meet?

 

[Moonpie]

When are you and your nutty friends going to make a Hicksville meet?

Wish I could tell ya Hoss.
I work most weekends so it is difficult.
Sure do want to attend.

 

[benenglish]

NOTE: being this was Chinese it was out of spec on the top cross slot. The mounting bolt of the Fast Fire base was too thick in diameter to fit so I had to file the cross slot out to get it to fit together properly. Looked like poo but once the sight was mounted it covered the file marks.
It's a $5 part.

Drifting off-topic just because I've had way, way too much experience with this.

The 11mm dovetail mount as well as the 3/8" dovetail mount are not standardized. Sometimes it can take endless swapping before parts will fit.

I have a Hammerli with an 11mm mount on top. The rear iron sight screws to it just fine. Almost nothing else fits it; the machined dovetail is so short, anything that successfully clamps to it must be essentially knife-edged. I've destroyed an Aimpoint sight by using a vertically-split groove-mount ring that had to be tightened too far before it would grip. I've seen Chinese rings so blunt, so rounded that they would never enter the groove atop a firearm. I've seen rails so narrow that 11mm rings can never close on them. I've seen rails so wide that 11mm vertically split rings won't hold a standard-diameter optic.

I cannot remember how many dollars I've wasted on great quality mounts that didn't fit cheap guns, vice versa, and re-arrange any way you want. The tolerances involved in this subject are huge, arbitrary, and frustrating. Over the years, I've gone through hell with multiple firearms with "standard" grooves on top and found dozens of combinations of parts that just don't work, even though reading the labels indicates they should.

If you go to the trouble to do the research, you'll find that nobody makes a perfectly standard groove top on their guns for sight mounting. Nobody makes a perfectly standard ring to fit those grooves. The reason is that there is no standard. Everybody makes up their own standard then just calls it "11mm" or "3/8 inch".

Sorry to go off-track like that; this situation is a personal pet peeve of mine.

Side note - There are some European groove standards that are larger and intended for centerfire firearms. They don't (generally) have the same problems with sloppy tolerances.

 

[majormadmax]

@Moonpie, it's been over five years. What do you think of that stock?

 

[jrbfishn]

If you read back, he inspired me to get one. The stock is not as uncomfortable as you might think. I did add a small piece of neoprene to the tube for comfort.
Kids will shoot it all day if I let them. Most people will.
Since I took the pic, I added a piece of neoprene to the butt and a clamp on 1" rail on the bottom for a bipod. Mounted it just far enough in front of the nut to dismount the barrel. Works great and is a tack driver at 50yds.

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[majormadmax]

I was able to pick up a used Henry Survival rifle pretty cheaply recently, and just got two more mags for it (it only had one). I am deliberating over ordering one of those adjustable stocks, debating over whether to get the bead blasted version or save the ten bucks. It also needs a new front sight (the one on it is a tad bent).

Not sure if I'll red dot, scope or just leave the original sights.

Can't wait to shoot it. Will try some subsonic ammo to see if it will cycle. Have some CCI, but will also try some Federal Target .22 as I've had great luck with it in other rimfires.