Henry AR7

[xrMike]

😨7 year old, what are you waiting for? !!

He is 8 now, overdue for his 1st range trip, I agree...

[71MUSTY]

I had one in the 80's. ran anything I fed it. Was most accurate with stingers

[johnthomas]

I bought one of these for my son a few years ago. I also bought a soft case for it. It is used when the rifle is in the stock. This site is great. You can buy barrels and different parts.

http://ar-7.com/

[usmcchet9296]

Recently got an AR7. Any opinions on the gun or best ammo to use? I've heard CCI Maximum Mag and Gold Dot Super are both good.

I think the major problem with rifles like the AR7 is people don't use them much and like with any finicky firearm it needs to be broken in. I have a Kimber Rimfire 1911 and people complain the gun only shoots LRN HV ammo. Ive put literally thousands of rounds thru my pistol and it works flawlessly even with SV ammo. Id start with LRN HV ammo than work your way to SV ammo.

[Paladin]

One of my best friends in HS had a Charter Arms version: jammed all the time....

I keep hearing good things about the Henry version, the ones with the blaze orange plastic inside the buttstock. At 3.5 lbs inside its "hard case" (buttstock), it is a LOT smaller, lighter and impact resistant than a 10/22 TD. The Ruger is just a takedown version of a full rifle, whereas the AR-7 is designed to be a rifle that you can always have with you in case of emergencies. That's pretty much the only time you'd normally use it: they're not really interchangeable. FWIW, if the butt cap sealed tight enough to make it waterproof, rather than just water resistant, it would be extremely hard to remove (you'd be creating a vacuum when trying to remove it). In an emergency situation, you might only have 1 good hand working and might not have much strength....



I read in an article online that Henry went back to the original drawings and reversed engineered to get things right. Seems like they have. But I've also read that it might take a 200 round breakin to function at its best: no biggie. CCI MiniMag high velocity solids seem to be the best to use during the beakin period. After that, try different ammo you're interested in (Stingers, Vipers, Yellow Jackets), see what it likes both function wise and accuracy wise and let that be your guide.

With winning Shall Issue in CA via the federal courts still up in the air (and likely to remain that way for another 1 - 1.5 yrs), stashing a Henry AR-7 in the trunk w/a 50 rnd box of ammo seems like a prudent move in case SHTF.

If nothing else, you can put it in your locking briefcase and you'll be GTG!

[Surferchris1]

I'll keep it though, since my 7-year old thinks it's the coolest gun I own and wants to shoot it someday.

That sounds familiar. For me, my Charter Arms AR-7 was the first gun I ever shot when I was about his age. Then years later my dad was gonna sell it and I wouldn't let him. So he eventually just gave it to me, and it's one I'll keep forever. I'd love that gun even if I had to load it one at a time.

But, I'm glad I don't have to. Mine is pretty reliable with federal bulk, and very reliable with mini mags. Maybe I got a good one, though for some reason it struggles a little bit when it's really cold, like below freezing. Using small pliers is sometimes necessary to adjust the feed ramps on the magazines. It's my opinion that most of the feeding problems can be resolved this way.

AR-7 accessories has nice products, but took about 9 months to get me a barrel, and didn't answer any emails or phone calls. I was pretty sure I was never getting my money back, then one day when I'd basically forgotten about the whole thing; the barrel showed up! It's a really nice part, but don't expect much customer service from them.

[GlockN'Roll]

Nice links, Sir!

A friend from HS had a Charter Arms version: jammed all the time....

I keep hearing good things about the Henry version, the ones with the blaze orange plastic inside the buttstock. At 3.5 lbs inside its "hard case" (buttstock), it is a LOT smaller, lighter and impact resistant than a 10/22 TD. The Ruger is just a takedown version of a full rifle, whereas the AR-7 is designed to be a rifle that you can always have with you in case of emergencies. That's pretty much the only time you'd normally use it: they're not really interchangeable. FWIW, if the butt cap sealed tight enough to make it waterproof, rather than just water resistant, it would be extremely hard to remove (you'd be creating a vacuum when trying to remove it). In an emergency situation, you might only have 1 good hand working and might not have much strength....



I read in an article online that Henry went back to the original drawings and reversed engineered to get things right. Seems like they have. But I've also read that it might take a 200 round breakin to function at its best: no biggie. CCI MiniMag solids seem to be the best to use during the beakin period. After that, try different ammo you're interested in (Stingers, Vipers, Yellow Jackets), see what it likes both function wise and accuracy wise and let that be your guide.

With winning Shall Issue in CA via the federal courts still up in the air (and likely to remain that way for another 1 - 1.5 yrs), stashing a Henry AR-7 in the trunk w/a 50 rnd box of ammo seems like a prudent move in case SHTF.

If nothing else, you can put it in your briefcase and you'll be GTG!

Nice links, Sir!

[oktavist]

It's alive! (A dead thread resurrected...?)

I got a henry ar7 about 15 years ago when they only cost about $100...
The buttpad cover eventually split causing all the stuff to fall out really easy, and the plastic stalk started to bubble slightly.
Maybe they use more/better plastic to keep this from happening now because the new model weighs over 1 pound more than my older model, and costs almost 3 times the price...

Mine shot everything I ran though it. Not intended to be a "target" gun. I think I was doing about 3 inch groups at 25 yards from the bench, but it's hard to remember...

Cleaning sucks! The manual was no help at all and said, "To clean, drop entire receiver into bucket of gasoline and let soak." You have to figure out yourself how to disassemble the trigger mechanism to remove the bolt in order to clean it properly. Milling an extra slot in the bolt like the armalite models have, would have made it much easier to clean...

Totally worth the hundred bucks I got it for! Personally I wouldn't buy one for what they're currently going for...

And I never touched it after I got a 10/22...

[Paladin]

I got a henry ar7 about 15 years ago when they only cost about $100...
The buttpad cover eventually split causing all the stuff to fall out really easy, and the plastic stalk started to bubble slightly.
Maybe they use more/better plastic to keep this from happening now because the new model weighs over 1 pound more than my older model, and costs almost 3 times the price...

From what I've read online, the ones w/the blaze orange in the buttstock are the good ones. Their buttstock and barrel sleeve (over the steel barrel liner), are made of ABS plastic.

Cleaning sucks! The manual was no help at all and said, "To clean, drop entire receiver into bucket of gasoline and let soak." You have to figure out yourself how to disassemble the trigger mechanism to remove the bolt in order to clean it properly.

You know nowadays with that new fangled invention called the internet, you can download a new manual for FREE....

https://www.henryrifles.com/henry-owners-manuals/

There's even more details in this series of Henry videos on the AR-7:

https://www.henryrifles.com/henry-instructional-video-series/henry-u-s-survival-ar7/

I never touched it after I got a 10/22...

This is what I do not get: people who buy an AR-7 but do not understand its role.

The AR-7 is NOT designed to be a regular .22 LR rifle. It is not supposed to be your only .22 or even just your primary go-to .22 (like a 10/22, or even a Takedown 10/22).

It is designed to be stowed away in as little space as possible and be as light as possible. (Compare its' size & weight broken down and stored in its buttstock to a Takedown 10/22 broken down and stowed in its' small backpack-like carry case.) It is meant to be stuffed w/a box of .22s into a storage compartment in an airplane, boat, snowmobile, 4x4, motor home, car trunk or backpack (or even briefcase...), and FORGOTTEN until: (1) there's an emergency and (2) you do NOT have another rifle. Think of it as your EDC emergency rifle: a rifle you'll always have with you even when you don't plan on doing any shooting.

The AR-7 is so you'll at least have a rifle when you DO NOT have a better rifle.

[oktavist]

You know nowadays with that new fangled invention called the internet, you can download a new manual for FREE....
https://www.henryrifles.com/henry-owners-manuals/

It appears they have a much better manual now. And it seems they also fixed the bolt so it can slide past the ejector without taking apart the trigger mechanism! Looks like they have a rail on them too now. Much needed improvements. I'm glad they're getting better

Compare its' size & weight broken down and stored in its buttstock to a Takedown 10/22

Granted, a stock 10/22 takedown weighs about 5 lbs and is larger than the AR-7 when taken down. However, with the proper modifications, a 10/22 can be lightened to under 3 lbs and break down to 16", making it smaller and lighter than the AR-7.
This does bump up the cost, but personally, I'd pay the extra for a more accurate and reliable 10/22 in a smaller package. For those who don't care to modify their guns, the AR-7 is pretty much the smallest and lightest out of the box... maybe half a pound heavier than the cricket single shot...

[Paladin]

Granted, a stock 10/22 takedown weighs about 5 lbs and is larger than the AR-7 when taken down. However, with the proper modifications, a 10/22 can be lightened to under 3 lbs and break down to 16", making it smaller and lighter than the AR-7.
This does bump up the cost, but personally, I'd pay the extra for a more accurate and reliable 10/22 in a smaller package. For those who don't care to modify their guns, the AR-7 is pretty much the smallest and lightest out of the box... maybe half a pound heavier than the cricket single shot...

Without going too far Off Topic, can you post a pic or 2 of a 10/22 so modified together, broken down and stowed/how it is carried? and a breakdown of costs involved? or link there to?

The Henry AR-7's are 3.5# and 16.5" when stowed.