take-down

AKA the Henry US Survival

I’ve wanted a lightweight .22 I can throw in my pack for multi-day hikes, and when it comes to size, weight and price the AR7 simply can’t be beat. On quality of workmanship and materials I give the Henry version 3 of 5… it seems pretty sturdy, but the finish definitely leaves some to be desired. Mine came from the factory with ample scratches through the black coating, and in a generally dirty condition (metal shavings and all). After taking it apart and cleaning it up it looks a lot nicer but the scratches remain. Still, for $150 new I’m not complaining.

The disassemble/package into stock feature is nice in theory but somewhat lacking in actual execution in my opinion. It doesn’t take long to put it together, but really if you’re out hiking with it you’re not going to get into your bag and get the gun assembled before the squirrel you’re after takes off. It’s also a little tough to get the end-cap off, and practically impossible to do so silently. Of course, the other concern is stowing a scope if you happen to go that route. I’m on the search now for a collapsible stock and pouch I like, and plan to go that route instead (I may even build one). I also don’t like how the front of the magazines are shaped… they tend to slice into the hand a bit being that’s the natural place the weak hand falls. Fortunately, a .22 has little recoil, so you don’t have to grip it too tight.

The plus side on the Henry unit over other manufacturers, aside from being able to buy it new, is the ability to mount a scope without any modifications or adapters. My understanding is that most other AR7s don’t offer the grooved receiver rib, and it’s mere seconds to get a scope mounted up. I also liked how completely ridiculously simple it is inside. With the amount of room in this thing you could probably pour sand in it and it would still fire. You do have to be a little careful stripping it down because of this as the innards have a tendency to fly apart the moment you pull on anything with the cover off. Still, with a little help from detailed pictures of the rifle’s innards over at The Packing Rat it was very easy to take apart, clean and reassemble with little more than a flathead and a brush. Very little lubrication is needed as there’s not much metal-on-metal motion with all the room on the inside. TPR also had a nice tip on the the bolt handle, something easy to miss at first since no real manual is included with the AR7. No, it isn’t permanently in that impossible-to-pull-back position, it actually slides out so you can use it without hurting your fingers… OMG YAY!

The Bushnell 4×32 .22 Rim-fire Scope

Granted, I have extremely limited experience with proper scopes, but I really like this scope. For a mere $28 this is an extremely well-built unit. It seems rugged, solid and well sealed, and no visible manufacturing distortions are present. The picture is just slightly darker than reality, but it seems alright in low light despite this. The lens protectors also happen to be clear, with one end yellowed, which is a nice touch if you happen to need to use this scope when there’s water or dust spray.

After reading about the pains one can go through getting a scope mounted to the AR7 (I admire his patience), I opted to try for an all-in-one quick-release AR7 scope-mounting solution. With the Bushnell model, the included pre-mounted brackets clamp straight on to the groove in the rifle’s receiver and tighten securely with thumb-screws. They can also be tightened further with a flathead screwdriver, but I’ve opted for just thumb-tightening the unit given the take-down nature of the rifle. While it’s a significantly larger scope than the BSA, the route I’m going for stowage should allow plenty of room. Considering the way the bracket works I’m hopeful the scope wont fade from zero with repeated removal/reinstallation.

Final verdict on this one will have to wait until I get a chance to go shooting later this week, but at this point I’m very pleased with my purchases. I do definitely want a collapsing or folding stock of some sort though, and I really dislike AR7 Industries' version. A Mitchell Arms stock would be a welcome addition, but they are near-impossible to find these days and I think I can do better anyhow. Majestic Arms does have a nice setup, but you have to buy the entire gun (no kit available) and I would really rather fold than take down.