ar-7 in canada, is it restricted???

I have an original Armalite ar-7, and it is excellent. I haven't shot it much lately, but would shoot any .22's I could get my hands on as a kid and it fired them all very well. I probably shot it every weekend for a dozen or so summers.

I really should bring it with me to the range sometime...
 
mikeystew said:
the trouble with the newer henry's is that the bolt is heavier than the older versions..............apparently this can be cured by drilling numerous holes in the bolt reducing it's mass and therefore it's inerta, but really? why should you have to mod a gun SO much?
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Respectfully, it's not the bolt :redface: - it's the dual spring setup. ;)

Just pull one out, and you'll be amazed - no drilling required!.....:D
 
way back when this registry trash was just starting up my neighbour asked about registering his.... the cop he was talking to tried to talk him into bringing it in by saying it was a prohib
 
cyclone said:
Respectfully, it's not the bolt :redface: - it's the dual spring setup. ;)

Just pull one out, and you'll be amazed - no drilling required!.....:D
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I did pull one spring out and the bolt would not fully close for me after stripping a round off the mag... however i did some research and discovered that the bolt is the same weight as the old AR-7 but the springs are stronger in the henry.
Cyclone, this link is a manual from M&M Engineering for the AR-7 which sums up almost anything one needs to know about it. the pics are crappy, but it explains in detail the reason for reducing the bolts mass to fire subsonic ammunition (in the armalite/charter arms versions) on page 30. considering the henry has stronger springs it would seem to me this info would be relevant to firing standard velocity ammo in the us survival rifle without damaging the spring guide or receiver.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/25687367/AR-7-Survival-Rifle-Do-Everything-Manual

i have read somewhere on the net about people reducing bolt mass and clipping a coil or two off the springs on the henry with great success in it's ability to cycle anything. if removing one entire spring worked for you i am as amazed as i am happy for you because i tried that, and it didn't work for me at all. it just didn't have enough returning energy to strip a round and fully close the bolt. Anyways,... food for thought i guess.
 
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mikeystew said:
however i did some research and discovered that the bolt is the same weight as the old AR-7 but the springs are stronger in the henry.
Cyclone, this link is a manual from M&M Engineering for the AR-7 which sums up almost anything one needs to know about it. the pics are crappy, but it explains in detail the reason for reducing the bolts mass to fire subsonic ammunition (in the armalite/charter arms versions) on page 30.
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Most AR-7's tend to have heavy springs (the "lore" :rolleyes: says that this was to prevent would--be criminals using "quiet" ammunition in them - which is kind of difficult to understand, given personal experience and even that PDF's observation [on page 25 of 29, right? :dancingbanana: ] that subsonic ammunition through the AR-7's barrel is, well, not so quiet :p ).....

And while I haven't heeard of M&M Enginnering in relation to the AR-7 before (there are a slew of companies named that, from NFLD to Austin, TX, though! :D ), I'm curious as to their "experience has shown" comment.....:yingyang:

And I've not personally run the AR-7 on a single spring for any prolonged period (and, usual disclaimers, not advocating anything illegal/unsafe/etc.), but I remember Ronin saying it worked like a charm for him in his Henry....:redface:...mixed luck?
 
cyclone said:
And I've not personally run the AR-7 on a single spring for any prolonged period (and, usual disclaimers, not advocating anything illegal/unsafe/etc.), but I remember Ronin saying it worked like a charm for him in his Henry....:redface:...mixed luck?
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Must be, mine just wouldn't close up. it wouldnt be the first time two of the same firearms had different operating characteristics thats for sure, particularly when dealing with Henrys.
Whatever the case, i know there are some AR-7's out there that work great and people swear by. i wish i had gotten one because i still think the idea of it is very cool... if they'd ALL cycle bulk ammo reliably i'd have a few.
 
mikeystew said:
Must be, mine just wouldn't close up. it wouldnt be the first time two of the same firearms had different operating characteristics thats for sure, particularly when dealing with Henrys.
Whatever the case, i know there are some AR-7's out there that work great and people swear by. i wish i had gotten one because i still think the idea of it is very cool... if they'd ALL cycle bulk ammo reliably i'd have a few.
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Those frequently happen to be the original Armalite ones :cool: , or some Charter ones (it seems the QC on Charter Arms was frequently hit-or-miss...:redface:...)
 
Yeah, my step father has an armalite AR-7. it was the first gun i ever shot and that thing cycles anything and everything without a hiccup. It's a fantastic gun and im hoping he'll give it to me someday. i don't really consider the henry in the same league having owned a henry, and shot both.
 
I have the Henry US Survival rifle I bought brand new from Gagnon sports a few years ago, mine is the "Ducks Unlimited Special Edition"...it has a DU symbol on the stock, lol.

When it was BRAND NEW it would jam the last round of each mag, after 200 or so rounds it loosened up a bit and now functions very well. It lives in the storage box of my ATV and get used quite often in the summer months. I have put more than 4,000 rounds through it and it gets better and smoother with every box. Maintenance consists of a blast of WD-40 every now and then if I think of it. I don't take very good care of it, and it doesn't seem to mind the lack of care I have given it. The plastic is all marked up and gouged, but that's what happens when it bounces around in the storage box. it's ugly, but works as intended and I do not regret the purchase one bit. I see WTB ads for AR-7s in the EE from time to time and have considered contacting members on occasion...but then come to my senses, it's a damn fun little gun.

The steel mags are of excellent quality compared to some "better" repeaters out there, my Remington 597 factory mags are junk in comarison.

The plastic/steel lined barel had me worried at first, but it still shoots as good (or bad) as the day I got it. It is a 50 yard gun and that is it, period. You have to remember this is a survival rifle, it's design was to put food in your mouth in an emergency situation and it will do that no problem. I took a few grouse in the head with it last fall, it works as intended. Even after several thousand rounds the rifling is still strong and crisp. The peep sight has two different aperature sizes, I prefer the smaller one myself.

long storey short, I love my Henry!

-CZ
 
I owned one back in the early 80's and I would agree with the POS assessment. It had crappy accuracy and after a couple of thousand rounds it started having extraction problems due to the extractor making a divet in the aluminum around the barrel sleeve.
 
one thumb up one thumb down two thumbs up two thumbs down one thumb up................etc, etc... To the OP, Stop listening to us! we are only going to drive you around in circles. the only way you will know if it's reliable or not is to buy one and see for yourself.
you take a gamble with these guns, but one thing is for certain, in a way you can't go wrong with a henry because their customer service is UNBELIEVABLE! All Henry rifles have a lifetime warranty new used or abused. i read on rimfire central about a kid who tried to D&T his levergun barrel to accept a new front sight ramp and the tap broke off. he tried to use an (un)easyout and made matters worse and ended up drilling the snot out of the bore...
long story shortened, the kids grandad wrote the President of henry and told him the story and they took the gun back, re-barreled it and sent it back to the kid free of charge. try that with ruger!
but one piece of advice... buy a brand new model, stay away from the used ones. They are likely for resale because they are one of the junkers.
 
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