Question: Henry BigBoy Rifle Finish

[metalchipper]

Hello,

Anybody know if there is a clear factory finish on a Solid Brass----Henry BigBoy Rifle?
I might be lettering one for a city's centennial. I would not like to try to match up some kind of clear coat.

Side note, everybody asks first about the Golden Boy to engrave. It's receiver is made with something called "Brasslight" and plated. No go for engraving.

 

[Dulltool]

Hey,
I have a Henry Bigboy Deluxe in my vise as we speak... It's a factory engraved gun that needs two monograms on the receiver, two ovals and the butt plate engraved. I've already engraved the butt plate and I could detect no clear coat of any kind.

The receiver looks to not have any coating as well... I will be using blue masking tape around the two ovals to protect the factory polishing.... My plan is to then just spot polish the ovals with the surrounding tape still in place.

I should also add that even though I could not detect any clear coat ... I also could not detect any tarnishing on any of the brass parts.

I'll let you know how it went.

 

[metalchipper]

Thank you Dulltool, that helps.
Maybe the brass has been plated a tarnish resistance layer--because it stays bright.

 

[dclevinger]

I did a bunch of lettering on one a few months ago. It didn't have any clear on it either. I'm thinking the tarnish resistance is in the alloy used. It was pretty "grainy" and not nearly as soft as the brass that you usually see.

David

 

[Dulltool]

Hey Guys,
I need to remove the barrel on this Bigboy... I have receiver stripped of parts... Any tips? The barrel is now in a large bench vise with the received hanging out. My thinking is to insert a cut shaped two foot length of oak into the receiver body and unscrew.

I am just a little worried about it being brass and not steel as I don't need to buy this $1200 rifle.

Thanks for any information,

 

[Dulltool]

It worked like a charm.... I got the barrel off.

Thanks anyway,

 

[Weldon47]

Dennis,

I cut one several years back (the center fire, not the .22...I wouldn't do one of those!) & it cut pretty well.... pretty consistent & not many soft spots if any.
As far as brass goes, nothing is worse that cutting along and then having the bottom fall out on you when you hit a spot that is a whole lot softer that the surrounding metal! That's frustrating! Be careful....but then you already knew that!!

WL

 

[rhenrichs]

Hey Guys,
Your timing on this thread is just right. My next project is to do a bulino scene on a receiver of a Henry Big Boy. I have been wondering if I should have taken it on. I did a Uberti Henry a couple of years ago and it was kind of miserable to do. Had devil of a time to gret the barrel off. The gunsmith that I had pull the barrel actually deformed the barrel in the barrel vice slightlly trying to get the barrel off. He had about a 4' cheater on wrench handle before he got it to break loose. The brass receiver was gummy to cut and took a tremendous amount of power. I ended up buying a TC piston for my Lindsay and ran it at about 80psi to get the job done. Glad to hear the barrel on a Big Boy is not on that tight.

Roger

 

[Idaho Flint]

I have owned and used a Henry Bigboy for several years now. The brass will tarnish with time and usage. I found that this clear coat that I use for brass jewlery works really good to keep it clean and bright.

It is pretty easy to apply, and last forever.... (well so far)

Give it a look if you want.

Everbright

Mike

 

[Dulltool]

I finished the Henry this evening. I REALLY enjoyed it. It cut like ..... you know it's coming..... wait for it.... yep butter.
And as a bonus it was a very easy gun to disassemble and put back together. I would do another one in a heart beat.

 

[eastslope]

Sure wouldn't mind a picture. Thank you for telling us how it went. Seth

 

[rhenrichs]

Got a response back from Henry Repeating Arms. They stated that the receiver is solid brass and there is no top coating or finish coat applied to the brass.

Roger

 

[metalchipper]

Got a response back from Henry Repeating Arms. They stated that the receiver is solid brass and there is no top coating or finish coat applied to the brass.

Roger

Thank you, I feel lazy now. I should of called them.

 

[KCSteve]

While I have yet to contact them about anything engraving related, I can tell you that Henry is a very nice company to deal with.

The company President is out on the web and is sometimes the one who responds to your email. Very nice guy.

 

[metalchipper]

Big Boy

Well I final got time to post the little job on the Big Boy.
It cut real nice, did not take the barrel off.
Thanks for your help.

The finish color is shiny brass, to catch the engraving had to take the pic in low light.

:banana:

 

[ddushane]

Metalchipper, Your layout looks nice, and the letters & numbers are really done well. I love the Henry's. I would love to have one for myself and engrave it. So many things, so little time

Dwayne

 

[monk]

yeah, that looks so sweet !

 

[MichaelBaer]

When I am cutting on a receiver of a long gun I pull the block to the edge of the table and tip the block over on it`s side so that I can
do a 180 degree cut uninteruptedly.Make sense? MichaelBaer

 

[metalchipper]

When I am cutting on a receiver of a long gun I pull the block to the edge of the table and tip the block over on it`s side so that I can
do a 180 degree cut uninteruptedly.Make sense? MichaelBaer

:yes

That will work, I made a stand up barrel vice at a 45 degree angle on a rotating shaft with counter weights .


" give a hard job to a lazy man and he will figure out an easy way to do it "