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Losing faith in the Long Ranger

3.8K views 26 replies 22 participants last post by  rosco  
#1 ·
First time poster here.

I have a 6.5 Long Ranger that I have owned for about 2 years. I really want to love this gun, but problems keep mounting.

I am about to send it back to Henry for the 3rd Time.

The first time the bolt would lock up after firing and I could not open the action. I sent it in after hunting season.
When it came back, the bolt lever would not stay closed! The lever would fly open with the slightest bump.
So I sent it in again.

I took it to sight in for hunting season and I am getting multiple failures to extract and occasionally the action is locking up again. I am not babying the lever so it is not that.

In addition my accuracy seems to be pretty inconsistent occasional 1.5” groups @ 100 but sometimes up to 3.5. Zero seems to wander as well. My scope screws and bases are torqued correctly. Could be me but my 1895 is printing 2” in same sessions consistently. I know the barrel is this but still.

I am having some buyers remorse. I got the rifle because my kids are lefties and I like the look. But so far it’s been a lot of trouble. It could be that it’s because 6.5 isn’t ideal for this action. I was also thinking this could have been produced during Covid and that could have caused some QC issues.

any thoughts and anyone have similar issues?
 
#2 ·
Welcome to Marlin Owners. Sorry to hear of your troubles with your Henry Long Ranger (LR). To be honest, I've heard mixed reviews on the LR. Apparently, you got a lemon. Since you have returned it twice, I wouldn't hesitate to do so a third time. Be sure to provide details of the rifle's history and continued problems. At some point, Henry will either fix it or ship you a knew rifle Perhaps, if so inclined, you might request your money back.

Please keep us informed on this, we'd appreciate it.

Jack
 
#3 ·
Hello and welcome to MO.
Very sorry to read about your troubles. This kind of thing can be trying, and deer season is coming up fast.
I hope you have a backup rifle. If it was me I don’t think I would keep it. Having confidence in your rifle is a big part of hunting. Jamming is one thing but accuracy issues is something I won’t tolerate. Sure it could be the optic or ammo but if I determine it’s the rifle, down the road it goes.
 
#6 ·
I bought a Henry 30-30 when they first came out. My problems:
  • lever would not remain locked and sent it back
  • Henry shipped the wrong rifle back to me and sent it back
  • magazine tube was bent and would not seat properly and sent it back

I called Henry again and asked for my money back. They refunded my purchase price including tax. That's what you should consider doing as well. My impression of Henry customer service is quite good. TR
 
#8 ·
Welcome from the marshes of south Louisiana.
A lot of celebrity's push "Henry" lever action guns!
The one Henry lever action 22, I won I promptly sold it!
I'm a Marlin man with 1940's Marlin still shooting with no problems!
Wish you luck with getting it fixed or your money back.
 
#9 ·
Welcome to the MO Forum from ND. . .

That is really unfortunate that you have had such difficulty with that rifle. I personally have not had any problems with the Henry's that I own. But, I know of others who have had difficulty. My good friend has a .38-55 that needed warranty work and they fixed it up right and he has not had any further difficulties with it. Plus, he absolutely loves his 6.5 Long Ranger. Has used it 2 seasons for deer - no problems.

I'd ask for my money back or a brand new rifle. . . generally if a trending problem persists like yours, it doesn't get better in my experience . . . Good Luck
 
#12 ·
Welcome to the forum. I am sorry to hear about your Henry problems. I have two Henry's and sent them back 8 times. The Big Boy was finally replaced and my money returned, the problem was the barrel and chamber on the new one they sent me were cut with a rasp file. Had a Shilen barrel put on it with the money they returned me.

All I can say is keep returning it tell they give you your money back or you hit the Henry lottery and they send you a good one.
 
#15 ·
I have owned one Henry - a Big Boy in 357 magnum. The sights were misaligned and the magazine tube was very difficult to close and lock. I took a rattail file to the magazine lock notch and solved that issue. As for the sights, i bought fully adjustable front and rear Ranger Point Precision sights. By moving the rear sight in one direction and the front sight in the other I was able to get it sighted in without the rear sight being way over to one side.

It's a pretty rifle but Henry needs to improve their product quality inspections - just like the Secret Service Yahoos.

T.S.
 
#18 ·
My personal 3 kopeks, for what it may be worth. Since you sent it back two times and it needs to go back a third time -- well, it's like baseball -- three strikes and they are out. It is strike three -- get a refund and spend it on something else. However, back at the company's workshop, I find it totally irresponsible that any good and responsible tech would let a firearm be sent to a customer with time, small, or glaring faults. The management of the company, if they are "plugged in" on customer support, should have that tech support shop running on the basis of a repairman's card. Any weapon returned for repair should be assigned by serial number to a technician with a name and a paycard number. If a repairman, documented by name, paycard number and serial number of the weapon to be repaired / needing to be repaired a second time, then management needs to either provide the tech training required for the faulty technician or hire a new technician who can absorb and faithfully provide tech support. It isn't rocket science. A haphazardly operated tech support shop is a company management problem that begins at the top of the company. A haphazard tech support shop is just an indication of failure in the chain of command from the top down.
 
#19 ·
Thanks for everyone’s feedback. I wrote Henry an email on Monday stating the facts and requesting a new rifle or my money back. Haven’t received a response yet.

One issue I think this company is having is it seems like every week they are coming out with a new product, instead of focusing on the quality of products they have.
 
#21 ·
Welcome from South Florida! No way I’d want to spend my hard earned$/time fixin’ somethin’ that should have been squared away when it left the factory! Two strikes and they’d be OUT! AND, I’d let everyone I know my issue(s) as you have ! Seems as though Mr Imperato has “left the building” when it comes to QC! Inexcusable to send out junk like that! Guess he didn’t pay attention to what happened to Remington?! Good luck on your troubles!
 
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#25 · (Edited)
I had the exact same issues and it took years to figure it out. Bottom line up front, the bolt is not aligned properly with the rack and pinion and it’s easy to fix. Here’s how I know: when I got mine new, the bolt wouldn’t stay closed as you described and I got inconsistent accuracy. I sent it back and they “fixed it”. Then it started happening again. Eventually the bolt became more and more difficult to open until eventually it totally locked up and I sent it back and demanded a new one. Henry did send me a new one and it was fine. I’ve since replaced the trigger sear with a Ranger Point precision sear (I kept the original spring as it was lighter). When I reassembled the received assembly, I didn’t do it right and accidentally recreated the original problem with the first rifle. I reassembled it until it was correct and everything is fine. Now my Henry 308 is a .5 MOA tack driver with Federal Terminal Ascent 175s and I love it. I hope this helps.
 
#26 ·
I have had similar issues with a .325 WSM BLR except the Browning customer service is a zero on a one to ten scale. I have 4 Henry's, 3 rimfires, 2-22's and a 17 and a Long Ranger in .223. The Long Ranger .223 is sub MOA with a very good trigger. It is a FUN gun, very accurate without recoil. I have BLR's in .308 and .223, lousy triggers and sticky actions unless dripping wet. I like my Henry's, but I still take Savage 99's when hunting elk and antelope.
 
#27 ·
On kinda the other side of a bad coin, I've had 6 Henry rifles - and now one more coming.

The first 4 were were bought 5 to 7 years ago, all break open singles in a variety of chamberings (.45-70, .308WIn, .243Win, .223Rem), and all had Horrible triggers that took spring swaps to fix up much better. They all eventually got sold.

Now I've got a H010GCC lever in .45-70 and a H015 single that's also in .45-70 and so far so good, no issues with either and really nice triggers for both.

Another Henry on the way this week, an H012GCC lever in .44 Magnum ... time will tell about its quality of build, functionality, and accuracy soon enuf.

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