Brass Dents?

[will52100]

I am finaly getting to go to anouther local CAS match, been offshore evertime they have the match for about 8 months.  Took my Henry out and shoot a couple hundred rounds through it just to knock the dust off.   I cleaned it up and it's getting a pretty good patina on the brass so I figured I'd clean it up a bit and realy started noticing what apears to be dents and dengs on top of the frame from ejected brass.

Never noticed this before, is this pretty common?  I'm shooting 45 colt, and unless some one borrows my rifle at a match it's strickly black powder.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

My Henry is steel framed, so I really can't comment, although it makes perfect sense to me. Take 2 materials of similar hardness and bang them together, and they will both dent. It doesn't really matter which one is bigger, they will both undergo some deformation.

If you want to see some dents, take a look at the top of my poor old 100 year old Marlin 1894. I suspect these dents were made by a clown with a hammer though, since the Marlin ejects to the right:

[Coffinmaker]

Yep.  Whole bunches of little dents.  I shoot three Henry rifles and two '66s, plus others.  All the Henry and '66 rifles have little dents from ejected brass dropping back down on the receivers.  Gives the guns that "I'v been used" look.  Wouldn't think of trying to polish 'em out. Provenance, dontchaknow.

Coffinmaker 

[stepnmud]

Now that Marlin looks like someone used it for a cutting block.

[will52100]

My dents look a lot like the marlin's, never noticed them before, amazing how leaving a rifle in a safe for 6 months will give you new eyes when you look at it again.  I couln't polish them out without sand paper and while I could do it it'd weaken the frame if I kept doing it and I would have to keep doing it because I'm going to keep shooting it!  I'd forgotton how much fun a henry is to shoot!

[USCG Flyer]

Yeah, my Henry has the same dents. Nothing to worry about, just adds to the rifles character.

[Ransom Gaer]

After reading this post I decided to take a look at my '66 and my new 1860 Henry.  And sure enough both of them have those little dents in the tops of the receivers.  Guess they're just gonna have to stay there.  Learn something new everyday.

Ransom Gaer

[will52100]

That's one reason I don't polish the frame to a high shine, I might shine it up a bit, but there's still a patina on it and I'm hoping it'll take on that old brass color eventualy.

[Silver Creek Slim]

That's one reason I don't polish the frame to a high shine, I might shine it up a bit, but there's still a patina on it and I'm hoping it'll take on that old brass color eventualy.

Below is a pic of my Henry's receiver after a few years of shooting BP.

Slim

[Dusty Morningwood]

Below is a pic of my Henry's receiver after a few years of shooting BP.

Slim

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

[will52100]

You know that looks a lot like mine!  Heck the carrier is dang near black, and even though I give it a rub down with brasso a little while ago it's still got a few stains on it.  Good looking shooter.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Well, Slim's rifle sure has character.  Mostly the one behind the trigger.

My rifle, as some would say, has been neglected.  Besides the shine it came with, it has had two other shines in the last 8 years.  It HASN'T been shined in 4 years, and as to the dents, they are there and I never tried to remove them when I DID shine it.  Those dents show that it has character and has been lovingly used.

I think I spent too much time in the Army - brass that is discolored or dull looks wrong to me.  But thanks to friends like Slim and other pards at GLFMC who worry about my shiny rifle attracting the attention of hostiles, I'm gradually changing my attitude.

Those dings show class - and the more, the merrier! 

[Silver Creek Slim]

Well, Slim's rifle sure has character.  Mostly the one behind the trigger.

I resemble that comment. 

Slim

[Steel Horse Bailey]