← Henry Classic Lever Action .22 reference page · This work order as JSON · Print

Work order — Henry Classic Lever Action .22

Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification. Generated from the Pew-Takedown entry last updated 2026-10-29. Confidence: high.

Shop difficulty: Tier 2 of 3

About 47 listed parts; a full strip goes past Henry's sanctioned limit into the side-plate action: lever and locking bar on springs, carrier feed lever, hammer and hammer spring. Several small springs to control and a side cover that must be wiggled on, but no carrier timing is reported for the .22 Henry. 47 parts (H001 series list (all H001 models), single list). Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's.

Bench time: strip ~45 min, rebuild ~70 min (estimate). Actual: strip ______ rebuild ______

Special tools:

• Bent wire hook — Guiding the locking-bar spring into place
• Dummy round (.22 WMR/.17 HMR) — Holding the carrier feed lever
• Sight pusher or brass drift — Dovetail rear sight

Watch for:

• Henry says not to take the rifle apart past the manual; the inner mechanism is finely fitted and can be permanently damaged. (both; Henry Repeating Arms)
• Refitting the lever means re-seating the locking bar on its spring (a second nested spring on .22 WMR/.17 HMR) with the tapered end rearward and tapping its pin home; the writer found it the trickiest part and it took several tries. (reassembly; Industry Outsider)
• With the side cover off, cocking and dropping the hammer lets the hammer spring fly out; the side cover then has to be wiggled back on over the pins. (both; Industry Outsider)
• With the lever out, the carrier feed lever has to be held in place with a dummy round on magnum models. (both; Industry Outsider)

Tools

• Flat-blade screwdriver — The receiver cover tang screw and the four receiver cover screws, only if you take the receiver cover off.
• Pull-through bore cleaning kit — Cleaning the bore from breech to muzzle, as Henry directs.

1. Clear and make safe

Manufacturer's video: Henry Lever Action .22 Loading (Henry Repeating Arms)
https://www.henryusa.com/own-a-henry/instructional-videos/firearm-guides/lever-action-model-h001-22lr/

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
2. Twist and withdraw the inner magazine tube from the front of the outer tube under the barrel.
   Warning: The magazine spring is compressed inside. Withdraw it under control.
3. Tip the rifle muzzle-down so any remaining cartridges roll out of the outer tube, and count them out.
4. Work the lever fully open and closed repeatedly, catching each cartridge, until nothing more feeds.
5. With the lever open, inspect the chamber, the carrier, and the magazine tube with a light.
   Warning: Three places: chamber, carrier, and tube.
6. Physically confirm the chamber is empty and remove all live ammunition from the work area.

2. Disassemble

Manufacturer's video: Henry Lever Action .22 Disassembly (Henry Repeating Arms)
https://www.henryusa.com/own-a-henry/instructional-videos/firearm-guides/lever-action-model-h001-22lr/

Field Strip — Lever and Bolt Removal

1. Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure. Make sure the hammer is in the fired-down position — the safety only functions as designed with the hammer down — and keep all ammunition out of the cleaning area.
   Warning: The manual is explicit that the hammer must be down before cleaning. Never test the mechanical function of the rifle with live ammunition.
2. Open the action by cycling the lever forward and inspect the chamber and bore for brass, copper, and powder fouling.
3. Clean the bore in the direction of bullet travel — breech to muzzle — using a pull-through kit.
   Tip: Cleaning muzzle to breech drags powder residue out of the bore and into the chamber and action, which is how a rifle ends up needing a gunsmith to clean it properly. A rod and patches work if you are careful with the muzzle crown.
4. Use a clean patch each pass. Never reverse a brush inside the barrel, and never run a brush down the barrel first.
   Tip: Reversing a brush bends the bristles like bending a wire until it snaps. A brush sent down first picks up dirt and moisture and deposits them in the chamber and receiver.
5. Use only a few drops of solvent or oil — no more than the patch will absorb.
   Tip: Excess solvent drips into the trigger mechanism and makes it gummy; excess oil drains back into the stock and can rot the wood.
6. Wipe the bolt clean of debris with solvent and a patch or small rag, then lightly oil it.
7. Coat all exposed metal with a film of oil. Do not leave fired cases in the chamber — moisture sweats out of them and causes rust.

Receiver cover removal

1. This is the only disassembly Henry documents, and the manual's own position is that you do not need it for cleaning. Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure and confirm the hammer is down before you start.
   Warning: Everything past the receiver cover is outside what the manufacturer sanctions. Henry's instruction is to send it to a gunsmith instead.
2. Unscrew the receiver cover tang screw and remove the buttstock first.
   Tip: The tang screw is parts #50 and #55 in the manual's parts list.
3. Unscrew the four receiver cover screws.
   Tip: Part #42 in the manual's parts list.
4. Lift off the receiver cover, exposing the internal parts.
5. Go no further. Reverse the order to reassemble: set the cover on, start all four screws by hand before tightening any of them, then refit the buttstock and its tang screw.
   Tip: Starting every screw before tightening one keeps the cover square. A cover pulled down at one corner binds the action.

3. Refinish

The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks "factory fit" should not be swapped or reworked.

The manufacturer's full parts list (47 parts) is on the reference page.

4. Reassemble

Manufacturer's video: Henry Lever Action .22 Reassembly (Henry Repeating Arms)
https://www.henryusa.com/own-a-henry/instructional-videos/firearm-guides/lever-action-model-h001-22lr/

Receiver cover removal

1. Reverse the steps of "Receiver cover removal".

Reassembly

1. Confirm the bore and chamber are dry of excess solvent and that no patch or bristle is left in the action.
2. If the inner magazine tube was removed for loading or cleaning, seat it fully and lock it.
3. Cycle the lever through several full strokes and confirm smooth operation and full lockup.
4. Confirm the hammer comes to full cock at the end of the lever stroke and that the half-cock notch holds.
5. With the rifle empty, confirm the trigger does not release the hammer with the lever partly open.
6. Run a dry patch through the bore before shooting.

5. Torque

No manufacturer torque values are recorded for this firearm.

Notes: The manufacturer's documents give no torque value. They say: "Tighten the two screws when complete." (Henry H001 Series Lever Action Rifle User Manual, PDF p. 10)

Fit or check on rebuild

• Hammer drop and lever function test — Henry/Industry Outsider: work the lever and drop the hammer under control before live fire.
• Sight re-zero — Sights removed for coating.

6. Function check

• Verify the rifle is unloaded — chamber, carrier, and magazine tube — before each step.
• Cycle the lever fully and confirm the bolt locks up with the lever closed.
• With the hammer cocked, engage the safety if fitted and press the trigger. The hammer must not fall.
• Disengage the safety and press the trigger. The hammer should fall.
• Confirm the lever safety, where fitted, prevents firing with the lever not fully closed.
• Load dummy rounds through the magazine tube and cycle them, confirming they feed from the carrier and eject cleanly.
• Confirm the inner magazine tube latches securely.

If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire. Stop and see a licensed gunsmith.

Sources

1. Henry H001 Series Lever Action Rifle User Manual — Henry Repeating Arms primary
   https://www.henryusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Henry-H001-Series-User-Manual.pdf
2. H1 Classic Rifle & Carbine | Henry Repeating Arms — Specifications — Henry Repeating Arms primary
   https://www.henryusa.com/firearm/h1-classic-rifle-carbine/
3. Installing the Large Loop Lever for Henry Lever Action Rifles — Industry Outsider secondary
   https://industryoutsider.com/installing-the-large-loop-lever-for-henry-lever-action-rifles

Educational guide only. Some information comes from non-authoritative sources. Always consult your manufacturer's manual and a licensed gunsmith. Verify your firearm is unloaded before every procedure. Full disclaimer: https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown

Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.