SG> I used to have an AR-7 manufactured during the past decade by a company
 SG> called Survival Arms out of Cocoa, Florida. I don't know about those
 SG> other companies (other than Charter Arms).
My new barrel and two magazines from Henry Repeating Arms arrived today.
I was a little confused about what I was getting.  I thought it was supposed 
to be the whole barrel assembly with the barrel nut and front sight. Instead 
I got only the barrel itself.  Another surprise, the barrel was silver!  It 
looked like the silver color was spray-painted on.  As I had been told, the 
barrel has a steel liner surrounded by hard plastic.
The two new magazines are almost identical to the old Charter Arms magazines. 
 The only important difference is a pair of small dents pressed into the side 
of the feed lips on the new mags.  These make the magazine mouth a bit tight 
and awkward to load.  However, I've had no more feed problems with the new 
mags!  When using the new ones, the rifle doesn't take a chunk out of the 
bullet's nose when feeding it.  Instead there's a bit of lead shaved in a 
semi-circle near the heel of the bullet, but that shouldn't lead to jams.
I didn't like the silver look, it certainly didn't match my gun.  So, before 
installing the new barrel, I degreased it and hit it with a coat of flat 
black spray paint.
If you recall, my old barrel was the original Charter Arms make, with the 
aluminum jacket.  It was messed up when I got a brush stuck in the bore.  I 
punched out the front sight, and I put the barrel nut and the sight onto the 
new barrel.  The front sight fits loosely enough that I can adjust the 
windage by mashing it with my thumb.  After I get it sighted to my 
satisfaction, I'll have to tack it with a little threadlock compound, I 
ess.
As expected, the new barrel shot to a completely different point of aim. With 
the old barrel I had the elevation about as low as it would go.  With the new 
one I had to put it as high as it would go -- I was afraid I might have to 
file down the front sight, but I was able to squeak by without that. I also 
had to push the front sight flush to the right edge of its dovetail. My quick 
sight-in session was enough to show there's no obvious problem with the 
accuracy.
After sighting in, I went back and hit the front sight with another shot of 
black paint, on account that it was so badly scarred up from years of use and 
abuse.  It's a futile gesture, I'm sure.  The paint won't stay there long.
I'm glad I got these parts!  They didn't cost much, and now my AR-7 is 
shooting a lot better than it ever did before.
 Tony Belding 
 http://hamilton.htcomp.net/tbelding/
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