American firearms history is rich with icons that have shaped gun culture. Among these celebrated firearms, the M1911 pistol by the legendary John Browning, the Colt Single Action Army revolver, a conquerer of the Old West, the AR-15, and many more. But no discussion of iconic firearms would be complete without the renowned Henry lever action guns. Here, I’ll uncover the legacy of Henry rifles (and even more).
Henry Rifle and Henry Repeating Arms
The term Henry rifle originally refers to the lever-action rifle developed in 1860 by Benjamin Tyler Henry and produced by the New Haven Arms Company, which would later become the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Though the 1860 Henry Rifle wasn’t the first lever-action design that saw the light, it was the first one that achieved commercial success and became the standard for all lever-actions that followed.
The rifle was a masterpiece, featuring a convenient and fast-operating cocking handle and a sixteen-round breech-loading tubular magazine.
A few years later, with the basic design in hand, Oliver Winchester modified and improved the Henry rifle and introduced what we know today as the Winchester rifle – the Model 1866.
Though there were disputes between these two talented gentlemen, in the end, they both contributed to the evolution of very-much-appreciated lever-action rifles. And now, Henry Repeating Arms continues this tradition of excellence building lever-action firearms for modern shooters.
By the way, the company isn’t related to Benjamin Tyler Henry in any way. Founded in 1996 by Louis Imperato and his son Anthony Imperato, it draws inspiration from his legacy and the iconic design.
Now, let me introduce you to the guns Henry Repeating Arms offers today.
Henry Lever-Action Rifles
Henry Big Boy Deluxe
Henry has guns for every task: home defense, self-defense, hunting, range shooting – you name it. The most iconic and best-selling rifles are, of course, the Henry .22 lever-action rifles, the Henry Golden Boy in particular. The rifle is not only highly rated by shooters but also won the Gun of the Year award by Guns and Ammo Magazine. The high-grade craftsmanship and supreme balance of the Golden Boy make it an ideal gun for plinking, introducing youth to shooting, and small game hunting. I think, the rifle is magnificent. However, I’d like to fill you in on the other Henry rifle designs.
While Golden Boy is a small-caliber rifle, the Big Boy, as the name suggests, packs quite a punch. Chambered in high-power cartridges, such as .44 Mag, .357 Mag, and .45 Colt, the rifle is made for big game hunting.
All rifles in the Henry Big Boy series feature a 20-inch octagonal blued-steel barrel outfitted with a brass-beaded front sight and a fully-adjustable semi-buckhorn rear sight with a reversible diamond insert, a 10-round tubular mag, a super-solid brass receiver drilled and tapped for mounting the scope of your choice, as well as a straight-grip and forend made of American walnut.
The Big Boy Deluxe rifles are peculiar for hand-engraved scrollwork inspired by Louis Nimschke, the 19th-century master engraver who worked on thousands of rifles, the Henry included.
HENRY Big Boy Brass .357 Mag
Specifications:
- Caliber: .357 Mag
- Capacity: 7rd
- Barrel Length: 16.5
- Weight: 7.76
Henry Big Boy X Model
Recently, Henry Repeating Arms has made an evolutionary step in its product line. It introduced the X Model series of guns that combine high-performance features found in modern firearms with the lever-action classics.
The first thing that caught my eye in the Big Boy X Model is the durable, low-maintenance synthetic furniture built to withstand the roughest environments. The stock and forend are fitted with sling mounting points. On the rear, you see a solid rubber recoil pad, similar to those seen on the Remington 700 and Savage 110 bolt-action rifles. There also are a Pic rail and two M-Lok slots you can use to attach a bi-pod, forend grip, flashlight, or any other accessory to your liking. The muzzle end is threaded to accept a muzzle device.
The carbine-length 17.4-inch barrel fitted with high-visibility fiber optic sights is very accurate at short and mid ranges and easy to maneuver. Thanks to that, the Henry X Model is one of the most versatile lever-action rifles, perfect for close-range big game hunting, home defense, and use as a truck gun.
All X Models feature a side loading gate that allows you to top off the tube mag without breaking a sweat.
The Henry X Model chambered for the .357 Mag/.38 Spl and having a capacity of 7 rounds is probably the most popular rifle in the series, though there are Big Boy X Models in .45 Colt. .44 Mag/.44 Spl, 30-30 Win, and more.
HENRY X Model 30-30 Win
Specifications:
- Caliber: .30-30 Win
- Capacity: 5rd
- Barrel Length: 21.37
- Weight: 8.07
New Original Henry
Henry Repeating Arms couldn’t but pay homage to the Master and released a slightly modernized copy of the legendary Henry 1860.
Unlike the original chambered for the already obsolete .44 Henry Rimfire, the model is chambered for the modern centerfire cartridges like the .45 LC and the .44-40 Win.
The rifle boasts a hardened brass receiver with the same tensile strength as steel, American walnut stock, and a 24.5-inch octagonal blued steel barrel. The barrel is fitted with a traditional folding ladder rear sight and the blade front sight. Unlike the mentioned Henry rifles that have the transfer bar as the safety, the New Original Henry features only half-cock safety hammer notch.
Though this classic rifle lacks some modern features that we all got used to, it’s still a great firearm for hunting and target shooting.
HENRY Original Henry 44-40 Win
Specifications:
- Caliber: .44-40 Win
- Capacity: 13rd
- Barrel Length: 24.5
- Weight: 9
Henry Shotgun .410
Many of you must have heard about Henry lever-action rifles, but have you heard about the Henry lever-action shotgun? Far fewer, I dare say.
The model I have here has a nearly 20-inch barrel, which makes this shotgun a more versatile weapon. You can hunt birds and small game using birdshot loads, defend your family with buckshot, or put slugs at deer. Compared to its heavier long-barreled counterpart, a 20-inch Henry shotgun is easier to maneuver in brush and close quarters. However, a 24-inch model has its muzzle threaded for chokes.
The features include dark American walnut furniture, a blued steel framed action, a side loading gate, an adjustable semi-buckhorn rear sight, a brass bead front sight, swivel studs, and a rubber recoil pad.
HENRY Side Gate .410
Specifications:
- Caliber: .410 bore
- Capacity: 6rd
- Barrel Length: 19.75
- Weight: 7.33
Leave a Reply