Henry Repeating Arms - The Peoples Choice

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 4/7/2017 | Oleg Volk

[w1n1]

Although the brand dates to the middle of the 19th Century, the Henry Repeating Arms company that we know of today was founded in 1996 by a father-and-son team. Originally located in Brooklyn, it started production of .22 rimfire lever-action carbines in 1997. Ten years later, the headquarters moved to Bayonne, N.J. Around that time, Henry added a large production facility in Wisconsin, having bought out a major parts supplier. The two factories together add up to over 400 employees on nearly 250,000 square feet of floor space. In 20 years, Henry Repeating Arms produced more than 2.3 million rifles. Today, they are the seventh largest domestic gun maker in the US. That kind of success doesn’t happen by accident.

THE ORIGINAL HENRY RIFLE was an important technical milestone, but the brand itself lasted only six years, from 1860 to 1866. The manufacturer, New Haven Arms Company, became Winchester Repeating Arms and its 1866 "Yellow Boy" became a runaway commercial success. It improved on the original design by sealing the tube magazine from the environment, and made it more suitable to military use with gate loading through the side of the receiver.

The Henry brand name went unused until it was resurrected in style by Louis and Anthony Imperato. This wasn’t the first rodeo for Louis, who had resurrected the Iver Johnson brand back in 1973 and, for a time, produced commercial M1 carbines of good quality. With the Henry brand, production began with modestly priced .22 rifles of good mechanical quality but a cheap-looking finish, then quickly progressed to a much better fit and finish, and more recently to a vast variety of rimfire and center fire models. Read the rest of the Henry Repeating 22 story here.

[G Larry]

Yep, got the wife the .22 lever action last year.

She loves it.

[Joe Boucher]

Out the box 50 out of 50 from 40 paces
Real fine tool

[BuddhaBrown]

Awesome bargain of a .22 rifle.

We also have a “golden boy” version, though I have not fired it yet.

[BobinIL]

I know Henry has put a lot of effort into promoting made in the USA and excellent customer service but I really do not care for their products. why make a lever gun that you have to lay down to reload? The big boys are a waste of metal in my opinion. Marlin or Winchester for me or anything with a loading gate. Their golden boy is like shinny costume jewelry The stock angle makes them useless for me and they are overpriced. Once again Marlin or Winchester 22 levers are vastly superior.

[taxcontrol]

I’ve been wanting a Henry lever action in 45-70 for some time now.

[sigh]

Bills just seem to get in the way

[RepRivFarm]

I have a Golden Boy, too. They’re awful purdy!

I have shot mine. Nice groupings at 75 yards...pulls to the left a bit.

[RepRivFarm]

I opted for the Marlin in .45-70. But the Henry looks nice.

.45-70 is a fun round to reload, too. Kinda hard on the shoulder, though.

[taxcontrol]

Yeah, that is my only worry. Had shoulder surgery last june and I am just now getting back to the point I can do pushups. Lots of muscle atrophy so I dont think I could handle it right now. Kinda afraid of my 30-06 right now as well. Will have to take it to the range this summer and see how it feels.

[texassonofww11vet]

my opinion as well. I love my Marlin 45-70 but after bout 6 rounds it’s break time for the shoulder

[lavaroise]

Iraqvetera88 on you tube has a video on Brush gun callibers, and they live up to their name. The bullets do not deviate throguh brush whereas even the AK 7.62 deviates significantly, let alone the 556, proving the Vietnam frustrations.

[G Larry]

My 47-70 is a bit older....

1878 Springfield....(not lever action)

[ataDude]

I have two Henry lever actions. They are the cat’s meow! Fit and finish are second to none.

[Celtic Conservative]

I would love to get one in .38/.357 to go with my SAA. Wheelgun and carbine in matched calibers.

CC