Henry Repeating Arms

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Heritage & History

Henry Repeating Arms is an American firearms manufacturer founded in 1996 by Anthony Imperato, specializing in lever-action rifles and shotguns. Based in New Jersey with additional manufacturing in Wisconsin, Henry operates under the slogan "Made in America, Or Not Made At All." Henry is a SAAMI member and operates three U.S. manufacturing facilities.

:::callout
The modern Henry Repeating Arms has no corporate connection to the original 1860s Henry rifle company (which became Winchester). Anthony Imperato revived the name in 1996 as an entirely new company. This generates occasional purist criticism — but Henry has earned its reputation on its own merits, becoming the largest lever-action rifle manufacturer in America through quality, customer service, and genuine domestic manufacturing.
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Key milestones:

1860 — Original Henry rifle patented by Benjamin Tyler Henry (Civil War fame; became Winchester)
1996 — Modern Henry Repeating Arms founded by Anthony Imperato (no corporate lineage to original)
2000s — Growth through H001 Classic, Golden Boy, Big Boy lines
2010s — Added side loading gates (addressed major criticism); launched Long Ranger series
2020s — Three manufacturing facilities (NJ + two in WI); hundreds of thousands of rifles produced
Present — SAAMI member; largest lever-action manufacturer in the US

Product Lines

Henry's lineup spans rimfire trainers to big-bore hunting rifles, all lever-action:

Rimfire models (entry-level):

Model	Caliber	Receiver	Magazine	Price	Notes
H001 Classic	.22 LR	Brass	Tube (15 rds)	~$350	Henry's flagship; first rifle for many shooters
Golden Boy	.22 LR/.22 Mag	Brass (upgraded)	Tube	~$500	Enhanced wood and brass furniture
Frontier	.22 LR/.22 Mag	Brass	Tube	~$400	Threaded barrel option
Pump Action Octagon	.22 LR	Steel	Tube	~$450	Pump-action variant

Pistol-caliber lever actions (Big Boy series):

Model	Calibers	Receiver	Magazine	Price	Notes
Big Boy	.357 Mag, .44 Mag, .45 Colt	Brass	Tube (10 rds)	~$850-$1,000	Share ammo with your revolver
Big Boy Steel	.357 Mag, .44 Mag, .45 Colt, .327 Fed	Steel	Tube	~$700-$800	Same function, lower cost
Big Boy X	.357 Mag, .44 Mag, .45 Colt	Steel	Tube + loading gate	~$900	Tactical: threaded, Picatinny, side gate
Big Boy Color Case Hardened	.357 Mag, .44 Mag, .45 Colt	Color case	Tube + loading gate	~$1,000	Beautiful case-hardened finish

:::callout
The pistol-caliber Big Boy in .357 Magnum is Henry's most versatile rifle. Shoot cheap .38 Special for plinking (works in the same gun), step up to .357 Magnum for deer-capable power at 100 yards. Share ammunition with a .357 revolver for a classic lever-action/revolver pairing that's been a proven combo since the 1800s.
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Centerfire hunting rifles:

Model	Calibers	Magazine Type	Price	Best For
Long Ranger	.223, .243, .308, 6.5 CM	Detachable box (4 rds)	~$1,000-$1,200	Modern hunting with pointed bullets
Long Ranger Express	.223, .308	Detachable box (4 rds)	~$1,100	Enhanced version with upgrades
Side Gate Lever	.30-30, .35 Rem, .45-70, .360 Buckhammer	Tube + side loading gate	~$900-$1,100	Traditional brush/woods hunting
Single Shot	.223 through .45-70	Break-action (1 rd)	~$500-$600	Simple, accurate, budget-friendly

Specialty and collectible:

Model	Notes	Price
Henry Original	Civil War-era reproduction in .44-40; front-loading tube only	~$2,500
Special Editions	Commemorative themes (military, American heritage)	$1,000-$3,000+
Silver Eagle/Silver Boy	Nickel-plated receivers	~$700-$1,000

Innovation & Technology

Henry focuses on refining traditional lever-action design rather than revolutionary new technology:

Innovation	Application	Impact
Side loading gate	Most centerfire models (added after launch)	Fixed #1 customer complaint — can now top off without removing tube
Long Ranger detachable magazine	.223, .243, .308, 6.5 CM	Allows pointed bullets (spitzer) safely in a lever action
CNC + hand-fitting hybrid	All models	CNC precision for consistency; hand fitting for smooth action
Test-fire every rifle	All production	Every Henry is fired before shipping
Threaded barrel options	Big Boy X, Frontier	Suppressor-ready lever actions

Manufacturing approach:

Brass receivers are cast (not machined from billet) — reduces cost while maintaining aesthetic
Steel receivers are conventionally machined
NJ facilities handle centerfire production; WI handles rimfire
American walnut stocks across the lineup
Every rifle test-fired before shipment

The loading gate story:
Henry's original models loaded only from the front of the magazine tube (historically accurate but annoying in practice). The addition of side loading gates — allowing shooters to top off the magazine through the receiver like a traditional Winchester — was Henry's most significant design improvement and addressed years of customer feedback.

Community & Reputation

Segment	Reputation	Notes
Lever-action enthusiasts	Very strong	Now the most reliable source for new-production lever actions
New shooters	Excellent	H001 is a top recommendation for first rifles
Hunters (brush/woods)	Strong	.30-30, .45-70, .357 Big Boy for close-range
Cowboy action	Good	Big Boy pistol-calibers work well for CAS
Collectors	Mixed	Special editions appeal to some; purists note lack of historical lineage
Made-in-USA advocates	Very strong	"Made in America, Or Not Made At All" resonates deeply

Common praise:

Actions are among the smoothest of any production lever gun
Customer service is excellent (lifetime warranty, responsive support)
Genuine American manufacturing at every step
Beautiful fit and finish, especially brass-receiver models
Wide model range covers every lever-action niche
Most affordable entry point for quality lever actions

Common criticism:

No corporate lineage to original Henry rifle (name appropriation debate)
Brass frames scratch and show wear easily (cosmetic, not functional)
Some rimfire models use plastic/zinc components (cost-cutting concern)
Original models' front-loading magazine was cumbersome (largely fixed with side gates)
Frequent special editions may dilute collectible value
Not as robust as Marlin 336/1895 for hard-use applications

:::callout
Henry vs. Marlin: With Marlin now under Ruger's ownership and rebuilding production, Henry became the dominant lever-action manufacturer by default. Henry actions are smoother, finish is better, and availability is superior. Marlin (Ruger) has the historical pedigree and arguably more rugged construction. Both are good — Henry is easier to buy right now.
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Buyer's Guide

Which Henry should you buy?

If You Want...	Get This	Why
First rifle (youth/adult)	H001 Classic (~$350)	Smooth .22 LR lever action; ideal for learning
Show-piece .22	Golden Boy (~$500)	Upgraded brass and walnut; beautiful
Deer rifle (woods)	Big Boy .357 Mag (~$850)	Versatile; shoots .38 Spl for practice
Brush gun	.30-30 or .45-70 Side Gate (~$1,000)	Traditional lever hunting; proven calibers
Modern hunting lever	Long Ranger .308 (~$1,100)	Pointed bullets; detachable magazine
Tactical lever action	Big Boy X (~$900)	Threaded barrel, Picatinny rail, side gate
Suppressor host	Frontier Threaded or Big Boy X	Factory-threaded barrels
Historical reproduction	Henry Original (~$2,500)	Authentic 1860s design in .44-40

Henry pricing reality:

Category	Price Range	Value Assessment
Rimfire (.22 LR)	$350-$550	Excellent value; smooth action, beautiful rifles
Pistol-caliber (Big Boy Steel)	$700-$800	Good value; steel receiver saves money
Pistol-caliber (Big Boy Brass)	$850-$1,000	Fair; paying for brass aesthetics
Centerfire hunting	$900-$1,200	Competitive with bolt actions at similar prices
Collectible/Special Edition	$1,000-$3,000+	Subjective; depends on collector interest

:::callout
Bottom line: Henry makes the best production lever-action rifles available today — smooth actions, gorgeous finishes, genuine American manufacturing, and excellent customer service. The H001 is one of the best first rifles ever made, and the Big Boy in .357 Mag is the most versatile lever action on the market. If you want a lever gun, Henry is the safest bet for quality and availability.
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References

Henry Repeating Arms official site: henryusa.com
Guns & Ammo: "Henry Repeating Arms: 25 Years of American-Made"
The Truth About Guns: Henry rifle review compilation
Chuck Hawks: Henry rifles consumer survey
The Firearm Blog: Henry Original review

Read the original article in The Handbook | By Boise Gun Club Editorial Team

Join the Discussion

If you've shot one of Henry's lever guns, how does the accuracy stack up compared to what you'd expect from that classic design—are you getting match-grade precision or is it more about the fun factor?

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