A family of Henrys, my cousins and I did some plinking, 3 .22s a .357 mag and .44mag.

Attached File

Nice!!

Nice. I've got a .22 and a .357. Both are great. The tube loading mag on the .357 is not what I'm used to, but I love th  gun and it's accurate.
Also have a 22 Magnum Golden Boy

The 357 is pricy and very limited availability here

Went deer hunting last week and took a Henry 45 Colt, dropped 4 rounds in tube. Shot a deer and unloaded three rounds out end of tube. So easy and no pinched fingers and chasing ejected rounds from my Marlin. Still a huge JM Marlin fan but this loading gate is nice option to quickly unloaded the rifle.

Enjoy your LA rifles, they are my favorite design!

Why did they chose to do this?  Has anyone ever read the story about why Henry Rifles made that decision?  It seems to cost them a fair amount of business.

I don’t think they give a shit.

Tradition. Original Henry's were tube loaded. Just took me a few times to get used to it on the .44. Now after a couple tubes full, the barrel does get a bit warm when reloading.

Actually not.  Anthony Imperato (Pres of Henry) told me that the reason Henry's don't have a receiver loading gate is manufacturing cost and a vague reference to a patent when I talked to him and asked why he was developing the Big Boys without one.  When I told him that without one, even though I liked his design otherwise, I'd not consider a Henry Big Boy he answered, "With the right marketing, I'll be able to convince most people they don't want one."  Evidently, the OP shows that Anthony was right, he can talk many people into anything he wants.

If the rifle were an 1866 and tube loading was original, I'd say okay.

On an 1892,... no way!

When an American manufacturer makes a product that is otherwise of such high quality, why would they scrimp on this feature?  They'd sell more if they had it and they'd be a more reliable source of supply than Rossi.

Now, if it's really about a patent,...  150 years later?

I owned a .22 made by Ithaca that I am told is identical to the new Henry, if so they are gtg, that. 22 is one I really miss

Cant be a patent issue, the Kings patent expired a long time ago, isn't that why Marlins and other non Winchesters got them later on?

That is the sign of a great salesman. I'm taking a consumer behavioral analysis class this semester that is required for my marketing major, and it's basically a psychology class for the salesman on why people buy what they buy and how to get them to buy what you are selling. It's pretty damn interesting.

I would buy a 357 mag Henry if the magazine tube was angled down just enough to clear a pistol suppressor. I recall seeing a thread sometime ago somewhere where somebody did the same thing to a 22 Henry. As of now, the only lever gun that I really want is the Marlin CST since it is factory threaded. If Henry released a big boy model that was suppressor ready, and it came down to it or the marlin, I might just choose the Henry over the Marlin. Might. The other factor that comes into play, which I haven't looked into yet, would be how strong Henry action is compared marlin 1894 as far as withstanding hot loaded magnums.

Loading the magazine on an 1860 Henry is entirely different from the modern "Henry" rifles that load like .22s. Below is my Uberti-made replica of an 1860 Henry. To load it, you pull the magazine follower up towards the muzzle and then rotate a sleeve containing the follower and now-compressed magazine spring to one side. You can then insert cartridges into the end of the magazine tube.

You pull the follower towards the muzzle using the tab protruding through a slot in the bottom of the mag. It's visible under the front of the receiver in the picture below.

Attached File


The downside to this arrangement is that you have to do the "Henry Hop" to allow the follower to continued its way towards the receiver as you shoot. The slot also can allow dirt into the magazine, but an Uberti 1860 Henry did surprisingly well in an InRangeTV mud test.

In contrast, the "Henry" rifles made today have an internal tube in the magazine that you twist to unlock, then pull out of the outer magazine tube, uncovering a loading port.

As for "tradition," The current Henry Repeating Arms has no connection with the New Haven Arms Company, which made the original 1860 Henry Rifles. The NHAC was dissolved in 1866 and it then became Winchester Repeating Arms. HRA's marketing trying to link themselves with the 19th Century company is misleading.

pretty awesome, just put an order in for one today actually!

Went to the range and zeroed the scope. Only 25 yds after working as RSO I was too cold to go to 100. Leupold Freedom
1.4-4
Edit to add first target, I was suprised at how close I was on paper when I started.

Attached File


Attached File


Attached File

Nice shooting!

I got a brass 45 colt and a steel 45-70. I love them. The hate on not having a loading gate is silly to me. I showed my old man how fast you can throw a round in and chamber it if for some reason you need more than 5 rounds of 45-70. Not an issue, to each his own I guess.