American rifle and shotgun manufacturer Henry Repeating Arms is commemorating Benjamin Tyler Henry’s 200th birthday with a limited-edition release of the 16 shot toggle-link lever action design he patented in 1860. Born in 1821, Henry became one of the most influential names in American firearms history with his invention of the first reliable lever action repeating rifle. Although the Spencer made more of a mark in military use during the Civil War, the Henry was the protype of future generations of repeating rifles. Henry Repeating Arms’ commemorative gun production is limited to only 200 units worldwide, making it the rarest firearm the company has ever released. The company was named in honor of Henry, but there is no direct connection with the inventor.
Although there were 14,000 original Henrys produced, all were used hard, on the frontier as well as in war, and few remain. The government only purchased a small number for the First DC Cavalry. Most others, although privately purchased by soldiers, saw action in the Western Theater. Ironically, some were used by Confederates who took them from privately owned Kentucky gun shops in 1862 and captured some from the First DC in 1864. Jefferson Davis’
by Joe Bilby
personal bodyguard was reportedly armed with Henrys.
The new gun, part of Henry’s commemorative rifle series, is a line-for-line reproduction of B.T. Henry’s 1860 design with minor changes made to accommodate the more modern .44-40 WCF cartridge, which replaced the .44 rimfire round in 1873. The rifle can fire modern smokeless powder rounds, but it will also handle black powder ammo, although I doubt many of these valuable guns will end up at the range.
The hardened brass receiver features full coverage leafy vine scrollwork engraving surrounding a portrait of the inventor on the right side and a testament to the rifle’s rarity on the reverse side with the words, “One of 200.” The buttstock is made from highly figured presentation-grade American walnut and is capped with a crescent shaped brass butt plate, which includes a period-correct door for the internal cleaning accessory compartment. The 24.5inch polished blued steel octagon barrel is topped with a folding ladder rear sight and blade front sight.
Each rifle in the series bears a unique serial number ranging from 001BTH200 to 200BTH200. The gun, as with all the company’s products, is entirely made in America. Henry Repeating Arms, born in Brooklyn, currently employs 535 people and has 250,000 square-feet of manufacturing space in its Rice Lake, Wisconsin, and Bayonne, New Jersey, facilities.
Anthony Imperato, President and owner of Henry Repeating Arms says, “The lever action rifle is one of America’s unique contributions to international firearms design, and we take a great deal of pride in carrying on Benjamin Tyler Henry’s legacy by making lever action rifles and shotguns for the modern day on American soil. We are excited to release this rifle in honor of his 200th birthday, and we can’t wait to see them start showing up in the hands of our collectors.”
Repeating Arms has offered limited edition engraved commemorative editions of the .22 caliber Golden Boy, and, as a Vietnam veteran who is the son and son in law of World War II veterans, father in law of a New Jersey National Guard major and Iraq and Afghanistan War veteran, father of a former New Jersey National Guard captain and Afghanistan War veteran, and assistant curator of the National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey, one of these efforts, Henry’s “Military Service Tribute Edition” rifle, caught my eye some years ago. The rifle was dedicated to the men and women of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps who have fought our country’s battles and risked and sacrificed their lives “from the beaches of Normandy, the snows of Korea and the jungles of Vietnam to the sands of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan.”
I heartily recommend Henry Repeating Arms products because they are top quality, American made and proud of it.
Joseph G. Bilby received his BA and MA degrees in history from Seton Hall University and served as a lieutenant in the 1st Infantry Division in 1966–1967. He is Assistant Curator of the New Jersey National Guard and Militia Museum, a freelance writer and historical consultant and author or editor of 21 books and over 400 articles on N.J. and military history and firearms.
He is also publications editor for the N.J. Civil War 150 Committee and edited the award winning New Jersey Goes to War. His New Jersey: A latest book, Military History, was published by Westholme Publishing in 2017.
He has received an award for contributions to Monmouth County