Holding a Henry rifle is like touching a time machine. Cycle its fluid lever action and you can almost hear the pounding of hooves as mounted riders race alongside a stagecoach, protecting its passengers and cargo from desperadoes of old. The rifle's clean lines and classic style is uniquely American — born of the wild West, where subsistence hunting and basic survival depended on a quick second shot, often from the saddle.

Mr. Henry's invention breathed life into a small firearms manufacturer in New Haven, Connecticut, whose debts exceeded its assets. Still, the vision and determination of its President, Oliver Winchester, endured. When the Civil War broke out, Winchester viewed the technologically advanced by Henry with great promise, yet dealing with government bureaucracy seemed shamelessly similar to that of today.

In 1862 the standard firearm for Union and Confederate soldiers was a muzzleloader — some with flintlock ignition. A soldier was limited to a single shot, after which he had to pour powder in the muzzle, ram a bullet down the barrel and place a percussion cap on the nipple. A soldier holding a Henry rifle could shoot 16 accurate shots without reloading at a rate of one round per second. When charged by an enemy soldier or an enraged grizzly bear, which rifle would you choose?

U.S. Army Major William Ludlow was responsible for protecting a fort at the Battle of Allatoona Pass, and wrote that his company of 16 shooters (with Henry repeating rifles) produced such rapid and deadly fire that the Confederates were handily repelled and made no further attempt to take the fort. One Confederate officer reportedly described the 16-shot Henry as "A rifle you can load on Sunday and shoot all week long."

Despite the invention of the Henry repeating rifle, the United States Army was slow to realize its value. One general said that he was sure that 90 percent of his men would prefer flintlock muskets, which is about like preferring biplanes to jet fighters.

The Rifle That Won The West

In the mid-1860s a new Henry repeating rifle cost $45 dollars, which was a fair sum of money, yet one thousand .44 caliber cartridges cost just $18. Many Civil War soldiers received a $50 signup bonus to reenlist, and blew the whole wad on a Henry. After the war, settlers wanted rifles for protection and hunting purposes, and had several names to choose from, such as the Sharps single shot, but the Henry offered the advantage of rapid fire, in particular from horseback.

John W. Brown was the sales agent for the Henry rifle, and advertised it as "The most effective weapon in the world," continuing, "A resolute man, armed with one of these Rifles, particularly if on horseback, CANNOT BE CAPTURED."

After the Civil War, rifles similar to the Henry model became marketed under the Winchester name, and the rest, as they say, is history. Winchester would go on to make some of the finest and most popular lever action rifles ever made, yet it all started with Benjamin Tyler Henry.

Henry Today And Tomorrow

I own a Henry Golden Boy in .22 Magnum, and it's one of my favorite rifles. Although it shoots well, the piece is so darned good looking with its rich walnut stock, blued finish and golden receiver, it's the first gun people handle when I open the safe. Unlike so many firearms today, Henrys are 100 percent made in the USA, as in wood stocks from Missouri, barrel blanks from Ohio, and extruded steel from Pittsburgh. There are no off-shore American territory shops or Chinese parts in this rifle.

You might expect Henry rifles to be manufactured in Tombstone, Arizona, or Dodge City, Kansas, but each piece comes to life (in of all places) Brooklyn, New York — not exactly an icon of the old West.

"Our family has been in the gun business since 1911, and still owns the oldest gun shop in New York City and perhaps one of the oldest in the country," said Anthony Imperato, President of Henry Repeating Arms, who welcomed me to the Brooklyn location where I was able to witness the legendary firearm being manufactured.

The gun shop was opened in Little Italy, next to the old police headquarters, by Imperato's grandfather, who catered to the New York City Police Department. In keeping with the family business, Anthony and his father Louis purchased the rights to manufacture the Henry Repeating Rifle and opened a plant in their Brooklyn neighborhood in the early 1990s. "Our business has been fairly successful in that consumers are able to get a product made in America at an affordable price, and Henry rifles are known for having the smoothest lever action of any on the market," said Imperato. The Brooklyn plant employs 90 people who build rifles six days a week, 12-24 hours per day. "We drill and manufacture our own barrels, machine our own bolts and other secondary parts," Imperato said proudly.

Continued »