Henry
Henry Repeating Arms builds every one of their firearms in the United States, and their lever-action rifles have become the standard by which American-made quality is measured in the category. From rimfire .22s for new shooters to hard-hitting .45-70 big bore rifles for elk and bear country, Henry covers more ground with the lever-action platform than any other manufacturer. Impact Guns stocks the full Henry lineup with staff who know these rifles and can help you find the right one.
Read our full Henry Rifles Buying Guide ↓
Henry Lever-Action Rifles: The Core Lineup
Henry’s lever-action series is built around a side-loading gate and a brass or steel receiver that gives every gun a distinctly classic look while delivering modern reliability. The Golden Boy series in .22 LR, .22 Magnum, and .17 HMR is the entry point — a beautiful rimfire rifle that’s been introducing new shooters to lever guns for decades. The Big Boy series steps up to centerfire pistol calibers: .357 Magnum/.38 Special, .44 Magnum/.44 Special, and .45 Colt, making it one of the most popular cowboy-action and home defense lever rifles available.
Henry Big Boy in Pistol Calibers
The Henry Big Boy in pistol calibers is one of the most practical lever-action purchases available — a .357 Magnum Big Boy pairs perfectly with a .357 revolver, sharing ammunition and offering rifle-level velocity from the longer barrel. The .44 Magnum Big Boy adds significant power for hunting deer, hog, and bear. The .45 Colt chambering is popular with cowboy-action shooters and those who value the classic cartridge. All three calibers are available in steel or brass receiver configurations and with or without the side loading gate.
Centerfire Rifle Calibers: .30-30, .45-70, and More
Henry’s centerfire rifle caliber lever guns cover the classic American hunting cartridges. The .30-30 Winchester model is a natural deer hunting rifle — the cartridge that has taken more whitetail than any other in history, now available in Henry’s smooth-cycling action. The .45-70 Government model is Henry’s big bore offering for elk, moose, and bear — a short, fast-handling lever gun with more stopping power than many bolt-action hunting cartridges. Henry also offers the X Model series with a synthetic stock and scope rail for hunters who want a practical field rifle over a traditional aesthetic.
Henry Side Gate
The Henry Side Gate is a loading system Henry added to most of their Big Boy and X Model lever-actions in response to years of customer requests. Henry’s original design loaded from the front of the tubular magazine — reliable and secure, but different from Marlin and Winchester-style loading gates. The Side Gate models offer traditional top-ejection loading on the side of the receiver, making topping off between shots faster and more familiar to shooters coming from other lever-action platforms.
Henry Homesteader 9mm
The Homesteader is Henry’s first semi-automatic rifle — chambered in 9mm, it accepts Glock and SIG magazines (depending on configuration), runs reliably on standard and +P 9mm ammunition, and is built to the same American-made standards as the lever guns. It’s positioned as a home defense and ranch rifle — affordable to feed, easy to shoot accurately, and compact enough for storage in a vehicle or safe.
Henry Lever-Action .410 and .22
Henry produces two lever-action platforms that stand apart from the rest of the lineup. The Henry Lever Action .410 shotgun is a tube-fed lever-action that holds up to five .410 shells and handles both 2½-inch and 3-inch loads — a distinctive firearm that functions unlike anything else in the .410 category. The Henry .22 lever-action in its various configurations is the most popular rimfire lever-action available, known for its smooth action and quality fit and finish at an accessible price.
Frequently Asked Questions: Henry Firearms
Where are Henry rifles made?
Henry Rifle Company manufactures all of its lever-action rifles in the United States — primarily at their facility in Bayonne, New Jersey with additional production in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Henry’s tagline “Made in America or Not Made at All” reflects their commitment to domestic manufacturing across their entire product line.
What is the best Henry rifle for deer hunting?
The Henry Big Boy in .30-30 Winchester or .45-70 Government are the most popular choices for deer hunting. The .30-30 is the classic whitetail cartridge for timber hunting under 150 yards; the .45-70 delivers more energy for larger game and longer shots with appropriate loads.
What calibers does Henry make?
Henry produces lever-action rifles in .22 LR, .22 WMR, .17 HMR, .357 Magnum/.38 Special, .44 Magnum/.44 Special, .45 Colt, .327 Federal Magnum, .30-30 Winchester, .35 Remington, .38-55 Winchester, .45-70 Government, and .410 bore. The Homesteader adds 9mm in a semi-automatic format.
How smooth is the Henry lever action?
Henry lever-actions are widely regarded as the smoothest-cycling production lever-actions available — smoother than comparable Marlin and Winchester models out of the box. The smooth action is one of Henry’s primary competitive advantages and is consistently noted in independent reviews.
See Also: Lever-Action Rifles • Marlin • .410 Shotguns • .30-30 Ammo • .44 Magnum Ammo