Henry Original H011C .45 Colt Lever Action Rifle 24.5″ Octagon Brass

Description

There are lever guns, and then there's the rifle that started it all. The Henry Original H011C is a faithful recreation of Benjamin Tyler Henry's 1860 design, built true to the old patterns and patents with only the changes needed to run modern .45 Colt centerfire ammunition. Henry Repeating Arms builds it entirely on American soil, and it shows in the fit and finish. The receiver is a specially formulated hardened brass with tensile strength comparable to steel, polished to a shine that pairs beautifully with the fancy grade American walnut stock and brass buttplate.

What Makes the Original H011C Different

Unlike modern Henry rifles, this one uses the classic toggle link action, the same basic mechanism that earned the 1860 Henry its reputation during the Civil War era. The 24.5 inch octagon barrel and magazine are machined as one piece, just like the originals, and the tube holds a full 13 rounds of .45 Colt. There's no side loading gate here; you load from the front of the magazine the way it was done over 160 years ago. Sights are a period-correct folding ladder rear and blade front, and the only safety is the traditional half-cock hammer notch. No crossbolt buttons, no tang switches, nothing that wasn't there in 1860.

Shooting the Henry Original .45 Colt

At 9 pounds with a 43 inch overall length and a 14 inch length of pull, this is a full-size rifle that settles in nicely on the bench or offhand. The 1:16 twist barrel does well with traditional round nose and flat point bullets, which is exactly what you want feeding through a toggle link action. It's a natural fit for cowboy action matches, relaxed range days, and anyone who wants a working rifle that connects them to a real piece of American firearms history. Plenty of owners buy one as an heirloom and end up shooting it far more than they planned. The action is smooth right out of the box, and the brass and walnut only look better with years of handling.