Benjamin Tyler Henry probably had no idea what he was creating in 1860 still would be around so many years later.
Henry's toggle-link lever action rifle he patented in 1860 is being commemorated by Henry Repeating Arms with a limited-edition release of the rifle. Henry was born in 1821. Four decades later his patented repeating rifle hit the scene after three years of development.
“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," said Anthony Imperato, President and owner of Henry Repeating Arms. “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.”
According to the company, the "New Original B.T. Henry 200th Anniversary Edition" rifle is limited to 200 units. This amount will make it the rarest New Original Henry the company has ever released. It is a line-for-line reproduction of Henry’s 1860 design with consolations only being made to accommodate the more modern .44-40 WCF cartridge. The original was a 16-shot in 44-caliber rimfire.
The rifle features a hardened brass receiver with coverage leafy vine scrollwork engraving. An engraved portrait of B.T. Henry is on one side, and "One of 200" on the reverse.
Other features with the commemorative rifle:
— The buttstock is made from highly figured presentation-grade American walnut and is capped with a crescent shaped brass buttplate. It includes a period-correct door for the internal cleaning accessory compartment.
— The 24.5-inch 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 New Original B.T. Henry 200th Anniversary Edition (model H011BTH) has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $4,286.
