Henry Repeating Arms Tribute to B. Tyler Henry Selected as 2014 SHOT Show Rifle
OutdoorHub 01.07.14
The names Henry and Henry Repeating Rifle have echoed through the annals of the American firearms industry since 1860 and the Henry name has taken center stage again as a historic rifle created in tribute to B. Tyler Henry has been selected as the 2014 SHOT Show Auction rifle. Henry Rifle enthusiasts and anyone with an interest in historic rifles may view and bid on this special rifle at http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=383716318
The Henry Repeating Arms Company recently announced that they have begun production of the Original Henry Rifle for the first time in 150 years–and this rifle was selected to receive very special treatment in honor of the rifle’s designer, Benjamin Tyler Henry.
This revolutionary lever action-repeating rifle was the most important firearm of its time and went on to become one of the most legendary American firearms of all time. Patented in 1860 and used during the Civil War, the rifle’s rapid-fire capability and high-capacity tubular magazine stood in amazing contrast to its single-shot musket counterparts.
The Henry rifle became known as the rifle you could “Load on Sunday and shoot all week long.” After the war, the Henry rifle headed west and went on to play a significant role in the homesteading of that great frontier.
Now, the Original Henry Rifle is back in all its American-made glory. The Original Henry Rifle is virtually identical to its history-making forerunner in all aspects, except caliber. The modern rifle is .44-40 caliber. The 1860 version was made in .44 Rimfire. The .44 Rimfire was also invented by B. Tyler Henry, but is now an obsolete cartridge. Every other facet remains true to its inventor and, in his honor, each gun’s serial number will begin with the initials BTH. The only exception will be the SHOT Show Henry Tribute rifle, which will feature serial number BTHENRY0001.
“The Henry Rifle and its designer, B. Tyler Henry, are deserving of the most thoughtful tribute we can create and Henry Repeating Arms is proud to to create this special tribute and make it available to Henry Rifle enthusiasts,” commented Anthony Imperato, a 35-year firearms industry veteran and President of Henry Repeating Arms. “Often a special firearm like this will end up locked away in the company vault or in the collection of the company President,” Imperato said. “We are tremendously excited that this rifle will be made available as the 2014 SHOT Show rifle where it can be viewed and bid on by modern day Henry Rifle collectors and fans.”
These new Original Henry Rifles are likely to find many anxious buyers.
Only 13,000 of the original Henrys were manufactured in the 1860s and nice examples have auctioned for more than $500,000.00. According to the Rock Island Auction Company, an iron-framed Henry from the 1860s recently set the record as the most expensive standard nineteenth century American rifle ever sold–with an auction price of $603,750.00.
This 2014 SHOT Show Auction Henry only needs to auction for more than $136,014.00 to break the SHOT Show Auction record.
The SHOT Show Henry was hand engraved at Baron Engraving of Trumbull, CT. Engraving features the likeness of B. Tyler Henry on the right side of the receiver and a hand engraving of the original Henry factory on the left side. The Baron Engraving artisans have engraved more SHOT Show rifles than any other manufacturer or engraving company.
“Our Henry rifles have developed a reputation for handsome wood,” commented Imperato. “But I am comfortable in saying that no rifle has ever left our plant with a nicer piece of select American walnut than this B. Tyler Henry Tribute.
In keeping with SHOT Show auction tradition, this 2014 SHOT Show rifle is being auctioned exclusively at http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=383716318.
Bidding will close at 5:00 pm Eastern Time on Friday, January 17, 2014, the final day of the 2014 SHOT Show.
The SHOT Show auction is administered by the Hunting Heritage Trust for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF ). All proceeds from the auction will benefit programs to further America’s hunting and shooting sports heritage.
