Henry repeating rifle
Lever-action rifle that evolved into the Winchester and saw use at Little Bighorn.
The Henry repeating rifle, a lever-action with a tubular magazine, is best known for its role at the Battle of the Little Bighorn and as the foundation for the Winchester rifle. Benjamin Tyler Henry designed it in 1860. This sixteen-shot, .44 caliber rimfire breech-loader was made by the New Haven Arms Company until 1866. The Union used it sparingly during the Civil War for its superior firepower. Later, some ended up with Sioux and Cheyenne warriors who defeated Custer in 1876.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- United States
- Designer
- Benjamin Tyler Henry
- Designed
- 1860
- Manufacturer
- New Haven Arms Company
- Produced
- 1860–1866
- Weight
- 9 lb / 4.08 kg 4 oz / 4.2 kg
- Length
- 44.75 in / 1.14 m
- Barrel length
- 24 in / 61 cm
Facts from the source article.
History
The Henry repeating rifle, a .44 caliber lever-action breechloader, held sixteen shots and used rimfire ammunition. Benjamin Tyler Henry patented it in 1860, following three years of development. It was a refinement of the earlier Volition and Volcanic designs. The cartridges were initially copper, later brass, and packed a 216-grain bullet atop 25 grains of black powder. Between summer and October 1862, only 900 were made. Just before the Vicksburg campaign, a sharpshooter named Lorain Ruggles from the 20th Ohio Volunteer Infantry bought one from a steamboat captain for $65 out of his own pocket. By 1864, monthly production hit 290, bringing the total to 8,000. When manufacturing ended in 1866, roughly 14,000 had been built. During the Civil War, owning a Henry was a source of pride. The U.S. government bought only 1,731 standard rifles, and Kentucky purchased another 50. Over 10,000 saw combat, most bought privately by soldiers, often using their 1864 reenlistment bounties. The rifle’s official acceptance was limited because it was more fragile than the Spencer and could not mount a bayonet. A tiny number of original 1860 Henrys were made with special fittings for a sword bayonet, making those examples extremely rare, as the lack of a fore-end and exposed magazine tube required non-standard factory work for such a mount.
Operation
The Henry repeating rifle chambered a .44 caliber cartridge loaded with 26 to 28 grains of black powder, which fed from a 15-round tubular magazine. Its lever action worked by pulling the lever downward, which ejected the used cartridge from the chamber and pulled back the hammer. A spring inside the magazine then pushed the next round into the follower. When the lever was locked back into place, it moved the fresh cartridge into the chamber and closed the breech. To load the magazine, the shooter slid the cartridge-follower along a slot into the upper part of the magazine tube, then pivoted it to the right to expose the front end. The top section of the tube was then pivoted back, releasing the spring-loaded follower. When the rifle was not in use, the hammer rested directly on the rim of the cartridge. Any impact on the back of the exposed hammer could fire a round still in the chamber. If left cocked, the gun stayed ready to fire with no safety mechanism. The metal tubular magazine had several drawbacks. It was prone to jamming, and the open tube allowed dust, mud, and other debris to clog it, causing malfunctions. However, modern tests found it slightly more reliable than the Spencer rifle. The metal also heated up from repeated shooting, making the rifle uncomfortable to hold. This could be managed with proper handling or by wearing gloves.
Legacy
The Henry rifle was never widely issued, but its quick, close-range firepower proved effective in several conflicts. During the American Civil War, two Union regiments armed with Henrys successfully repelled large Confederate assaults at the Battle of Franklin. Later, during the Plains Indian Wars, Sioux and Cheyenne warriors using Henry rifles annihilated the 7th Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The New Haven Arms Company manufactured the Henry, which later became the basis for the famous Winchester Model 1866 lever-action rifle. When the Model 1866 was introduced, the company renamed itself the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.
Reproductions
Today, the Henry Repeating Arms company makes a modernized version of the Henry Model 1860, featuring a brass receiver and American walnut stock, but with a modern steel barrel and internal parts. Uberti offers a near-exact reproduction of the same rifle, though it is chambered in .44-40 Winchester or .45 Colt instead of the original .44 Henry rimfire. Sold by various distributors, these replicas are favored by Cowboy Action Shooters, Civil War reenactors, and competitors in the North-South Skirmish Association.
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