Over at ammoland.com, Major Van Harl reports that Henry Repeating Arms is struggling to keep up with demand for its Lever Action .410 Shotgun. Henry’s website says the gun’s shipping now. And a company rep tells TTAG the company’s “building to capacity.” And that’s it, really. So . . . can someone please tell me what this popular new rifle is for, exactly? The Major confesses . . .
I have to admit I got one of the first Henry lever action 410 shotguns when Henry began shipping the new lever guns out. I can tell you it is one of the most expensive plinkers on the market today.
You load up the 410 shotgun and since it weighs seven pounds there is very little felt recoil when you start shooting it. You shoot and then you reload and shoot again and reload and shoot yet again. After going through boxes of birdshot, buckshot and slugs, all while having a great time you realize you just shot up a lot of ammo.
410 shotgun ammo is not the cheapest shotgun ammo on the market, but shooting it out of a Henry lever action is a heck of a lot of fun. Everyone I handed my Henry 410 to, loves to shoot it and reload and shoot it some more.
Cocaine is expensive fun, too. (Or so I’m told.) Equally, I never met a Henry Rifle that didn’t make me want to buy stuff to perforate, detonate or otherwise eliminate. But at the risk of seeming a killjoy, what about a practical case use? When is less more?
Some of these new 410 defense loads that are manufactured for revolvers that shoot 410 shells, are supposed to be fired though a rifled barrel. They are alleged to not work as well in a smooth bore shotgun. I am here to tell you after shooting lots of them, if a “walker” is charging down the hall of your home at two in the morning these new defense loads will meet your needs on a dark and stormy night. The 410 buckshot that is on the market will also delay evil that might show up on your doorstep.
Bipeds? No. Snakes? Hell yes! But then, are snakes evil?
I’ll let the herpetologists and biblical scholars hash that one out. Meanwhile, I’ll put it to you, TTAG’s Armed Intelligentsia. The Henry Repeating Arms Lever Action .410 Shotgun. $850 msrp for the 20″ barrel, $902 for the 24″ barrel. Want one? If so, what for?