Henry Single Shot Break Action?

Here is info from the Henry site:

https://www.henryrifles.com/shotgun/single-shot-shotgun/

Henry is on a roll with new products.

I'm looking forward to getting a Henry Big Boy in 327 Federal as soon as it comes out.

Maybe a 41 Magnum also.

I like what Henry has been doing lately but like Kudu the price if the new single shot looks a bit high to me. It has a lot of potential as a youth trap gun. Henry could do a limited run in that configuration with little effort. I think they would sell very well.

They look similar in design to the H&R single shots. H&R stopped making them a few years ago because they just weren't competitive anymore. You could buy pump action shotguns and the budget bolt action rifles for less than a single shot. These Henry rifles look like they are going to be even more expensive than the H&Rs were.

I'm sure they will be good build quality from Henry, but I just can't see the price point. Historically single shots were the "economy gun". Now that role is served with cheap plastic stocked repeaters. H&R/NEF couldn't make a profit, Rossi dropped 99% of their single shot offerings, and Ruger just discontinued the No.1 after almost 50 years. I'm glad to see a US company in the single shot market, but I can't understand it from a business standpoint.

What Kudu said.

Not at that price ($400+).

Odd because I was just looking through Henry's site a couple days ago and thinking the same thing.

I personally don't mind having to save a little longer to buy something of better quality. I'm wishing I had gone with a henry .44 mag rifle instead of a new Marlin 1894. Yeah, the Marlin price point was lower, but the trigger was almost unpullable. Henry leverguns are way more refined out of the box and after dropping in an aftermarket trigger, the ultimate cost is pretty much even.

The cold hard truth of things is that walnut and steel is always going to be more expensive than plastic and aluminum.

No desire for one of Henry's single barrel shotguns, as I have a nice older Winchester 37 in 20 gage which fills that slot. However, if they made the "brass" frame rifle in something other than .44 magnum and .45-70, I'd be seriously tempted. They make the steel frame in .243, looks like all they'd need to do is switch barrels to put one on the brass receiver.

Not in those calibers (bar 45-70). Neither the single shot enthusiast nor the modern sporting rifle enthusiast will be drawn to these rifles in these calibers. I have a screw or two loose and maybe some poor earth connections as well. I happen to like single shot rifles and have a number in break actions, falling, and rolling blocks. I would be interested in a Henry were it chambered in a cartridge best suited to the single shot break action: rimmed cartridges generally of 30 cal and above. 30-40 Krag, 38-55 or 375 Win, 405 Win, 40-65, and 45-70 (the last of which they have done), would be of interest. I would imagine there might be interest in a 22 Hornet. But when one can today get a very accurate 308 or 5.56 bolt gun for $300 or an AR for under $600, the $350-$400 break action single just isn't a good proposition.

Blanks in 30, 35, 38, and 45 Cal would also be interesting. Chamber as you like.

I'd sure like to see one of the single shot rifles in .308 when they start shipping them. Of course, I mean see it up close and personal and actually hold it; but the whole single shot concept appeals to me and at an MSRP of 427 bucks I could picture myself getting serious about one. I haven't figured out exactly why other than I've always wanted a single shot rifle of some sort and this might just satisfy that desire. It's easily scoped and if its decently accurate and has a decent trigger (or can be made decent), then I think i'd give it a thumbs up. Plus; I'm sure they're pretty light and I sometimes hunt some steep hills and I'm not getting any younger.

As someone stated before, toss on a rib and throw in a set of chokes instead of shipping with just one, then maybe. I'd go for a brass twenty at around four bills. You know the quality will be there. Always had fun with singles. Light and simple. No way will I do a single twelve again (at least not without a good recoil device!). Had a NEF twelve when I was younger. It was the nickeled survivor model with the storage stocks. The rear stock got changed out quick to one with a recoil pad. Twenties without a pad isn't bad. And as if I didn't learn my lesson with the twelve, my FIL asked me if I wanted to try his H&R ten. Since I was younger and still somewhat immortal I tried it. Once.

KevininPa said:

As someone stated before, toss on a rib and throw in a set of chokes instead of shipping with just one, then maybe. I'd go for a brass twenty at around four bills. You know the quality will be there. Always had fun with singles. Light and simple. No way will I do a single twelve again (at least not without a good recoil device!). Had a NEF twelve when I was younger. It was the nickeled survivor model with the storage stocks. The rear stock got changed out quick to one with a recoil pad. Twenties without a pad isn't bad. And as if I didn't learn my lesson with the twelve, my FIL asked me if I wanted to try his H&R ten. Since I was younger and still somewhat immortal I tried it. Once.

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The 12ga weight is 6.8lb which is plenty (typical weight of double barrel game gun) of heft. I would go for 12ga instead of 20ga. Lower recoil ammo is readily available for 12ga while there is very little to be had for the 20ga (only RST loads and 3/4oz Fiocchi trainers come to mind). While retail is little high when compared to rifled barrel offerings I'm pretty sure these are made in USA not Turkey or China. If we don't pay extra pretty soon all our guns will come from China, or Turkey.

Way too high.

PabloJ said:

The 12ga weight is 6.8lb which is plenty (typical weight of double barrel game gun) of heft. I would go for 12ga instead of 20ga. Lower recoil ammo is readily available for 12ga while there is very little to be had for the 20ga (only RST loads and 3/4oz Fiocchi trainers come to mind). While retail is little high when compared to rifled barrel offerings I'm pretty sure these are made in USA not Turkey or China. If we don't pay extra pretty soon all our guns will come from China, or Turkey.

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They are made in the USA. The owner said he would close the doors before allowing his product to be made overseas. I believe in Bayonne, NJ.

PapaG said:

Way too high.

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So, you've had a chance to look one over, maybe shoot one to make that claim??

There's a LOT of differences in a guns value, depending on the "quality" of THAT gun. I think I'll hold my judgement until AFTER I've had a chance to look one over in person.

DM

I think they look sharp! Will have shoulder one when they come out. Like the straight grip, but would like to see it in the steel instead of brass- but that's just minor

At a little over six pounds, seems like it'd be nice to carry in the woods. I miss with one shot just as much as three, so being a single isn't a dealbreaker

I do not shoot trap. Therefore I have no love, and have never had any, for a break action single shot in any rifle or shotgun chambering regardless of who makes it or where.

DM, when you can buy decent used Wingmasters, Featherlights, H&Rs even, for that price, I don't even have to handle one. Standard clone of the old single shots that most hunter safety instructors avoid due to heavy hammer pulls, too light weight kicking the stuffing out of you, and no "new" innovative features, yes I think $400 plus is too high.
Your tastes may vary.
I bought a Model 12 last year for that kind of money and it was in 80 plus percent condition.
60 years of shotgunning, 40 in the business, and a class A trap rating.
Still, only my opinion. You have yours.

So, you are comparing used prices/guns to new gun/prices??

IF the Henrys are as advertised, they will make an H&R look like........well an H&R! lol

I still would like to see/hold the Henry before passing judgment!

DM

It is made in USA. If people find this too much there is always inexpensive Turkish single from Walmart. On used list there are Beretta folders & Winchester Model 37s.

DM, you have a point. Perhaps I was mixing Apple's and oranges. I have had, used, and sold many 37s, Savage, H and R, and other singles. I just find it hard to justify four hundred plus dollars for one that seems to offer anything more, or new.
I also try to only "buy American" but can't seem to find O/U shotguns made here.
Thanks for the discourse.

The whole idea of the single shot scattergun is low price. The gestalt is wrecked by 400+ dollars per, it is no longer the gun in the farm kitchen, the one handed to a young lad..."Don't come back without supper".

I've had protos of the single-shot rifle & shotgun here, and two versions of the .410 lever-action.
On the singles, I can say without hesitation that quality is far above the H&Rs of recent years.

These are not bargain-basement entry-level guns, low-end imports, or high-end deluxe products.

They're simple working guns for those who like single-shots more as reliable hunters than as cheap starter guns.

The pricing reflects that quality.
A good working gun, with full parts & service support, that brings home the meat, doesn't have to compete at the Chinese Cheapie level, and there's far more to life with a single-shot than just how much it costs.
Denis

As others have stated the price is too high. Price is a moot point to me anyway. Every single shot I've ever used kicked like a mule. And because of that I'd never start a kid on one, much less have one for myself.