Visiting a Legend

Anthony Imperato does everything 100 percent. I got to know him when he and his father, Louis, formed Colt Black Powder Arms in 1994. They produced a 3rd Generation of cap and ball revolvers made in their factory in Brooklyn, NY. I tested two of their Colt Signature Series models, the 1851 Navy and 1860 Army revolvers, and they both reside in my gun safe to this day. That same factory was utilized in 1996 when father and son founded the Henry Repeating Arms Co. The company took its name from Benjamin Tyler Henry, who, in 1860, produced the first successful repeating rifle, which was a lever-action design. With this as a backdrop, I was excited to be visiting a legend and tour the Henry facility.

I Got The Chance of a Lifetime to Visit a Legend

The Imperatos secured the trademark Henry name in 1996 in homage to this famous American inventor. Their first product was a .22 rimfire lever-action rifle, the H001 Classic, which began shipping in March 1997. It was followed shortly by the Golden Boy with a brass receiver. I was one of the first gun writers to test this rifle, which also resides in my gun safe. The lever action rifle is truly America’s Gun, and Henry’s motto is, “Made in America or Not Made at All.” Since then, Henry Repeating Arms has expanded to become a true leader in the firearms industry, with many innovative long guns and handguns.

I’ll admit that I’ve lost track of the number of Henry Repeating Arms products I’ve evaluated over the years. The biggest percentage have been lever guns, primarily due to my participation in Cowboy Action Shooting and the articles that I’ve done for GUNS OF THE OLD WEST. Not all of Henry’s long guns are lever guns. They make single-shot rifles, shotguns, bolt-action youth rifles, pump-action rifles, semi-automatics, and centerfire and rimfire revolvers. The latest rifle I evaluated was the Henry Lever Action Supreme Rifle (LASR) in .223/5.56 NATO, which debuted at the 2025 SHOT Show. Recently, Anthony, CEO of HRA, read one of the articles I wrote about this rifle and thanked me for my support. He inquired if I had ever visited the Henry facilities in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. I replied to the negative, and he said he would fix this shortly.

Relocation

HRA left Brooklyn, NY, in 2007 and moved to Bayonne, NJ, to a 109,000-square-foot facility on the waterfront. 2006 HRA purchased the Wright Products plant in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. The plant made some parts for Henry and was closing down, so it was purchased and re-purposed, and in 2014, the facility began manufacturing the Henry line of steel centerfire rifles using computerized machining equipment. The facility also supplied numerous components for the Bayonne operation. Over the years, HRA gradually moved many of its operations from the East Coast to the Midwest. On March 18th, 2025, HRA announced they were establishing 100% of their manufacturing operations in Wisconsin, making Rice Lake their HQ and leaving gun-restrictive New Jersey.

Daniel Clayton-Luce, VP of Communications for HRA, set up my tour of the Henry facilities in Wisconsin for the first week of April. I made the flight on April Fool’s Day and arrived at the Rice Lake HQ the next morning. There, I was met by George Thompson, Director of Product. We began with a Q&A session in his office to provide me with some background information. The Rice Lake operation is state-of-the-art and has some 137,000 square feet dedicated to producing firearms. To augment this, another operation in Ladysmith, WI, about 40 minutes away, presently operates in two buildings, with a third slated to open around July of 2025. This will provide HRA with a total of 350,000 square feet of manufacturing facilities, employing over 800 people.

Manufacturing Today

Today, HRA produces rimfire and centerfire firearms at about a 50-50 ratio. Steel and aluminum firearms components begin as billets or in-the-rough barrels and are transformed by CNC machinery (most made in Wisconsin) into nearly finished parts. The tight tolerances of these parts translate to little or no need for hand-fitting, which keeps production costs down, passing these savings to the consumer. Parts that make up long-arm receivers are CMM measured, and while there are automated polishing machines, some of this work must be done by skilled employees. This polish is what makes the lustrous blue and shiny brass finish on many HRA firearms.

Almost all component firearms parts are made by HRA, and those that are not are procured from U.S. suppliers. Henry does not make the wood stocks or grips. The finished products come from a contractor, complete with the necessary checkering and finish. There are also some plastic parts that must be procured. An employee explained that the receiver inside the Model 23 (Lever Action Supreme Rifle) has 54 parts comprising 72 units. All these parts come together in the Rice Lake facility to become a finished product. There’s also an indoor test-firing range where all firearms are proof-tested. A storage room full of factory ammunition made me envious! Packaging, storage, and shipment also take place at the HQ facility. A couple of the Henry engineers assisted me with a more thorough visit to the areas where the LASR and the Henry revolvers are produced.

The Ladysmith Facility

I was also taken by George Thompson to Ladysmith, a small town where Henry is a big employer. The facilities produce barrels for HRA firearms and some components, such as levers. Have you noticed how sharp the corners are on the Henry rifles with octagonal barrels? A CNC machine makes them that way, and an employee. They check them out after bluing and may do some work with oil and steel wool to make them perfect. A recent addition to the Ladysmith operation is new bluing tanks. Parts are dipped into a succession of tanks until the proper finish is applied. The buildings at Ladysmith are also more open and airier than Rice Lake. It has room to expand as new innovative products are introduced and manufactured.

About midday, I had a pleasant conversation with HRA President Andy Wickstrom. He’s been around since the Wright Products days. He worked his way up with a knowledge of the manufacturing operations that you only get by doing. He shared that, with all the facilities and floor space available at Rice Lake and Ladysmith, Henry is committed to continuing innovation and introducing new products. I told him that the last couple of years had brought many surprises, such as the semi-automatic 9mm Homesteader carbine, plus the Big Boy and Golden Boy .357 Magnum and .22 RF revolvers.

One of the more exciting things at HRA is the new Special Products Division, which was announced in late January. Its mission is to pioneer new advancements in firearms design and technology. I was able to see a couple of what I call “Buck Rogers” lever guns. They have all the modern touches like synthetic stocks, optics rails, etc. They are called HUSH (Henry Ultimate Suppressor Host) rifles. Their carbon-fiber, muzzle-threaded barrel, and lightweight forend will offset the weight of a suppressor. I was also made privy to a new adjustable rear sight and ramp front sight that will be offered on the centerfire and rimfire revolvers. I want to be first in line to get these babies!

Thanks to Anthony, Andy, George, Dan, and the Henry employees who helped with this visit, answered questions and made me feel welcome.

For more information, visit: https://www.henryusa.com/