Henry Adds Rifle & Shotgun to 2019 Side Gate Models

Henry Repeating Arms has just announced the release of two new lever-action long guns — a rifle and a shotgun — with the addition of side gate loading. Side gates, though relatively ancient technology in terms of firearms development, have been hailed as wonderful additions to Henry’s tube-fed long guns, which until now were made to load from front-to-back.

Earlier this year, the side gate was made available in 30-30 Win (30 WCF), 38-55 Win, and 35 Remington.

The new models are very much like their predecessors in that they can still be loaded — and unloaded — from the front of the magazine tube. The side gate pretty much just makes it easier to “top off” the magazine, or to load it without taking anything apart.

Here’s what the press release says about it:

BAYONNE, NJ — November 1, 2019 — The introduction of the Henry Side Gate Lever Action Rifle earlier this year laid the groundwork for an entirely new category in Henry Repeating Arms’ already-sprawling product lineup, and that category is expanding further with the release of Henry’s new Side Gate Lever Action Rifle in 45-70 Gov’t and Side Gate Lever Action 410 Shotgun.

Cosmetically and functionally, the new Side Gate Lever Actions share much with the earlier models. The firearm’s namesake, the loading gate on the right side of the receiver below the ejection port, is coupled with Henry’s historically inspired removable tube magazine. Having these two methods of loading and unloading allows the shooter to safely unload the firearm without working live rounds through the action and keep the magazine topped off through the side gate.

‘We put a lot of focus into listening to what our fans and customers want from the next Henry,’ says Henry Repeating Arms President and Owner, Anthony Imperato. He continues, ‘Real feedback and product suggestions from people that are out there using our rifles and shotguns carries a lot of weight and it’s what drives a lot of our product development. Our release of the Side Gate Lever Action earlier this year, and these new calibers are a great example of that.’

Customers asked, and Henry delivered. Requests for additional side-gate models flooded them, and both 410 and 45-70 were popular with folks requesting new models.

The new Side Gate Lever Action 45-70 rifle and Side Gate Lever Action 410 share a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,045.

Russ Chastain

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.