Reading a hateful comment on the Internet that went to the tune of “They’re trying to turn lever guns into blasted AR-15s!” I thought, So what if they are? The AR-15 is without question the most successful rifle design in American history, and it got there with some of the simplest parts in the industry. While I understand that they don’t have the grace and ambiance of fine hardwood rifles, it’s hard to argue with the AR-15’s mechanical fortitude. From the start, Henry Repeating Arms has been in the business of building better lever-action firearms, and the company didn’t stop after merely cleaning up existing designs. Teased in 2024 and now available, the Henry Lever Action Supreme Rifle (LASR) represents the melding of AR-style internals and chamberings with conventional lever-gun handling that is sure to shine on nearly any hunt.
Let’s begin with the elephant in the room: Why hunt with one of these instead of an AR-15? Well, some states don’t allow the use of semi-automatics for certain seasons; Pennsylvania, where I’m writing this very article, is one of them. Additionally, there are states in this nation that make it difficult to even own most semi-autos, so for folks in those states looking for fast-handling rifles, the road leads back to lever-actions. But the story of the LASR is far more than one of compliance, as it has several advantages over semi-autos chambered for the same cartridges. First, we have reliability. Although semi-autos have come a long way, there’s nothing more trustworthy than an action controlled by your input. Being in the driver’s seat also opens up a wider variety of ammunition, as cycling is no longer a concern. Second, the lever-action is a better suppressor host, as the action stays closed during firing providing better noise reduction and nearly the complete absence of any blowback. This brings us to my third point, ambidexterity. Lefties get the brunt of the blowback, as it’s right in our faces, so right off the bat, we appreciate this style of firearm. Moreover, a lever is equally easy to run off either shoulder, as it’s a centerline control. Couple that with a tang safety, and it becomes a very easy gun to share.
The Supreme’s action uses a quad-bar linkage system that multiplies the user’s efforts and smooths out the overall travel. It terminates with a bolt and carrier that mimics that of an AR-15 with only slight modifications. The bolt rotates into battery when the lever clamps down, enabling the action to harness higher-pressure cartridges than those common to conventional lever guns. As the LASR utilizes an internal hammer, it is more enclosed than most of the other rifles in Henry’s stable. Also different is the adjustable trigger that has a measured range of about 1 pound. My test sample arrived with it cranked to the max, so, using the supplied hex key, I spun it down to its lightest setting. It was indeed light—lighter than most other hunting rifles that I own. It broke as crisply as you’d expect for a Henry but did have a touch of overtravel.
This rifle feeds from an AR-style detachable box magazine and ships with a 10-rounder. A five-round limiter is also supplied to accommodate restrictive hunting locales. Removing the magazine is accomplished via the ambidextrous push-button catch. The switch from a tubular magazine represents more than just faster loading and reloading; it opens the door to pointed ammunition. A typical tube puts the tip of one bullet against the primer of another, creating a dangerous situation unless said point is blunted or rounded. Necessary for safety, these profiles are not conducive to flat trajectories.
Aside from the American walnut furniture, Henry retains tradition by including a pair of iron sights with the Supreme. These are fully adjustable and have a unique trapezoidal shape, which makes them easier to align. They are also tall enough to provide an unobstructed view when a suppressor is attached to the threaded muzzle. Wearing a 16.5-inch, free-floating barrel, this rifle begs to be suppressed. Those looking for more accuracy are invited to mount an optic, as the receiver is drilled and tapped to accept Weaver 63B hardware, which is common to most Henry rifles. After doing so, I topped my sample with a Leupold Mark 5HD 2-10x30mm riflescope, which provides the ideal magnification range for the .300 AAC Blackout cartridge my sample was chambered in. For ammunition, I chose Underwood’s Maximum Expansion load, which creates outlandish wound channels with less of a chance of overpenetration. For thicker-skinned game, I paired this with Lehigh’s Controlled Fracturing round, which sheds its petals rather early so the core can continue to penetrate deeply into tissue. As these two loads are subsonic, I added some of Remington’s 150-grain full metal jacket UMC load to my bag and set out for live-fire testing.
After zeroing, I punched groups with all three rounds from the bench and obtained impressive results. As none of these were match-grade products, and arguably, I was shooting to the edge of their effective range, I was more than pleased with the capability of the gun and ammo. Stepping away, I took the opportunity to engage a variety of steel targets through our woods’ walk, which gave me a better feel for the enhanced action. I found it effortless to run the gun in all positions, save prone. For the walk back, I mounted a Silencer Central Banish Backcountry suppressor and was astounded at how quiet the package became. Using the subsonic fodder for the rest of this test, I can easily attest that most game will not know what happened when you fire a shot.
I wrapped things up with another few boxes of ammunition before I had to drag myself away from the range. The Henry Lever Action Supreme Rifle proved to be an exceptional balance of modern machining and Old World charm. From the shoulder, it felt like a classic lever gun, and except for the polymer magazine it portrayed the look and profile that makes these firearms so alluring. In practice, it was an undeniable shooting machine and will likely see just as much use on the range as it does in the field. Overall, it’s another clean-looking, smooth-shooting Henry that is anything but your grandfather’s lever gun.
Henry Lever Action Supreme Rifle
- henryusa.com
- Type: lever-action, centerfire rifle
- Caliber: .223 Rem/5.56 NATO; .300 AAC Blackout (tested)
- Magazine: detachable AR-style; 10-rnd. capacity
- Barrel: 16.5"; chrome-moly steel; medium profile; button rifled; 1:7" RH twist; free-floated; threaded 5/8-24 TPI
- Trigger: single-stage, adjustable pull weight 2 lbs.,13 ozs.-3 lbs.,10 ozs.
- Sights: fully adjustable rear, fixed-blade front; drilled and tapped for optics mounting
- Safety: two-position, tang mounted
- Stock: straight comb; American walnut; 14" LOP
- Metal Finish: black anodized receiver; blued barrel
- Overall Length: 36.65"
- Weight: 6.43 lbs.
- Accessories: 5-rnd. magazine limiter, trigger adjustment tool
- MSRP: $1,299
