Henry: From Butt Plate To Muzzle

Anthony took me on a tour of the plant, which covers about one full block. "Manufacturing space in Brooklyn is very expensive, and we have to maximize every inch," he explained as we walked toward the barrel stock. "We could operate at about one-quarter of the cost in New Jersey, but this is my neighborhood and I wanted to use local people to build a quality product."

As I traveled from department to department, I saw numerous industrial lathes and machines. "Some of our larger machineswere used to build rifles in WW II, yet they are still dependable today," Imperato said. A ratio of one machinist to one machine assures that each barrel and part receives personal supervision through this critical stage.

At other times, workers use computer-driven measurement and production equipment. "We start with extruded steel from Pittsburgh that's cut to length and goes into our CMC (Computerized Machine Center), which runs 24 hours per day, seven days a week."

The rif les are built in stages, and I didn't see any robots checking bolts, working levers, peening pins, or numerous other assembly operations. The production process includes many subactivities that occur simultaneously, and then are assembled at a finishing point. Bolts, barrels and other parts are polished and buffed for functional and aesthetic purposes. After the barrels are completed, they go to the bluing vats for the ultimate finish. No chemical peels needed on this skin.

"Would you like to see a rifle test-fired?" asked Imperato. "Absolutely," was my instinctive response, and then I wondered — where in the heck can you shoot a rifle in Brooklyn, New York???

"Our Big Boy production is in here," said Imperato. My host quickly asked that I get to see a rifle test-fired for the first time. A worker pulled a .44 Magnum from a rack of finished rifles and led me to a small room, where I donned safety glasses and ear protection. "We have to proof-test the rifle first," he explained of an event I've always wanted to witness.

Every rifle sold in the USA and most foreign countries is "prooftested" to ensure that it will not explode upon ignition. The Big Boy was placed in a holding rig and then a heavy metal shield was lowered over the rifle. The operator pulled the trigger with a wire device and I heard the muffled discharge.

Next, the rifle was fired a half-dozen more times to guarantee that the loading and firing operation worked flawlessly. Smaller caliber rifles are fired as many as 50 times.

The Big Picture

"We plan to offer the Big Boy in other calibers, but don't have a firm timeline yet," Imperato stated, asking that I not be specific about the introduction. "A new rifle is like having a baby," he joked. "It takes nine months to develop and everything goes smoothly, yet right at delivery time, the 'birth' never goes as planned. Some glitch always makes life really interesting."

Henry also prides itself in exceptional customer service. "A consumer won't get a recorded voice message unless they call after we close," said Imperato. "My father and I answer many consumer phone calls, and I handle all consumer e-mails. Folks are going to get good old-fashioned customer service."

On the way back to Imperato's office, I met Marian who, with two assistants, prepares breakfast for all 90 employees each day. "We are 'foodies,' and we are Italian, so in New York we talk a lot about food," said Imperato. "My grandfather began a tradition that endures. We make breakfast six days a week. Sometimes she bakes hot cakes, scrambles eggs or serves juice and fruit. In the summer an ice cream truck may pull up and serve 90 ice cream treats to pass around." As I walked around the plant, it was easy to detect a sense of family among the employees — certainly in keeping with the local atmosphere and the cultural heritage of the Imperato family.

President Lincoln received an engraved Henry rifle, which is currently in the Smithsonian Institution, and Henry rifles are often used as promotions and as an expression of achievement. "We have a number of events each year we call Guns for Good Causes, like this past Saturday when we donated two engraved rifles [for charity fundraisers]. Also, we welcome photos of our rifles in the hands of sports stars and celebrities. That shot of me with Stone Cold Steve Austin is a favorite. He has every model of our rifles, and is a big fan."

My day at the plant was informative, and reinforced the many positive things I had heard about Henry firearms, yet a proud New Yorker would not let me leave without the entire Brooklyn experience. "You have to see the Brooklyn Bridge and eat a Coney Island hotdog," insisted Imperato. Within the hour, we did both. Brooklyn, New York, may be an unlikely location for a manufacturer of vintage rifles, yet the force underlying the production is as solid as the rock base of Manhattan. Henry is a family business in a proud neighborhood, building a historic, all-American product by hand...the old-fashioned way.

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