In 1991, Henry Firearms introduced the Golden Boy 22LR. That gun took the public and industry by storm. It was then, and still is today, the standard by which all lever action rifles are judged for smoothness of operation, reliability of function and of course, pure beauty. It was no wonder that it was named “Gun of the Year” by Guns & Ammo magazine in 2001.

We purchased our Golden Boy in 2004. Today, seventeen years later, that gun is still a family favorite. Its accuracy has not decreased after thousands of rounds. It should be no surprise that over one million Henry 22 caliber H001 rifles have been sold and they are still going strong.

With that being said, a lot of folks suggested to Henry that an iron-framed receiver and octagon barrel rifle would be appropriate. Their reasons were that it would resemble the early model Winchesters that dominated the west. The cowboys, lawmen and homesteaders who blazed the trail westward across America all carried the octagon-barreled lever action rifle.

Today, in the 21st century, a lot of folks wanted a rifle to remind them of where we came from and who we are. Call it nostalgia, if you want, but we wanted such a rifle. One that brought back memories of the Old West. In response, Henry introduced the lever action octagon barrel Frontier Rifle and she is a real beauty.

This rifle is essentially a Golden Boy wrapped up in a black receiver. It has exactly the same internal mechanism as the Golden Boy, The barrel is bored out with the same twist rate and dies used for the Golden Boy. To make it more authentic, they did away with the laser-cut checkering on the stock. After all, very few westerners could afford the luxury of checkering one hundred fifty years ago.

But, don't get the idea that this gun is a “plain Jane”, it is not. It is a Henry, through and through, with the same legendary accuracy and smooth operation of the Golden Boy. It is just a bit more western in appearance.

The specifications for the Frontier Rifle are:
Model Number: H001T
Type: Lever Action
Caliber: .22 S / L / LR Also available in .22 Mag and .17 HMR
Capacity: 16 LR / 21 S
Barrel Length: 20" (optional 24” available)
Barrel Type: Octagon Blued Steel
Rate of Twist: 1:16
Overall Length: 38.5"
Weight: 6.50 lbs.
Receiver Finish: Black
Rear Sight: Fully Adjustable Semi-Buckhorn w/ Diamond Insert
Front Sight: Brass Bead
Scopeability: 3/8" Grooved Receiver
Scope Mount Type : Ringmounts for 3/8" Groove
Stock Material: American Walnut
Length of Pull: 14"
Safety: 1/4 Cock
MSRP: $501.00

The Clary's now have two Henry .22s....... our original Golden Boy and NOW, the Frontier. I expect that we will need a lot of ammunition to feed this pair. They are a lot of fun to shoot and very, very accurate. Rabbit stew is on the menu.