Best Reproduction Henry 44-40

[Rattlesnake Rudd & Longhorn Lee]

Howdy All,

I'm in the market to purchase a reproduction Henry in 44-40 cal.  Which company do you think produces the best rifle?

Thanks
RR

[The Avocado Kid]

only one company makes a replica Henry 44-40.... A.Uberti

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Yep, they''re all made by Uberti.

Now, several companies import them and Uberti puts their name on them, like EMF, Navy Arms, Cimarron, etc.  Now at least one of these companies, Cimarron I think, has Uberti mark their guns with more original marks and patent dates, but at this time MOST of the guns coming from Italia MAY be marked pretty much the same.

There is some truth that the different importers have different standards of wood, fit & finish, and bluing than the others, but I've seen a bunch of guns from different places and some from each dealer are outstanding and some less so.  In my own case, I have an EMF '66,  by Uberti, of course.  The wood on mine is just short of fabulous - AFTER I took stripper gel to it and removed the polyurethane and red stain the I-tralians seem to love so much.  (In fairness, THEIR wood finish and staining was top-notch, for a modern gun, just not what I wanted on my gun.) 

I'd almost tell you to shop by price 'cause in THIS case, the manufacturer is not an issue.

[Ransom Gaer]

Iffn ya have a Sportsman's Warehouse near ya, ya can get one from them.  That's where I got mine.

Ransom Gaer

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Quality wise, they are all the same. They may be different in minor details like the markings, but other than that they are all the same. And no importer gets better wood than any other, despite what some of them may say. They all roll off the same assembly line at Uberti. Demand is so high the importers are all sitting on their hands waiting for the next shipment.

Keep your eye on Dixie Gunworks. They have periodic deep discounts on selected models. I got my Henry from Dixie two years ago for about $200 less than the usual price. I just happened to be lucky that when I got serious about buying a Henry, they were on sale at Dixie.

[The Avocado Kid]

What Driftwood says is true...may be a wait though but you can save about $200

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy again!

I'll echo Driftwood, too.  That's why I mentioned that the wood from any importer may seem better than the others one time, but not another.  They roll off the same line and it's really the luck of the draw.

What I suspect is that the import companies specify whatever they want ... and Uberti supplies them with whatever THEY have. 

[Rattlesnake Rudd & Longhorn Lee]

Thanks pards for all the information.  I noticed Dixie is dang near $300 cheaper than Texas Jacks.

[Abilene]

Well, as far as Texas Jacks, note that they price all the guns (except for specials) at Cimarron's retail price.  They do that so they won't be undercutting Cimarron's dealers.  Any dealer can get you a Cimarron cheaper than you can get it at Texas Jacks (still more than Dixie).  They still sell a lot of guns, though, mostly to walk in customers.  Of course there is something to be said for seeing the gun before you buy it.

[Coffinmaker]

Lordy I hope that old wives tale doesn't start up again.  There is no difference in guns made by Uberti for any of the importers.  As noted by Driftwood, other than marking details, they all come down the same build line and the only difference is the importers' name stamped on the barrel.
As many of these guns as I work on each year, I can guarantee they are all the same, inside and out.  Great wood is just the luck of the draw when the gun is built.
Pick your favorite importer or find the best price and BUY it.

Coffinmaker

[Rattlesnake Rudd & Longhorn Lee]

I double checked the Dixie web site.  They have three Henry's listed.  The engraved is $1500 the brass frame is $1050 and the iron frame is $1075.  Has anyone purshased the engraved model?  I was wondering about the quailty of the engraving.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I've seen a couple - and they're pretty durn good for the money, IMHO!  I'd LOVE to have one!

[xranger]

Reading the threads to this message I believe the general notion is that Uberti is the only maker of Guns such as the Henry, or the Colt/Remington cap and ball pistols anymore?

I never collected many guns, it was always something I "meant" to do --- but I remember the Colt Signature Series when it was released and I remember the Navy Arms Co and lots of great stuff in the past.

So, my question to all the experts here is what's your advise for a guy who wants to start a collection late in life? Hold out for original items which are far and few between (not to mention expensive)?

Settle for the Uberti stuff? What about these replicas? From this posting it seems Dixie and the other companies are only distributors for Uberti products. Is there any other choice currently? What's the quality like?

I guess I'm just wondering if what they sell is worthwhile. I tend to look at quality and when considering replicas of anything, quality is better than quantity in my mind.

Does anyone think Colt will ever re-start their signature series again? (Hell for all i know maybe those were Uberti guns as well)?

-thanks,
   Ray

[Will Ketchum]

Ray, if you merely want to collect them then the originals will always increase in value.   I had several originals but when I realized I wasn't going to shoot them I decided to sell them and buy replicas and shot the heck out of them and still do.

I few years ago, when replicas weren't so readily available many of us shot original guns.  Now most feel that we shouldn't beat up these old timers so we retired them and shoot the replicas.   That said I still shoot a couple original S&W New Model Number 3s because I enjoy them so much.  If they ever make a close replica I might retire them to.

I hope this helps some.

Will Ketchum

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy, X Ranger

Yep - Uberti is just about the only game in town - as far as Henrys go.  For now.  A few other companies have expressed INTEREST in making some other toggle-link repros, but I don't know if any (except the 1876s)  are actually for sale yet - and I think it's only 1876s, 1873s  & 1866s, not Henrys.

Colt Signature guns ARE(were) Ubertis.

As far as value, they're good serviceable guns that will outlive most of us.

The Colt-style repro C&B guns are also, I believe, made by at least one other company - Pietta.  Pietta and Uberti both make Remington repros.  A couple other companies have made some of these guns, but no longer IIRC.  Armi Sport made some decent guns and MAY still be in business, but they may also have been bought by another firm.  I think.  (See 2nd comment paragraph below - like Uberti)

Yes - generally speaking, Navy Arms, Dixie, Cimmarron, EMF and a few others are importers, but several Italian firms actually make things for them - Uberti and Pietta being probably the major manufacturers.

And - if you're not yet totally confused, X Ranger, Uberti is owned by Beretta!


I've had an Uberti "Colt" 1860 Army since 1975 or so.  It is VERY well made and has been (within known limits like a couple springs) trouble-free.  My 1866 (Uberti) Winchester is, IMHO, a work of art and one of the finest guns I own!  You will get your money's worth if you stick with the Uberti and Pietta products - 'tho bad ones DO slip through.  But that has also happened to Ruger.  And Colt.  And Smith & Wesson.  And ... well, you know!    There are other fine Italian guns, too. Chiappa comes quickly to mind and makes a great Spencer, but they aren't in the "old west" guns much; mostly flint & percussion guns.

The firms of Taurus and Rossi (now part of Taurus) are making some nice guns, too - from Brazil.  No C&Bs, however, and only a couple rifles that I know of: the 1892 Winchester repro, and the Colt Lightning rifle - somewhat modified.  I have one of the '92s and they're Hell-for-Stout!  Mine doesn't say Rossi on it, it says Interarms, but I'Arms  was the importer and Rossi made it.  I think Navy Arms and Puma had their name on these '92s, but they were Rossi.  Taylors advertises an 1892 "TakeDown" model, but I don't know exactly who makes it.  Maybe Armi Sport? 

Find what ya like.  Buy it ... shoot it ... and enjoy it!



By the way - if ya didn't know:
IIRC= If I Remember Correctly
IMHO= In My Humble Opinion

I had trouble with these when I first got online! 

[Possum Toed Rick]

Steel Horse,
     The 92 Takedown is made by Armi Sport, They are still a family owned company, Papa, Mama, and Daughter still run the Office, Advertising, oversee production etc... I spent a couple hours with them at IWA in Nurenberg a couple weeks ago. The've also come out with a beautiful Mini-Sharps in 38-55, 22WM, and I believe 45 Colt.
Rattlesnake,
     I have a 73 Winchester from Uberti that is engraved and I can tell you they do a great job. Here's a couple of Photos.



Rick

[xranger]

Hey guys ...

I want to thank Steel Horse and Will and Possum for the advise and explanations about the Henry, C&B pistols and Uberti. I guess i just need to get my feet wet and buy something!

Ever since I was a kid I wanted a 1860 Colt Army and the 1851 Navy pistols. I can remember looking at these in display cases with my Dad at sporting Goods stores (way back in the day when they had real Guns for sale). I don't know what the hell I never actually started buying them when I got older. Ah well, the things I've seen that are gone, gone, gone.

I'm surprised that the "Signature Series" from Colt was a Uberti product. I have a beautiful Catalog here that Colt sent me back in 98 for their Signature Line, and these guns look "fantastic"! Of course it never says where they were manufactured, I just assumed it was in the US at some Colt facility. It makes me wonder why folks pay the premium at gun auctions when these Signature pieces show up "un-fired" in their original boxes, etc. If it's the same Gun being sold though distributors now, it seems like you'd save a lot purchasing through them. I always believed that when somebody like Colt says they are continuing a production or a series that it meant literally a continuation from of the last serial number in the previous run?

Well, I'm not an experienced collector, so I don't really know.   

It would be cool to see somebody put together a price comparison list from all the various distributors that sell Colts/Remington/Henry/Sharp reproductions so we could make some sense out of the true market "value" of them.

I'll continue to look at the references and sites that you guys point me too. I'm getting the feeling that perhaps Uberti is the best overall manufacturer? I'd like to keep tuned in to any new manufacturers that might take up this challenge as well. Hopefully guys will post here if they here of new candidates ...  I think competition is generally good.

-thanks again for the help gentlemen,
  -ray

[Deadeye Don]

Xranger,   All the posters gave you some really good information.  The only think I would add, is dont be in a big hurry.  Do your homework, find an FFL you like and trust and then start buying guns.  The list idea you mentioned is interesting but I am not sure it would really provide valuable information.  The best way of going about buying guns at a good price is to work with an FFL and shop around at the different distributors.  What you end up paying will depend alot on how much money your FFL wants to Companies like EMF work pretty close to cost so dont offer much off to FFLs.  Even though you can buy percussion guns without an FFL, my experience has been that he can get the guns for less money than I could by calling the distributor myself and he still makes some money in the process.   Enjoy your hunt.  Part of the joy in this hobby is finding what you want at a fair price and then shooting the heck out of it.  Regards.  Deadeye.

[Long Johns Wolf]

My 2 cents, Xranger.
Since you are leaning towards C&B pistols and Colt 1860 Army and 1851 Navy replicas in particular, you may want to check with Dr. Jim Davis, founder of RPRCA Replica Percussion Revolver Collectors Association (www.rprca.tripod.com). Dr. Davis is regularly contributing to this forum AND is very knowledgable about collecting replica percussion revolvers. He has also studied the enhancement of their values over years.
And to beat my own drum a bit check www.1960nma.org to learn more about the Belgian Colt Army 1860 aka Centaure aka Centennial Army aka "1960 NEW MODEL ARMY". That is a re-issue of the 1st gen Colt Army 1860 made between 1959 and 1973 im Belgium in 4 basic models and at least 15 variations and sub-variations. Only some 16000 were made and many were sold into the USA back then. Many shooters rate them above 2nd and 3rd gen. Colt Armies due to quality of steel used and workmanship. They can be found at gun auctions or used at your friendly gun shop. Prices are still relatively low because US collectors only begin to appreciate them.
Long Johns Wolf

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Possum Toed Rick - that gun of yours is gorgeous!

Thanks for sharing the photos with us.