Centerfire leverguns - Browning BLR vs. Henry

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DannyLandrum

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So a BLR Lightweight is $750 and a Henry .308 I looked at today is $930, and the Browning is way prettier, more refined, better sights, and better wood finish. It's a no-brainer if they were the same price, let alone almost $200 less. What gives - why are people paying so much for these Henrys? Or maybe they're not - is anyone buying them?
 
For reasons I do not fully understand, Henry’s command a premium and have excellent resale value. Especially their centerfire offerings.

I am a big fan of Browning guns and would definitely take that BLR before the Henry every time. Features like a box magazine and better aesthetics only further add to the value over the Henry.
 
It was also in .308. They on both on display where I work. Actually I think it's marked $760 not $750. Stunning looks.
 
The Long Ranger is a product-improved BLR.
The Browning is not more refined, and many shooters don't want that varnish.
Denis
 
Although it doesn't matter to me, some people might buy the Henry because they are made in the USA. I believe the BLR is made in Japan. I have a AB3 that was made in Japan and I love it. I also have a Golden Boy .22 and I love that too.
 
I have no idea why people are so nutz over henry, perhaps all their ad's works....like the other poster said, made in the USA. I would not own one but then I don't want to go down that road again.
 
The Browning would be the better buy.
Why do people like Henry so much?
Henry makes a good 22 lever gun. Marlin and Winchester made great 22 lever guns. But Henry had a better price point. For a lot of young boys a Henry was there first gun. Henry has great customer service. Nothing better then having a good product at a good price with great service to win over customers. This builds Customer Loyalty.
 
One of the reasons I bought a Henry was that it is available at just about any LGS I walk into. Haven't even seen a Browning( other than pictures).
 
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So a BLR Lightweight is $750 and a Henry .308 I looked at today is $930, and the Browning is way prettier, more refined, better sights, and better wood finish. It's a no-brainer if they were the same price, let alone almost $200 less. What gives - why are people paying so much for these Henrys? Or maybe they're not - is anyone buying them?
It just shows that advertising works because people are sheep. When was the last time you saw a Browning rifle commercial? I can't turn on an outdoor channel without seeing that dude from Henry rifles and the line of goofy people talking about them.

Budweiser perfected this model years ago. They sell crap beer by the semi-truckload all because of marketing.
 
What gives - why are people paying so much for these Henrys?

Good question. I think it's a combination of advertising and being made in USA.

One thing that I noticed when I was selling guns, and this will probably get me flamed but it's just what I observed, was that the majority of the time the guys buying Henry's were usually either newer to the hobby or a little less gun-savvy overall than the guys buying Browning's, Winchesters and Marlins.. ... The Henry buyers did place a high value on guns in general though and often expressed that they thought the Henry, like the "Big Boy" for example, was a gun they could be proud of, like they were buying a little piece of American tradition. This is the message that Henry's advertising sends and it works. Often the more that people learn about the Henry Repeating Arms Company and lever action rifles in general, the less they like Henry's. As for me, I'll take the Browning's, Winchesters and Marlins.....
 
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I've worked with both, the BLR and the Long Ranger.
Of the two, if I were to buy one it'd be the Henry.
It has a one-piece barrel, which the Browning doesn't, it's slightly easier to get inside for thorough cleaning, it's free-floated (which I don't think the Browning is), it's as accurate as most boltguns & better than many, and it does not come with that damned glossy Browning varnish.

This is personal experience, not watching ads.
Denis
 
Henrys are more available at least in my area. The BLRs I have seen are all over $1000 and are the nicer engraved ones. As a big lever fan I appreciate that Henry seems more committed to developing new products in different calibers at least compared to other companies. I'm taking my Henry long ranger in 243 out for the first time this hunting season. At the time of purchase I didn't know any other companies made a lever rifle in non lever cartridges.
 
I appreciate that Henry seems more committed to developing new products in different calibers at least compared to other companies.

They are pretty good at developing new copies of other products...
 
The reason I get involved in these Henry discussions where & when I do is largely to correct misinformation.
I can do that because I've probably had more Henry products through here than many dealers. :)
And I have access to people at Henry for additional info beyond what I already know if something comes up I can't address myself.

Bush,
What they are exceptionally good at is making quality leverguns available to the consumer in more volume and more variations than any other US levergun manufacturer, backed up by an excellent service department & warrantee, and parts support.
If anybody would like to challenge anything I've said about Henry, I'm listening. :)
Denis
 
Bush,
What they are exceptionally good at is making quality leverguns available to the consumer in more volume and more variations than any other US levergun manufacturer, backed up by an excellent service department & warrantee, and parts support.
If anybody would like to challenge anything I've said about Henry, I'm listening. :)
Denis

Your response sounds like something the HRA's public relations department would write... Sounds like you and HRA are close... real close...

Still, you didn't really respond to what I said about all of the copies of other guns in the HRA product line.
 
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What do you want me to say?
The centerfire handgun-calibered leverguns are essentially based on Marlins.
How many Marlin variants can you buy today?
How does Marlin's quality compare?

The Long Ranger is, as I said, a product-improved version of the Browning.
How many BLRs do you see in gunshops?
Ever tried breaking a Browning BLR down completely, AND re-assembling it?
Is the BLR free-floated?
Does it have a one-piece barrel?
Have you compared factory triggers on both brands?

The rimfire leverguns are based on the old Erma design.
Who else made a go of that pattern?
Certainly not Erma.

The AR7 is obviously the third (I think) maker of that gun.
Who else made a success of it?
Who modified it into a better gun?
Who else is still making it?
What other company makes a small takedown rimfire that fits in its own stock?

If Imperato can beat other companies at their own game, and make a better success of designs than others could, with modified and upgraded versions, AND SERVICE A MARKET BETTER THAN ANY OF THOSE OTHER COMPANIES DID OR DO, this is a problem?

I get into these discussions because of all the undeserved negativity and misinformation typically bandied about.
By & large, I do like what Imperato's doing with his company.


And do you criticize Uberti for existing entirely on using other peoples' designs?
Pietta?
You deride all of the dozens of 1911 manufacturers for copying that design?
You comdemn Pedersoli for existing entirely on other peoples' designs?
You scorn dozens of AR15 makers for copying?
Denis
 
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I would add that the 30-30 and 45-70 Henry's are based on the Marlin 336

The rimfire leverguns are based on the old Erma design.
Who else made a go of that pattern?
Ithaca.....

The so called "original " Henry, that HRA falsely tried for years to claim some direct company lineage to, that Imperato insisted at I believe a Shot Show that people refer to it as "The Original Henry" and not a clone or copy, is also obviously a copy.

I also think the Henry shotguns are someone else's design but can recall whose.
And do you criticize Uberti for existing entirely on using other peoples' designs?
Pietta?
You deride all of the dozens of 1911 manufacturers for copying that design?
You comdemn Pedersoli for existing entirely on other peoples' designs?
You scorn dozens of AR15 makers for copying?

No I don't "deride" them unless they falsely claim them as their own as Henry does... Then yes..

See any problems here or maybe questionable ethics? Imperato has done a great job of growing his company and beating the competition by copying other products, often the very companies that he is competing against, while making false and misleading claims. Now he is competing against Marlin and Browning with their own original designs...
 
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OK, first off, none of these things have anything to do with the discussion: Marlins, AR7s, Piettas, Pedersolis, AR15 makers, any rimfires, or Erma.

Second, it doesn't seem to me like you're defending them at all - you made not one single claim - you just asked questions - why don't you give us answers instead of questions, which is what was asked for?

Here are the things relevant to the discussion that you did say - all questions, with my responses in brackets:
"-How many BLRs do you see in gunshops? [Very few - that tells me people like to hang onto them]
-Ever tried breaking a Browning BLR down completely, AND re-assembling it? [No. What are you claiming?]
-Is the BLR free-floated? [I don't know. What are you claiming? That's why I asked the question, "What gives?"]
-Does it have a one-piece barrel? [I don't know. What are you claiming?]
-Have you compared factory triggers on both brands? [No. What are you claiming?]

Thanks - I'm trying to learn from you, since you know more and was the reason I asked (I knew there'd be people out there who knew more than me).
 
I see zero questionable ethics.
Notice how successful Ithaca was with that design, and how often you see a brand new Ithaca rimfire levergun on dealers' shelves.
Imperato's father was instrumental in bringing the Erma design to the US in the 1960s, and both Lou and Anthony took that gun & made a roaring success of it, AFTER Erma tanked.

Yes- the .30-30 and .45-70 are based on Marlin patterns.
So?

Marlin's patents ran out well over a century ago.
Marlin isn't producing 10% of the volume that Henry is in leverguns, and never will.

Henry's shotguns are nobody else's.
Even if, again so what?
Nobody else is producing those exact models, the shotgun industry only has so many different ways of doing the same thing, and Henry is stealing nothing from anybody.

The Original Henry is nothing more than a model name.
It distinguishes that classic design from the more modern leverguns in the lineup.
Of course it's a copy.
So are all the Uberti 1860 Henry models.
Again- so?

I'm not seeing your problem.

Rossi/Taurus has manufactured 1892 Winchester copies for decades.
Chiappa has manufactured Model 92 designs for several years.
ASM made Colt Peacemaker copies for several years.
There are at least two companies that copied the Ruger transfer bar in their single-action revolvers.
You can now buy aftermarket Glock uppers & lowers, based on Glock designs, but not made by Glock.

Questionable ethics in all of those?
Denis
 
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