BAYONNE, N.J., April 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A record breaking sum of $100,000 was raised by The NRA Foundation's auction of a legendary Henry lever-action rifle from 1865 paired with serial number one of the new Original Henry Rifle. Henry Repeating Arms donated the rifles to be auctioned together to benefit The NRA Foundation, America's leading charitable organization in support of the organizations and programs that ensure the legacy of hunting and the shooting sports. The auction was hosted by GunBroker.com and concluded today at the end of the 2014 NRA National Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana. The two-gun set yielded $83,025 at auction and Henry Repeating Arms contributed an additional $16,975 to round it off to $100,000 to benefit the NRA.
The two-gun set included the well-worn Model 1860 Henry, serial number 8261 manufactured in 1865, used to reverse-engineer Benjamin Tyler Henry's classic design and develop the tooling for the new Original Henry Rifle line. Completing the pair was the Original Henry Deluxe Engraved serial number BTH0001, the first Henry produced in nearly 150 years. The new hardened brass-framed .44-40-cal. rifle's receiver was hand-engraved by the artisans at Baron Engraving of Trumbull, CT, featuring period style engraving. Additionally, the rifle sported a one-piece 24 ½" octagonal barrel/tubular feed, a genuine American fancy walnut buttstock, and a classic folding ladder rear sight paired with a traditional blade front sight. The auction items included a certificate of authenticity provided by Henry Repeating Arms.
"The pair of Henry rifles we donated in support of The National NRA Foundation is a small token of our appreciation," said Anthony Imperato, President of Henry Repeating Arms. "The NRA has been by our side since Day One and we are eternally grateful to them for defending our Second Amendment rights, for upholding the traditions of hunting and the shooting sports, and for their tireless efforts to promote firearms safety."
Other recent auctions of the new Original Henry Rifle yielded $85,000 for the USA Olympic Shooting Team and $50,825 for the Hunting Heritage Foundation.
"Henry's generous support over the last two decades has been vital to The NRA Foundation's success at its national events," said John DaSilva, National Manager of Events and Marketing. "We were honored to have the opportunity to auction these historically rich Henry rifles at this year's NRA Foundation Banquet and raise money for the next generation of shooting sports enthusiasts."
About Henry Repeating Arms
Henry Repeating Arms is one of the country's leading rifle manufacturers. Their legendary name dates back to 1860 when Benjamin Tyler Henry invented and patented the first practical repeating rifle during the Civil War. It became known as the "gun you could load on Sunday and shoot all week long." Henry rifles went on to play a significant role in the frontier days of the American West and soon became one of the most legendary, respected and sought after rifles in the history of firearms. President Lincoln's Henry hangs in The Smithsonian and has become a national treasure. The company's manufacturing facilities are in Bayonne, NJ and Rice Lake, WI.
About the National Rifle Association
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen's group. Five million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and is the leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.
About GunBroker.com
GunBroker.comis the world's largest gun auction website. Launched in 1999, GunBroker.com is an informative, secure and safe way to buy and sell firearms, ammunitionand hunting/shooting gear online. GunBroker.com promotes responsible ownership of gunsand firearms. Aside from merchandise bearing its logo, GunBroker.com sells none of the items listed on its website. Third-party sellers list items on the site and Federal and state laws govern the sale of firearms and other restricted items. Ownership policies and regulations are followed using licensed firearms dealers as transfer agents.
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SOURCE Henry Repeating Arms
