Lever action rifles in a new guise
Here it is, the new Imperato rifle. The top one is chambered in .223 Rem/5,56 NATO, and the bottom one is chambered in .300 Blackout (7,62x35mm). Photo by Henry Repeating Arms
“He, being the radiance of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself made cleansing for our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high...”
Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, 1:3
Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, 1:3
Weapon and firms. Isn't it a very abstruse epigraph, I myself am surprised how it got here, although nowhere else in the Bible is the word "hypostasis" used. And in the commentaries to the New Testament it denotes the following concepts: essence, reality, foundation and even courage. Surprisingly, it fits the words "essence" and "foundation" in this case. And the name itself sounds more interesting than, say, "new lever-action rifles". But, nevertheless, we will talk about two new rifles that appeared on the American arms market literally on New Year's Eve. When will they appear in our gun stores, because these are weapons for hunters? Who knows... there are many different circumstances, but the fact that they appeared and are already on sale is a fact.
On the pages of VO we have already written about the company "Henry Repeating Arms", which was founded by Louis and Anthony Imperato in Brooklyn, New York, in 1996. Being fans of guns with a Henry bolt action, Louis and Anthony were the first to release the Henry H001 Classic Lever Action .22 model to the market, the first deliveries of which to stores in the USA began in March 22. The company got its name from Benjamin Tyler Henry, who created the first successful repeating rifle in 1997. Although there is no connection or relationship with Benjamin Tyler Henry or the New Haven Arms Company, which produced his rifle from 1860 to 1862, there is no. Both were simply fans of this Tyler Henry rifle. Perhaps, as a child, you watched too many Westerns, in which all the heroes mostly run with Winchesters. Or jump with them... In any case, Anthony Imperato secured the trademark for the name "Henry" in 1864 and since then has released a variety of lever-action rifles, including exact copies of the M1996.
A photo from a Henry Repeating Arms brochure: a girl with a Lever Action Supreme rifle riding a horse through snow-white snow. A beautiful photo, to be sure!
The reason for such a strong attachment to this particular weapon is also quite clear: in every field of human activity, there is always a select group of people who make such a significant contribution to the same technology, including weapons, that they become synonymous with their achievements. In the field of firearms development, this person is Benjamin Tyler Henry. So to repeat his development and use his name means to some extent... to stand on a par with him. Pure psychology. And also knowledge of the market! After all, Imperato was clearly not the only one who thought the same way...
Well, the Henry rifle gave one man so much firepower that even a dozen shooters armed with muzzle-loading muskets could not cope with him. So it is not surprising that with its revolutionary design and high rate of fire, the Henry rifle quickly became popular with both military and civilian buyers. And its early sales were especially brisk in Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Indiana.
And so, more than 150 years have passed, and what had to happen has happened: the lever-action rifle platform has been improved in pursuit of sporting perfection. After all, what was the main drawback of the Henry rifle? Yes, you could shoot quickly from it, but what a hassle it was to load it. It was both long and troublesome. So in this it was a big loser. And even Nelson King's "royal innovation", which made it much easier to load the legendary Winchester of 1866, was still essentially a palliative. After all, the cartridges still had to be inserted into its magazine one by one!
Progress has been made in small increments, thanks to advances in materials, engineering know-how, and manufacturing capabilities, but until now the core feature—the underbarrel magazine—has remained relatively unchanged. Starting with a clean sheet of paper and all the advanced manufacturing equipment one could wish for, Imperato's design engineers replaced this time-tested device with the equally time-tested Lee detachable magazine.
Lever Action Supreme Rifle. Left side view
The result is the Lever Action Supreme lever action rifle. The Lever Action Supreme magazine is great because it increases reliability and safety. The design is based on a patented crank and slide mechanism that takes the famous smooth action of the Henry rifle to a new level. Tyler Henry's bolt did not rotate and was rectangular in shape. The new rifle's bolt is cylindrical, and what's more, it has six lugs for a secure connection to the barrel. The presence of a hidden hammer prevents dust, dirt and debris from getting into the receiver in the field. Setting a new standard for accuracy in similar weapons of the lever action, the Lever Action Supreme (or LASR for short) is equipped with a free-floating barrel made of blued steel, which is capable of high shooting accuracy, depending on the cartridge and shooting conditions.
Rotating bolt. But why six lugs, wouldn't two be enough? Yes, more is not needed. But from past experience it is known that two horizontal lugs give a spread of shots and, accordingly, hits, horizontally. Two vertical ones - a spread in depth, which is preferable. But six intercept all types of spreads. That is, the shooting accuracy with such a bolt is very high. Higher only with a bolt with seven lugs, like the AR-15, but technologically such a bolt is much more complex and more expensive.
The .223/5.56 version has an 18-inch (457 mm) barrel, while the .300 BLK version has a shorter 16,5-inch (419 mm) barrel. The match-grade Supreme trigger provides consistent pull weight from shot to shot and is user-adjustable with the included Allen key. The lack of a gas system makes the lever action ideal for suppressors, so the end of the barrel is threaded to accept your choice of suppressor. To help you get more accurate shots, the sights on this rifle have also been improved. The patented trapezoid rear sight is fully adjustable for windage and elevation using the same tool that adjusts the trigger pull. Additionally, the aerospace-grade aluminum receiver is threaded to accept a scope.
Thread for muffler
When it comes time for a thorough cleaning, the screw-down cleaning rod makes servicing the rifle a breeze. Supreme rifles come with precision-cut American walnut stocks, diamond-cut to ensure that you'll feel the same way the gun makers feel when you hold it.
For ease of carry and outdoor use, factory sling swivels and a durable rubber butt pad are installed. Innovation continues with ambidextrous controls, including a safety selector and a patented magazine release.
This is the 10-round magazine it has...
The Supreme kit includes a 10-round PMAG magazine along with a 5-round limiter to comply with hunting regulations in some parts of the country. Additional capacity is available using MSR magazines for those who prefer to reload less frequently at the range. Over time, many caliber options never before seen in this category are expected to be available to suit the hobbyist, hunter, and home defense buyer. The Supreme's use of a detachable box magazine eliminates the bullet limitations of tubular magazine designs.
That is, today it is the LASR rifle that guarantees the high efficiency of the combination of a lever mechanism and a removable magazine.
The rifle is currently available in two calibers. For .223 Rem/5,56 NATO and .300 Blackout (7,62×35 mm) cartridges. The first variant is suitable for small game, and the second for large game.
Information