AllOutdoor Review: The Henry Lever Action Axe .410 Firearm
Nicolas Lenze 07.26.23
Lever-action firearms have always been cool. The era that you grew up in has little to no impact on this, either. Whether you caught it from John Wayne or a death-dealing robot played by an Austrian, everyone has been infected with the lever bug at some point. Recently, there has even been a resurgence of lever-action rifles, especially in more restrictive states. The gun we’re looking at today is not a rifle. In fact, it’s not a pistol or shotgun either. The Lever Action Axe from Henry is simply categorized as a firearm, and it’s chambered for .410 bore shotshells.
Henry Coverage on AllOutdoor
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- Henry Repeating Arms Salutes Law Enforcement with $200,000 Donation
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The Henry Lever Action Axe: Specifications
- Barrel length: 15.14”
- Overall length: 26.4”
- Gauge: .410
- Chamber: 2 ½”
- Capacity: 5
- Weight: 5.75 lbs.
- MSRP: $1,091.00
Before the (Lever-) Action
I got the call from Centennial Gun Club that my Henry had arrived. When I requested this firearm, I really didn’t know what I was going to do with it. A stockless lever gun that fires shotgun shells seems limited in its scope. My goal was to find one or more reasons why this firearm is a practical purchase.
The barrel is a hair over 15” and is finished with a classic blue, as is the receiver. There’s also a brass version if that’s what you’re into. The furniture is American Walnut. The front sight is a brass bead and there is no rear sight.
The barrel is threaded internally for use with Invector-style chokes. The gun will come to you with a full choke. There are sling swivel studs for use with a sling, and the magazine tube holds five 2 ½” shells.
Leveraging the Axe: Vehicle Defense
When we hear the term “truck gun”, panties immediately begin balling up. When I speak about this subject, I’m not talking about leaving a loaded gun in your car. I’m talking about defending yourself in and around your vehicle. Vehicle defense is a big topic, and one that I don’t claim to be an expert in, but I do know that shorter guns are your friend. The cab of a car is a tight place, and maneuverability is key. Inside a vehicle, you’re probably better served with a handgun, but one round of Hornady Critical Defense 410 Triple Defense will also do the trick.
Around your car, you might be looking for more reach, or maybe even to penetrate the car door of your opposition. This is where utilizing the versatility of shotshells really shines. If you practice with your Axe, you can easily drop some slugs into the chamber or load them into the tube. Bad day for Bad Guy.
Down the Hall: Home Defense
Similar to vehicle defense, the short barrel and missing stock make maneuvering around corners very simple. If possible, I always recommend staying in place during an attack on your home. However, some of us need to move through the house to gather up loved ones. As the father of two small children, I love the Axe for this. Its size and caliber make it a breeze to fire with one hand, freeing up my other hand for other tasks like holding a flashlight. This version of the Axe is more traditional, but I’d love to see a modernized version with attachment points for a light.
Up close, this thing is devastating, especially with those Triple Defense loads. The additional spread that you get, over using something like a handgun, also gives you a bit of wiggle room when using only a bead sight. They work, but an optic is always my preference. The receiver is drilled and tapped for adding optics. Just choose carefully.
Reloads can be accomplished through the side loading gate, or by removing the tube entirely. I tend to use the loading gate by rolling the firearm over, holding it with my support hand, and loading with my strong hand.
The Long and Short
There’s really no one purpose that the Lever Action Axe excels at. The upside is that there are several roles that the firearm can be shaped to fit. It’s fun, easy to use, and can get you out of a pinch. Its non-NFA status means that anyone (where legal. Sorry, Cali) can buy it without a stamp and major hoop jumping.
Chambering the Axe in .410 was a brilliant move. It gives shooters a wide range of options but is small enough that recoil is a non-issue. As I mentioned, an updated version would be very cool. If the Axe had an M-LOK handguard and a Pic rail up top, this could be a formidable fighting weapon, especially at home, in your car, while camping, or on your tractor.
As lever-actions return to popularity, I imagine the Lever Action Axe will be a major hit for Henry, and with good reason. If you’d like to know more, head over to the Henry website. Don’t forget to follow along on social media. Henry can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. (In an Austrian accent) I’ll be back.
