Henry Repeating Arms expanded its new Side Gate lever-action lineup again in 2019 with the introduction of the unique, non-NFA Lever Action Axe .410-bore firearm. Unlike the company’s lineup of traditional, lever-action guns, the Axe does not have a factory-made buttstock. Instead, the shotshell-firing gun features a unique pistol grip that is shaped similarly to an axe handle, thus lending the gun its name. Due to this unique attachment, the firearm is not designed to be fired from the shoulder, and thus receives the non-NFA, shotshell-firing firearm classification attached to other recent releases, including the Mossberg Shockwave and the Remington Tac-13.

“Even if you have a packed gun safe with all bases covered, the Lever Action Axe .410 is sure to put a smile on your face that won’t leave until the magazine is empty,” said Dan Clayton-Luce, Henry Rifles communications director. “Not all firearms need to fit neatly into categories like hunting, home protection, or good ol’ backyard plinking. We feel that simply being fun to pull out of the scabbard and shoot again and again should be a category all its own.”

The Henry Lever Action Axe .410-bore features the same receiver and tube magazine design as its larger .410-bore cousins. However, in keeping with the compact design of this firearm, the barrel is slightly less than 16 inches in overall length, contributing to an overall length that’s just over 26 inches. Despite its compact size, though, the magazine can hold up to five rounds of .25-inch .410-bore shotshells, just like the company’s full-size shotguns.

Other features found on the Henry Lever Action Axe .410-bore firearm include a brass-bead front sight, as well as Invector-style choke tubes. In addition to the removable magazine tube, the Axe .410 features a loading gate located on the right side of the receiver, so shooters can top the magazine off one round at a time while keeping the gun ready for action.

Article by Shooting illutratad