One of the historical brands of the Western epic has returned to the top of the U.S. sales charts for a few years now with a series of lever action rifles – but not only – with good prices and interesting features. Today, however, we do not want to tell you about yet another lever-action gun, but about a semi-automatic carbine in 9mm caliber with old-fashioned aesthetics designed for home and homestead defense.
The Henry Homesteader pistol caliber carbine is available on the U.S. market in three different models that differ in the type of magazine they can use. The basic version is fed from a proprietary Henry magazine, the other two versions have a (removable) adapter that ensures compatibility with Glock magazines or with SIG Sauer and Smith & Wesson M&P pistol series magazines. Regardless of the version chosen, a 5-round and a 10-round Henry magazine in 9mm Para caliber are included in the package.
The design of the Henry Homesteader semi-automatic carbine is very classic and reminiscent of the first version of the Browning BAR, with its natural wood pistol grip stock and black anodized aluminum frame with flat sides. Incredibly, there is no Picatinny rail, which is not necessarily a bad thing: in a time when rifles and handguns bristling with rails and accessory interfaces are raging, finding a very classic-looking carbine has something reassuring about it. Otherwise, the Homesteader is a classic semi-automatic carbine with simple, tried-and-true blowback operation that uses recoil to cycle the action. The trigger is direct, single-action.
Henry Homesteader 9mm: versatile and handy
The Henry Homesteader's controls are easily accessible, with a bolt hold open that can be depressed from the left or right side of the carbine, a top-mounted thumb safety, a centrally located bottom-mounted magazine release toggle, and a charging handle that can be quickly and securely mounted on the left or right side of the bolt.
The barrel is 415 millimeters long and has a 1:10 rate of twist. The 1/2×28 threaded muzzle allows for the mounting of a muzzle brake or suppressor (where permitted by law).
The adjustable full aperture rear sight and the easily interchangeable post front sight allow to make the most of the gun's accuracy, largely thanks a sight radius that is longer than that of a pistol. For those who prefer red dots or magnified optics, the receiver is drilled and tapped for a Weaver 63B base.
In close quarters, the Henry Homesteader semi-automatic carbine is very easy to handle, weighing just 2.9 kilograms and with an overall length of 92 centimeters. Perceived recoil is counteracted by a reciprocating mass located inside the forearm, which allows the gun to get back on target faster from shot to shot and inspires confidence for the recoil sensitive. For even more control, the American walnut stock with soft rubber recoil pad offers finely textured contact points.
The price in the U.S. for the basic version of the Henry Homesteader carbine is $928, which rises to $959 if you want the version with Glock or SIG Sauer/Smith & Wesson magazine adapter.
Henry Homesteader specs and price
| Manufacturer: | Henry Repeating Arms (USA) |
| Model: | Homesteader |
| Caliber: | 9mm Parabellum |
| Operation: | Semi-automatic |
| Operating System: | Blowback, closed bolt |
| Barrel Length: | 415 mm |
| Magazine Capacity: | 5 or 10 rounds* |
| Sights: | Adjustable aperture rear,
interchangeable post front |
| Weight: | 2.9 kg |
| Price (MSRP in the U.S.): | $928.00 |
| Note | *Adapters available for
Glock, SIG Sauer and S&W M&P pistol series magazines. |
