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Henry’s First Semi-Auto? Not Quite.

To clarify, the Homesteader is not Henry’s first semi-auto. That title falls to the rimfire AR-7 takedown darling that packs into its own floatable buttstock. But the newbie is the company’s flagship centerfire semi-automatic and the first of its kind in many ways for the American brand. 

Interchangeable magazine systems? Check. Swappable ambidextrous bolt handle? Check. First-ever 9mm? Check. Accepting Glock, SIG, and S&W magazines? Triple check. The Homesteader’s tagline is: “From bed post to fence post, what’s yours remains yours.” The line implies a bevy of practical uses, and so far, they’re not wrong. 
 

Purpose

Though unofficially debuted in January at the industry’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Henry formally launched the Homesteader on Valentine’s Day. The tagline indicates the little gun’s use: “Ideal for home, property, and livestock protection.” While some of the target markets may be slightly different – and even expanded – those identifiers are valid. 

What shooters may be attracted by such a platform? Our informal discussions with Henry brass indicate a clear call from customers for a 9mm long gun. While many, including me, would have expected that to be a lever action – here we are. 

The compact carbine platform will be easy to carry and stow, workable in tight quarters, practical for protection, and a rapid-fire treat on the range. Though the 9mm is not ideal for most types of hunting, there is a legit possibility to use the Homesteader for close quarters harvesting of certain types of game with the right projectiles, not to mention fast shooting on threats of both the two- and four-legged kinds. 

The gun makes sense for those who already have an abundance of 9mm ammo stored up. For those with a pistol in 9mm and spare mags waiting to be used, Henry’s Homesteader offers a welcome partnership. For Pistol Caliber Carbine (PCC) platform fans. For Henry fans seeking something unique. For those wanting a low-recoil plinker. The list of reasons keeps growing. 
 

Understanding the Three Models

The 9mm carbine is advertised to accept a plethora of magazines: Glock, SIG Sauer, S&W, and Henry’s own proprietary sticks. While that’s true, swapping between them requires a bit of forethought, as each requires its own magazine well adapter. To be fair, the SIG and S&W use the same part. To that end, Henry is cataloging the gun in three different model variants. 

The first, which accepts only Henry mags as it ships, retails the lowest at $928. The second model includes a magazine well for Glock mags. The third comes with the adaptor for both Smith & Wesson M&P and SIG Sauer magazines. The latter two models, which retail for $959, also ship with Henry’s proprietary devices. 

Fret not, though. Those wishing they could use all the magazines will soon find the individual wells available via Henry’s online store. Though that date is yet unclear, Henry does include both their 5- and 10-round proprietary mags with every model so shooters can get down to business immediately, no matter which model they snag. 
 

Hands-On with the Homesteader

Though a radically new platform for the company, the outward styling screams “Henry.” There’s American walnut furniture and a blued steel barrel. The aluminum receiver is hard coat anodized. Sights are adjustable, with an aperture rear and post front. 
 

That receiver is drilled and tapped to accept a standard Weaver 63B base, should an optic be desired. The gun weighs in at 6.6 pounds and measures just under 3 feet in overall length. The 16.37-inch round barrel is threaded at 1/2×28 TPI. Length of pull is a standard 14 inches. This newest addition, like many others, is built at the company’s Rice Lake, Wisconsin, plant. 
 

While the 9mm is not hard-recoiling to begin with, the gun uses what the company calls a “reciprocating mass” inside the forearm to counteract recoil and get shooters back on target faster. We pulled off the forend, removed the trigger group, and inspected the makeup. All action components appear to be metal-on-metal, thus avoiding prematurely wearing composite parts. Fit and finish, overall, is clean and tight. There’s “leather-like” texturing on the stocks, a soft rubber recoil pad, and sling studs. 
 

The Homesteader is surprisingly ambidextrous for what looks like a right-handed rig. The charging handle can be reversed with ease. Pulling straight out with a little force removes it. The ejection port, obviously, remains on the right. But this is still a thoughtful option whether for lefties or right-handers who like to run actions with the left hand. The bolt hold-open lever can be actuated from either side, as can the top-mounted thumb safety. 
 

Initial Impressions

We’ll go into much greater depth after having a chance to really run the gun through its paces. For now, we’re pleased to share our initial observations as we study the ins and outs of Henry’s youngest child. 

Right out of the box, the Homesteader looks and feels heavier than its advertised 6.6-pound weight. The balance point is a bit forward of center, but it is a surprisingly maneuverable rig. After pulling the trigger on only a few mags worth of 9mm Federal Syntech, there’s little to no recoil. We wouldn’t hesitate to let a new or younger shooter run this one, though the full-size length of pull won’t likely be comfortable for the smallest-framed shooters. 

We dig the walnut furniture and old-school look on a modern PCC-style gun. With a little combination of dry and live fire, the trigger is decent, breaking between 4.5 and 5.5 pounds, albeit with a fair amount of takeup and a little creep. Magazines are polymer with a strong spring, and they lock into place with an audible and palpable click. 
 

The instruction manual includes clear instructions on teardown and cleaning as well as swapping magwells. The latter process may seem intimidating the first time, as it involves knocking out all three cross pins and removing both the trigger group and buttstock, but for someone who’s even slightly handy, it’s a piece of cake. 
 

Radically New, or Recreated?

Source: guns.com