Henry Repeating Arms, the proudly all-American company known for lever-action guns, unveiled a well-kept secret in 2025: the new Special Products Division. As part of that think tank’s debut, Henry also leaked a look at what’s to come from SPD, and let me tell you, it’s exciting. 

Check it out. 

What Is the Special Products Division?

It’s long been known that Henry Repeating Arms listens to its customers. The company welcomes feedback, offers the best customer service in the industry, and keeps an active suggestion box on its website. 
 

According to company reps, the Special Products Division will help answer the desires of so many Henry fans, including hunters, shooters, and gun collectors. At its root, SPD has been organized as a collaborative hub dedicated to pioneering advancements in firearms design and technology. 

“The Special Products Division represents a significant leap forward for us," states Andy Wickstrom, president of Henry Repeating Arms. “Over the last few years, we’ve brought in some of America’s brightest minds in firearms design and developed a deeply rooted culture of exploring the unknown. This isn’t about following trends; it’s about leading with purpose and innovation to create new ones.”
 

What We Know about the First SPD Rifles

We spent some quality time talking with Henry’s VP of communications, Dan Clayton-Luce, and his excitement for the new launch was palpable. While few details are set in stone just yet, here’s what we gathered will be coming soon from SPD:

• The first of the SPD rifles should be shipping relatively soon, perhaps as early as this coming spring, though final furniture details and the product’s name are yet to be decided. 
   
• The initial launch will shake up the way we view lever-action rifles in the era of suppressor domination. This early Henry SPD rifle marks the first lever-action gun we’ve seen to partner a carbon-fiber barrel with a traditional steel receiver. With a suppressor in place – especially a can capable of handling rounds like .45-70 Gov’t – Henry has found a way to turn what would normally be a front-heavy long gun into a perfectly balanced firearm. 
   
• Multiple versions or variants of the yet-unnamed carbon-fiber SPD rifle debut were displayed at the SHOT Show 2025. All used a BSF carbon-fiber barrel, which was obviously threaded and ready for a suppressor. A plethora of optics topped those prototypes, including reflex sights, red dots, and standard rifle scopes. 
   

• The rifle chamberings covered a variety of action lengths. We saw several chambered in .45-70 Gov’t, suggesting it will likely be the first to market. The remainder were .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum, though .45 Colt and .30-30 Win were floating around, too.  
   
• Two distinctly different furniture options were shown. It sounds like the metal Tapco forend with its M-LOK slots will remain, though the buttstock configuration remains fluid. One choice for that is also from Tapco and uses neat features like adjustable comb height, along with interchangeable 1911 pistol-grip panels at the wrist. The other leans more traditional, using an updated version of the company’s gray laminate wood. Although, this one had a grippier, textured feel. 
   

• Henry went under the radar with this launch, essentially pulling off one sneaky debut. Very few media reporters caught wind. Somehow, many visitors to Henry’s booth strolled right past the Special Products Division banner and gun displays at the front of the booth. There was no press release before the show, no website data, and no influencer buzz. Is that because the rifles are not as close to production as one might think? Time will tell. 
   
• How can interested buyers go about getting one of these new rifles? Will they be more of a custom-shop lever product or a full-production gun?  When we asked Clayton-Luce, he quickly and definitively affirmed the latter – a production gun with some especially unique features. 
   
• When asked why Henry created the SPD in the first place, Clayton-Luce said, “We’ve set out to do things differently, to lead with innovation. With [this first rifle], our goal was to build the best, out-of-the-box, suppressor-ready lever action on the market, and we’ve achieved that.” When asked where things might lead in the future, Clayton-Luce was coy, but it’s clear there are more big-letter products in the pipeline. 
   

A Bright Future

The door is open to almost anything, including long-range designs, ultralight backcountry rigs, and much more. We’ll have to think outside the box to understand Henry’s latest venture. Don’t fret, though. Traditionalist fans needn’t worry, as the company’s bread-and-butter levers, single shots, and even handguns aren’t going anywhere. 

SPD is a separate addition that will allow the company to position itself as a leader in innovation. While more SPD designs may be a well down the road, Henry plans to roll out its first SPD rifles in the spring of 2025. While we don’t yet have the details, it’s likely that round two will sneak its way into the Henry booth at the NRA Show later this year. 

The Special Products Division is headquartered in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Clayton-Luce says the mission is quite simple in its complexity: “lead while others follow.” One thing is certain. What comes from SPD will have a pretty wild blend of traditional and modern.