Looking for expert collectors' advice on Henry Revolvers

[brian686]

I had been looking for the Henry Revolvers since they were released. I was hoping to get both models eventually but they seem to be scarce in my location. By two lightning strikes of luck, I happened upon the Gunfighter version and picked it up on Tuesday. It only sat on the shelf about two hours before I came to the store to look at some optics. I had been on a waiting list at another LGS for a Bird's Head Grip model but weeks went by and I didn't hear from them. The next day, I got the call that the original buyer of the Bird's Head Grip model did not want it and I was first on the list. I went and picked it up after work. The clerk at the store made a comment that he and I were the only people to look at the gun. I kind of thought that was BS until I got it home and cleaned and inspected it. Upon inspection, I found that there is no turn line on the cylinder at all. The Gunfighter model does. So, do I shoot the gun and put a turn line on it and enjoy it, or put it in the safe and just admire it every now and then? Is there that much of a difference in value between a gun with no turn line versus one that's been fired? I have been into firearms for over thirty years and this is the first time, even when buying new that I've had a revolver with no turn line.
Looking to the expert advice givers on this forum for your advice.
Thank You in Advance,
Brian

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

In my honest opinion. They will never be collectible.

 

[BKLooney]

Shoot it and enjoy what you have.

 

[CajunBass]

Everything is collectible to somebody, at some time. The only questions are, do you want to wait long enough or will you even live long enough to make the wait worthwhile? And assuming you can even find that one person, what are they willing to pay for it?

I'd shoot it, but I'm an old coot. My wife pointed out to me once that when I'm dead and gone, someone is most likely going to shoot it. Might as well be me.

 

[Ameshawki]

Shoot it. Predicting future conductibility is a **** shoot at best.

I'm intrigued by these but have yet to see one in the wild. Price tag is a bit hard to swallow, but a new Smith is in that same range.

 

[glenwolde]

If this is the first model in a 100 year run of Henry revolver production then it will have great value...long after we are all gone. Shoot it.

 

[.357magger]

A) Shoot the heck out of it and enjoy.

B) Post pics here from multiple angles.

C) It will eventually become collectable, but imo that won't be until at least the turn of the next century.

D) Don't forget B above.

 

[Modified]

They are too ugly to ever be especially valuable, even if they do become collectable because they stop producing them (because they are too ugly and no one buys them). A gun like this will only achieve any real value if they are used in a popular tv show or movies. And a gun that looks like that won't see use by hollywood.

Just shoot it and enjoy it. If the conditions arise that make them collectable having shot it won't devalue it much at all.

 

[gwpercle]

Is it more fun to ...LOOK ... at a pretty girl ...

or is it more fun to take her Dancing and hold her in your arms ...

I like to Dance ... life's too danged short to just look !

Louisiana People say ... CHOOT 'EM Brian ... CHOOT 'EM !
Gary

 

[sceva]

Buying something, specially a modern item, expecting it to become a collectable is probably not a good reason to buy. Just look at Beanie Babies. Instant collectibles seldom are a good value in the long run.

 

[Drm50]

Beanie Babies have one thing going for them. If thing get bad you can always gut them and make a bowl of soup. Henry revolvers, I don't have words.

 

[crc4]

Henry revolvers appear to have been created by Dr. Frankenstein from parts left over from the waste bins of Colt, S&W, and Rohm.

In ten years, no one will brag about having one of these revolvers.

 

[hkcavalier]

It's possible to have instant collectibles via artificial scarcity and/or custom factory jobs. The Colt DLC finished Python comes to mind. Honestly, Colt seems to be the master of this technique. S&W used to have all of those limited run wheelguns and autos but not so much anymore. I got my "special" 442PC from a distributor back East at fire sale pricing.

The basic model Henry revolvers won't be collectible any time soon. If they make very few of them due to lack of interest, they'll be collectible in the same vein as the Colt 2000 or Thunder Five, which is to say not much and for the wrong reasons.

 

[ameridaddy]

Geez, I hate to tell you, but those Henrys, however fine they're built, are butt ugly. Who was the genius who put the undercut on the barrel, who was the genius who put that wart on top of the grip, who was the genius who decided it wasn't fair to have a fair curve in the lines of that gun, or a fitted side plate, at that gun's price?
Henry's esthetic designer should be flogged.
I do hope it's a functionally fine piece, and you enjoy shooting the tar out of it.

 

[reddog81]

The value of 2 or 3 boxes of ammo will be the difference in value for the foreseeable future.

Only shoot one of them if that will make you happy and then don't feel bad about shooting the snot out of the other.

 

[LVSteve]

Pictures aren't loading.

 

[Rock185]

I handled a new Henry. It seemed very solid, but a very odd/ugly design. Hkcavalier's collectability comparison with the Colt 2000 and Thunder 5 is apt, IMHO. The same type of collector might someday be interested in a Henry revolver. That would be a very small potential market.

If I liked the Henry revolvers enough to buy one, I'd shoot it as much as I cared to, with no concern about possible future collectability.

 

[Grayfox]

I have to agree with everybody else. If these guns ever achieve any collectible status at all it will be in the oddball category. They're too expensive and just plain ugly.
A quick on-line search shows very few for sale. Either Henry ain't putting them out or people just don't want them. I'm leaning towards the latter.

 

[brian686]

Finally figured out how to attach the photo.
Thanks for all the responses. i did buy it to shoot so that's what I will do.
I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My photo does not do justice to the bluing on these firearms.
Thanks Again!
Brian

 

[beagleye]

It looks like a Charter Arms mated with a H&R on Rock Island.