Henry Rifles USA FOP Tribute Edition Big Boy X

Some years back I was honored to receive a Henry Repeating Arms Law Enforcement Tribute Edition rifle. Built out of their Golden Boy rifle, the 24k gold-plated engraving was patterned by world-renowned engraver Heidi Roos. That rifle remains in my gun safe, the action never opened, wrapped in felt. Having it and knowing the type of support Henry Repeating Arms has always given to law enforcement, I wasn’t surprised at all to receive news that they’ve recently released both Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and American Sheriff tribute editions. I was surprised, though, to receive one of the FOP Tribute Edition rifles.

My first thought was that this was another rifle I’d never even open the action on, but then I took a better look at it and realized that it’s definitely a working man’s (or woman’s) rifle. Built out of the Big Boy X Model, the rifle is chambered for .357/.38 Special and the magazine tube holds seven rounds. While it is (obviously) a lever action rifle, it’s not your grandpa’s lever action.

The Big Boy X model is a modern version of the classic lever action. Using contemporary materials and incorporating a few unique design features, the Big Boy X is suitable for everything from backwoods hunting to active shooter response (although some would argue that with me).

Taken straight from the Henry Repeating Arms website on the Big Boy X page:

“The Big Boy X-Model is packed with a high-performance feature set and plenty of room to add even more. The durable synthetic furniture is equipped with integrated mounting points for a sling, a solid rubber recoil pad, and both Picatinny and M-Lok accessory slots to aid in mounting the tools you need for the task at hand. The carbine-length barrel is topped off with highly visible fiber optic sights, fore and aft, and the muzzle end is threaded (5/8×24 thread pitch) to accept a suppressor or other muzzle device. A screw-on thread protector ensures your muzzle threads stay in top shape.”

The “carbine-length barrel” is 17.4” long per the published specifications. It has a twist rate of 1:16. The rear sight is a fully adjustable fiber optic sight (mine has red inserts) and the front sight is a fiber optic (green on mine) insert. The receiver is already drilled and tapped to put on optics and with BB-RSM scope mount. The stocks (referred to as “durable synthetic”) are listed in the specs as Black Synthetic with the shoulder stock adding a solid black rubber recoil pad. I dearly appreciate a recoil pad on my lever action .30-30 and I’m sure this one tames the recoil of any .357 Magnum loads you want to stoke the rifle with.

On the stock, very neatly laser-engraved, is the FOP star/logo on top of a waving American flag. With an overall length of 36.3” (per the published specs) and weighing just over seven pounds (unloaded), this Big Boy X is ready to hit the streets.

After having examined it I realized that it’s not a safe-kept collection piece; nor was it meant to be. The men and women of law enforcement, members of the FOP or not, work hard to keep our streets and our citizens safe. This gun is built to both honor and support that (if necessary).

The American Sheriffs Tribute Edition is built on a different platform and is far prettier (not picking on Sheriffs or their deputies here; they do more than half of all law enforcement work in the country). There are two Sheriffs tribute rifles (just like the FOP rifles and I’ll get to the second FOP rifle in a minute): The Henry American Sheriff Tribute Edition Golden Boy .22 S/L/LR and the Henry American Sheriff Tribute Edition Big Boy .357 Mag/.38 Spl. Both are far prettier than the FOP Big Boy X rifle, but I don’t see either of the Sheriff Tribute editions finding their way into patrol vehicles.

The Golden Boy rifle sports engraved gold inlays surrounded by what looks like silver. The Big Boy rifle used has a nicely engraved receiver with a star sporting the words “Integrity, Honor, Loyalty” and “The American Sheriff since 1634.” On the other side is engraved an antique pair of handcuffs with keys and an image of an old jail house with the words “Enforcing The Law.”

Both of these rifles are side-ejecting, so you can put optics on them. The stocks and forend are wood and the overall finish work is just pristine. Were I to acquire one of these Sheriffs Tribute rifles, it would go into my safe, never to have the action opened or the first round loaded – much less fired.

If that’s what you’re looking for but you want the FOP Tribute Edition, Henry has you taken care of. The FOP Tribute Edition Golden Boy .22 S/L/LR has that pretty finish, wood furniture, top ejection and engraved golden finish receiver. The receiver IS drilled and tapped to accept an optic or scope, but who would want to ruin this collector’s item by mounting such? All of the Golden Boy variants of these rifles have a metal plate covering the end of the wooden shoulder stock so you’re going to get the full feel and power of whatever your rifle chambers. If that’s .22 S/L/LR, no big deal. If it’s the .357 Magnum, you’re going to feel it a bit more, but it’s certainly manageable.

The prices for all of these rifles are more than reasonable, so if you want to add to your collection or acquire a good working lever action to keep with you on patrol (assuming your agency would permit it), check them out. When the active shooter response wave hit in 2000 and agencies were screaming for patrol rifles, politicians were screaming, “As long as it’s not that evil black rifle, the AR-15!” The answer? The Henry Big Boy X lever action. .357 Magnum will certainly neutralize a threat and no politician can call the rifle “a weapon of war” without looking like a moron.