Henry Repeating Arms is well-known for its extensive line of lever-actions, ranging from classically styled .22s all the way to modern big-bore lever guns designed for field use. But in 2025, Henry decided to branch out even further, launching its Special Products Division, a research and development arm dedicated to producing firearms tailored to specific customers and use cases. For the division’s first design, it embraced the rapidly growing trend of suppressor usage, building the SPD HUSH as the perfect host for a silencer.
At its heart, the Henry SPD HUSH is based on the company’s large-frame lever-action rifles, in particular, the Side Gate Lever Action design seen in a number of the company’s models. The Henry HUSH we have on the range here is chambered for the .45-70 Govt. cartridge, and it takes the modern lever-gun concept to the next level.
Mated to the matte-black receiver is a carbon-fiber-wrapped, stainless-steel barrel measuring 16.5 inches long and produced by BSF Barrels in Wisconsin. Coupled with that, just below the barrel is a lightweight aluminum handguard produced by TAPCO, which offers an array of M-Lok attachment points at 3-, 6- and 9-o’clock for accessories. Extra weight has been removed from the handguard with vent cuts located on the lower portion of the handguard. The muzzle end of the barrel is threaded 5/8-24 for the attachment of a suppressor.
Unlike most rifles, which are designed without thinking of a specific accessory attachment, the Henry SPD Hush offers a design that points and carries comfortably with a mounted suppressor, avoiding the off-kilter feel that most rifles have when you add a can to the muzzle end. The Side Gate design of the action comes into play here, too, as it makes it easy to reload the rifle from the receiver end, which eliminates the need to remove the magazine tube, which would be blocked when a suppressor is mounted.
On the range, the Henry SPD HUSH operated smoothly, and we enjoyed its ease of handling, as the lever was quick to use and got us back into action rapidly for that fast follow-up shot. The lever-action mechanism shines as a suppressor host, because its manually operated action doesn’t produce the same level of bolt noise usually found in suppressed semi-automatics, while its intuitive lever-actuated cycling gets the rifle back into the fight faster than many bolt-actions. And how can anyone not love sending big-bore .45-cal. rounds downrange, courtesy of the timeless .45-70 Govt. cartridge? The Henry SPD HUSH is a great blend of classic Americana and modern rifle design, giving American shooters the best of both worlds.
