Guns for Great Causes

Henry Repeating Arms, Baron Engraving and recent participants at The Sheep Show have helped provide valuable funding the USA Shooting Team will use in 2014 to achieve greatness on the ranges throughout the world. A new Original Henry Rifle Deluxe Engraved .44-40 was auctioned by the USA Shooting Team during the February 22-25 Sheep Show in Reno, Nev., and helped raise $85,000 in support of the team.

Henry Repeating Arms donated the new Original Henry Rifle with special serial number USAGOLD1 and Baron Technology, Inc. proudly provided its hand-engraving services to create a signature look to the popular rifle. An identical rifle was also auctioned off at the Dallas Safari Club Convention in early January and another will be available for auction at the upcoming Western Hunting and Conservation Expo, February 13-16, in cooperation with the Mule Deer Foundation.

The revolutionary Henry lever action-repeating rifle was the most important firearm of its time and went on to become one of the most legendary American firearms of all time. Patented in 1860 and used during the Civil War, the rifle’s rapid-fire capability and high-capacity tubular magazine stood in amazing contrast to its single-shot musket counterparts.

“When I announced at a lunchtime meeting attended by all Henry employees that the rifle they had built and donated to the USA Shooting Team raised $85,000, we had a standing ovation with a chant of USA, USA! It doesn’t get any better than that,” said Anthony Imperato, President and owner of the company.

The engraving on the hardened brass receiver was hand-cut by Baron Custom Shop’s artisan Heidi Roos, who says: “Inspired by Louis Daniel Nimschke from his record book of originals, the scrollwork design is in the American style: a floral and leaf motif, intricately detailed and surrounding an open banner. The receiver’s top is decorated with simple linear motif, and the butt plate is decorated with America scroll on the back, with the USA Shooting Team logo and 2014 on the top.”

“We couldn’t be more appreciative of Henry Repeating Arms, Baron Engraving, the Wild Sheep Foundation and those USA Shooting Team supporters for the generosity they continue to exhibit,” acknowledged USA Shooting Team Foundation Executive Director Buddy DuVall. “With Rio in Sight and an important year of World Championships as well as Olympic and Paralympic qualifying now upon us, the money raised on behalf of the USA Shooting Team is a tremendous boost to our team and helps keep us competitive with the competition.”

The Sheep Show is the annual convention and fundraiser for USA Shooting conservation partner Wild Sheep Foundation and featured hundreds of exhibitors, entertainers, educational events, as well as auctions and nightly banquets. The event’s live auctions featured nearly $5 million in hunts, trips, art, firearms, equipment and more special conservation permits than any other convention or wildlife show.

USA Shooting Team members participating in the Show included 2012 Olympian Frank Thompson (Alliance, NE.), National Team members Amber English (Colorado Springs, CO.) and Jake Wallace (Castaic, CA.), along with World Cup medalists Kayle Browning (Wooster, AR.) and Caitlin Connor (Winnfield, LA.). Team members participated in the USA Shooting/WSF Sporting Clays event at the Capitol City Gun Club and served as the color guard as well at the event’s Opening Ceremony.