The Henry H001GG, better known as the Henry Garden Gun Smoothbore .22 LR, is a highly specialized, niche firearm. Unlike a standard rifle, it is designed specifically as a miniature, close-range lever-action shotgun for pest control on homesteads, farms, and gardens.

Key Specifications

  • Action: Exceptionally smooth lever action.

  • Caliber: .22 LR Shotshell (often called rimfire birdshot or "snake shot").

  • Barrel: 18.5-inch round blued steel smoothbore barrel (completely lacks internal rifling).

  • Capacity: 15 rounds via a tubular magazine.

  • Furniture: Distinctive, rugged, and rustic black ash wood stock and forearm.

  • Weight & Length: Ultra-lightweight at 5.25 lbs with a 36.5-inch overall length.

  • Sights: Fully adjustable semi-buckhorn rear sight and blade front sight; includes a 3/8" grooved receiver if you want to mount optics.

Why the Smoothbore Barrel Matters

Standard .22 LR rifles feature a rifled barrel that spins bullets for stability. However, if you shoot tiny birdshot through a rifled barrel, the spinning effect forces the shot pattern to scatter violently into a wide, hollow "donut" shape, making it completely ineffective even a few feet away.

By omitting the rifling, the Garden Gun allows the tiny #12 pellets to stay in a much tighter, more predictable pattern over close distances (typically 5 to 15 feet).

Best Use Cases

  • Safe Pest Control: Perfect for dispatching mice, rats, starlings, or dangerous snakes inside tight areas.

  • Property Protection: Because the #12 pellets carry very low velocity and energy, they easily eradicate pests without destroying barn walls, chicken coops, or greenhouse glass. They also pose an incredibly low risk of dangerous ricochets.

  • Quiet & Low Recoil: The ammunition produces next to no recoil and is noticeably quieter than standard rifle rounds, making it highly manageable.

⚠️ Note: While you can technically chamber standard solid .22 LR cartridges in this gun, they will tumble out of the smooth barrel and completely lack accuracy. This firearm should be treated strictly as a close-range pest tool using shotshell ammunition.