BAYONNE, N.J. – Henry Repeating Arms has donated a legendary Henry lever-action rifle from 1865 and serial number one of their new Original Henry rifle line to be auctioned together at the National NRA Foundation Banquet and Auction on April 24 in Indianapolis. The auction will benefit The NRA Foundation, America's leading charitable organization in support of the organizations and programs that ensure the legacy of hunting and the shooting sports. It will kick off the 2014 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits.

The two-gun set includes the well-worn Model 1860 Henry, serial number 8261 manufactured in 1865, used to reverse-engineer Benjamin Tyler Henry's classic design and develop the tooling for the new Original Henry Rifle line. Completing the pair is the Original Henry Deluxe Engraved serial number BTH0001, the first Henry produced in nearly 150 years. The new hardened brass-framed .44-40-cal. rifle's receiver has been hand-engraved by the artisans at Baron Engraving of Trumbull, CT, featuring period style engraving. Additionally, the rifle sports a one-piece 24 1Ž2" octagonal barrel/tubular feed, a genuine American fancy walnut buttstock, and a classic folding ladder rear sight paired with a traditional blade front sight. The auction items will include a certificate of authenticity provided by Henry Repeating Arms.

"My family has been in the firearms business since 1911. The NRA has been by our side since day one," said Anthony Imperato, president of Henry Repeating Arms. "We are eternally grateful to the NRA for defending our Second Amendment rights, for upholding the traditions of hunting and the shooting sports, and for their tireless efforts to promote firearms safety. Our donation of this outstanding pair of Henry rifles is a small token of our appreciation."

Recent auctions of the new Original Henry Rifle yielded $85,000 for the USA Olympic Shooting Team and $50,825 for the Hunting Heritage Foundation.

Bidding for the set went live online at GunBroker.com on March 17. If you are interested in bidding on these firearms visit gunbroker.com or contact the NRA's special events coordinator Katie Parkes at 703-267-1417 or kparkes@nrahq.org. Learn more about the auction at www.friendsofnra.org/annualmeeting.