My Henry Golden Boy is one of my absolute favorite rifles. It’s certainly my favorite .22 rifle. It’s accurate, fun, and just a joy to shoot. But my eyes aren’t the greatest, and I sometimes had trouble picking up the standard buckhorn sights which, to be fair, are accurate if you know how to use them. But I eventually decided to upgrade to a more easily visible system, and I’m glad I did. The Hi-Viz LiteWave sights have made my Golden Boy even more enjoyable and effective.
The Hi-Viz LiteWave System
The Hi-Viz LiteWave system is simple, versatile, and user-friendly. The steel sight bases replace your factory front and rear sights. Installation requires a gunsmith or, at least, a certain skill level and appropriate tools. I took mine to the gunsmith. But it was an easy swap and didn’t cost me much.
The bases themselves are textured to prevent glare and the front base is adjustable, just as the factory dovetailed sight from Henry. The rear base does not include the laddered elevation adjustment like the Henry factory buckhorns. Hi-Viz says their rear sight is elevation-adjustable, but it seems to require a tool to manipulate the mounting screw, unlike the buckhorns. You may or may not like that. Personally, it doesn’t bother me on a .22. I’ve never needed the elevation function and likely never will.
The user-friendliness kicks in once the bases are installed. The front and rear sight bases accept the included Hi-Viz LitePipes that form the system’s heart. The LitePipes combine tritium and fiber-optic technology for unsurpassed visibility, whether in bright daylight, twilight, or darkness. The LitePipes come in green or orange and are easily installed and removed by the user.
Each LitePipe pops in the base in about five seconds and is removed just as easily using the included tool. And if you lose the tool, another could be easily improvised. The Golden Boy kit includes front LitePipes in green, orange, and white. Rear LitePipes come in green and orange, of which there are two of each color.
A Chance Encounter
While roaming the SHOT Show 2023 exhibition floor with my friend and colleague Sara Liberte last January, we chanced upon the Hi-Viz booth. Being lever gun enthusiasts, we were drawn to the Henry Golden Boy rifle displayed there. Picking it up, the LiteWave system immediately impressed us, and we asked about testing them. The kind folks at Hi-Viz obliged, and here we are.
In the interest of full disclosure, Hi-Viz supplied this set for review. But honestly, these things are so cool that I don’t need to fudge anything, even were I so inclined, which has never been, and never will be, my style. I love these sights so much that I will be adding a set to my Henry Big Boy Carbine as well. Hi-Viz also sent me kits for my Ruger 10/22, AR-15, and AK rifles as well. Reviews of those products are forthcoming.
Hi-Viz Choices
One thing I love about the Hi-Viz sights is that they give me choices. With some other products, I’ve had to choose between equally attractive colors, depending on which one shows up better in daylight, or low light, or whatever. Hi-Viz gives me both and they are easily interchangeable.
I began with green LitePipes in both the front and rear sights. They were awesome. But I also had orange LitePipes and eventually tried those. Equally awesome. I honestly don’t know which ones I like best. They both show up very well in all light conditions, so I win either way.
But I eventually mixed the colors. I tried the green front sight with orange rear sights for contrast and was immediately sold on that combination. I once read an article about how 3-dot handgun night sights can be mistaken for one another in low light. Specifically, the gun is skewed just enough that a rear sight looks like it’s in the center, with the front sight appearing to be on the outside. I really don’t know how likely that is, but I can see how it’s theoretically possible.
I think it’s even less likely with a rifle, but I eliminated any possibility with the contrasted Hi-Viz LitePipes. Even if mixing up the sights is all but impossible, I like the contrast. The LitePipe naturally draws my eyes anyway, but I’ve found that the contrasted LitePipes specifically pull my eyes to the front sight. It’s a really cool phenomenon and I plan to keep that configuration.
Tradition Meets Modernity
One of the many things I like about my Henry rifles is the company’s traditional styling and commitment to quality. Lever guns are my favorite rifle configuration, in part because of that nostalgic style. I also love that Henry rifles are built in the USA.
I’m happy to say that Hi-Viz products can say the same thing. Hi-Viz Shooting Systems, founded in 1996, is based in Laramie, Wyoming. I’m surprised that I hadn’t heard of the company before encountering them at SHOT Show. But I guess you can’t know everything.
As much as I love my traditionally styled Henry rifles, I freely admit that the Hi-Viz LiteWave sight system is a definite upgrade. I sometimes hang onto outdated things just because I like old stuff. Traditional style or not, however, my Henrys are new rifles. Withholding a proven performance-enhancing product for nostalgia on a new gun is silly. If I had an authentic 1860 Henry, it would be justified. But I don’t.
Since I don’t intend to drill my Golden Boy for an optic, these Hi-Viz sights make a ton of sense. The sometimes hard-to-pick-up buckhorns, combined with my less-than-stellar eyesight make them even more sensible.
I’ve heard many folks complain about buckhorns, mainly because they don’t know how to use them. That wasn’t my problem. If you don’t like the buckhorns on your Henry, for whatever reason, or if you just want a cool modern upgrade, the Hi-Viz LiteWave sights deserve a long look. I know I’m glad that I turned into that specific aisle in Vegas last January.
