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Desirable Civil War Identified U.S. Contract New Haven Arms Co. Martially Inspected Henry Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:17,000.00 USD Estimated At:35,000.00 - 55,000.00 USD
Desirable Civil War Identified U.S. Contract New Haven Arms Co. Martially Inspected Henry Rifle
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Desirable Civil War Identified U.S. Contract New Haven Arms Co. Martially Inspected Henry Rifle

U.S. Contract Henry lever-action rifle with documentation that indicates it was issued to Sergeant Jacob M. Miller, Company H, 3rd U.S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry (VVI) in July 1865. The rifle has the distinctive Henry octagon barrel with integral magazine, brass, gunmetal receiver and crescent buttplate. The stock is straight grain black walnut. The barrel has a second style square-back nickel silver front sight and folding leaf rear sight with 900 yard center notch. The follower is the later large pattern and the receiver follower slot is the second style with milled edges. The receiver is the second style which lacks the rear sight dovetail which was eliminated around serial number 3,000. The buttplate is the correct first pattern with rounded heel. The rifle is correctly not fitted with a sling swivel or loop. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the two-line legend "HENRY'S PATENT OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT'D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS.CO. NEWHAVEN. CT." ahead of the rear sight. The legend is the smaller first style with "NEWHAVEN" in gothic letters without the serifs used in the rest of the legend. The "C.G.C." inspection mark of Ordnance Inspector Charles G. Chapman is stamped in block letters on the right side of the barrel at the junction with the receiver. The final Ordnance inspection mark which consists of the script initials "CGC" in an oval is stamped vertically on the right side of the stock wrist. A small "H" New Haven Arms inspection mark is stamped below the "CGC" barrel mark. Two additional "H" inspection marks are stamped on the right side of the receiver adjacent to the barrel markings. A small "C" is stamped on the right side of the buttplate at the heel. The rifle serial number "3083" is stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver, on the right side of the lower receiver tang underneath the stock, in the upper tang inlet of the stock, on the shanks of both hand-fitted buttplate screws and on the inside of the buttplate. The tang cap screws are correctly not serial numbered. Although experts believe most of the Henry rifles manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co. between 1862 and 1865 were used in the Civil War, only 1,731 Henry rifles were purchased by the Ordnance Department during the war. In 1863 The Ordnance Department contracted with the New Haven Arms Co. for 800 Henry rifles to arm the 1st District of Columbia Cavalry Regiment. These rifles were delivered in March 1864 and are in the 3000-4000 serial number range. The 800 1st D.C. Cavalry rifles are the only U.S. contract Henry rifles with Ordnance inspection marks on the barrels and stocks. In April and May 1865 the Ordnance Department ordered 627 additional Henry rifles to arm the newly raised Veteran Volunteer Infantry (VVI) regiments. The VVI regiments were intended to be a select corps of veteran infantry armed with the latest Henry, Sharps and Spencer rifles. As an enlistment incentive members of the VVI regiments were allowed to retain their rifles when they mustered out of service. Most of the 627 Henry rifles purchased by the Ordnance Department in 1865 and a few of the 800 Henry rifles purchased to arm the 1st D.C. Cavalry were issued to the 3rd VVI regiment. This rifle is one of the 800 first contract U.S. Henry rifles purchased for the 1st D.C. Cavalry that was subsequently issued to the 3rd VVI. It was apparently retained by Sergeant Miller when he mustered out of service in 1866. This is a rare fully inspected First Contract Henry rifle documented as issued to a member of the 3rd VVI.

Manufucture: New Haven Arms Co.
Model: Henry Rifle
BBL: 24 inch octagon
Stock: walnut
Guage: 44 Henry RF
Finish: blue
Grips:
Serial Number: 3083

Very good. The barrel and magazine have a very attractive plum brown patina. The patina is deep and even. The metal surfaces are smooth and the edges are sharp. The barrel legend, serial number and "C.G.C." inspection mark are crisp. The rear sight appears to be original to the rifle and is fine. The brass receiver and buttplate have a unhandled and unpolished mellow patina. The side plate joints are tight. The receiver and side plates have minimal handling wear. The hammer, trigger and lever have a smooth gray brown patina with strong traces of the original case colors. The stock has been lightly sanded but remains good-very good with a few minor handling marks. The oval "C.G.C." Ordnance inspection mark is visible on the right side of the stock wrist. First Contract Henry rifles rarely have visible stock inspection marks. This is an outstanding example of a scarce fully inspected Civil War martially inspected Henry rifle documented as being issued to a soldier of the 3rd VVI. It would be hard to improve on this fine and historically important rifle.