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Early Production New Haven Arms Co., Henry Lever Action Rifle with Three Digit Serial Number

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military / Long Guns - Rifles Start Price:22,500.00 USD Estimated At:45,000.00 - 55,000.00 USD
Early Production New Haven Arms Co., Henry Lever Action Rifle with Three Digit Serial Number
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Early Production New Haven Arms Co., Henry Lever Action Rifle with Three Digit Serial Number

Henry Lever Action rifle manufactured during the third month of production, August 1862. The rifle has the distinctive Henry brass gunmetal receiver and buttplate and octagon barrel with integral 15-shot magazine. This very early production rifle has the first pattern receiver with dovetail mounted rear sight. The barrel lacks the alternate rear sight dovetail found on the majority of Henry rifles (a rifle with no barrel dovetail, Serial No. "393", is pictured on page 72 of "THE HENRY RIFLE" by Les Quick. The barrel has the second style square-back nickel silver front sight. The magazine has the first pattern small diameter cartridge follower and the receiver has the early straight cut follower slot. The rifle has the first style folding leaf rear sight with "1000" yard marking on the leaf below the center notch and "1" and "0" on either side of the sight base aperture. The receiver has the second pattern loading lever with lever latch introduced about serial number 400. The hammer has borderless knurling on the spur. The straight grain American walnut stock is not fitted with a sling swivel and the left side of the barrel lacks the screw fastened loop for a sling hook. The sling swivel and loop were extra cost, special order features on early-mid production Henry rifles. The brass buttplate has the first style rounded heel. The buttplate has a hinged trapdoor and the butt-trap contains the four-piece jointed steel buttplate furnished with Henry rifles around serial number 4000. The top barrel flat is roll stamped with the first style legend "HENRY'S PATENT OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT'D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS CO. NEWHAVEN. CT." The first style legend is shorter (approximately 2-17/32nd" inches long) and has Roman (serifed) letters except for the final "NEWHAVEN" in the second line which utilizes Gothic (block) letters. In the high 3000 serial number range a larger, 3-9/32inch legend was adopted that featured all Roman letters. The serial number "545" is located on: the top barrel flat immediately ahead of the receiver, the lower left side of the tang underneath the stock, the upper stock inlet, the inside of the buttplate heel, the shanks of the fitted buttplate screws and the shanks of the three tang screws. All of the visible serial numbers match. Although the Federal government purchased only about 1700 Henry rifles during the Civil War most of the Henry rifles manufactured between 1862 and 1865 are believed to have been privately purchased by individual Federal soldiers who wanted the advantage of a rimfire lever-action 15-shot magazine rifle. The Henry rifle was particularly popular with soldiers in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan regiments. Following the Civil War, Henry rifles were equally popular in the frontier West. Archaeologists at the Little Big Horn battlefield recovered a substantial number of spent cartridges from Henry rifles used by Native American warriors. Civil War production Henry rifles, like this early example, are among the most historically significant 19th Century American firearms.

Manufacture: New Haven Arms Co.
Model: Henry Rifle
BBL: 24 inch octagon
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 44 Henry RF
Finish: blue/casehardened
Grips:
Serial Number: 545

Very good. This rifle displays wear consistent with field use but shows no abuse or neglect. The blue finish on the barrel and integral 15-shot magazine has aged to a very attractive plum-brown patina. The metal surfaces are smooth and free from rust or pitting. The edges of the barrel show light handling wear. The barrel legend and serial number are sharp. The loading gate is missing the cartridge follower retaining screw. The brass receiver has an attractive patina. The side plate joints are tight and free from pry marks. The receiver shows moderate handling wear with scattered light nicks and scratches and a series of shallow dents on the left front of the receiver and left side plate. The rear sight is complete, original to the rifle and has crisp markings. The brass buttplate has the same unpolished patina and moderate handling marks as the receiver. The stock is good overall with numerous minor handling marks that are typical of a working rifle that saw daily use. The walnut has a mellow patina and the fit of the stock to the receiver and buttplate is excellent. This is a good looking original example of an early1862 production rifle that very probably was used in the Civil War.