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Scarce and Desirable Iron Frame Model 1860 Henry Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:125,000.00 USD Estimated At:125,000.00 - 175,000.00 USD
Scarce and Desirable Iron Frame Model 1860 Henry Rifle
Auction Location:

16600 Aston Street
Irvine, CA
Scarce and Desirable Iron Frame Model 1860 Henry Lever Action Rifle, #262, .44 RF cal., 24'' barrel, with first and earliest receiver-mounted rear sight with horizonal sliding bar that is graduated to 1000 yards, simple windage adjustable rear sight between barrel address and serial number, and early rounded front sight; originally with blue finish, smooth straight-grip perchbelly walnut stock, with iron buttplate and four-piece hickory cleaning rod. Brass cartridge lifter and magazine follower. Barrel is marked ''Henry's Patent. Oct. 16. 1860/Manufact'd by the New Haven Arms Co., New Haven. CT.'' Inside of iron buttplate is numbered 262, as are both the shanks of the buttplate screws. The buttstock rod hole under buttplate shows the beveled contour unique to iron-frame Henry rifles. Both of the upper and the single lower tang screws are additionally serialized 262. Left side of lower tang is marked 262, as is the buttstock upper tang channel. This rifle is mentioned by serial number in both Wiley Sword's book, ''The Historic Henry Rifle'', page 85, and in Les Quick's book, ''The Story of Benjamin Tyler Henry and His Famed Repeating Rifle'', page 55. It is interesting to note that within the first 400 serial numbers of Henry rifles, both brass and iron framed, 89 are reported as iron framed, 16 of which have duplicate numbers to brass-framed rifles, with the popular consensus that these 16 are factory recorded errors. Condition is excellent with overall silvery gray patination and faint traces of blue around screw heads and in protected areas of barrel and particularly of the frame. Screw slots remain straight and true. Bottom of lifter with light scuffs and minor nicks; interior edges of lifter remain sharp with 40% blue remaining to bolt and top portion of extractor. Faint case colors remain to both hammer and lever. Small areas of original blue to trigger having mostly thinned and toned bright. Stock retains nearly all of its original lacquer with very light scuffs and scratches, and one discernible ding to center of right comb area. Action remains silky smooth and crisp; 6-groove barrel is mirror bright. Dealers and collectors agree that this truly exceptional Iron Frame Henry is in the top 10% conditionwise of those known to exist. Est.: $125,000-$175,000. (Antique)