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Historic Civil War Era New Haven Arms Company Henry Lever Action Rifle Attributed to Legendary
Dakota and Montana Territory Buffalo Hunter Fredrick “Doc” Zahl with Documentation - Serial no. 4911,
44 Henry RF cal., 24 inch octagon bbl., blue/brass finish, walnut stock. Manufactured in the spring of 1864, this
solid example of a Civil War era production New Haven Arms Company Henry rifle. The Henry lever action rifle
is among the most famous and desirable of all of the historic American lever action rifles as the predecessor
to the famous Winchester lever action rifles, one of the most advanced firearms of the American Civil War, as
well as a legendary icon of the American Frontier. Many of these advanced rifles were purchased by the federal
government for use during the Civil War, and many more were also privately purchased by veterans using their
reenlistment bonuses. Though they were more complex and fragile than the standard issue rifle-muskets of
the day, soldiers of the day were eager to get their hands on the unprecedented rapid firepower the Henry
brought to bear. Many of the Henrys that saw Civil War use, as well as many of those that didn’t, later made their
way farther west, playing a role in the taming of America’s Frontier. In the wilds of the west, these rifles could
be found in the hands of settlers, Native Americans, outlaws, lawmen, and anyone else that valued the quick
repeating shots the Henry had to offer. More often than not, these rifles saw hard use on the battlefield and later
on the frontier and carry the wear and scars to prove it. This specific rifle, serial number 4911, remains in fine
condition and has documented history linking it to the American West!
Included with the rifle is a typed transcription of a 1961 dated letter from Grover Johnson to Jed Wilson in
which he recounts how he came to own this rifle, which is listed by serial number, and what he was told of its
history before he acquired it. Johnson notes that he was 68 years old at the time of writing the letter and that he
acquired the rifle in 1910. Johnson states that he acquired the rifle by working as a cowboy for “an old buffalo
hunter by the name of “Doc” Zahl near Medicine Lake, Montana, referring to Fredrick Rudolph “Doc” Zahl, who
is believed to have been around 74 years old at that time and operating a ranch in that area. Johnson says that
Zahl told him that he used a .50 caliber Sharps for hunting buffalo, but always carried this Henry with him in
case of an Indian attack. Zahl is mentioned in one of L.A. Huffman’s books where he discusses various buffalo
hunters and their methods in the Montana and Dakota territories. Johnson also recounts a story from “Doc” Zahl
of riding with “Houser’s Raiders”, a band of vigilante Montana ranchers, and how he carried this rifle. The tale
states that the band had tracked a band of horse thieves and caught them at a cabin along Cotton Wood Creek.
The “Raiders” fired over 200 rounds into the cabin, with three of the thieves eventually emerging. The three who
emerged were said to be “Curley Rhodes”, “Slim Jaques”, and “Shorty Rogers”, all of whom
were hung on the spot, while four more bandits were discovered dead within the cabin. Johnson
says that Zahl had a buffalo skin scabbard that he had always kept the rifle in, but that it was discarded in 1941
due to a weevil infestation. Also noted in the letter is that the famous western artist C.M. Russell (misspelled
in the letter) fired this rifle in 1926 while visiting one of his daughters in Polson, Montana. It notes that Russell
mentions he would have shot better if he wasn’t sick and that he died later that year in Los Angeles.
This 1864 production Henry has the early style frame which shows an abrupt angle and only a slight edge bevel
on the upper rear, which was standard until approximately the 4900 serial number range, when it began to
be phased out. The lever is of the second style with a spur that engages the lever latch screw, which entered
production in the early 400 serial number range and continued until the end of production. The hammer has
the correct coarse, hand-filed checkering. The frame correctly lacks a rear sight dovetail slot, a feature that was
discontinued around the 3100 serial number range. The magazine follower is the correct, larger, second style
and the frame has the correct milled flats in the receiver slot. The barrel has the correct, two-line, larger style
Henry’s patent and New Haven address marking, which appeared in the 3000 serial number range. The rear sight
dovetail is just in front of the second style, larger-digit serial number, which is at the breech. The matching serial
number is marked on the barrel, left side of the lower tang, in the stock inlet, inside the buttplate, and on the
shank of both buttplate screws. The buttplate screws are hand-fitted to the contour of the buttplate and thus are
correctly numbered, while the tang screws are not hand-fitted and correctly lack numbers, a transition variation
which is seen in approximately the 3000-5600 serial number range. It is fitted with the correct, square-backed,
German silver blade front sight and correct folding ladder rear sight graduated to 900 yards. There are sling
swivels mounted on the left of the barrel and left of the stock, which are fitted with an included leather sling.
It is correctly mounted with the last style buttstock, which entered production around the 3200 serial number
range and has the gently sloping comb and flat bottom, as well as being fitted with the earlier style trapdoor
buttplate with the rounded heel that was standard until around the 5100 serial number range. Included within
the trapdoor is a four-piece metal cleaning rod. Also included are copies of the letter transcript and pages from
the L.A. Huffman book discussed, as well as other documents referring to the rifle.