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LOT 50
Civil War New Haven Arms Company Henry Lever Action Rifle - Serial no. 7252, 44 Henry RF cal., 24 inch octagon bbl., blue finish, walnut stock.
This Henry Lever Action Rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co., c. November 1864. The rifle has the distinctive brass receiver and buttplate with
octagon barrel and integral, 15-shot, magazine. The barrel has a nickel-silver, square
back, front sight blade and folding leaf rear sight. The rear sight has a 900 yard center notch and elevator
bar stop screw at the top of the sight. The magazine has the second style, large diameter, brass follower and the bottom of the receiver has the beveled, follower cut-out. The receiver lacks the alternate rear sight dove-tail found
on early production Henry rifles. The straight grain, American walnut stock is fitted with a factory sling swivel on the
left side. The left side of the barrel has a screw-fastened loop for a sling hook. The second style buttplate with sharply pointed
heel and hinged trap door. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the second style, two-line legend: “HENRY’S PATENT.OCT.16.1860/ MANUFACT’D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS.CO.NEWHAVEN. CT.” This legend is slightly larger than the marking found on early mid-production Henry rifles and features all serifed letters. The rifle serial number is located: (1) on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver, (2) on the left side of the lower tang beneath the stock, (3) in the upper tang inlet of the stock and (4) on the inside of the buttplate. All of the visible serial numbers match. The late style, cap-head, buttplate and tang screws are correctly not serial numbered. The lower receiver tang is stamped with the “W” inspection mark used by Oliver Winchester. The Henry rifle was the most advanced rifle available during the Civil War. Although the Federal government only purchased 1,731 Henry rifles during the war, experts believe that the majority of the 9,000 plus Henry rifles manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company during the Civil War years were purchased by individual Federal soldiers who wanted the firepower of a 15-shot repeating rifle. By 1864, many Federal soldiers in Western regiments were armed with privately purchased Henry rifles.
CONDITION: Very good. The barrel/magazine has an even gray patina. Metal surfaces are smooth, the barrel edges are sharp and the barrel legend and serial number
are crisp. The brass receiver and buttplate are both fine and have an attractive age patina. The receiver side plate joints show minimal edge wear. Both the receiver and buttplate have traces of gold plating. The plating is probably period but not original to the rifle. The case colors on the hammer, trigger and lever have faded to a gray brown patina. The stock has had a coat of protective finish applied and is in very good overall condition with scattered, minor handling marks. Mechanically fine. This is a solid example of a 1864 production Henry lever action rifle that was probably purchased for use in the Civil War.
Estimate: 25,000 - 35,000