Page 50 - 87-BOOK2

LISTED BY SERIAL NUMBER IN THE BOOK THE HENRY RIFLE BY QUICK
48
LOT 1055
Excellent Fine Documented First Month Production, New Haven
Arms Co., Brass Frame Henry Lever Acton Rifle Serial Number 208 - Serial no. 208, 44 Henry RF cal., 24 inch bbl.,
blue finish, walnut stock. This Henry lever action rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company in May or June 1862.
This rifle is identified by serial number in the list of the first 400 surviving Henry rifles on
page 55 of THE HENRY RIFLE by Les Quick. The New Haven Arms Company used duplicate serial
numbers for approximately the first 400 brass and iron frame Henry rifles; the highest known iron frame Henry rifle
serial number is 355. This rifle has the distinctive first style, brass receiver with rear sight dove-tail and first style buttplate with rounded heel. The 24-inch octagon barrel with integral magazine has the first style, half-moon, German-silver front sight blade, alternate rear sight dove-tail and first style barrel legend. The two-line legend: “HENRY’S PATENT. OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT’D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS. CO. NEWHAVEN. CT.”
is approximately 2-17/32 inches long and utilizes serifed letters with the
exception of the final “NEWHAVEN” which is stamped in block letters. The 15-shot magazine has a large diameter brass follower and the bottom of the receiver has milled flats to accept the follower. The receiver has the second style, spur lever with lever latch. The receiver-mounted, folding leaf rear sight has a “900” yard marking below the notch at the top of the sight and elevation bar with rounded edges. The walnut stock has the nearly vertical comb typical of early production rifles. The left side of the stock is fitted with a factory sling swivel and the left side of the barrel has a screw- mounted loop for a sling hook. The brass buttplate has a hinged trapdoor and lacks the reinforcing bosses around the screw holes found on later production Henry rifles. The hand-fitted buttplate screws are stamped with the rifle serial number “208”. The serial number “208” is also stamped on the shanks on all three tang screws. In addition to the screws, serial number “208” is stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight dove-tail and the receiver, on the left side of the lower receiver tang, in the stock upper tang inlet and on the inside of the buttplate at the top of the heel. All of the visible serial numbers match. The Henry rifle was the most advanced rifle manufactured during the Civil War. Although purchased in small quantities by the Federal Ordnance Department; the firepower offered by the 15-shot Henry rifle was recognized by individual soldiers who were willing to pay the significant $40 price for the rifle. By 1864 large numbers of Henry rifles were carried by Federal regiments in the Western theater.