G'day Fella's,
I need a bit of info if any of you can help. I have been offered a Alex. Henry double rifle,with bar action locks. Nothing quite out of the ordinary yet, but read on. Keep in mind that the rifle is the better part of a days drive from me so all the info I'm working on is by phone and a couple of pics sent over the web. Of course the first thing I asked the seller was the cal. Back came the answer; 470. Hmm thinks me, a later gun made by Dickson. "Is it a box lock I ask ?"
"no, underlever hammer with very good Henry rifling" came back down the line. A Henry rifled 470???
Must be a mistake for sure, probably a 500-450, so I asked him to try a 458" pill in the muzzles. It drops straight through but a 510" bullet is way too big. Does a 470 shell go in the chambers? Almost it seems, to within a couple mm's of going completely in. He then sent a couple of pics and to me and the gun looks an early one, has that " muzzleloading feel " to it. Proof marks; pre 1887, and now the serial number; its in the low 1600's so its looks about right.
I have a very nice little 360- 2 1/4" double by Henry and have seen quite a few more in my day to day work, but for the life of me I don't know what this is? Did Henry try an early form of a 47 cal rifle? He also said when asked about express sights that instead of a standing sight with leaves on it has one standing that is on an inclined slide which is marked for the different ranges.
The rifle does look a bit tired but it sure does intrigue me. I know you would like to see the pics but at this point I would like to keep them under cover as it were.
Any help/ info/ ideas would be much appreciated.
Regards, Underlever.