Huvius
(.416 member)
01/05/16 03:59 AM
Re: Single Shot Rifles at Auction

Here's hoping!
Looks like I am the high bidder on this A. Henry but I have lost auctions where I thought myself to be the winner - somehow... Sometimes my bid matches another but being made before my bid, takes the win. We'll see.

Anyway, here is the auction description:

Description: This Alexander Henry express rifle has the hammer and lock on the left and a shadow line cheekpiece on the right for left handed shooters. While the original military pattern Henry rifles had their locks and hammers on the left to facilitate easier loading, Henry express rifles typically have their hammers and locks on the right side as has long been standard on sporting rifles. This example has a blade front sight on a large integral base, a notch rear sight with a folding leaf and scope on the raised rib that is marked "ALEX'R HENRY, EDINBURGH & LONDON," intricate English scrollwork on the action, and a checkered forearm and pistol grip stock with checkered steel buttplate. The lock has a sliding half-cock safety ahead of the hammer similar to the style found on high end flintlock and percussion arms from early in the 19th century. The underside of the barrel has several English proofs, "500 EX," and "6582/A.H." The lower tang is marked "5909." The .500 Express black powder cartridge was most popular for hunting tigers in India.

Condition: Fine. The original blue finish on the barrel remains mostly intact with the balance having turned a plum brown. The case colors have mostly silvered out aside from some vivid case colors visible in the protected areas. The are some spots of varnish/oil stains as well as a few minor marks and light scratches. The wood is also fine and has crisp checkering and a few minor handling and storage marks. The scope is more well worn and has distinct signs of having been mounted further forward in the replacement rings at some point. The optics are clear except for some black visible in the outer circumference. The action functions perfectly, and the markings and engraving patterns are distinct.








Now, obviously they are correct that it is a LH rifle with the cheekpiece on the right of the stock. Often Alex Henrys are identified as LH simply because the lock is on the left which is not the case as many A. Henrys were made for right handed shooters (cheekpiece on the left) but with the lock on the right or left. A lock on the right would aid a LH shooter anyway. I'm not a lefty but that doesn't bother me on a rifle such as this.

One thing they seem to have missed is the forend latch.
This latch was used by Henry only on his takedown rifles! So, as I said, "Here's Hoping!!"



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