GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
RARE HENRY 1860 1ST MODEL LEVER ACTION RIFLE. HENRY MODEL 1860 428 44RF Cal 44 RF HENRY. Standard Henry rifle with 24-1/4" oct bbl that has integral magazine, early style rounded German silver front sight, no provision for a rear sight on the bbl with a dovetail in top flat of receiver containing a 1st type 1,000 yard Henry ladder rear sight without slide retaining screw. Mounted with uncheckered straight grain American walnut with straight stock and 1st type buttplate with round heel and large trap to accommodate the accompanying 4-pc hickory & steel wiping rod. The 2 buttplate screws and 3 tang screws are all matching numbered to this rifle. Serial number was observed on top bbl flat at the receiver, left side of the lower tang under the wood, inside top tang channel of buttstock and inside buttplate tang. Round portion of the bbl, under the loading sleeve is marked with the assembly # 20 with matching assembly number on rear face of loading sleeve. It should be noted that although the sideplate coloration is different from the receiver & buttplate this is not an unusual occurrence with Henry rifles. This cataloger has noted several such occurrence and one is even pictured with non-matching colors on page 50 of The Henry Rifle, Quick. In actuality the coloration of the receiver & sideplates on that rifle, SN 346 very closely matches the coloration on this rifle. Accompanied by a 3-page and another 2-page letter from Kurt Saxon authenticating this rifle and its original hickory cleaning rod, and stating most of the above information. Kurt is listed in the acknowledgements section as a contributing resource on page 14 of Les Quick's Henry book. This rifle exhibits all the early features of a Henry rifle including the rounded front sight, small font address, 1,000 yard ladder rear sight, sharp radius at rear of receiver, small magazine follower tab with no rebate for the tab, slight perchbelly stock and buttplate with round heel & large trap with corresponding large hole in the wood. These early rifles produced at the very start of the Civil War almost undoubtedly saw hard service throughout the war and later on the American frontier. Rarely are they found today in orig configuration with any orig finish. This Henry is the gun that inspired the cover theme magazine article for the Fall 2012 The Winchester Collector, "What's in a Number" and the article titled, "The Cube Root of '8' Equals '2', Why Numbers are Important to Gun Nuts," which dealt with the Firearms fraternity's fascination with firearms SN's. On page 16 is the associated cover article discussing this serial number 428 and also showing a picture of the serial number and top of the barrel and receiver of this Henry on page 17. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl & magazine retain a dark brown patina with some thinning on the magazine tube about mid-point with possibly some old touch-up. Receiver & sideplates show light to moderate wear with receiver retaining a mottled dark mustard patina and the sideplates a smooth dark bronze patina. Buttplate is a matching mottled patina. Stock is sound with light nicks, dings & scratches and retains most finish. Mechanics are crisp, strong bright bore with good shine and scattered light pitting. 52330-1 JRL (27,500-35,000)