VERY EARLY AND HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT ALEXANDER HENRY SINGLE SHOT RIFLE, ACTION PATENT USE NO. 8.

VERY EARLY AND HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT ALEXANDER HENRY SINGLE SHOT RIFLE, ACTION PATENT USE NO. 8. SN 1421. (Ca. 1865) Cal. .577 2-3/4 BPE. Jonathan Kirton in his book “The British Falling Block Breechloading Rifle from 1865” lists only one Alexander Henry rifle with a lower number (Patent use no. 3). It is in the David M. Stewart Museum in Montreal, and as far as it is known, it is one of 6 rifles made by Henry, and submitted to the War Office for rifle trials. Assuming that all the trial rifles had sequential patent use numbers, that would make this particular rifle, patent use no. 8, either the first or second Alexander Henry single shot rifle sold commercially. This rifle is also unusual in that it is chambered for the .577 express cartridge of which there are only 4 examples listed in Kirton. This rifle incorporates Henry’s very early extractor design, and front action sidelock which was only used on the first 60 or so rifles. This particular rifle is also pictured in Wal Winfer’s “British Single Shot Rifles, volume 1″ on page 41, figure 26. 28-1/2” Round barrel is engraved “Alex’r Henry. 12 South St. Andrew St.” at head of rear sight, and “Edinburgh Patent Nos. 831 and 8.” behind rear sight, which is of express type with platinum line and tangent elevating slide, which is also a ladder sight graduated out to 1000 yards. Front sight is fine steel bead on circular base soldered to top of bbl. Dropping block action is border engraved. Block sits very high with tapered fore portion to assist in chambering cartridge. Top of receiver ring is engraved “Patent No. 8”. Underlever locks into mortise in trigger guard with button latch when action is closed. Front action sidelock is inlet through the action, and has front mounted sliding safety, is border engraved and has “Alex’r Henry” on front portion. Nicely filed serpentine hammer is unengraved. Steel trigger guard has forged in checkered pistol grip, and SN on grip. Dark figured European walnut buttstock measures 14″ over steel buttplate with border engraving at tang. Left rear near heel is stamped “F. O’Brien” and “Orange” (probably referring to Orange free state, South Africa). Grip is checkered at 18 LPI with mullered borders. Matching forend has horn tip, and fastens to bbl with side nail through oval escutcheons with rounded terminations. Drop at heel: Approx 2-7/16″, drop at comb: Approx 1-3/4″. Weight: 7 lbs. 7 oz, LOP 14″. CONDITION: Good. Bbl retains traces of original blue. Action is mostly silver to gray-brown. Dime sized area on floorplate has broken out from overzealous use of lever (Floorplate is extremely thin).Wood shows years of use and maintenance with oil rubbed in. Tip of comb looks to have been chipped, and smoothed up a long time ago. Checkering is worn, probably re-cut at one time. There is a repair in forend on right rear toward lock and bottom of action. Seven groove Henry rifling is strong, but lightly pitted throughout. Breech block is slightly loose. Lock is crisp. Lovely old rifle that exudes history, and is the grandfather of all dropping block rifles to come. 4-38909 MGM122 (7,000-10,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2009

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1267	$6,490.00	VERY EARLY AND HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT ALEXANDER HENRY SINGLE SHOT RIFLE, ACTION PATENT USE NO. 8. SN 1421. (Ca. 1865) Cal. .577 2-3/4 BPE. Jonathan Kirton in his book “The British Falling Block Breechloading Rifle from 1865” lists only one Alexander Henry rifle with a lower number (Patent use no. 3). It is in the David M. Stewart Museum in Montreal, and as far as it is known, it is one of 6 rifles made by Henry, and submitted to the War Office for rifle trials. Assuming that all the trial rifles had sequential patent use numbers, that would make this particular rifle, patent use no. 8, either the first or second Alexander Henry single shot rifle sold commercially. This rifle is also unusual in that it is chambered for the .577 express cartridge of which there are only 4 examples listed in Kirton. This rifle incorporates Henry’s very early extractor design, and front action sidelock which was only used on the first 60 or so rifles. This particular rifle is also pictured in Wal Winfer’s “British Single Shot Rifles, volume 1″ on page 41, figure 26. 28-1/2” Round barrel is engraved “Alex’r Henry. 12 South St. Andrew St.” at head of rear sight, and “Edinburgh Patent Nos. 831 and 8.” behind rear sight, which is of express type with platinum line and tangent elevating slide, which is also a ladder sight graduated out to 1000 yards. Front sight is fine steel bead on circular base soldered to top of bbl. Dropping block action is border engraved. Block sits very high with tapered fore portion to assist in chambering cartridge. Top of receiver ring is engraved “Patent No. 8”. Underlever locks into mortise in trigger guard with button latch when action is closed. Front action sidelock is inlet through the action, and has front mounted sliding safety, is border engraved and has “Alex’r Henry” on front portion. Nicely filed serpentine hammer is unengraved. Steel trigger guard has forged in checkered pistol grip, and SN on grip. Dark figured European walnut buttstock measures 14″ over steel buttplate with border engraving at tang. Left rear near heel is stamped “F. O’Brien” and “Orange” (probably referring to Orange free state, South Africa). Grip is checkered at 18 LPI with mullered borders. Matching forend has horn tip, and fastens to bbl with side nail through oval escutcheons with rounded terminations. Drop at heel: Approx 2-7/16″, drop at comb: Approx 1-3/4″. Weight: 7 lbs. 7 oz, LOP 14″. CONDITION: Good. Bbl retains traces of original blue. Action is mostly silver to gray-brown. Dime sized area on floorplate has broken out from overzealous use of lever (Floorplate is extremely thin).Wood shows years of use and maintenance with oil rubbed in. Tip of comb looks to have been chipped, and smoothed up a long time ago. Checkering is worn, probably re-cut at one time. There is a repair in forend on right rear toward lock and bottom of action. Seven groove Henry rifling is strong, but lightly pitted throughout. Breech block is slightly loose. Lock is crisp. Lovely old rifle that exudes history, and is the grandfather of all dropping block rifles to come. 4-38909 MGM122 (7,000-10,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2009 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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