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Posted By: SKB A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/29/18 11:38 PM
10 bore Alex Henry built in 1872, all original and superb in every aspect. At 11 & 1/4 lbs it was made for some serious work.











Posted By: rocky mtn bill Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 12:00 AM
Whoof.
Posted By: LRF Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 12:50 AM
Thanks for sharing....that is pretty!
Posted By: gasgunner Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 04:39 PM
WOW, that has survived the years in remarkable condition. Thanks for posting.

John
Posted By: BrentD, Prof Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 06:50 PM
What caliber, twist, etc?

Never mind. I assume it is a smooth bore?
Posted By: SKB Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 07:10 PM
10 bore chamber, barrel proofed at 12 bore, fully rifled with Henry rifling.
Posted By: BrentD, Prof Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 07:15 PM
It would be a very fun deer rifle.
Posted By: SKB Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 07:20 PM
11 & 1/4 lbs....dangerous game gun but would be fun for deer as well
Posted By: BrentD, Prof Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 07:23 PM
I would think a true DG gun would always be a double.

Do you know the twist?
Posted By: SKB Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 07:53 PM
about 1:28"....there are quite a few dangerous game single shot rifles out there, in this same collection resides a Rigby built on an 1902 Webely action in .577 3" proofed for the 750 grain bullet and 100 gr of Cordite. Hard to get more of a DG gun than that.
Posted By: BrentD, Prof Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 10:05 PM
It will definitely get the job done. But you only get one chance. smile
Posted By: SKB Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 10:15 PM
Tis true, but then think how much faster reloading this gun would be VS reloading a Muzzleloader. In 1872 when this gun was built, nearly all the dangerous game up to that point had been taken by front stuffers. You know that had to be exciting when you muffed the shot.
Posted By: BrentD, Prof Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 10:23 PM
Yup, exciting for sure. And with enough recoil that it might take a few minutes to know if you missed or not.

This wasn't intended as a dangerous game gun (.635 ~ 18 gauge, ~50" twist), but a bigger version of it would be what I would have expected.

This is circa 1830s.

Posted By: SKB Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 10:25 PM
I love that rifle....I was surprised you sold it. I could not swing it at the time or it would be in my safe.
Posted By: BrentD, Prof Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 10:28 PM
I bought it for moose, but the moose set up collapsed on heels of brain worms. It was way overkill for whitetails. I kept thinking about the nice pheasant guns or singleshots I could buy with the money. But I do miss it occasionally.

A similar one sold at Amoskeague two weeks ago. A friend bought it.

It is hard to find double percussion rifles that are not badly rotted out.
Posted By: SKB Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 10:34 PM
Oh heck, over kill....I thought my .69 was just perfect on deer.....of course this is coming from a guy who just took his Whitetail at 8 paces with a .375 H&H.




we can not use double barrel guns in the ML season here in CO. Apparently some kind of advantage over the guys shooting the smokeless powder ML'as.

I want a percussion double rifle but singles are my true love. I have a SS falling block currently on the pay it when you get it plan. Pics when I get it paid for.
Posted By: BrentD, Prof Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 10:36 PM
You know, a single barrel like that WOULD BE something I would like. Two friends have them. The double just meant I had one barrel to clean and one to unload. Sort of a PITA.

I'm not against overkill in principle. Just didn't need that second barrel or all that capital tied up in that one gun.

That's a really sweet looking rifle and buck. I'd like a muley like that. So far, no luck.
Posted By: SKB Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 11:12 PM
That is my best Muley and quite a bit of luck was involved. This was the second time I ran into him that morning on a still hunt. Funny thing was I had been looking for my friends along the old road that I shot him off of, calling for them with no luck. Sat down for 15 minutes or so and decided I had missed them so began walking to the truck and he got up out of his bed only 100 yards from the road. Easy shot but if my friends had been in the correct spot I am pretty sure things would not have worked out the way they did. Using the old guns sure do add something special to a hunt.
Posted By: ellenbr Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 11:13 PM


What is the reason for the "C" cut-out or void on the trigger above the finger pull portion?

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: SKB Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 11/30/18 11:56 PM
Like many features on this rifle, simply to make it look interesting. This feature is seen on muzzleloaders sometimes.
Posted By: ellenbr Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 12/01/18 12:15 AM
Hum, might it be a trigger lock, either external or internal? When you lock the hammer does that notch mate w/ something internally?

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: SKB Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 12/01/18 12:25 AM
Nope, simply decoration. The hammer does have a bolted safety which locks it in the rebounded position. That is the nitre blued sliding piece directly behind the hammer.
Posted By: Richard Brown Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 12/05/18 12:37 PM
Would you like to tell me the serial number and I'll add it to the "inventory" of AH rifles I have created ?
Posted By: SKB Re: A Best Rifle by any measure - 12/05/18 01:39 PM
Serial#2683.....now if you want to see this gun in action, check out this video. A friend and fellow collector pointed it out to me. About 15 seconds in they show this and a chap shooting it! Nice comb over too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcKfaoX_0HA&feature=youtu.be
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