doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Alex Herny 450 Takedown Single Shot Rifle w/ Tools

Buckstix,
Question, in the picture of the powder, foam and bullet why did you photoshop the powder picture? Just curious.

Thanks

It was photo-shopped to show the proper amount of powder that goes into the case.

Rem,
Lawyer...


Just something wrong with that....

Wal Winfer's Henry book shows only one scoped and cased rifle and IIRC correctly only one they were aware of at the time of publishing- a very rare and beautiful set indeed.

Well folks,

My Alex Henry has drawn blood after likely sitting dormant for over a century. On November 18, 2012 at approx 10:00 am, I harvested a Wisconsin Whitetail. A Button-Buck was taken at approx 90 yds and will provide meat for the table over the next 12 months. With 3 days yet remaining of our 9-day season, I will continue to hunt for a more fitting trophy for this fine old rifle. Story to follow.

Well, it looks like the story of the Wisconsin hunt with the AH ends here. I did get a chance shot at a very nice big Buck, but I have been spoiled by years of hunting with a magnum rifle and a scope, and missed using the iron sights of the Alex Henry.

I did notice a modest reduction in pressure-signs of the fired primer from that case. I think perhaps the sudden cold temperatures may have affected my loading, and thereby contributed to my missing the shot. (good excuse?)

I intend to spend a lot more time practicing with this rifle throughout the year so as to increase both my sighting with iron sights and range estimation for next season.

I can say this, I have hunted with dozens and dozens of different rifles over these last 46 hunting seasons, and none has given me so much pleasure as using this Alex Henry.

It truly balanced better and swung faster than any other rifle I've used. It carried and felt like a sleek 5 pounds, rather than the near 8 pound rifle it is. Its slender grip being near a single inch in diameter, feels unlike any other rifle I've hunted with.

I can't wait until next season to try again.

In regards to the scope, I had the same one on a Fraser and one on a Westley Richards.
This is the head of a small Wisconsin buck I got with my H&H .360 double.

Hello All,

As a follow-up to my Alex Henry posting that I started last Fall, I just acquired from the family, the original hand written "List of Implements" for the rifle along with the original "Instruction Sheets" that were included with the rifle when it originally purchased from Alex Henry back in 1885. The rifle remained with the original family all these years. I am the second owner. These Instructions from 1885 tell how to care for, and how to load for this rifle. The Serial Number for the rifle is scribed in ink with a quill pen on a small 3" x 5-1/4" envelope, and also on the first page of the Instruction Sheets. The 4" x 6-1/2" Implements page is totally hand scribed in ink.

The Instructions consisted of 2 separate pages, 4-1/2" x 6-7/8" in size. These 2 sheets, along with the implements page, were folded and placed into the small envelope, which today is quite tattered. The fragile Instruction Sheet pages have broken into 6 pieces, but I was able to place them together so they could be photographed. As far as I know, these are the only Original Instruction Sheets known for any Alex Henry rifle. Although these are in poor condition, the fact that they have survived at all over these last 128 years in somewhat of a miracle. Let alone still with the rifle.

You will notice that the Instructions cover both Alex Henry Single Shot and Double rifles, and a special ball loading for the .360 gauge. Needless to say the details of how to cast and load are extremely interesting.

You need to do three things very quickly:
1. Contact a paper preservationist and allow that person to preserve those historical documents properly.
2. Contact Huey or another proper British case maker and ensure that your repairs are period correct and to period standards.
3. Sell that rifle to ME!!
(or put these in reverse order and I'll take care of the papers and case!)

Oh, the scope looks like a Davidson scope like used by Fraser. I don't have mine available to compare but it is very similar, probably just a bit later made.

Envious.

Hello A10ACN,

I called a paper preservationist and asked if I would hurt the documents if I taped them together, or if I should just laminate them with plastic.

She said paper preservationist never use the words "tape" or "laminate in plastic" in the same sentence that contains the words "conserving documents". So, I just aligned the individual pieces in a clear plastic carrier for safe keeping. But I'll be using the photographs of them a lot.

I don't really care about the case repairs, period correct or not. They are what they are, as they were done by previous owner, so they are in keeping with the Rifle's History.

The scope is the original scope as received with the rifle in 1885. It is not marked. It has about a 1/4" eye relief and the rifle no longer has the "eye preserver" so I'll likely never shoot the rifle with this scope.

I also have a Fraser marked scope that I hope to have some custom mounts made to fit this rifle's rib, so I can use it again for hunting this fall, and not miss a big buck like I did last year.

The only thing missing from the inventory sheet is the "punch" which I'm sure was the 45 cal wad punch.

If you know of a vintage 45 cal wad punch, or where I might get one, please let me know. I'd like to have all the items that were on the list.