.500" X 3” BPE single barrel falling block game rifle by Alex Henry of Edinburgh.
£3750
A .500 X 3” BPE single barrel falling block game rifle by Alex Henry of Edinburgh. Left hand side border engraved lock with sliding half cock safety is engraved ALEXr HENRY. Henry patent falling block action with lever to the underside is engraved PATENT No.91 to the action ring next to Victorian Birmingham commercial proof mark. Walnut pistol grip stock with chequered steel butt plate has butt trap with spring retained cover and horn pistol grip cap. The wrist with a professionally fitted and inletted Lyman aperture folding rear sight. The trigger guard tang engraved with serial number 7758 for manufacture between 1865 and 1869. Key retained walnut forend with moulded tip is spuriously hand carved with a list of big game animals and a tally of those ‘taken’ with the rifle including Bear and Stags next to the owners name. Round tapering heavy 26 ¾” barrel fitted with standing rear sight with four folding leaves graduated up to 500 yards and fine blade bead profile foresight, the barrel engraved to the rear of the sight ALEXr HENRY 12 SOUTH St ANDREWS St EDINBURGH PATENT No. 110 AND 91 next to Birmingham proof marks. A plain grade heavy sporting rifle chambered for the powerful .500 X 3” Black Powder Express round, firing a relatively light bullet at (for black powder) high velocities these rifles were designed for use on soft skinned non dangerous game all over the world as well as on some soft skinned dangerous game such as the smaller big cats. Like many of Henry’s rifles it is fitted with a left hand lock, designed to keep the hammer out of the way of a right handed shooter when reloading to speed up the process and avoid any risk of dropping a round by striking the hammer while loading. An accurate and effective design these plain grade Henry rifles were popular with military officers and colonial officials as well as farmers and less well to do hunters who wanted a powerful and very well made rifle without going to the considerable expense of a double rifle. In good condition with good bore and mechanics, with a nice sharp stock with interesting if spurious claims of many successful hunts on the forend with fading finish to the meatal work. A good example of a classic Henry game rifle in a very desirable big bore calibre.
