Product Details
* A. HENRY, EDINBURGH
AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE .451 PERCUSSION DUAL POSITION MATCH-RIFLE, MODEL 'HENRY-FRASER PATENT', serial no. 4195,
for 1877, with special Henry rifled tapering round 33 1/2in. barrel (some pitting), the short rib at breech marked 'PATENT 3232', the side of breech with later number '2663', mount for a micro-adjustable fore-sight (missing) at muzzle, ladder rear-sight marked 'J. BARLOW, GRAHAMS TOWN', border engraved top-tang with integral base for a folding vernier sight (present), fenced nipple (nipple absent), engraved platinum plug, border engraved bar-action lock signed 'ALEXr. HENRY', sliding safe forwards of the hammer breast, border engraved hammer, chequered walnut twin pistol-grip half-stock, each grip with its own trigger and guard, the front guard engraved 'H & F PATENT No3 ALEXr. HENRY EDINBURGH' and the serial number to the tang, the rear guard with borderline engraving only, straight comb inlet for a further sight position or possibly a comb-raiser (absent), chequered horn heel-plate and strongly arched under-belly to the butt, horn caps to the front grip and fore-end, no provision for ramrod, finish worn, butt cracked at rear wrist behind lock
Literature: See 'In The Gunroom' September 2019 by Donald Dallas for further historical background on the two position rifle
Other Notes: Factory records state this rifle was sold on 12th October 1877 as a special double-grip rifle and supplied to Messrs Deane & Co in London. It was the third such rifle produced.
These most peculiar looking match-rifles were a joint patent between Alexander Henry and Daniel Fraser and were designed for conventional prone and back-position match shooting. They are equipped with a special Henry rifled progressive twist barrel with more lands and grooves than normal. When they started to appear at Wimbledon for competitions, the English immediately declared them an unfair advantage and banned them from competition use. Most of the guns made were subsequently sold to clients in both South Africa and Australia. Two versions were produced, a muzzle-loader as represented here and a falling block cartridge rifle. Only 24 pieces were produced across both models.
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Estimate £3,000-5,000