Despite the obvious superiority of the repeating rifle over muzzle loaders of the day, it was well after the Civil War before the US Government accepted the repeaters, changing warfare forever and making the muzzle loader obsolete for future wars.Henry Repeating Arms Serial Number Lookup 3,7/5 9357votesīest Answer: My Civil War history may be a tad rusty but if my memory serves there were only around 100 Henry rifles built in 1860. The largest privately funded Henry regiment was the 7th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, armed with over 500 Henrys purchased at $52.50 each–almost 4 months pay for a Civil War solider. Sought after due to its rapidity of fire, most Henrys used during the Civil War were purchased by Union soldiers with their own money. Few of these martial guns remain in good condition war duty and later service in the West and other wear resulted in much hard use and abuse. Because many of the veterans later went west, most of these rifles saw duty in the frontier and in the Indian wars. One of the incentives for reenlisting in the Veteran Volunteers was a cash “bounty” as well as the agreement that the veterans would be permitted to keep their guns and accessories.
Veterans Volunteers, where they saw duty until the end of the war. These rifles were then re-issued to the Third U.S. Cavalry and after use with this unit were turned back in to the ordinance department. Many rifles in this serial range are recorded as issued to the First D. , it is known that rifles in the serial range from 1392 to 3956 were in the Ordinance Department order for Henrys, dated December 30, 18 63. Some Second Models bare the “AWM” and “JT” government inspection markings on the left side of the stock, on the wrist near the receiver.įrom records in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Chapman, indicating he had inspected and accepted this gun for the Ordinance Department of the U.S. Some First Models were purchased by the U.S.
Matching assembly numbers, in small numerals, are found on the barrel under the loading sleeve and on the rear face of the loading sleeve. On early rifles, the tang and buttplate screws also are serial numbered.
The serial number of Henry rifles are found on the top flat of the barrel, on the left side of the lower tang under the stock, on the stock under the upper tang, and on the inside of the buttplate. Henry rifles had 24” barrels with a magazine capacity of 16 rounds, with a few shorter length Henry carbines known to exist. Second Models were exclusively brass frame with pointed buttplates (s/n 5300 – 14900 range). Both the rifle and its ammunition were superior in every respect to the Volcanic firearms.įirst Model Henrys were made with iron frames (s/n 1 to 400 range,) and brass frames (s/n 1 to 5,300 range, overlapping with iron frames) both with rounded buttplates.
Winchester obtained the patent rights to the Volcanic, he founded the New Haven Arms Company and manufactured the Henry rifle which employed the. However both of these firearms fired an inefficient self-contained projectile. The toggle-link action was nearly identical to that used in the Smith & Wesson volcanic pistols and the Volcanics manufactured by the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company. Designed by Benjamin Tyler Henry, the Henry Rifle was considered one of the most advanced weapons of its day.