Is that a Henry?

[Beebs]

Here's a few shots. I think the gun is a Henry, anybody got any idea what year or if it really is a Henry?

[Juan Miranda]

After the debate over this very subject on the GBU section a few weeks ago I would be tempted to say "lets see the other profile".

[Beebs]

What debate is that, Colonel?

[The Peacemaker]

That's a Henry repeating rifle. It was the first repeating rifle ever invented and it was the first to hold cartridges instead of the cap-and-ball way of loading. It was invented for the Civil War but the Union army didn't buy them because they weren't as powerful as the Springfield.

[Groggy]

That's a Henry repeating rifle. It was the first repeating rifle ever invented and it was the first to hold cartridges instead of the cap-and-ball way of loading. It was invented for the Civil War but the Union army didn't buy them because they weren't as powerful as the Springfield.

Actually it has more to do with the fact that other, more efficient (and accurate) repeaters like the Sharps and Spencer were also available and used en masse by the US Cavalry and sharpshooters.  The Henry was not a spectacular weapon, even by 1860's standards.  (They were also prohibitively expensive, IIRC.)

There was also a common "wisdom" in the army (which remained prevalent until after 1900) that repeaters and breach-loaders encouraged soldiers to "waste" more ammunition, so a single-shot muzzle-loader was better.  As late as the Spanish-American War, the uniform arm of the US Army were slightly updated versions of the Springfield 1860 rifled musket.

[Beebs]

There's a great little gun shop here in town and the have a real by God Henry. 40,000. And thats the cheap one. They have one that's about 70,000 because they have a fellow there that has a whole volume of books and books volume after volume of Roll call books for the Civil War. They tracked the Serial number and found what battles it was in and sho carried and what not. Pretty dang cool. I got to hold it too!

Beautiful rifle for the 1860's. I put my hands on one anyday.

[Sackett]

I've always thought it was a Henry.  However, the Henry was not the first repeater, as has been said.  There was the Colt percussion, Maynard breechloader, and the Spencer.  Perhaps there are even more that came before the Henry.
If I remember my Gettysburg battle correctly, it was John Buford's cavalry using Spencers that kept the Rebs from advancing to the high ground on the opening day of battle.

[Beebs]

You are correct sir. The first was the Spencer. I was mistaken. I guess you could say the Henry was the first repeater to look like a repeater

[Juan Miranda]

Just remember Beebs. Guns don't kill people. Rappers do.

[Beebs]

Just remember Beebs. Guns don't kill people. Rappers do.

AAAAAAAmen.

[Sackett]

I agree.  The Henry was the first to actually look like a repeater in the traditional sense we've come to associate with the West.    I'm mistaken about the Maynard though, I think it was only a single shot. 

[Beebs]

I agree.  The Henry was the first to actually look like a repeater in the traditional sense we've come to associate with the West.    I'm mistaken about the Maynard though, I think it was only a single shot. 

I am not at all familiar with the Maynard actually, so I wouldn't know if it was a repeater or not. I'll take your word for it.

[Harmonica]

The 15 shot Henry is the first true repeater in the sense that all mechanics are achieved  by activating the breech mechanism.  On the 7 shot  Spencer you still had to cock the hammer each time you ejected and inserted a cartridge.  The Maynard is a single shot breech loader percussion cap carbine.  The Colt Repeater was simply an extended revolver.  There was, however, another interesting “revolving” repeater similar to the Colt’s called the LaMatt but this one had an 18 gauge shotgun under the carbine barrel.  

[Beebs]

Never heard of an 18 gauge before

[al mullock]

im not really agree with you guys

the real name of this repeating rifle is "volcanic rifle"
created by the "volcanic repeating arms company"
one of the ingeneer was tyler HENRY

this firm will be bought by Oliver f. winchester and later TYLER HENRY will be the great manager of this new company which will be named "HENRY REPEATING ARMS COMPANY"
they will sell the new repeating rifle named "henry rifle"

then in 1866 Nelson king take the place of tyler Henry and customize the henry rifle with a new loading and ejection sytem... anew firm and a new repeating rifle is born the winchester 1866("the yellow boy")

go have a look at www.winchestercollector.org

you will see an excellent picture of "volcanic rifle"
and you ll easily compare with the FAFDM picture...
see ya..