This is a good example of a Henry lever action rifle that was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co., in 1864. The rifle has the distinctive brass "gunmetal" receiver and buttplate with 24 inch octagon barrel and integral 15-shot magazine. The barrel was originally blued, and the hammer, trigger and lever color casehardened. The stock is straight grain American walnut. The rifle has the late production features which include a square-back, nickel/silver, front sight blade, folding leaf rear sight with elevator bar stop screw at the top of the leaf below the center notch, a large diameter magazine follower, a milled flats in receiver follower slot, and buttplate with pointed heel. The buttplate has a hinged trap door. A sling swivel is fitted on the left side of the stock, and the left side of the barrel has a screw-fastened loop for a sling hook. Sling swivels and loops were standard on Henry rifles in this serial number range. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the large, second style legend "HENRY'S PATENT. OCT. 16. 1860/MANUFACT'D. BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS CO. NEWHAVEN. CT." in two-lines ahead of the rear sight. The legend has all serifed letters rather than the combination of serif and block letters used in the smaller legend found on Henry rifles thru about serial number 4000. The serial number "5285" is stamped on the top of the barrel between the rear sight and the receiver, on the left side of the lower receiver tang, in the upper tang inlet of the stock and on the inside of the buttplate below the lower screw hole. All of the visible serial numbers match. The late style buttplate and tang screws are correctly not stamped with the rifle serial number. The Henry rifle was the most advanced firearm manufactured during the Civil War. Although the New Haven Arms Company manufactured nearly 9,500 Henry rifles between May 1862 and May 1865, the Ordnance Department purchased only 1,731 Henry rifles for issue to the Federal army. However, experts believe that the majority of the Henry rifles manufactured during the Civil War were privately purchased by individual Federal soldiers willing to pay for the firepower provided by a 15-shot, lever action, repeating rifle. Henry rifles were especially popular with Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky regiments. By late 1864, several Illinois regiments were armed primarily with privately purchased Henry rifles. Despite limited government purchases, the Henry rifle is a key Civil War weapon.

About good. The rifle shows wear typical of a weapon that saw wartime service or was used on the frontier. The barrel/magazine has a dull, silver-gray, patina. There is light-moderate pitting along the right side of the barrel from the legend to the edge of the receiver. The barrel/magazine has scattered dents and handling marks and the edges are rounded. The New Haven Arms legend and serial number are sharp. The rear sight is original. The brass receiver and buttplate have a mellow aged patina and are in good overall condition with moderate handling wear. There are gaps around the edges of the side plates. The left side of the receiver surrounding the hammer screw has light dents and scratches. The hammer, trigger and lever have a silver-gray patina. The front tang screw is a period replacement. The stock is in very good condition with numerous period dents and scratches. The stock has a correct, desirable pronounced Henry "bump" on the left side below the sling swivel. This is a solid example of a Civil War production Henry lever action rifle that shows typical service wear.