This exceptional original Henry lever action rifle was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co., in March 1865 as part of a U.S. contract. The rifle has a blued barrel and integral magazine, casehardened hammer and loading lever, brass receiver and buttplate and oil-finished walnut stock. The barrel is fitted with a nickel silver, square back, front sight and a dovetail mounted folding rear sight with 900 yard center notch. The rifle is equipped with a sling swivel on the left side of the stock and screw-fastened sling loop on the left side of the barrel. The brass buttplate is the second pattern with sharply pointed heel. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend: "HENRY'S PATENT.OCT.16.1860 / MANUFACT'D BY THE NEWHAVEN ARMS.CO. NEWHAVEN.CT.". A "&" factory inspection mark is stamped on the lower tang between the loading lever latch and the stock screw. The serial number "8713." is stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver. The serial number, "8713" is also stamped on the left side of the lower receiver tang in the upper tang inlet of the stock and on the inside of the buttplate. All of the visible serial numbers match. The late style cap head buttplate and tang screws are, correctly, not serial numbered. The serial number of this rifle, "8713" is listed on page 76 of "THE HISTORIC HENRY RIFLE" by Wiley Sword as one of the 627 U.S. contract Henry rifles issued to Companies B, C, I, H and K of the 3rd U.S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry (VVI) Regiment in 1865. The 3rd VVI was one of 10 infantry regiments recruited from veteran soldiers during late 1864 and early 1865. These troops were intended to act an elite unit and were armed with Henry, Sharps and Spencer rifles. As an incentive for volunteers, members of the VVI regiments were authorized to retain their rifles on discharge. The Civil War ended before the VVI regiments saw action. The 3rd VVI was organized at Camp Stoneman in the District of Columbia in February and March 1865. The regiment served in the Washington defenses, the Shenandoah Valley and at Camp Butler, Illinois before it mustered out of service on July 20, 1866. The 627 Henry rifles purchased by the Ordnance Department under the contracts of April 7, 1865 (500 rifles) and May 16, 1865 (127 rifles) have no Ordnance inspection marks or other distinguishing markings and can only be identified by serial number records in regimental orderly books.

Very fine. This rifle is in exceptional condition for a U.S. contract Henry rifle. The barrel has a blue-brown patina and retains 40% of the bright original blue finish which is mostly in the protected areas. The edges of the barrel are sharp and the metal surfaces have minimal handling marks. The New Haven Arms legend and serial number are crisp. The rear sight is in fine condition and retains traces of niter blue on the elevator bar. The brass frame is in excellent condition. The brass has a beautiful un-polished patina. The side plate joints are perfect. The brass buttplate is in the same excellent condition as the frame and has an identical untouched patina. The hammer retains most of the dove-gray case hardened finish. The loading lever and trigger have a mellow brown patina. The stock is in excellent original condition with only a few scattered handling and storage marks. This is an outstanding Historic Henry Rifle. It is one of the very best conditioned U.S. contract Henry rifles extant. This would be a very hard rifle to improve upon.