doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Alexander Henry Information Please

The Fed-X gentleman just brought a package to containing my "new" Alex Henry double rifle. I am looking for information on its date of mfg. caliber etc. and would appreciate any help provided. It is my first double rifle and even in its current shape, gives me the same tingling as do my double shotguns. Its serial number is 2400, and its a 450 cal. damascus, underlever hammergun with 1 non-folding sight. The proof marks are somewhat confusion as one is a London voluntary special proof with extra heavy load, (crown over LP) and then also a Birmingham final black powder proof (crown over crossed swords with B/C/P). It needs a replacement stock and forend as well as re-browning and some minor mechanical work to return it to its former beauty. I will try to post photos in a couple of days.
Aloha,
Kevin

In his authoritative work, British Gunmakers, Volume One - London, Nigel Brown states that Alex Henry's numbering system is rather obscure, resulting in approximations only. Your number, 2400, would appear to date approximately to 1870.

The records are held by Dickson & MacNaughton. You might contact them for more detail. Congratulations on your new acquisition!

Curl

Kevin I am just back from your state. Did some boar, goat and axis deer hunting while there. I am in the process of restoring an Adams & Co .577 BPE Jones underlever hammergun. I've had it put back on face and had the butt cut off behind the checkering and a new one installed. It had 3 7/8" drop at heel. It now has 2 1/4". I have just bought the dies and a new press that will take the larger dies. It should be shooting before long. Good luck.

Sherman Bell published an interesting article in DGJ volume six issue 4 titled :"Four of a Kind" in which he compares yup you guessed it four Alex Henry Double Rifles! The article is well worth reading and he did the usual magic with his camera. All of the rifles feature the jones screw grip and each features fabulous wood and very good to excellent metal finishes. Earliest s/n is 6198 made in 1888 produced in .450 3 1/4 BPE; No. 6410 produced in 1889 and made up in .450 3 1/4 BPE; No. 6579 produced in .500 3 inch BPE made mid 1891; No. 6665 in .500 3inch BPE produced in 1898 (estimate) Anyway it is a good article about Alex Henry rifles! JS

Thank you all for the replies. I pulled Vol. VI, Issue 4 and re-read the article, among others. Hopefully sometime my "new" Alexander Henry will again look as good as those in the article. I also wrote to Dickson & MacNaughton for information and look forward to their reply. Mike if and when you return to Hawaii please look me up. As the Henry needs new wood and mechanical work, has anyone suggestions as to a stocker with experience?
Aloha,
Kevin

Kevin ---- I may be able to help you re. the stocking. Please call me or forward me your number & I'll call you.

Ken (kenhurst@suddenlink.net)

Kevin,

I own a number of Alexander Henry double rifles. Two of them are .500 caliber underlever hammer double rifles. One is a back action and the other is a bar action. I have owned double rifles from many of the big name British makers and would say that Alex Henry rifles are as good as any of them including Purdey, H&H, and Boss. You might not get a mail response from them. If you do please let me know. They will give you all of their record information over the phone, BUT NOT WHO IT WAS MADE FOR. They do have that information also, but will not divulge it for a really strange reason. I used to be able to get the buyers name from them until a couple of years ago. I believe that the company (Dickson and Naughton) is owned by a gentleman in Texas. Good luck with your project. Your rifle probably came from India. A lot of Alex Henrys were bought by the maharajahs and the weather over there along with the bugs did alot of the stocks in.

Larry