Henry 1860 Rifle

Courtesy of the Museum Collection / Catalog# 2980 & 0721

The Henry rifle combined the Volcanic Company's lever-action mechanism with the new rimfire metallic cartridge. Although the Volcanic Company quickly went out of business, the innovative loading system lived on with the Henry rifle. Both the Henry rifle and the new cartridge were designed by Benjamin Tyler Henry. During the Civil War, the Union Army acquired and distributed about 1,731 Henry rifles, mostly to the 1st Maine and 1st District of Columbia Cavalry Regiments.

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Henry 1860 Rifle

Henry 1860 Rifle with Civil War engraving