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Author Topic: Alex Henry stalking rifle  (Read 3731 times)

Offline snapper

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Alex Henry stalking rifle
« on: May 31, 2025, 07:30:23 PM »
A few days ago I took delivery of a .54 cal Alex Henry stalking rifle.  The rifle is in really good shape and is nice and clean.  The hammer appears to be original and lacks what has in the later AH guns the distinctive shape. 

Been trying to get this rifle bought for a few years from a dealer that had it priced unrealistically high.   Not sure what happened to the dealer, but all his stuff ended up on auction recently.   For me, this ended up particularly well as it sold for a small fraction from what the dealer was asking for it.

Hope to find out tomorrow if it shoots.

Fleener

























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Offline Dave B

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2025, 07:45:09 PM »
Well don Snapper.  I really like the Scottish craftsmanship. Isnt that a Bob Roller lock on there?? It could be if we buy into reincarnation.  Excellent score. When you get to that place when you have to move it down the road give me a call. It would look great next to my percussion SXS Greener 12 bore
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Dave Blaisdell

Offline snapper

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2025, 09:58:01 PM »
Dave

Just in case you wanted to see what it actually looks like next to a W. Greener 12 bore.......

Fleener



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Offline Sequatchie Rifle

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2025, 11:25:32 PM »
Absolutely gorgeous. I really like Scottish rifles. Especially the really nice ones! Thanks for sharing the photos.
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Offline Daryl

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2025, 11:38:43 PM »
Now BOTH of those are superb eye candy, especially the Scot.
Have you measured the ROT?
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Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline snapper

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2025, 12:01:39 AM »
Daryl

Actually, no I have not measured the ROT yet.

I am assuming it is a RB twist......I hope so anyway.

Hoping to shoot it in the next day or two.

Fleener
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Offline Pukka Bundook

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2025, 04:52:20 PM »
A very nice clean rifle Fleener. It should be ball twist.

Keep us posted!
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Offline Bob Roller

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2025, 05:35:23 PM »
Quote from: Dave B on May 31, 2025, 07:45:09 PM
Well don Snapper.  I really like the Scottish craftsmanship. Isnt that a Bob Roller lock on there?? It could be if we buy into reincarnation.  Excellent score. When you get to that place when you have to move it down the road give me a call. It would look great next to my percussion SXS Greener 12 bore

Dave B
Thanks for the comment on this lock. These were my inspiration to make a better lock for anyone wanting one.These do go beyond utility grade. Once the fancy bridle is finished, the rest if the lock should have the same level of craftsmanship. Just for a hoot and giggle the last Hawken lock I made was on a cast pate with the "J&S Hawken name cast into it and a mechanism like this lock seen here.The external identification is the screw close to the bottom of the lock plate. Thanks again for the comment about the lock.
Bob Roller
« Last Edit: June 08, 2025, 07:10:35 AM by Ky-Flinter »
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Offline snapper

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2025, 03:23:08 AM »
Got to shot it yesterday afternoon after getting my spraying done.  I was tired and hot and really not in the mood to shoot but the wind was low and I really wanted to try out the rifle.   It shoots great!  I only got 10 shot or so off before I was totally spent.

Today I got done with my task and the wind was blowing fairly hard so I thought I would just shoot at some steel hanging targets.

I built my range over 20 years ago and it has been patched up a few times and was in need of a total rebuilt with new post and horizonal members and targets rewelded up.

Got all the targets rehung this morning while I waited for the dew to lift.

Since the wind was high, I was able to wack away on the steel targets with a rifle that is mostly sighted in.

Quite happy with this rifle.

Nope, have not measured the rate of twist yet.   Perhaps tomorrow.   Too tired tonight.

Here is a picture of my rebuilt range with 4 sets of targets with the 3 farthest seen in the picture.   Farthest back is around 75 yards.   Behind me is 4 ML reloading tables that are 2"x8" set on post.  Tilled it up and planted clover in it last week.


Fleener



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Offline Robin Henderson

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2025, 08:14:33 PM »
Nice! Looks like a fine woodswalk rifle for the NMLRA Friendship Shoot.
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Offline snapper

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #10 on: June 03, 2025, 11:42:57 PM »
Robin

That is the plan!

See you next week.

Fleener
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Offline Curtis

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2025, 08:49:43 AM »
Great catch, Art!!  That is quite the nice rifle.

Curtis
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Offline 120RIR

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2025, 02:52:49 PM »
Pardon my ignorance...what precisely does "stalking rifle" mean?
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Offline Daryl

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2025, 10:29:27 PM »
Spotting, then stalking (sneaking up on) a stag (red deer) to get close enough for a shot.
Due to the installed sights, that would be 150yards to 200 yards, even though the rifle is sighted to 300yds.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2025, 11:02:04 PM by Daryl »
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Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline snapper

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2025, 05:13:56 AM »
Also during this period some rifles were strictly target rifles and often had no provision for a ram rod.   You also had military ML.

So some were called sporting rifles to differentiate from the above.

Stalking rifle often has a shorter barrel then say a target rifle.

Fleener
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Offline HighUintas

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #15 on: June 09, 2025, 05:18:17 AM »
Quote from: snapper on June 08, 2025, 05:13:56 AM
Also during this period some rifles were strictly target rifles and often had no provision for a ram rod.   You also had military ML.

So some were called sporting rifles to differentiate from the above.

Stalking rifle often has a shorter barrel then say a target rifle.

Fleener

That is an awesome find. Beautiful. What's the barrel width? Straight or tapered? What time period would this have been made in?
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Offline snapper

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #16 on: June 09, 2025, 11:13:06 PM »
Barrel is tapered 1.16" to 1.02".

Built in the 1850's

Fleener
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Offline Ben I. Voss

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #17 on: July 10, 2025, 05:36:09 PM »
Muzzleloading perfection! It just doesn’t get any better.
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Offline snapper

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Re: Alex Henry stalking rifle
« Reply #18 on: July 10, 2025, 05:52:01 PM »
It shoots well too!

I only had time to get about 10 shots on paper to sight it in and then the next day the wind was terrible, so I just plinked a few rounds at some metal swinging targets.

Took it to Fship and got second place in the woods walk.   I was quite happy on how it was shooting.

This weekend is a shoot in Jefferson Iowa, and I hope to get some more range time with it.

Fleener

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