When we talk about rimfires today, we mostly think of .22LR, .22 Short or maybe .22 Magnum. In the past few years, we’ve seen .17 HMR and .21 Sharp come on the scene, and the .17 HM2 come and go. All these cartridges have their advantages and disadvantages, but they’re all small-bore rounds. But this wasn’t always the case.In the early days of cartridge-firing guns, the .32-caliber rimfire rounds were as easy to find as .22-caliber rounds, and there was all sorts of big-bore stuff too. The entire Swiss military used a bolt-action repeater chambered in a .41-caliber rimfire round, and in the U.S., Henry sold wagonloads of fast-shooting lever-action rifles in a .44-caliber rimfire load. A very valuable example of one of those early Henry rifles is going to hit the block at the Rock Island Auction sale on June 27. In fact, it carries serial number 1, as the first of the lever actions that eventually dominated the Wild West for Henry and then Winchester. When the American Civil War started, both sides were armed with cap-and-ball rifles and revolvers, but both sides quickly saw the advantages of cartridge-firing weapons. The Henry and Spencer rifles and the Smith & Wesson revolvers were quick to reload and, in theory, more weather-resistant. They were especially useful for cavalry units. Since the Henry and Spencer factories were in the north, those rifles were peddled to leaders of the Union troops. That might be the origin story behind this rifle here—it may have been intended as bait to bring in sales. Here’s what Rock Island Auction says about the rifle:“This incredibly historic rifle is one of the most significant American firearms ever manufactured and is the most important lever action rifle in private hands: serial number 1 Henry lever action rifle, the first of the long line of successful Winchester lever actions. Notably, President Abraham Lincoln was presented Henry rifle serial number 6 which now resides in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History's Kenneth E. Behring Hall of Military History in the exhibit: ‘The Price of Freedom: Americans at War’ donated out of the Lincoln family to our national gallery by Robert Lincoln Beckwith. U.S. Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles was presented Henry rifle serial number 9 which was once part of the legendary Mac McCroskie Collection and now resides in The Autry Museum of the American West donated out of the esteemed George Gamble Collection. These three rifles have long been referred to as the ‘Lincoln Cabinet guns,’ and this rifle, Serial No.1, is the last example left in private circulation.” So, Henry was handing these rifles out to the military bigwigs, no doubt hoping to bring in sales. This particular rifle was given to the Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton. The Rock Island Auction description continues:“Secretary of War Edwin Stanton’s Henry rifle has serial number "1.” distinctly stamped on the barrel at the breech. The rifle is inscribed “EDWIN M. STANTON/Secretary of War.” on the left side plate among the scroll engraving in the same fonts as the presentation inscription on President Abraham Lincoln’s Henry.”Although they may have been handing out these rifles liberally, Henry did not get an overnight onslaught of massive orders. The Union military, like many 19th-century militaries, was skeptical of Henry’s early lever-action design. They didn’t want to pay big bucks for the rifle and they were concerned about supplying cartridges, so at the federal level, they initially turned down the gun. But at the private level, many Union soldiers bought the rifle with their personal money because they realized it offered a massive increase in firepower, with a 15-round capacity in the .44 Henry rimfire cartridge. Later, the Henry was issued to entire units, such as the 7th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, the 66th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, the 1st Maine Cavalry and the 12th Kentucky Cavalry, but these guns were privately purchased outside the federal supply chain. The only Union unit that was officially issued the Henry was the 1st D.C. Cavalry Regiment. Politicians being politicians, they naturally wanted the troops that were protecting them as well-armed as possible, but as for the rest of the Union army, well, they were on their own. The Henry was devastating in combat, reportedly. Southern troops called it the "Yankee gun they load on Sunday and shoot all week." They obviously wanted the rifles for themselves, but A) Henry wasn’t going to sell them the rifles, and B) even if they got their hands on the guns, the ammo supply would have been near-impossible.Ironically, one Confederate unit known to use these rifles was Jefferson Davis’ bodyguards, showing that politicians on each side of the conflict shared some similarities. For more details on the Henry’s use, and especially on the fine customization work on this rifle in particular, check out the Rock Island Auction listing here. They suggest the rifle will bring between $1,600,000 - $3,500,000 at auction, which might not be too much of a stretch, considering its place in history.All photos: Rock Island Auction