Henry Eicholtz Leman made many rifles during his 53 year career, from 1834 until 1887, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Although Leman made many styles of rifles, perhaps he is best known for his Indian Trade Rifles. This reproduction of Henry Leman's Indian Trade Rifle is stocked in maple and trimmed in a mixture of brass and iron furniture, which is quite common on antique H. E. Leman rifles. Offered in used condition, the .45 caliber bore is bright and has been well maintained. Trigger reach is 13-3/4", weight is 8 pounds.
The hidden secret of this fine rifle is it's scarce H & H Rifle Barrel, cut rifled in .45 caliber, 1" straight octagon, made in the USA by Hoppy Hopkins' famous H & H Barrel Company. He was a frequent competitor at the NMLRA National Championship Matches at Friendship, Indiana, during the 1980 - 1990 period. Fine quality custom made H&H barrels were premium priced, and were a favorite choice of the best gun makers during that period. This barrel has a mirror bright bore rifled with seven lands and wide grooves with a slow twist ideal for patched round ball. The barrel is finished to a smooth gray-brown. A full buckhorn rear sight is dovetailed 8-1/2" from the breech. An additional H.E. Leman style rear sight is included with this rifle. A brass blade front sight with integral base is dovetailed behind the muzzle.
This fullstock rifle is stocked in dense plain maple. The stock is varnish finished to a satin sheen, and shows a few minor handling marks from normal use. The brightly polished brass furniture is just starting to acquire a mellow patina. A traditional iron buttplate is fitted. The buttplate has a long pointed heel with a slight upward tip as found on antique examples. The buttstock is fitted with H. E. Leman's unique brass Wilted Lily capbox. The lid snaps open and closed smartly, under finger pressure, revealing a correctly hand bored cavity under the lid, exactly like the original.
A brass toeplate protects the critical toe. The brass toeplate is correctly mounted with iron screws. The polished brass triggerguard is mounted with steel dowel pins at front and rear. The forearm is very slender with a very correct oval shape as found on antique Leman rifles. A short brass muzzle cap decorates and protects the end grain. The 3/8" diameter ramrod is fitted with a brass tip with 8-32 threads for accessories. The cheek view shows the simple square raised cheek piece. The brass sideplate inlay is inlet flush with the wood. The large lock bolt has a domed head that stands proud of the surface.
Ordered in both flint and percussion ignition, by the U. S. Government and many private firms, Leman rifles were the favorite of Indians across the frontier. "Of the 410 guns captured from the Sioux and Cheyenne in the final campaigns of 1877, 94 were Leman rifles." (Henry E. Leman - Riflemaker, by Charles E. Hanson, Jr., The Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly, Volume 20, Number 4, Chadron, Nebraska, Winter 1984.)
The percussion lock is browned to match the barrel. The lock plate and hammer are patterned from an antique Leman rifle. Internally this lock uses Ron Long designed Hawken lock internals. The lock has a strong mainspring and snappy action. The large drum is shaped with a square lug on the end. Our best #RST-S stainless steel nipple for No. 11 percussion caps is fitted. The single trigger is pinned high, to provide maximum leverage, and minimum trigger release pressure. Fine internal lock geometry gives this rifle a very smooth trigger release.
If you seek an 1830 - 1870 era percussion plains rifle, with attractive shaping, consider this nice hand made rifle. It has the look and feel of an original Henry E. Leman Indian Trade Rifle. Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.
