Lever 22s

I guess I could have any of the ones you mentioned, but I chose the Henry... In fact I have three Henry levers and the first one I bought has been shot and shot and shot, for several years now. NOTHING has been changed and it feeds and functions perfectly, no matter what ammo I put in it, in any order!

It's also quite accurate, and I've shot a few crows at over 100 yards with the stock sights...so they can't be too bad...

The Henry is the best deal of the bunch mentioned here...

DM

To answer your question:

For a plinker, the other guns are not worth the cost. Get the Henry. Buy a scope and a hammer extender and enjoy.

I've only used the Henry out of the list but gotta say it's a smooth lever action. Sure, it's got the problem with the receiver being painted but I actually ended up stripping the paint off and leaving it in the white. Never had a problem with it at the range, accurate as long as I do my part.

And I can't re-iterate the smoothness of the lever. Only other .22 lever I've used which compares is an old Ithaca saddlegun

I absolutely cringe in despair when I recall how I treated my new 1978 Marlin Golden 39A as a "truck gun" back in the day. I even went so far as to use a pair of pliers as a bipod under the forearm, in prone position, on a Colorado prairie dog shoot.
Good God!
That chewed the hell out of that forearm.
What was I thinking! I had no idea that my hardware store $115 Marlin would someday become a coveted collector's item. :banghead:

fiddleharp said:

I absolutely cringe in despair when I recall how I treated my new 1978 Marlin Golden 39A as a "truck gun" back in the day. I even went so far as to use a pair of pliers as a bipod under the forearm, in prone position, on a Colorado prairie dog shoot.
Good God!
That chewed the hell out of that forearm.
What was I thinking! I had no idea that my hardware store $115 Marlin would someday become a coveted collector's item. :banghead:

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Fantastic point! When I bought my brand spankin' new Marlin 39 in 1994 I took care of it but I NEVER thought of it as a safe queen. I took that gun anywhere and everywhere. Now, with what has happened with Marlin and the market share taken by the more economical Henry, I actually worry about harming my Marlin.

Perhaps my next lever gun should be stainless and synthetic stocked.

For what it's worth, I've got two older ('71 and '81) Marlin 39's and I love them. Wouldn't consider another lever .22LR. Way more than plinking accurate, especially with a Skinner sight and very well built. They're never-sell guns that my kids will get one day.

Between myself and my sons, we have the Winchester, the Henry and the Marlin. All three are good rifles, accurate and a pleasure to shoot. My suggestion is to buy the one you like the best

I have no dog in this fight. OTOH: I am an opinionated old man, so here's my 2 cents worth:

The Marlin 39 is (was the longest production rifle action in the industry). The M39 came in several "packages" but all were essentially a M39 action. I have a Marlin 97 Cowboy which is a M39 action fitted with an octagonal barrel (26" long IIRC) and Marble Arms iron sights. It cycles longs, shorts, long rifle cartridges - all intermixed in the same magazine tube - without a hiccup. The receiver came predrilled for scope mounts and receiver aperture mounts. No 22 rifle does it any better than the Marlin 39.

My favorite 22 lever rifle is the Browning BL-22. The lever has a 33* throw so I can completely cycle the rifle simply by opening and closing my fist. Its as accurate as any 22 rifle I've ever owned. It's also light weight, easy handling, and extremely reliable.

In years past I've had the opportunity to buy both a Winchester 9422 and the 9422 Magnum. And for whatever reasons, I did not. By virtue of the ways the receivers were manufactured, I wish I had them both. OTOH, I have friends who have them and use them and theirs are no more accurate than mine are, but they are slightly heavier to tote. But "Boy Howdy" they are fine rifles.

Now as for plastic lever actions, I have one. It isn't Henry. I don't like like Henry. My dislike for them is purely personal. As well, don't WANT any rifle with plastic guts. OTOH: several friends of mine have Henry 22s and like them.

Having said all that I do have a plastic 22 lever action rifle.

Mine is a Remington Nylon 66........ Yes, Virginia, there is indeed such a critter, only its not actually a Nylon "66". Its the same rifle but was marketed as the Remington Nylon 76 Trail Rider.



IIRC I got it in 1963 or 64 and its served me since. Yes, its accurate, Yes, it's ultra light weight. Yes, I've even paddled a canoe with it ('cuz I could). Yes, I still shoot it after 51 or 52 years.



... and for 52 years now EVERY time I've levered a fresh cartridge into battery I've been dead sure the lever was going to snap like a wet twig. Mushy, mushy, mushy... but the darn thing still works. And amazingly, like most Nylon 66s, its accurate. Go figure.

If i had to pick one lever action 22 for now and evermore it'd be the Marlin.

My favorite is indeed the Browning BL-22.

"Others need not 'apply' "

I have shot the Win 9422 but never owned one. It shot good and accuracy was good. I own a Henry Golden Boy and it cycles like BUTTER. The crummy sights are actually good for me as I am feeling the age in my eyes too. It is accurate as heck, which is godd since I paid over $400 for it.
When I bought it last year at a gun show I was in the market for a 22 in no particular configuration, just wanted another one. It was one of the most expensive 22s at that particular show. Mucho glad I bought it, it is accurate and shoots short, long, and long rifle randomly inserted in the tube without a hitch

I have a Henry and a browning. I love the browning. But most of my serious shooting on the farm the Henry does. Works perfect for about the last 15 years

.
Well, dagnabbit! My buddy Matt nailed down a BL-22 that I had seen before but didn't act on. Maybe it was because I was paying off a Marlin 1894CS357 then weeks later a B-92 in .44 Mag!

Dag. nabbit!


:-|



P.S. Matt, if you read this, the rifle could not have gone to a better home... I'm fine. Really... FINE. k.

Hee!

I won't buy henry rifle due to their marketing (get one of their owner manuals and read the title? Page?). As for marlins being too high? Haven't paired more than 280otd for any of my three rifles, passed a pair of 39a's to a friend who picked them up at 175otd each. Deals are there. Friend of mine picked a henry at 280 ish otd new 7 years ago. My marlins have ran anything i feed them flawlessly. .
Have fun shopping

Marlin for me! Cut my teeth on a 1897 in the 50s, still have it and 3 newer ones today. Learned the motto from my granddad, "One Shot, One Kill" hunting Mr. Bushy Tail in eastern NC. Same rifle I earned my BSC shooting merit badge in the late 50s.
My granddad earned a gold metal at Camp Perry in 1918, second best shot in the USMC.

CaliCoastie said:

I won't buy henry rifle due to their marketing (get one of their owner manuals and read the title? Page?).

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I give up! What does that mean?

I own a M39A Marlin pre cross bolt safety, a Winchester 9422 Legacy and did own a BL22 Browning but the Browning was sold of a long-long time ago.

In my experience I've found the M39A Marlin to be the most accurate. The Winchester M9422 can be utilized with Long Rifle and Long but not Shorts where as the Marlin M39A can handle all three.

I may buy a Henry one of these days just to try it out and pass it on to one of the family members.

cottswald said:

I give up! What does that mean?

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Henry's marketing seems to claim that they are a direct descendent of the original New Haven Arms Co., of Henry Repeater fame. Nor do they have any relationship to Benjamin Tyler Henry, who perfected the Henry Repeater.

In actuality, the closest direct descendent today is Winchester, now owned by FN. So.....FN, sort of. The modern Henry Repeating Arms Co. is a bunch of investors who bought the name back in the 1990's, and brought it back to life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Repeating_Arms

It's pretty much got to where all of them are run by a bunch of investors....as in the money goes to investors, and really it's the MONEY that decides what will end up being for sale or not...

Henry bought a name, just like FN did!

DM

Wasn't a bunch of investors & nobody bought the name.

There was no name to buy & nobody to buy it from, and the Imperatos (father & son) started Henry up in the early 90s.
Denis

I've owned this Henry 22LR for 3 years and it has given me no problems whatsoever. It's a well built rifle. I recommend it for shooting moose photographs.

TR

Not to be out done by the Judge's Remington 76......

Here ya go...the OTHER Marlin lever action.

-kBob

kBob,
That's COOL! I don't think I've ever seen one before.

Thanks for the pic.

ExAgoradzo said:

Of the Win9422, Marlin 39, and the Henry, is there enough difference to justify the extra cost? This is a plinking gun only.

Thanks,
Greg

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For a plinking rifle it's darn hard to beat the Henry Octagon barrel. They have marbles sights on them, so no need to have to fuss with changing sights. The receiver is also grooved to accept the 22 scope mounts if you want to go that route.
This Henry I have is as accurate as my 60's vintage Marlin ever was, better than any of the long discontinued 9422's I was ever around.
Other " plinking" options are the Winchester 55 and the Marlin levermatics, neither cost a whole lot if you find one, but they haven't been made for 40 some odd years so finding them is the problem.

I only have experience with the 9422 xtr in both 22 ans wmr along with an early model 39a. Both are great, I prefer the 94/94m