Lever 22s

[CraigC]

I don't consider them to be "high quality" at all. "High quality" firearms aren't made from zinc. IMHO, they are budget oriented guns. My problem with their customer service is that there seems to be A LOT of people who have experience with it. Contrary to popular belief, that's not actually a good thing.

 

[DPris]

I had reservations about the alternative construction methods of the rimfires for several years.
Worked with several.
All functioned perfectly.
All quite accurate.

I see few reports of breakdowns.
They seem to be holding up (recognizing that ANY company will put out the occasional lemon).
Checked with my gunsmith of 30 years, he doesn't get them in for repairs (and he's one of the best in the state, with a good-sized clientele).

I finally quit waiting for them to prove themselves.

If the alloy-based receiver & cover does the same job at less weight & slightly less cost than carving a frame out of a chunk of steel, then it becomes more of an emotional issue than a performance issue.

The cheaper Henry levers are not as "nice" as a Marlin, but they don't cost as much as a Marlin, either, and they provide an entry level gun for people either on a budget or just getting into the game.
The Golden Boys are a step up & can be quite nice guns.

Henry offers a good range of pricing, with rimfire models that cover entry to fancy, and the guns are the slickest levers on the planet.
They include different sight & barrel options that you don't & won't see with Marlin .22 levers.
Or Winchester.

Buy or not, I'm just saying they seem to be working & that's the thing that counts.
Denis

 

[BCRider]

Craig, I tend to take forums like this as a sort of litmus paper test. If I look at a bunch of them and see a good share of posts about problems I steer away. But the two forums that I've seen with a lot of Henry users posting are just not showing a large number of problem threads. At least not once you separate out the ones complaining about the paint on the alloy side covers on the less expensive models.

 

[DPris]

I use a number of sources in my approach to guns.
Industry people I talk to, gunsmiths, personal experiences, friends' experiences, and gun forums.

I sift out what I consider valid.

Among all that I'm just not seeing or hearing about widespread failures of the Henrys.
That's why I quit waiting on 'em to prove that they have a right to exist.

I have been allowed the honor (and it is) of giving First Guns to two nephews and a niece in my wife's sister's family.
One was a new Henry Evil Roy to the youngest boy.

As soon as it's available, a new Boy Scout Salute Henry will be going to a 15-year-old former neighbor boy in a family we've stayed close to after they left town.

I rarely give guns as gifts, and I do not give junk guns to people.
I no longer have any concerns about the Henry rimfire leverguns.

You buy a budget Henry, you get a budget gun.
You spend a little more on a higher-grade Henry, you get a higher-grade gun.

Denis

 

[Don McDowell]

I was dubious about the Henry lever 22's , but then I got to seeing quite a few of them in use at various 22 matches, and they all shot well, and I didn't notice anyone having problems with them.
So one day at Cabela's they had the octagon barreled model on sale, we bought it, brought it home , shot the snot out of it, it's still going...
Good little 22's that preform well beyond their price point. Sad that so many spend so much time bashing them with out actually giving one a serious try.

 

[DPris]

Dunno if it makes any difference in the over-all scheme of things here, but if you go to the Henry website, you may notice how much the company gives back to the shooting sports in donations.

You don't see Marlin, Winchester, or Browning doing that.

They weren't designed by John Browning or John Marlin & weren't developed under Oliver Winchester, but they work, they sell, they hold up, they are American, they are covering a wider market segment than any other levergun manufacturer, and there's a Henry rimfire lever to meet just about any budget.
There's also a very positive warrantee attitude there, if it's needed.

It ain't a fly-by-night outfit & the products are neither crap nor ola.
Denis

 

[CraigC]

Craig, I tend to take forums like this as a sort of litmus paper test. If I look at a bunch of them and see a good share of posts about problems I steer away. But the two forums that I've seen with a lot of Henry users posting are just not showing a large number of problem threads. At least not once you separate out the ones complaining about the paint on the alloy side covers on the less expensive models.

What you hear is A LOT of talk about their customer service. Contrary to popular belief, that is not a good sign.

Bottom line, they're fine for what they are. A lot of people like and enjoy them. Nothing wrong with that. Some don't care about the materials they're constructed from, others find it to be a non-negotiable. I don't like them and for very good/valid reasons. I've handled them numerous times, WANTING to like them but I cannot. I'm not impressed with the quality of the materials used, the polishing or the fit & finish and it's all stuff I can't overlook. I'd rather have something I consider better and I consider the Marlins, Brownings and Winchesters to be better made rifles. I'd rather pay more for steel than save money with zinc. That's not a slight against Henry owners, I just prefer something else. I don't judge them by the name on the barrel or who designed it. I judge them by what they are and that's why I have two Winchesters and no Henries. If they had a 24" Golden Boy made as well as the 94/22, I'd drop what I'm doing and go order one.

Same reason I prefer Rugers over Heritage Rough Riders.

Same reason why 'some' prefer Colt's and USFA's over Uberti's.

 

[DM~]

My problem with their customer service is that there seems to be A LOT of people who have experience with it. Contrary to popular belief, that's not actually a good thing.

It could be worse, there could be "whole websites" created just to fix the jamming, smooth them up and to get them running "right", LIKE there is with the Marlin 39's!! lol

I haven't found even one website dedicated to fixing Henrys, and MY three Henry levers haven't needed anything at all, except MORE ammo to feed them!

SR

 

[CraigC]

The "Marlin jam" is operator induced.

 

[DPris]

Oh........no!
It is not (much as I enjoy argui...er, discussing USFA with you, Craig) shooter induced.
The Marlin Jam is very real & caused by the gun, not the user.
Denis

 

[CraigC]

Don't make me come over there and make you shoot my USFA!

 

[DPris]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Denis