Lever action 22. choices.

[Grim Peeper]

Im split between a nib Henry H001 at walmart or an old marlin 39 for a little more at a local gunstore. The marlin looks pretty old and they are both 22. Which rifle should I buy.

 

[pikid89]

can't go wrong with either, but might i suggest tracking down an old Ruger 96/22 lever action?

 

[CajunBass]

Unless the Marlin is so old old, and so worn out that it's a piece of junk it's a much better gun. I say that, because the only Marlin 39 I've ever seen that was priced anywhere near a Henry was OLD, and worn out, and it was still priced higher than a Henry.

For the money, I think the Henry isn't bad. I've got a Marlin that I got NIB in 1982. A great rifle, but even then it sold for almost as much as a Henry goes for today.

If I had the money, I'd take a Marlin over a Henry every day of the week. If I didn't, a Henry would do the job.



(I've been tempted to buy a Henry just because they have the guts to run those adds on TV.)

 

[RevDerb]

I wish that I could afford a 39. That being said, I picked up a Henry H001 earlier this year and have not been disappointed at all. I'm taking it out to shoot it today, as a matter of fact.

 

[Brian Williams]

My Choice in this order, Marlin TDS, Marlin 39M, Marlin 39A.

 

[jmorris]

For a shooter the henry is just fine. Everyone should have a 39 someday. I like my browning grade II the most though.

 

[jmr40]

The Henry is a budget gun that will serve you well for several decades, but will continue to decline in value and will probably end up in a scrap heap 50 years from now.

The Marlin is a quality rifle you will will be proud to pass down to your grandkids that will continue to increase in value.

In the short term both will perform equally, but in the long term the Marlin will be cheaper and be the better performer.

 

[CraigC]

The Marlin is a much better rifle. I had to walk away from a very nice 39A last week. A lovely pre-safety model priced at $400. Probably could've got it for $350. A rifle I'd MUCH rather have than any Henry. Although my pair of 94/22's keep me company just fine.

 

[DM~]

Well, i bought the Henry and it works perfectly... In fact, i have 3 of them now, and all i've been doing is shooting them!

I keep seeing post on this site and others, with Marlin owners telling other Marlin owners how to make their 39's operate without feeding and all kinds of other problems, none of which i have with my Henrys. I EXPECT my firearms to work perfectly when i buy them, not after i read a "how to" to make them feed and work properly!

Look at the quality of wood on both, try the levers for smoothness, and see how each one fits you, then buy the one you like best... I did, and i'm betting the Henry will out live me, and most likely all the kids that shoot it too!

DM

 

[sansone]

henry golden boy if you like pretty guns

 

[CaliCoastie]

I have heard nothing but good things about henry, shot a couple of henrys some friends have, but ill still pay more for a used marlin 39A if i can find one. just like them better, the steel and walnut, take down option, and you can trace the model back over a hundrad years. O and a used one now will sell for about as much as you pay for it now if you decide to go that direction. good luck

 

[thralldad]

My son loves his. I want one for me now! Henry in .22 mag,please! If you want to pretty it up, there's a thread on RFC about brasslite replacemet covers for about $50. Looks awesome!

 

[30-30shooter]

Henry, just because iv noticed they tend to be more accurate than 39s

 

[LordDunsany]

I'll go against the grain a bit. I bought a Marlin 39 new a couple of years back but could never really fall in love with it. The action was stiff, it had feeding problems and it just seemed too heavy for its size.

I have a Henry H001 and a pair of CZ452 Trainers that I am much happier with and each of those guns cost a bit over half of what I paid for the Marlin. The Henry is smooth as silk, feeds any style of 22 ammo I drop into the tube and is quite accurate. The CZ rifles have a reputation of their own and are my first choice for small-game hunting.

Sorry Marlin, though I love your 1894's and 336's (have four of them), don't much care for the 39...

Ron in Texas

 

[stan rose]

If you are not against buying used I would recomend looking at the Winchester 9422, although I love my Marlin almost as much.

 

[Pat M]

I'd also look for a good condition Browning BL-22. That's a great .22 lever gun.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I'd also look for a good condition Browning BL-22.

I like that one. It is a bit unusual in that the trigger and trigger guard move along with the lever, and the lever stroke is very short.

 

[Clipper]

Once you handle and shoot a BL-22, you'll throw rocks at other guns.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

The Winchester 9422 is sweet as is the Browning. The Marlin is an old design and is not as smooth as the Winny or the Browning. For the money the Henry's work just fine.

 

[Grim Peeper]

Well since my original post I went down to the gun shop to look at the marlin and it looked really old I think from the 40s or 50s and the blueing on the barrel looked pretty rough. Im conflicted at whether the age makes it more appealing or not. Its $350

 

[Grim Peeper]

Also what is the difference between the marlin 39a and the marlin 39m and does one have the advantage over the other?

 

[CaliCoastie]

a vs m is, "a" has a pistol grip and "m" is a streight grip, and the mountie has a 20" barrel vs the A which has a 24" barrel. at 350 i would seriously consider the marlin, i cant find them uner 450. best of luck and would like to see what you end up with.

 

[az_imuth]

The Marlin 39A comes with a 24" barrel and a pistol-grip stock while the Marlin 39M (discontinued) came with a 20" barrel and a straight stock. I generally prefer straight-stocked lever guns, but there's certainly nothing wrong with the 39A. My advice would be to handle a few different brands and choose the one that you take a liking to. You can always add more later on when the opportunity presents itself.

Here's a nice little Century Limited to give you an idea of what the 39M looks like. The 39M won't have the curved buttplate, octagon barrel, or the gold medallions/forearm cap.

 

[LTR shooter]

I picked up a very nice condition 39A last weekend. It was made in 1979. I love the look , feel and nostalgia of this lever rifle. I like the all steel construction.

Also own a 1997 vintage 39AS. Bought new , this rifle is quite accurate. Although I like the look of the older Marlin with the smooth grip grip and slender forend. The used 1979 39A was actually more than my 1997 39AS was new!

About the only slight drawback might be the operation of the lever which is not quite as smooth as say , a Winchester 9422 , which is amazingly slick. The 39s are still well built , accurate and I just like shooting them.

 

[Pat M]

Ha, forgot about my Ithaca 49 in the back of my safe. I wouldn't recommend it, but it was the first rifle I ever fired when I was about 6 years old.