I've never had a lever action .22 and the Marlin 39 is real pretty but zowie! They don't come cheap. The Winchester is better but the Henry is much cheaper and looks to be a copy of the Winchester. Anyone have one and care to share opinions? Thanks.
General impressions of the Henry lever .22?
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Aguila Blanca
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I have one. The action is very smooth, it's easy to shoot, and much more accurate than I had any right to expect for what I paid for the gun however many years ago I bought it. Now that Winchester is killing off the 9422 there's a part of me that wishes I had the "real thing," but if I had the Winchester I'd keep it pristine rather than shooting it. The Henry is a shooter.
My only regret, and it's a "sometimes" regret, is that I didn't get it in .22 magnum rather than .22LR. I don't shoot it enough that the difference in ammo prices would make a big difference in my lifestyle.
My only regret, and it's a "sometimes" regret, is that I didn't get it in .22 magnum rather than .22LR. I don't shoot it enough that the difference in ammo prices would make a big difference in my lifestyle.
rbernie
Contributing Member
And that's a fact. I've handled oodles of these things (always meaning to pick one up but never quite getting a round tuit), and every single one was smooth and built like a vault.
Could anyone quantify the accuracy potential of these? I'm tossing around getting a 22LR boltie, but if the Henry's are accurate enough I could go that way, too....
I've shot them at 50 yards, and while I did'nt measure the groups, they were better then my 10/22 even with the $30 wal-mart scope that is on the gun.
Smoothe, accurate, nice wood. Definately fine guns. Henry's customer service is also very highly regarded.
My local club does lever action solhouette shooting, the Henry reigns supreme in that class.
Smoothe, accurate, nice wood. Definately fine guns. Henry's customer service is also very highly regarded.
My local club does lever action solhouette shooting, the Henry reigns supreme in that class.
WayneConrad
Member
I bought a Henry H001, .22 lever gun about a year ago. I can't tell you whether or not its accurate, since I'm such a lousy shot with iron sights: Best I've done with it is 1" at 25 yards from a rest. The action is as smooth as butter. The barrel bands are plastic, but metal ones can be had by sending some money to the factory. The receiver cover is painted aluminum. The follower is plastic. Everything else is metal. The wood is nice. It feeds everything I throw at it. The only malfunctions I've ever had were from short-stroking the lever (operator error). Field strip is four screws to take the receiver cover off and one to take the butt stock off. The trigger is decent for a factory gun, with a clean break and not too terribly heavy. It's a little on the small side, perfect for a teen or a small adult like me, but not so small that anyone I've let try it had any trouble shooting it.
I bought one a few years ago. I had shot a friend's "Golden Boy" and was really, really impressed with it. I bought the model with black aluminum receiver and plastic band. I've been able to get about 20 rounds through it so far. I had to drift the rear sight almost all of the way over to get it on paper at 15 yards. Ten rounds later I could not get it to feed from the magazine or fully extract fired cartridges. Henry said to send it back to them, I haven't gotten around to it yet. So my experience has been a huge letdown so far, which seems different than most here.
Clemson
Member
I put a scope on a Henry for a friend. The plastic barrel bands and pot metal receiver were negatives. I had a great deal of difficulty lining up the scope on the groved receiver with the barrel. It took every bit of windage in the scope to get it on target. The gun functioned OK, but I certainly couldn't recommend one.
Clemson
Clemson
Aguila Blanca
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The receiver isn't "pot metal," it's aluminum. I put an inexpensive Wal-Mart scope on mine and had no trouble at all getting it zeroed.
P. Plainsman
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I've owned a Henry Golden Boy and a Marlin 39A.
Henry action very smooth, a pleasure to cycle.
Henry Golden Boy's metal butt plate tended to slip off the shoulder, and the Henry stock angle is awkward compared to the Marlin.
Henry had an OK trigger.
Not as accurate as the Marlin.
The Marlin is beautiful and has great ergonomics -- a real hunter's rifle -- rubber butt pad feels just right.
My 39A was a nice, accurate shooter. However, it was not as accurate as my Marlin semi-auto 60DL, which cost about $250 less and is just a barn-burner for accuracy.
Marlin 39A's box trigger was crisp but too heavy. I had an aftermarket spring kit installed and the resulting trigger pull was good, slightly better than the Henry's.
The Marlin was actually a bit more jam-prone than the Henry. The jams were uncommon but were quite severe when they occurred, jamming up the lever mechanism and requiring some disassembly of the gun to clear.
Overall I think the Marlin is the better weapon, but I can see why the cheaper Henrys are making such inroads on the lever .22 market. They definitely have their good points. I ended up selling both of my .22 levers and embracing the Marlin semi-auto as my "go to" .22 rifle. Not as pretty as either the Henry or the 39A, but it's lighter, cheaper, more accurate, and (so far) fully reliable.
Henry action very smooth, a pleasure to cycle.
Henry Golden Boy's metal butt plate tended to slip off the shoulder, and the Henry stock angle is awkward compared to the Marlin.
Henry had an OK trigger.
Not as accurate as the Marlin.
The Marlin is beautiful and has great ergonomics -- a real hunter's rifle -- rubber butt pad feels just right.
My 39A was a nice, accurate shooter. However, it was not as accurate as my Marlin semi-auto 60DL, which cost about $250 less and is just a barn-burner for accuracy.
Marlin 39A's box trigger was crisp but too heavy. I had an aftermarket spring kit installed and the resulting trigger pull was good, slightly better than the Henry's.
The Marlin was actually a bit more jam-prone than the Henry. The jams were uncommon but were quite severe when they occurred, jamming up the lever mechanism and requiring some disassembly of the gun to clear.
Overall I think the Marlin is the better weapon, but I can see why the cheaper Henrys are making such inroads on the lever .22 market. They definitely have their good points. I ended up selling both of my .22 levers and embracing the Marlin semi-auto as my "go to" .22 rifle. Not as pretty as either the Henry or the 39A, but it's lighter, cheaper, more accurate, and (so far) fully reliable.
I used one for hunting for a few years. It will hit where you're pointing-well. My brother in law brought over his 9422 for informal tests. We shot one just as well as the other. I don't have any experience with the Marlin, but for the price, the Henry will do everything you want it to.
MilsurpShooter
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I love the thing. Bought it from Wal-Mart awhile back because I've always loved the lever action old west looking rifles. I use it now mainly as a plinking / varmint hunter. I took out a ground hog from about 30 yards with it, headshot too 
Easy to disasselmble and have never had a feed problem with it. I'm about 6'1, 230 lbs and it doesn't give me a problem with sighting or firing. The paint is starting to come off the outside action cover on it, and I lost the front sight hood, but otherwise the rifle has held up well.
Can't go wrong with it and the price of it.
Easy to disasselmble and have never had a feed problem with it. I'm about 6'1, 230 lbs and it doesn't give me a problem with sighting or firing. The paint is starting to come off the outside action cover on it, and I lost the front sight hood, but otherwise the rifle has held up well.
Can't go wrong with it and the price of it.
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