Which .22 Lever Action & Why

The first gun I ever bought was a Marlin 39A in 1971 and I still have it. When it's time, it will go to my son.

Get the winchester if you can afford it. Bult for the long haul and dead relaible. I've got a marlin 39 and have had feeding problems (may be an isolated case), but the winchester is so much smoother than the marlin. I've shot the henry and it was smooth also, but the winchester is a winchester and the henry is just a henry. You won't regret the winchester.

In researching my next .22lr rifle I'm drawn to the Marlin 39.

i keep hearing so many great things about the marlin and i'm sure they are great.

But have you worked the action on a Henry? butter should be so smooth.

Glockman19 - Why the Marlin ?

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First I have a Marlin 1894SS .44mag and love it. I also had the same decision to make between Henry & Marlin at that time too.

I would choose the Marlin for a few reasons:
1) Weight; Marlin 6.5 lbs, Henry 6.75lbs. I prefer the lighter rifle.
2) Barrel Length; Marlin 24" micro-groove rifling overall length 40", Henry 20" Heavy octogon barrel overall length 38.5". I find better accuracy through a longer barrel and don't mind the extra 1.5" overall difference.
3) Ammunition Capacity; Marlin has the higher capacity 26 Short/21 Long/19 LR, Henry 21 Short/? Long/16 LR. I like the one with more capacity.
4) Price; Marlin around $500, Henry around $400 Price was not a determining factor in my purchase.

The Browning is a fine gun, but it feels like a child's toy to me. And the trigger isn't great.

I have a couple Marlins, one with a 20" tapered octagon barrel, one with a 24" heavy round barrel. I like them both, and so does anyone else who shoots one. I never planned to buy two; I just really liked one of them and the other one, a rare 35-year-old version I really liked, showed up at the store, so I broke the piggy bank and bought it. The 24" is a great practice gun for a 336 or other larger lever action. My only complaint is that the lever can beat up the tops of your fingers, since it's impossible to just shoot a few rounds with it -- the 24" has a 19-round magazine (more if you shoot Longs or Shorts) and it's just so much fun you just keep shooting. Before you know it, you've shot a brick and your fingers are sore on top.

I finally made a fringed 2-layer suede lever wrap for it yesterday evening; I'll be testing it out with live ammo tonight or tomorrow. Preliminary tests are really positive.

I like the Henry octagon; I might have bought one of those if I didn't find the old Marlin with the octagon barrel. I have reservations about the Henry's stock drop, but it's a neat gun, US-made and not too expensive. The Marlin, though, has a steel receiver and is a takedown. You do get more when you pay more; the question is, "Does it matter to you?" Also, you can't buy a new Marlin with a 20" barrel and a straight grip, and the used ones are not cheap. NIB, Henry is probably your best option. OTOH used 39M's will hold their value if you don't trash them.

All three rifles are well-made and have their adherents. I think you can probably get a bit more accuracy from the 24" heavy barrel Marlin, and it has "real-gun" heft. Feels about like a 336. If it's for a kid, get the Henry youth model, which is smaller, lighter, and cheaper, and will work great. If it's for a grownup, though, the Marlin is a grownup gun.

I have a Henry. I like it because it’s cheap, well made, has a crisp solid action, is light weight, holds 15 in the mag, shoots well and is also a great gun to introduce younger folks to the joys of shooting.

I love my 39A, but I had to pay for it. The gun is not what you would call inexpensive.


If you just don't want to pay that much, the Henry seems like a pretty good alternative.

Marlin 39A, I got mine in 1952 and it's still going strong. Extremely accurate and it is sized and feels like a much larger gun.

buy a WINCHESTER 9422 you won't be disappointed they last FOREVER I have one in .22mag my grandfather has one in .22lr both are GREAT guns.
top 3 reasons you should get one

1. Its a winchester what more needs to be said
2. extremly reliable
3. accurate

Provided you can find one...


What's the going rate? About $650 or so?

The stock had a small ding in the finish so I will be seeking advice on how to fix this or to refinish the stock and forend.

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Forgot about this until just now. One of the forearms on one of my Henry's had a ding in it when I got it. I called Henry and they sent me a new one no questions asked, didn't even want the damaged piece back.

I would say go with a Marlin, though I won a Henry h001 in a raffle and have to say it's a perfectly decent gun.

I've had my Marlin 39M 20" carbine for nearly 30 yrs. I've also owned a Browning BL22 and a Winchester 9422.

They were sold when folks who wanted them more than I did waived unseemly amounts of cash at me. The Marlin isn't going anywhere but to an heir, no matter how much is offered.