Buying a 22 lever action

[ForumSurfer]

I'm going to buy a lever action 22. My boys really enjoy plinking with a 22 and I can really afford to plink all day on Saturdays.

I was hoping for some advice from others in case I've missed a model or two. I didn't grow up on lever action 22's, so I'm open to suggestion.

Here's the criteria:

• Definitely lever action. The kids think levers are cool and frankly, so do I.
• I'd like to be able to mount peep sights on it, possibly even tang sight if such a thing is possible. (Such as these: http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/#marlin 39a peep sights____-_1-2-4_8-16-32 )
• There will never be a scope on it, strictly iron sights.
• I PREFER a straight stock like the Marlin "Texan" rifles. I'm a little flexible here, but I would love to have more options in this configuration other than the Henry 22.
• I'm ok with new or used, I really don't care.

I really want to like the Marlin 39a since I've heard so many great things, but I really want a Texan style straight stock. If any of you guys or gals have owned both the Henry and the 39a, I'd love to hear your opinions on shooting the two.

Any advice on other model lever action 22's is more than welcome!

 

[Carl Levitian]

I've got two Marlin 39's, one I got when I was 19 years old, the other I got in my 20's. I'm 70 years old now, and I can't begin to guess how many thousands upon thousands of rounds have gone through them. My children and then my grandchildren have learned to shoot on them. That's three generations that have been served well by them. As I have aged, Williams receiver sights have aided old eyes well.

The high initial cost does not matter when you're buying something that your grandkids will use after you're gone. Marlin 39's have imitators, but no equals.

Carl.

 

[ForumSurfer]

I own two "cheap" 60's...I've had them since they made them with the 18 round tubes in the 70's. My sons shoot with them often and they've seen thousands and thousands of rounds. These Marlin 60's taken enough squirrel, rabbit and field mice that they are on PETA's Top 10 Most Wanted List. I know the quality of the Marlin is good to go.

Unfortunately, I hear the same thing about the quality of the Henry so I'm a little torn on which to get. The octagonal barreled Henry for $330 with a dovetailed front sight (easily changed by me) and walnut stocks is a really nice looking rifle that seems to be just as high quality as the marlin.

The initial cost doesn't concern me unless we top $700. The Marlin is well below that and only the extra special edition Henry rifles top that price.

 

[jmr40]

If you want a gun your grandkids will still be using and be proud to own buy the Marlin. It will cost more now, but will be worth more than you paid for it eventually.

If you want a cheap plinker I've heard good things about the Henry. It will be a lot less expensive and likely will be just as accurate. But by the time your grandkids own it it will likely be ready for the scrap heap if it is used much at all.

With a little looking on the used market there are a lot of straight stocked Marlin 22's out there. They haven't been made in years, but I own 2 purchased used for just a little more than a Henry would cost new. If you can find one of the discontinued Winchester 94-22's they are great as well. Got one of those as well.

 

[Red Cent]

The !866 replica goes for about $900.00.
The plastic, wood,and metal Henry was bought for $150.00 from pawn shop. Slicked that little rifle up and now it will function with a flip of the fingers. Takes almost nothing to rack the lever. Someone complained about the front sight being plastic. Measure total height of front sight. Cut the top piece off. Drill and tap for a shotgun bead. I put a big ivery one on it. I use it for fairly fast shooting. I replaced the skinny blade on the 1866 also.

 

[walw]

How about the Browning BL-22? Haven't shot a Henry but I love my Browning, very short throw and super smooth action. I got mine used cheap ($150), it gets shot more than any other .22 rifle I own.

 

[ForumSurfer]

If you want a gun your grandkids will still be using and be proud to own buy the Marlin. It will cost more now, but will be worth more than you paid for it eventually.

If you want a cheap plinker I've heard good things about the Henry.

The nicer Henrys aren't that much cheaper than a 39a. I was hoping some Henry owners would chime in, particularly those with high priced Henrys...not the entry level models.

But by the time your grandkids own it it will likely be ready for the scrap heap if it is used much at all.

I've heard that, but I've never read a post where someone who actually owned a nice Henry said "I shot my Henry to death and had to toss it in the trash, man I wish I had bought a Marlin."


"High end" Henry or just "High priced?" I'd just like to hear first hand from fellow THR'ers. The nicer Henry that has caught my eye and is making me hesitate on the Marlin:

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/36_107/products_id/17113

http://www.henryrepeating.com/rifle-lever-octagon.cfm

The rear sight is actually a Marbles buckhorn...a high quality peep sight manufacturer! I haven't gotten to actually see this model in person, but it hardly looks like a cheap piece of junk that will be shot to death in a few short years

 

[pikid89]

not a traditional cowboy looking lever gun but i want to suggest a Ruger 96/22
http://tinyurl.com/3lkkspp
a. it uses the awesome ruger rotary mags as well as any of the high cap mags like steel lips or the new ruger high cap

b. no exposed hammer

c. you can install tech sights just like a 10/22 (with a bit of tinkering)

 

[ForumSurfer]

not a traditional cowboy looking lever gun but i want to suggest a Ruger 96/22
http://tinyurl.com/3lkkspp
a. it uses the awesome ruger rotary mags as well as any of the high cap mags like steel lips or the new ruger high cap

b. no exposed hammer

c. you can install tech sights just like a 10/22 (with a bit of tinkering)

Wow, that is different. Thanks for the suggestion! It looks....interesting.

If I bring that home it will just gather dust. The kids want a cowboy style lever gun after looking at several different 22 rifles. They are expecting to see something like you see in Westerns. I'm OK with that as long as they stay interested in shooting with me.

Although that 96/22 would be rather crazy (or maybe bubba-fied?) if you tricked it out...VQ barrel, 30 round mags, tech sights and anything else 10/22 you can throw at it!

 

[PX15]

JMOfartO:


I've never heard bad things about how "smooth" the action is and how the Henry's shoot...

But, I don't have one.

Jesse

 

[az_imuth]

I have one of the Golden Boys from back when they first came out about a decade ago. It's been shot a lot and is still slick as butter just like it was the day I bought it. It's fine rifle even if it isn't made of forged steel.

I also own several Winchester 9422's and am on my second Model 39, this one a Mountie. I really like the 9422's a lot, but the Henry is also a real pleasure to shoot and I haven't noticed any wear or change in performance after some pretty heavy use. At this point the Marlin is just okay, but may grow on me if I can ever get the action to smooth up a bit. I think that if treated with care, the Golden Boy will last just as long as the Marlins and Winchesters and give you and your kids many years of enjoyment.

 

[DM~]

Lots of guys love their 39a's, but they all have had them, for many years! Yes, they are great guns, but have you looked at current 39's? NOTHING like the quality of old, make mine a Henry please! OOhhh, that's right! I already did......two times!

DM

 

[smokey262]

I have a Marlin 39 and a Henry standard lever. Both are great shooters, and both look fantastic. No troubles with either of them

A straight stocked model 39 may take awhile to find.

Since your budget is $700, and you have more than one son, I suggest you buy one of each of them !

 

[Frozen North]

I own a Henry .22 Magnum model. I can say that the action is slicker than snot and the trigger is pretty good too. The wood is very attractive, unlike some of the "hardwood finished" stuff we see today. I like this gun an awful lot and I don't think a Henry will disappoint you.

I saw a Henry 22. with a round barrel in the gun shop the other day NIB for $289. That is a very good price for a quality gun.

 

[Furncliff]

My model 39 is well made and accurate. But it's heavy and if your children are small you may want to consider the Browning BL22. I gave my wife a Browning for Valentines day some years back. It's much lighter and fits a smaller person very well.

 

[pikid89]

@forum surfer, my favorite part of the Ruger 96/22 is how short the lever stroke is, if your hand is above average size, you can pretty much leave you thumb above the grip and just extend your fingers out
fyi this is not me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cSRgRxfX7E

 

[ForumSurfer]

@forum surfer, my favorite part of the Ruger 96/22 is how short the lever stroke is, if your hand is above average size, you can pretty much leave you thumb above the grip and just extend your fingers out
fyi this is not me

Someone else suggested a henry for each son for the price of a 39a...toss in a a 96/22 for dad and a race tree, now that sounds like fun!

 

[pikid89]

^ i think youve got the problem solved...done

 

[SGW42]

Have you held a 39A?

Mmmm. That's all it took for me. The weight, the heft, the balance. There's something about it that says it's made for adults. Kids pick up on this and like it more.

Henrys are really nice, picking one up is on my list (astonishing customer service from what I read), but glad I have a 39A in my collection first.

 

[CraigC]

My preference is for the Winchester 94/22. While the Henry is a decent rifle for the money, it is not made to last forever. A pot metal receiver with an outer cover wearing a spray on finish along with some plastic parts just does not do much for me and I have never been impressed with any of their offerings. The Winchester is all milled steel, polished and blued. It is really a better-made rifle than domestic centerfire 94's have been since 1963 and Winchester could not have ever made much money on them. The Henry is smooth because it has loose tolerances and a bolt the size of a pencil. The Winchester is smooth because its massive bolt is finely fitted into the receiver and all parts are properly polished. Big difference. The downside is that while I only paid $300 for my 94/22's, they've since been discontinued and are commanding collector prices. They are still, IMHO, worth every penny.

The Marlins are good guns but it will take a gunsmith's stonework or a great many rounds downrange to be as smooth as an out-of-the-box 94/22.

 

[ForumSurfer]

Have you held a 39A?

Yes and I agree it is nice. Unfortunately when I pick up a 39a, I long for that Marlin 336 that I lost in a fire. So when I pick up a 39a, I feel it is missing something. I guess I'll be jaded about Marlin 39a's until I replace that 336. I thought I no longer needed a rifle like the 336 after I gave up deer hunting.

The solution, I believe, is to buy more lever guns and write up some comparative reviews. I see no other course of action.

 

[bergmen]

Henry's are Excellent

I've bought two of them, one for my daughter and one for my grandson. I got the 001 for both which is the basic model.

Having said that, there is a major difference between these and my older 39A. The Henry's have die cast aluminum receivers that are painted. The 39's have forged steel receivers that are blued. It may not matter to most, but if considering a choice that could last a few generations I would choose forged steel over die cast aluminum

In my case, these were first guns for the kids. They can handle the young, new owner "learning to take care of firearms" period that all first guns go through. As the kids get older, they can save for the solid steel guns to add to their collection later.

JMHO

Dan

 

[CTPhil]

To me, the Winchester 9422 is the ultimate lever action .22.

 

[Cosmoline]

I had one of the 94-22's from late in their production run. The quality was OK, but the finishing left something to be desired. The rear sight was cheapo sheet metal and the scope mount had been left razor sharp. Slashed my palm open on it.

I've heard very good things about the whole Henry line. I think they're real sleepers, but have unfortunate names like "Big Boy" and "Golden Boy."

 

[chicharrones]

@forum surfer, my favorite part of the Ruger 96/22 is how short the lever stroke is, if your hand is above average size, you can pretty much leave you thumb above the grip and just extend your fingers out
fyi this is not me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cSRgRxfX7E

That is awesome. I've seen those Ruger levers in the past, but never seen one operated before.