Help me decide on a new 22lr

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JO JO

JO JO

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I am thinking of picking up a new 22lr for myself will be used a lot at an indoor
range for now, not looking at semi auto types as I want to stretch the 22lr shells out a bit and not blast away, the two I am stuck on and are close in
price is Ruger American rimfire or Henry H001 lever and I am having a hard
time deciding between these two :confused:
Pro's and Con's ?
Thanks
 
Don't know about Henry but my RugeR American is pretty accurate. It is a .22 Mag though.
I really like the CZ 452 and 455. Very accurate, all wood and steel and they work.
 
Henry rifles are awesome. I have no experience with the Ruger.

Geno
 
JO JO said:
I am thinking of picking up a new 22lr for myself will be used a lot at an indoor
range for now, not looking at semi auto types as I want to stretch the 22lr shells out a bit and not blast away, the two I am stuck on and are close in
price is Ruger American rimfire or Henry H001 lever and I am having a hard
time deciding between these two :confused:
Pro's and Con's ?
Thanks
Click to expand...
I've got one of each so here's my take...

Henry advantages :
* looks better
* better magazine capacity
* easily shoots .22lr, long and short
* higher rate of fire

RAR advantages :
* better accuracy
* you can scope both but a scope makes sense on a bolt action
* lighter
* MUCH simpler takedown / maintenance
* can carry multiple detachable mags
* sling friendly right out of the box

The one I take into the woods time after time after time...

20151019_d0030_zpsgn41o3zm.jpg
 
JO JO

Tough deciding between the two. I have always wanted both a lever action and a bolt action .22LR. I suppose the intrinsic accuracy of the bolt action, along with a decent scope, would probably tip the choice in favor of the Ruger American, or maybe move a little more upscale to a CZ 455.
 
I REALLY like my Henry levers, and I've made some over 100 yard shots with mine on crows ect......all with the iron sights, so I'd say they ARE accurate enough.

DM
 
I have to cast my vote for CZ as well. I've never seen a more accurate out of the box .22 and that includes some of the Anschutz rifles too. I love my 455 FS. Besides being accurate, CZ is easier to spell than the rest too!
 
At least look into the CZ as a possible choice. The 455 lets you interchange barrels (.22 LR, .17 HMR or .22 mag). I have .22 and 17 HMR barrels for mine, both shoot extremely well.
 
I would love a lever personally, so that's my vote but says nothing for you. Friend has a 9422mag and I knocked a squirrel off a woodpile at about 130 yards...one of my proudest shots ever...:)

Greg
 
I'm sure the Henry and the RAR 22s are nice.
Don't have a Henry but I do have an Winchester 9422. It's a fun gun but the sights are so so.
Don't have a RAR 22 either but recently saw one with a wood stock that was interesting.
Now, I do shot 22 lr indoors... A lot... And my favorite is a CZ trainer. Super sights, precision bolt and feeds as smooth as butter. The machining is excellent. This is a full size rifle that is great for offhand shooting. At 350 smackers I'd call it a Best Buy.
Sorry not much help on the OPs specific rifle question. Both rifles mentioned are well done and known for manufacture support. Pick the one that makes you happy.
 
I have the Henry's at the moment and my grandpa's old Remington target master bolt gun and I can say from some of the other nice bolt guns I've let go of over the years that a NICE bolt gun is almost impossible to put down. The lever is awesome and fun and you can shoot it accurately as fast as most semi autos so I wouldn't want to be without one, but if I had to pick one small bore rifle for the rest of forever one of the cz bolt guns would top the list...
 
If you want longer range and accuracy, Marlin XT-22. Marlin advertises their Microgroove rifling as creating a better gas seal and less bullet deformation, thus increasing velocity and accuracy.

They come in 7 round detachable mags or 17 round tubular. The barrels for the detachable mag models can be threaded for suppressor, while the tube model cannot, however, if you're into shooting shorts, the tube model feeds .22 shorts flawlessly.

The blued models sell for under $200, the stainless ones for about $250. Get a scope, the sights suck.

I know Marlin has had a bad rep for a while, but I must have gotten lucky because apart from .22 shorts getting staggered in the tube when loaded to the full 25 rounds, I haven't had any issues. My solution with the shorts is to load less than the full capacity and it runs smooth.
 
CZ 455 American combo from Bud's $500. .22 and .17 HMR barrels
 
The thing that I find so compelling about CZs is not their excellent out-of-the-box accuracy. They are generally very accurate, but there are other guns that are accurate or can easily be made so. With the accuracy requirement satisfied, what I appreciate most is the old-school quality and the feel of guns -- the enjoyment of handling and operating them. No cheesy cheap-feeling bolt, safety, magazine release, or trigger. No cheap-looking and feeling plastic. Just a quality build and satisfaction to my hands. IMO, judging a gun only by its accuracy or its specifications on paper is like judging a vehicle based only on fuel mileage. Price aside, is there any difference between a 2010 Chevy Impala and a 2015 Lexus GS 350? They're the same size and both get the same fuel mileage, so they're about the same, right? Of course not; drive both and you'll see.

The reason so many of us CZ owners own a safe full of CZs is how they feel and operate. NOT just because they shoot well. I frankly couldn't care less whether anyone else owns one or not, so I'm not saying this to make me feel better, but get yourself a CZ. :)
 
I have a Henry. I like it alot some people do not like how they load,but you can make a speed loader for them in no time . The sights are hard for me to see (But my eyes arent too great) so I put a scope on it ,lots of fun ! Now,another option if you can find one is a Savage Stevens Favorite a single shot lever action falling block .22 it looks like a shrunken down buffalo gun and its a riot to shoot. light fast handeling cool looking whats not to like? they are built in Canada .
 
Savage Mark II FV-SR, buy a replacement boyd's stock and your in business.

Of the two that the OP originally suggested I would go with the Ruger American over the Henry. I had a Henry and didn't care for the finish on the receiver, mine was coming off at wear points leaving shiny metal underneath. But there are a lot of people who love them, the fit and finish just wasn't up to par for me. I sold it and found a used Winchester 9422 and couldn't be happier for a lever .22lr. As far as levers I have heard great things about the Browning BL22 if you don't mind the way the action cycles.
 
I have both a scoped savage mark 2 that is a tack driver as well as a cz 455 lux with iron sights. As somebody mentioned handling the cz is very nice with its great build quality. Nothing cheap about it
 
I recently picked up a cz 455 ultra lux, the one with the loooooong barrel. I was in the shop looking for something else, then I saw it, picked it up and held it. Bought it right then and there.
 
I've owned both a Ruger American .22lr and a Savage MKII. They're both sweet rifles. The only reasons I'd choose the Ruger is because it can use the same mags as a 10/22 and they don't stick out the bottom like a banana.
 
It really boils down to what you want.

I've shot both, and the Henry is a lot of fun (it's slick action make rapid-fire plinking a blast), but the stock doesn't fit me all that well.

The .22LR Ruger American Rifle is going to be more versatile, more accurate, better for any hunting IMHO, and easier to scope if you so desire.

The capacity issue is a wash because the RAR is much faster to reload, and uses inexpensive and ubiquitous 10/22 mags.
 
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