Lever action .22?

[CraigC]

Was. It hasn't been made for a while now.

"IS", though no longer produced, I'm sure those that 'were' produced still exist. Big deal, they're plentiful on the used market.

Every report I've read stated that the Browning has an aluminum receiver.

 

[Red Cent]

The rifle is a full size Uberti replica of the Winchester 1866 Yellow Boy. Most all internals are duplicated. Very well made and relatively smooth. Stock, so not close to the operation of my 1873s. I can easily (big hands) grasp the rifle in the normal shooting form and literally flick my four fingers (leaving the thumb on top) and rapid fire the rifle.
http://www.ubertireplicas.com/lever-1866yellowboy.php

 

[NWCP]

I find my tube fed Winchester 9422M and 9417M tube loaders to work just fine. I also have a few rifles that load via the butt stock. The tube magazine for a rimfire is the better of the two systems IMHO.

 

[Boxhead]

"Every report I've read stated that the Browning has an aluminum receiver."

Have you ever held one or shot one? They are steel. I am sure their website (inaccessible from here) might even say so.

 

[Red Cent]

Anyone notice that the 1866 weighs over 7#s?

 

[riomedinamike]

Ruger has (or used to have) a lever action, the 96/22, that uses a magazine.

As for the more classic designs, the Henry is the least expensive, and uses plastic parts to save costs. The front sights get too easily dinged up in my opinion.

My personal favorite is a Marlin 39 carbine with a 20" barrel.

 

[CraigC]

Have you ever held one or shot one? They are steel.

Nope, they are too far a departure from tradition to interest me much. But I believe you that they are steel.

 

[black_powder_Rob]

Red Cent that gun in post #20. is a beautiful rifle.

 

[Leaky Waders]

Didn't ruger used to make one with a rotary mag?

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

There have been two removeable, magazine-fed, lever action .22 rimfires that I know of. The first was the Marlin model 56, the other was the Ruger 96/22. There may be others.

The Marlin had a fairly fragile action, especially when compared to the Marlin model 39. The Ruger was a good gun, but priced at a point that it was not a commercial success.

900F

 

[Hangingrock]

"Every report I've read stated that the Browning has an aluminum receiver."
Boxhead: Have you ever held one or shot one? They are steel. I am sure their website (inaccessible from here) might even say so.

We’ll simply disagree. My example of the BL22 had an aluminum receiver. Now that was thirty plus years ago. The current production may have steel but my example did not.

 

[Avenger29]

You'd be driven to shoot yourself with the rifle if you had to load .22s thorugh a loading gate.


The Henry's are OK rifles. I'd prefer a BL-22 or a Marlin 39 or a Winchester 94/22 myself, but then again all of those rifles are twice the price of a Henry.

 

[CraigC]

...then again all of those rifles are twice the price of a Henry.

......and worth it! Actually, I see plenty of used Marlin 39's for $400 or less. Only paid $300 apiece for my pair `o 94/22's but that was 10 and 15yrs ago.

 

[black_powder_Rob]

and how many used Henrys do you see? I think it is a fine gun, it may not be everybodies flavor but it gets the job done and for less $$ I especially love my 22 mag octagonal barrel

 

[Hoppes Love Potion]

I also have a Henry, the Frontier Model with the octagonal barrel. Paid $315 for it, and have no complaints. The action is smooth as silk, it's accurate, and it eats everything I care to feed it.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Side gate loading was tried on some early .22 lever action rifles, but the tiny size of the cartridge made it impractical.

 

[CajunBass]

I don't like the fact that you have to unscrew a block and pull out a tube in order to load the rounds in.

While I'm not a fan of tube magazines either, you don't really "unscrew" it. It's about a 1/4...maybe a half turn at most, and you slide the inner tube out, then drop the rounds down the outer tube, and slide the inner, spring loaded tube back in. A quick 1/4...1/2 turn and you're back in business.

I've got a Marlin 39a. Great gun. I've kicked around the idea of getting a Henry, if for no other reason to reward the company for having the courage to advertise on "regular" TV.

 

[srkavanagh6621]

I recently bought a henry lever action .22 and i couldnt be more happy with it! Nice smooth action very accurate and a very fun gun to shoot. For being a lot cheaper than its competitors it has a beautiful wood stock completely made in the USA and i have heard there customer service is amazing! Something goes wrong the president himself will see to it your problem fixed. With all that going for it i would defiantly recommend the Henry you wouldnt regret it. Most fun .22 i have!

 

[Red Cent]

I own a Henry lever 22 in addition to the Yellowboy. Neat little rifle. Smooth action. I lightened the trigger and hammer springs and smoothed sear/hammer notch for a very good trigger. A positive/negative is the weight of the rifle. Great squirrel gun. Very light. Could carry it forever. Offhand shots are difficult because it is so light. The advertised weight is 5.25#s. If the barrel weighed maybe a half pound more, the unintended movements would slow down.
'Course it cost about a fifth of the Yellowboy.

 

[Daizee]

The most appropriate Henry for comparison is the Golden Boy, not the basic model.
The basic model is a great gun for the money, but it's a compromise. The Golden Boy is really lovely.

The Peach in the Marlin lineup is the 39M, hands down. But they have such a hitch in the action. Longest history.
The 9422/XTR is the all-around winner, IMO. Looks, balance, action. Simple action.
The Golden Boy is a fine, attractive rifle. No provision for receiver sights, tho.
The BLR/.22 never spoke to me, though it feels like quality through and through.


-Daizee

 

[RainDodger]

I have a Browning BL-22 that was bought new in 1978. It has a steel receiver. I'm checking now to find out if there was ever an aluminum receiver version made. I don't think there was. I'll know more soon....

 

[RainDodger]

I just heard from my retired friend from Browning. He said that he doesn't like questions like, "Did Browning ever make an aluminum receiver for the BL-22?", because sure enough someone will prove him wrong... BUT... he did say that to the best of his knowledge, there has never been an aluminum receiver on a Browning BL-22.... unless it was in the last few years since he retired.

I know mine is steel and it was made in '78. There's a squirrel engraved on one side and a rabbit on the other, but that was custom, not retail. It's a great shooting little rifle.

 

[inclinebench]

just saw this.

To avoid someone's wrath, I will say the link is to a side loading .22 lever action rifle someone is selling.

http://www.gunrunnerauctions.com/listings/details/index.cfm?itemnum=960247931

 

[GMAN26]

This weekend I saw a Marlin 39A Annie Oakley Commemorative. I'm not really into the Annie Oakley artwork so to speak but man that felt like it had some heft to it. Did not feel like a light weight rifle. It felt rugged. Unfortunately the GD did not have a reg 39A to look at. Are all 39A built the same?

Looked like this.....

http://www.cabelas.com/gun-inventory---rogers---fine-rifle---1731345-marl39a-rog.shtml

 

[CajunBass]

Yep. Take away the Annie Oakley stuff and it's a standard 39a.