Marlin 39A vs Henry 22 Lever Action Rifle.....

[asquires2]

which 22 is the cream of the crop, the Marlin 39A or the Henry H001?

 

[jtheise4]

I looked at purchasing both rifles you've mentioned. The Marlin seemed like a better rifle, but was MUCH more expensive and didn't seem worth the extra money. I ended up purchasing the Henry and have been extremely happy. Its more accurate than I am and fun to shoot.

 

[ArmedBear]

39A: machined-steel, takedown design, made in the USA with few changes since the 1890s, Annie Oakley's exhibition gun over a century ago

H001: smooth, cheap, fun, attractive, a German design now made in the US, mystery metal receiver

The 39A is the better gun. For the price, it'd better be, but it's worth more, too.

The Henry, especially in its basic, least-expensive form, is worth getting and shooting.

 

[fireman 9731]

The Marlin 39A is the cream of the crop.

But that sure doesn't mean that I don't love my Henry with its silky slicker than snot on a greased door knob action

 

[asquires2]

Yeah the Marlin is about $200 more than the Henry . The Marlin has a nice design and the Henry is plain jane. The Marlin comes in a 24" barrel, the Henry comes in 18 1/4 " barrel. I had a Marlin and somehow my father ended up with it , I still dont know how that happened but now I need another 22 lever action.

 

[ArmedBear]

I have two Marlins, myself, so I have my prejudices. But you sure won't find a lot of people on here, complaining about their Henry .22s.

 

[AStone]

Asquires, drop by over here and ask that question.

Guess what answer you'll get?

 

[ArmedBear]

A little BMW 128i is a nicer car to drive than a little Chevy Aveo on a number of levels.

That doesn't mean the Chevy isn't a better choice when one is on a budget.

 

[AStone]

I concur.

BMW owners are a little biased, nonetheless.

 

[aka108]

Bought my Marlin in '55. Bought a Henry about 8 or 9 years ago. Still have the Marlin. The action on the Henry was smoother than the Marlin. That was the Henry's finer point. The Marlin offers better (all steel) construction, easier take-down for cleaning, better in the accuracy department, at least for me. It is however 2x or so higher priced than the Henry. From past ownership experience, if I had neither, I'd exercise a little patience and save the extra bucks for the Marlin 39. You really can't knock either firearm, just depends upon what you are willing to part with money wise.

 

[SwampWolf]

The 39 costs more because it costs more to make. But worth every penny imo.

 

[jmr40]

The Henry is a good inexpensive gun that will do the job for most people. It is not in the same league as the Marlin however. The Marlin is a gun that will passed down for generations.

 

[SGW42]

I have a 39A but if I were to get a Henry it'd be the H001T, with the octagon barrel and Marble's sights. Actually I'd be going after that nice slide-action, assuming I had money to burn.

What turned me off on them though is that the manufacturer doesn't recommend taking them down at all (no instructions even included).

 

[22-rimfire]

No question that the Marlin 39A is the better rifle. You pay for it, but it is in my opinion worth the extra money. You can find them used for a pretty fair price if you look.

The Browning BL-22 is also a great little rifle. I have been looking for a Winchester 9422 to keep my Marlin 39A company.

 

[Glockman17366]

I had a Henry as my first .22 rifle in years. I now have a 39A which I truly love. My choice would be the 39A, but I'd recommend a Henry H001 to anyone looking for a lower cost .22 lever action rifle.

BTW, I bought my 39A used...and the price wasn't much more then a new Henry H001.

 

[Pweller]

I have a 39A that I bought new a few years ago. This may be an unpopular thing to say, but the internals of the Marlin are very poorly finished. I would rank the outside appearance of the gun a 9/10, and the internals about a 3/10. There are lots of machining marks, and the action is fairly rough. I spent quite a few hours trying to smooth out the action, and I was able to make about a 30% improvement. (The internal finishing on my Kel-tec was far better than my Marlin.) The new ones also have a recoiling hammer arrangement, so it makes a real nice 'sproing' sound when you fire it.

The Henry, of course, has an alloy receiver. I don't have any experience with them. Personally, I'd recommend looking carefully at the Henry, Browning, and Winchester and then making a decision. Don't do like I did and assume that the Marlin looks just as nice on the inside as it does on the outside.

Make sure you work the action on them in the store to see if that is satisfactory. Of course, I may be a lot fussier than some about the definition of 'smooth', so it may not bother you at all.

 

[arnie08515]

I just bought the Henry H001 and love it. Shoots fine and just like the gun. I opted out of the golden boy though as I plan on also getting the Marlin 39A. The Henry is plenty for me and I am happy with it. Nicely made for me. But I think I'll just add the 39A a little later.

 

[dfariswheel]

The Henry is a stamped and cast rifle that will be worn out in 20 years or so, and will have little value after a couple of years of use.

The Marlin 39-A is a forged and milled steel, American Walnut legend that will only be smoother and more accurate in 40 years and will have a higher value than when it was new.

Your great grand kids will be battling viciously to see who gets the Marlin long after you're gone.

 

[Brian Williams]

I have a Marlin, and have shot the Henry, it is like the S&W and Taurus debate, the 45 v. 9mm, etc.

 

[richamor]

I wonder how many of these Henrys will still be shooting (and shooting well!) 100 years from now.

 

[ArmedBear]

I wonder how many of these Henrys will still be shooting (and shooting well!) 100 years from now.

Not many. The Marlin is a much better rifle, and if not abused or left to rust, it will be around in 100 years. There are some now that are.

I just think the Henry is a viable option for a fine plinker, even though I haven't bought one, won't get one, have two Marlins, and would strongly recommend the Marlin.

 

[AStone]

The Marlin is a much better rifle, and if not abused or left to rust, it will be around in 100 years.

Let's play with that a bit.

Given proper care, how long could one last?

100? 1000? 10,000?

 

[JohnBT]

I don't know, forever? I've had my Golden 39-A Mountie since 1963, so that's 46 years and counting.

JT

 

[Temp430]

BL-22

I love my Browning BL-22. I've had it since 1974 and it still looks new and drives tacks. If you're in the market for a 22 lever action I suggest you try out a BL-22 at your local gun store.

 

[CajunBass]

The Henry seems to be a nice little rifle/carbine.

But it's no Marlin. The Marlin costs twice as much because it's worth it.