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

[ArmedBear]

Given proper care, how long could one last?

100? 1000? 10,000?

Not sure. But I've seen them at about the century mark, and they still look a lot like my 39M. So I can say FOR SURE they'll go for 100 years without a problem.

1891, 1892 and 1897 were previous model designations. The 39M I have is virtually identical to the 1897 20" octagon model, except that the 39M has the slightly-different high-velocity bolt. The old 1897s I've handled still look like my 39M, apart from the blue and wood looking older. So I can say for sure that they'll go for 100 years without a problem. My 39M has already gone for 36 and looks close to new.

 

[Joe Demko]

The present Henry rifles bear no relation to the earlier ones. The Marlin's construction is what makes it more expensive and more likely to last.
As I understand it, the Henry's frame is cast from one of the zinc alloys commonly referred to as Zamak. My experience with guns using Zamak for major components is that they do not last nearly as long as guns using steel or even aluminum for the same purposes. Zamak gets brittle with age, you see. For example, the "vintage" Transformers toys of the 80's had some cast Zamak parts; today's toy collectors handle them very gently because breakage is an issue if they are handled roughly or dropped. These toys are only roughly 25 years old. I have guns in my collection older than that which I bought new! Henry rifles, like other pot metal guns, are a disposable item IMO.

 

[ArmedBear]

there are Henry rifles from the 1870's that are still working today

The original Henry was made starting around 1860 by the New Haven Arms Company. The company and the rifle's brand were renamed Winchester in 1866, when the post-war successor to the first Henry came out.

The first Henry was really the first Winchester. The New Haven factory closed its doors only a few years ago, and AFAIK never sold their designs to anyone. Uberti does make replicas of the 1860 and 1866 rifles -- nice ones, and for more money than anything Henry Repeating currently sells, I believe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_rifle

The modern Henry Repeating Arms Company has nothing to do with Winchester, and never did. They have never made a rifle using the Henry design. The .22 they currently produce is based, AFAIK, on a German-made Ithaca from the 1960s. Again AFAIK, they bought the design.

Martini-Henry rifles have nothing to do with either, and were designed and built by the Brits starting in 1871. They're single shot falling-block rifles, more similar to a Sharps than to any lever gun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martini-Henry

 

[shoot]

In response to Pweller's very interesting post, I have attached a picture of the inner machining of my own 2007 39A. I hope you can see the machining marks which do seem somewhat rough. Perhaps there is a reason it is made this way. If it were perfectly smooth inside lubricating oils might tend to leak out. Any sand or gummed oil might stay out of harms way in the bottom of the grooves; I don't know. I wonder if the ones made 50 or so years ago were machined the same way on the inside.
I chose to buy my Marlin after looking at the other makes because it had the feel of something made 100 years ago. The other rifles were all good in their own way but there is just something about the "heritage" of the Marlin. How much longer will they keep making them?

 

[ArmedBear]

How much longer will they keep making them?

'Til Cerberus makes them switch to plastic?

 

[HardShell]

I have both and enjoy both.

As has been said, and rightly so, the Henry's are very nice little rifles and a good value for their cost IMO but they really aren't even in the same league with the 39A, a true "classic."

(I will go further to say that Henry is a great company to deal with, owned/run by very likeable folks who work hard to support the RKBA -- no Henry-basher here.)

 

[shoot]

Thanks for refreshing my memory Armed Bear. I had forgotten that Marlin was sold to Remington in 2008, who in turn are one of many companies owned by Cerebus. I don't know what kind of effect this will have on Marlin's products if any. To me it's kind of sad to see them go from 100+ years of independent ownership and now to be under a huge holding company.

 

[jbkebert]

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.

I bought my son the H001t for his tenth birthday a fun little rifle to shoot. I was surprised at how accurate they are. We have a pile of blue rock broken in the back yard.

 

[tubeshooter]

I have a 39a, and it's great.

I don't own a Henry, but I have to say that I like what I hear about their attitude towards RKBA, their products and their customers. If I were to get another .22 for knock-around and/or loaner purposes, I would strongly consider a base-model Henry just as a vote of confidence. Most customers seem satisfied.


The Marlin is twice the price, and not really directed at the same market. Not a completely apples-to-apples comparison IMO.

 

[Dollar An Hour]

Where does the Browning BL-22 fit in here? I know it is shorter and lighter than the 39A, and a bit less expensive.

 

[shoot]

RKBA?

Could someone please let me know what "RKBA" means. Thanks.

 

[tubeshooter]

Right to Keep and Bear Arms.


Basically another way of referencing the 2nd Amendment.

 

[22-rimfire]

The Browning BL-22's are great little lever action rifles. They have a underbarrel tubular magazine. They are not target grade accurate, but will do as well as most Marlin 39A's. They have a short lever stroke that makes them fast and the action is generally silky smooth. I don't own one, but I have shot them. The stock is a little short for me, but they make a great little squirrel or small game rifle and the shorter stock makes them quick pointing. They came in several different grades and tend to run about what a used Marlin 39A runs or a tad more.

 

[ijosef]

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.

Is that the same as the quick rebound hammer that Winchester switched to on their model 94's before ceasing production? I know it's supposed to be safer, but I really prefer the old style hammers that landed flush. Half-cock safety is good enough for me as well - I don't like the cross-bolt safeties at all.

 

[fishinfoo]

I have my dads marlin 39a and for a 56 year old gun it shoots purdy well

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Shoot #31: I have a 1950s made 39 Mountie and the internals have the same degree of machining marks, internally rough, externally smooth. I don't know if it is a deliberate design intent, but it does leave space for fouling to get out of the way between cleanings. (Your cartridge carrier seems to have a nice brass patina to it.)

Back to Opening Post: I have a Marlin 39 Mountie and would not trade it for the Henry. That said, the Henry appears identical to the Ithaca and Erma leveractions designs and those I know who own them like them (Henrys) just as much as I like my Marlin 39M.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

I have my dads marlin 39a and for a 56 year old gun it shoots purdy well

My dad is 88 and his '52 39A would now be 57. He won't let me have it yet so I have to be content with my 79...

 

[SwampWolf]

He won't let me have it yet

What do you mean "yet"? The man is almost ninety! You'd think you'd have picked up a hint or two by now as to whether he intends to keep it or give it away.

 

[AStone]

The man is almost ninety!

<smiles>

Hey, when it comes to 39's, most of us hope to keep shooting it past 95.

 

[HardShell]

Could someone please let me know what "RKBA" means. Thanks.

My apologies.

I assumed anyone on this site knows that acronym well... and you know what happens when you assume.

 

[Griff56]

Maybe he doesn't think you are old enough to be trusted with it yet.

 

[vicdotcom]

I bought my son the H001t for his tenth birthday a fun little rifle to shoot. I was surprised at how accurate they are. We have a pile of blue rock broken in the back yard.

Looks like a great setup in the yard and looks like a lot of fun! But no eyewear or hearing protection? From family experience, even a .22 outdoors can serously damage hearing over time. My father-in-law shot strictly .22's and is deaf in his right ear and partially in the left now.

 

[Pony Express]

im not sure about the 39A but i know the henry has some pretty crude sights. i put a cheap bb gun scope on my henry and thats that, but it would be nice to have a gun with better irons.

 

[jbkebert]

Looks like a great setup in the yard and looks like a lot of fun! But no eyewear or hearing protection? From family experience, even a .22 outdoors can serously damage hearing over time. My father-in-law shot strictly .22's and is deaf in his right ear and partially in the left now.

Point well taken. I am usually pretty stern about eyes and ears. I had just given him the rifle maybe 20 minutes before and neither one of us waited to shoot. No excuse I know but didn't take the time to do it right.:banghead:

 

[SwampWolf]

All's true about the lack of eye and ear protection but you're to be commended for starting your boy off right. Great pictures too.