Window Shopping: Lever Gun, .22 WMR

[ArfinGreebly]

I find myself shopping for a decent, serviceable .22 mag lever rifle.

I lean mostly toward the Marlin and Henry patterns (make that the OLDER Marlin patterns) because both of those eject to the side allowing for a scope, but the local shops don't seem to have any Marlin .22 mag levers just now.

The Henry models seem to come in either "plain Jane" or "Golden Boy" with about $120 between the two.

Currently, I can pick up one in blue with the octagon barrel (kinda heavy for a .22) for under $400 locally. I'll probably drop by and fondle it some time this week.

I've been reluctant to add a new caliber to the stable, and it's hard to make a "practical" argument for the .22 mag (and I don't have a Single Six with which to pair it), and I already have a suite of rifles in .22 LR, including a Marlin 39A, but I'm beginning to consider that there may be some use for the .22 mag in a lever.

Also, although the only ones on my radar are the Henry and [older] Marlin models, I'm open to other makes.

Suggestions and guidance are welcome, including suitable ammo for specific applications.

 

[black_powder_Rob]

If you go with a Henry you might consider the frontier model. I love mine and like the sights better than the regular models. keep in mind to that it holds 12 rounds and has a longer barrel than the reg model also.

 

[az_imuth]

While I have a couple of Henry's, neither is in .22 WMR so all I can say is that their rifles in general have held up and performed quite well for me. They will likely be the least expensive of the bunch also.

I do own a Winchester 9422 in .22 WMR that is one sweet shooting rifle. They are very well made rifles and the 9422 was originally designed around that cartridge rather than the .22 LR. You may be able to pick up a decent used one for a just little more than a new GB.

I don't think Marlin ever made a M39 in .22 WMR, but they did make an 1894 model in .22 WMR. It may take a bit of time and money to locate one because they seem to be pretty scarce these days.

Edited to add that the Winchester also ejects to the side and that neither the Marlin nor the Winchester are being produced any longer.

Here's the Winchester 9422M...

 

[ArfinGreebly]

I was also noticing that Rossi doesn't seem to make anything in a .22 lever rifle, neither .22 LR nor .22 WMR.

Does that pretty much leave us with Henry?

 

[rcmodel]

Try to find a used Winchester 9422M.

They don't get no better then that.

rc

 

[az_imuth]

I was also noticing that Rossi doesn't seem to make anything in a .22 lever rifle, neither .22 LR nor .22 WMR.

Does that pretty much leave us with Henry?

If you're looking to buy a "New" rifle, then that's pretty much the case. Henry is the only one I know of that currently produces a lever-action in .22 WMR.

I just looked at the Uberti Silver Boy to see if was offered in WMR, but it appears to only be offered in LR at present.

 

[CaliCoastie]

Fyi Marlin never made many 22mag levers, they had the Marlin 57[60's, and the 1894m in the 80's. I lucked into the 1894m at a Pawn shop for 175otd but they routinely go higher when they pop up on gunbroker(they only made just over 12k of them). Good luck in your search if I ever run across a Winny I'll pick it up but until then.... Im sticking with my Marlins.

 

[mastiffhound]

I had the Henry golden boy and traded it after only one range trip. The ammo tube would eject the rod every other round. It was terrible, I couldn't get the thing to stay in unless I only loaded 6 rounds. I really loved the rifle, but that was a problem I couldn't stand. I don't know if marlin makes a lever action in .22 mag. If it loads from the side like the 30-30's it would probably be ok. That is taking into acount the so-so manufacturing that marlin has had lately.

 

[chicharrones]

I had the Henry golden boy and traded it after only one range trip. The ammo tube would eject the rod every other round. It was terrible, I couldn't get the thing to stay in unless I only loaded 6 rounds.

That is unfortunate that happened to your rifle. It can be a problem with any tube feed rimfire if the latching mechanism of the magazine insert is damaged or made incorrectly.

If it loads from the side like the 30-30's it would probably be ok. That is taking into acount the so-so manufacturing that marlin has had lately.

Rimfire lever rifles almost never have a loading gate in the receiver and usually have a tube magazine, not including Ruger's discontinued lever rimfire.

. . . . . . . . . . .

Now that Ruger 96/22 was made in .22 WMR as well as .22 LR and would probably be an interesting rifle, but it looks very untraditional. Kinda like a 10/22 with a lever stuck to the bottom. http://www.lipseys.com/itemdetail.aspx?itemno=RU96/22M&mfg=Ruger&family=96+Rifle+Series&model=96/22

I do get to shoot a Henry in .22 WMR every now and then that a good friend of mine owns. It works well and is as accurate as any lever I've fired with open sights. When fired with a scope it is not as accurate as a nice rimfire bolt gun can be with a scope, but the Henry is still a good shooter with the right ammo.

 

[DM~]

I have two Henry 22lr's and one in 22 Win. Mag.,



All three have been excellent rifles, and i have no doubt they will last me the rest of my life.

DM

 

[chicharrones]

I've been reluctant to add a new caliber to the stable, and it's hard to make a "practical" argument for the .22 mag (and I don't have a Single Six with which to pair it), and I already have a suite of rifles in .22 LR, including a Marlin 39A, but I'm beginning to consider that there may be some use for the .22 mag in a lever.

Someone said (probably decades ago) that the .22 Magnum is the poor man's centerfire cartridge or the rich man's rimfire cartridge.

I like to think I bought my .22 Magnum guns as the poor man's centerfire.

I have no real reason to own any .22 Mag, but for $10 to $14 per 50 rounds you can get higher quality (and more consistent) ammo than the same money spent on surplus centerfire ammo. With the right gun, that quality can mean excellent accuracy with less elevation changes at longer ranges than .22LR. Of course, what's a few clicks on the scope on a .22LR to get out to 100 yards?

That's just a paper puncher's perspective. Hunters have their own reasons for a .22 Magnum.

 

[Walkalong]

.22 Mag is lots of fun. A fellow needs no other reason that that to own one. I too have been sort of casually looking at .22 Mag rifles for a while. I really enjoy shooting my .22 Mag pistol, and a rifle would be a good addition.