Home Forums Lever Action Central Rimfire Levers henery... just me or a piece of junk?

I shot a henery golden boy in the .22lr today. the action was very smooth. but it seems to me that it was still a "junker" I mean shouldering the thing was like trying to mount a washing-machine. when reloading and putting the tube back in lace, the plastic tip of it kept getting stuck in the shell slot. Anybody else feel this way? what are yalls opinions on it?

well, I've kept my opinion to myself on that one thus far but, yeah I kind of feel the same way. I guess there are guys who are going to be in it for the henery name & that's as far as they will look though. Myself, if I wanted a shiny gold rimfire lever I'd go with the winny 9422 yellow boy.
I didn't care for that henry, the craftsmenship just didn't seem to be there. Kind of a club I thought. Personally I wouldn't have one unless it was given to me, then I'd hang it above the fireplace. I like the little Marlin levers (39A, 39 golden) but my fav is the winchester 9422. I have a 9422M (22 mag) with the straight stock, real nice walnut, nice checkering, buttery smooth action, I just love it. True craftsmenship there. I topped it with a Burris fulfield 2 3-9 40mm gloss black. What a nice little combo, I sighted for 75 yd zero with 40 gr jsp and I can shoot inside 3/4" all day long with it. One of my favorite guns in the safe.

yea i got the 94/22 also an its my favorite too

I never have cared for them even though people rave about the smooth action. The ones I looked at had plastic barrel bands and a receiver made of zinc/aluminum/whatever. Typical walmart type stuff people want these days. Ive got a Marlin 39M and a Winchester 9422, now those are quality rifles.

Alot of guys like em. ( or won't admit they wasted their money)

Me, I'm with you. Pot metal and plastic do not belong on a gun. Sure they are slick actioned and from what I've heard good shooters but no thanks.

Some years ago, I put together an informal shooting contest for a bunch of guys at a get-together at our hunting camp. Bring your own .22, any flavor, AND your own ammo. We shot at 25, 50, and 75 yards, 5 shots at each, and measured for smallest group. Smallest aggregate won. We had a Weatherby, a Browning lever, a Marlin something-or-ever, a "tuned" Ruger 10-22 (all with pretty expensive variable power scopes), and a $75.00, bought at Walmart, piece of junk Norinco knock-off of a Browning semi-auto, fitted with a Weaver fixed 4X scope. To make matters worse, the Norinco (and ammo) was borrowed from one of the guys and used by a guest who got into the contest just because he was there and wanted to do it.

Guess which gun won?? After the contest, everybody took turns shooting the Norinco. That gun, with ANY ammo, was the most accurate piece there. Not the prettiest or most well-built, but with no argument, the most accurate. I'd buy one today if I could find one.

Combo

I bought a Henry .22 pump (very similar to the lever gun) because I wanted to be able to shoot .22 Shorts. It shoots okay, but doesn't feel like a quality rifle.
The other day I called Henry about getting a replacement for the plastic front barrel band / sight. I had just bought a NECG receiver peep sight and wanted to do a little surgery on the front sight.
The Henry rep sold me a new plastic part for $2.00 and told me they also had a really brass replacement for $10.00. I bought one of each. Sure dresses up the little devil.
BTW: The most accurate .22 I have is an old J.C. Higgins bolt action with 8 round clip. It was born in 1953; I bought it for $20 in 1964. If I do my part, it will still shoot "Minute of fly's ass" at 50 yards.

I know this is a Marlin lever site so I would expect the Henry bashing. I will also say that since Marlin dropped their 22 mag I had no choice than to buy a Henry 22 mag. I tried the 9422's and the lever was like sand and I am a regular 94 fan I really like my 30/30. That all out of the way I will put my Henrys accuracy against any 22 at 50 yards no challange here just stating that it really shoots excellent. This talk of a club bs is just that as the size of the Henry is no different than any of the other 22 lever guns.

Well where are you located I'll put my 94/22 against that henry. I do have to argue with you about the stock being the same. I havnt handled them much but I do know that it feels awkward and club-like compared to the 94/22. As for the m94 feelin like sand, It must have been an odd ball Mine is smoother than smooth

Combo,
Back in the early late 80's or early 90's a gunsmith I knew was taking the Norico bolt actioned .22 (I think it was a copy of the old CZ) and was tuning the triggers and installing target sights.
At that time I think it was a 40 dollar rifle. The groups he was getting were competition worthy.
I have a Savage-Springfield 840 carbine in 30-30 with a
2.5x scope.
Ugliest, cheap rifle that I have ever owned. With Winchester factory 150gr.'s it is one of the most accurate rifles I've ever shot. It disgusts me...
I guess price is'nt always everything.

...No rifle with a pot metal reciever could ever be considered a quality firearm by this old timer. I'd say no such gun can be expected,even in the mild .22 rimfire,to be a piece for our grandchildren and thiers! Fine quality firearms are built to last more than a few lifetimes. Henry rifles bear a legendary name,but won't make any legendary status for themselves.

I just put my H001T (http://www.henryrepeating.com/h001t_leveroctagon.cfm)

up for sale, It shoots well but it is a CHEAP JOB!

First of all, the receiver. What junk!
second of all the barrel band screw was not blued and it stuck out with a sharp edge, and the barrel band had some defects and came lose so that the front grip was lose.

their website is so slick, but why not tell us that the gun has a alloy receiver?

Now, you will probably understand why the only rimfire levers I own, are either Marlin 39's, or Winchester 9422's.

Newby Dudes and the Thrift-Meisters will eventually learn what quality is all about... It is usually an expensive lesson, though.

Quality, never has been cheap, or inexpensive...! In firearms, you only get, what you pay, for...!

Bill

yup. I gotta bunch of buddies that like cheaper guns since they can afford to have more of them that way. But yet when we go shootin together for some reason its only my guns that get shot hmmmm wonder why?

My ex had a henry lever 22lr, yet she always seemed to snag my 9422. Lookin back on that relationship I can help but think that she deserved that henry

I have no aversion to cheap guns. My Romanian trainer is one of the most accurate 22s in the pile, but it's still ugly and since it cost less than $60, has to go in the cheap column. Same for the Savage and Mossberg rimfires I've owned and still own. Cheap is cheap, can't gild it into anything else, even if it shoots better than it ought to.

I even consider my treasured Winchester M320 to be a cheap rifle, since it only cost $59 back in the early 70s when I bought it new. Ain't my fault that they fetch upwards of $300 these days, wouldn't part with mine for twice that. ;O)

If I wanted another lever 22 to keep my M39 company, it'd be another Marlin or a used Winchester 9422. Wouldn't have a Henry in the house. Already got lots of door stops.

Handled my first Henry when they hit the market. Handled a few more that our FNRA committee acquired as prizes. Had I won one, it would've been donated back to the committee.

Cheap is one thing, junk is something altogether different in my book. But if you like cheap junk and it does the job for you, no skin off'n my nose.

The funny thing is, that I had the money to buy whatever .22 I wanted, and I was misled by the fancy Henry website, which so slick.

The mistake I made was to order one before handling one!

In any case, no big deal, I have put it up for sale and I am now considering a Browning BL22 or the 39 or perhaps a winchester, I heard that they will start making them again in April in Japan.

I would keep looking for a used 9422 or Marlin 39. My huntin' bud bought a new Browning years ago and was never happy with it. Not much in the accuracy department compared to a M39, but it sure is a purty little thing.

I never could get used to the short lever throw of the browning

I don't have much experience with them. But I shot a friend's Golden Boy just yesterday and was pretty impressed with both the slickness of the action and, surprizingly, with the trigger. I agree that the stock dimensions are a bit wonky-- way too much drop at comb and heel. I didn't test it for accuracy or anything, but it was a lot of fun to shoot and it's appearance (with the brass barrel band in this case)is, of course, striking.

Not sure I'd buy one, but my friend is more than happy with his and it was a big hit with other shooters at the local range. All in all, it seemed ok to me, especially if you are more into the history of guns than high performance.

In lever action .22s I really liked the 94/22 best of all. But I never got it together to get one while they were available. Maybe someday.

Good shooting!

I just think they look pretty above the fireplace. Other than that, it was supposed to be good thing in its day.