Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Best (affordable) .22 Lever Action

I'm wanting to get a .22LR Lever Action rifle. Not 100% sure on what I want to buy. I like the Ruger 96/22, Browning (but seem to be too high priced) and of course Henry (seem to be the most affordable). I especially like the H001L (large loop), but not sure about the "shootability" of the Large loop. Don't really like the looks of the golden boy or any other "fancy" engraved rifles.

It will be used mostly for plinking and maybe a little rabbit/squirrel hunting. But I want a shooter, not a safe queen. Does anyone make a .22 lever with synthetic stocks? I've never seen one that I can remember.

Is there any affordable 22 lever I have over looked? I'm really leaning toward the Henry because of price, but that damn Ruger wont get out of my mind. My dad has a Browning, which used to be mine, so eventually I will get it back, but I seem to remember the stock being kind-of short too.

Any suggestions? Recommendations? Got an inexpensive one you want to part with?

get yourself a used Marlin 39A. It will be the only one you ever want to carry when stalking for squirrels, and bunnies

+1
A Marlin Model 39 is the answer.

+ another. The benchmark of .22 levers. Honorable mention goes to the short-throw Marlin 57.

I like 39's too, but the Henry rimfires work fine and are relatively inexpensive. My only experience is with the Golden Boy, but the mechanics are the same with the blue models and it is accurate and reliable. If you can't find a good price on a 39, get a Henry and go shootin'.

Yes. Even better get the Mountie. You will never regret it.

I don't want to start a Henry bashing thread. But I own the Marlin39 and Winchester9422 and 9422M, and have owned the Henry and Browning.

IMO the best two are the Marlin and Winchester. I prefer the Winchester. But both are top notch. Personally I would avoid the Henry. Too many questionable parts for me. The Marlin and Winchester are good solid steel firearms, and built very well. Just an opinion. Tom.

The only lever action 22 RF rifle worth owning is a Marlin 39, since no other lever action 22 RF rifle even comes close.

Henrys are just a waste of $$.

Jeff

Marlin M39A would hands down be my choice.

Really?

A WHOLE LOT of Winchester m9422 owners would dispute that mindless claim.

I've owned a lot of lever action 22s; Brownings, Marlins, Rugers, Remington 76s, and Winchesters. By far and away the best made, best shooting, and best handling were Marlin 39s, the others weren't even close. The only lever action RFs that I currently have are Winchesters, but only because they are in collectable condition, not 'cause I'd ever bother to shoot them

Jeff

My Dad has a Henry and has several thousand rounds through it with no problem. Not bad for $200 new.

If you want to shoot it and maybe let it get beat up in a truck or on an ATV rack, get the Henry. It works just fine and is fairly accurate. I have one and my son has the youth model. He's beaten the Hell outa it, and it looks like crap. But it still shoots well and I don't worry about it...like I would if he was using my 9422M.

If you can get a Marlin or Win, at a decent price - buy it. But don't automatically rule out a Henry for the price difference.

Jeff,

I have owned all the tradtoanal lever .22s as well over the last 30+ years. The m9422, the Browning BL-22, Marlin m39 ,Ithaca and Henry. The Marlins are a very well made gun, but so is the Winchester.

Anyone who would claim to have owned and shot several samples of both rifles and then say that the Winchester m9422 in ANY WAY takes a back seat to the Marlin m39 is well and truly stupid.

I don't like straight grip stocks all that much.

Besides, the Marlin 39 has stood the test of time. It has been, in 1 form or another, in production for over 100 years, while the Winchester products have come and gone. Not saying that Winchester lever action rimfires are bad, just that if buying for myself, a friend, or recommending to a stranger, there isn't any reason not to go with the best and in this market niche, that is the Marlin 39. There is 1 Winchester lever action rimfire that I wouldn't mind owning, an 1873 with a good bore, but they seem to be few and far between.

Jeff

Wow, I didn't mean to start a pissing match. Thanks for all the replies so far. Lots of great suggestions for me to spend money on. Thanks.

Tyson,

Your question did not start anything .

Folks just have differing opinions about various guns. Some are more astute than others.

The truth be told, in terms of function and accuracy , the Henry .22s perform about as well as the Marlin, Winchester or Browning lever .22s do. The basic design of the Henry .22 lever gun is excellent. The only fly in the Henry is the build quality in terms of materials. Zinc alloy castings and plastic are not heirloom quality materials.

That said, for what a Henry .22 costs AND given their level of costomer service, they are worth what you pay for them and you will get a lot of service from one.

I find it hard to believe that Winchester, Browning, Henry and the rest could profitably market a .22 lever rifle when the Marlin 39 is out there. Best lever .22 by a long shot - yep, there is a pun there. Sorry.

I have owned Browning, Marlin and Henry lever 22's. My favorite was the Browning. Very light and handy, very accurate. The Henry was utilitarian, and the Marlin was good, heavy, American steel.

I find the 9422 is an excellent rifle and compares quite favourably with the older 39's...until trigger pull comes into the equation. Any decent smith can give you a crisp 3 pound or less trigger on the old Marlins. I haven't seen a 9422 yet with a trigger pull that could be called "crisp".

I have had early 9422's and had a Marlin 39A with the serial number 201. That's not a typo. Today the only 22 lever that remains is a 1960 39A Mountie.

Perzactly. There have been several similar "Henry versus Marlin" threads here on the Campfire over the past year or so and, for good or ill, I always put my two cents worth in.

Having owned both a Henry and a Marlin Model 39, I am of the opinion that, for the $$, the Henry is superior. Yes, it's got a zinc receiver cover, yes the barrel band is plastic. So what? The same bunch of hypocrites that decries the "plastic" Henry throws a hip out to buy Glocks by the bag-full.

My Marlin 39 suffered from such chronic extraction problems that I finally sold it in disgust, and bought a Henry. Not only is the action on the Henry far smoother than that of the Marlin, it's lighter and just as accurate. And, if I beat the hell out of the Henry, I couldn't care less.

Buy a Henry and use the $$ you save by not buying a Marlin to purchase a boat-load of .22 bricks.

Happy shooting.

Okay, about these Henry plactic parts... does someone make replacement parts/upgrades for them that are not plastic? Not that I would worry about them breaking, but if they did i would certainly want to replace them with a stronger part. Are they available?

I seem to remember reading in a gun magazine somewhere that, due to all the complaints from purists, Henry now makes its lever action .22's with steel barrel bands (rather than plastic). My Henry is an older model with a black plastic barrel band; if you didn't know any better, however, you'd simply assume that it's steel. I've put about a zillion rounds through my Henry without a hitch, irrespective of the barrel band material.

To inquire about after-market parts, check out Henry's website or give them a call. Henry is justly famous for its excellent customer service.

The Marlin, no doubt is an excellent rifle. Downside is they are pretty hefty to carry, and not cheap, at least in Canada. If the Ruger 9622 shoots anything like its semi-auto brother, that may be a good one, but I don't see many for sale. I have never shot a Henry, and although they are a lot lighter than the Marlin, I did not see the quality in the rifle, and the interior parts lack the finesse I see in others. Ihave never even handled a Winchester 9422, but am willing to bet they are a serviceable rifle, and good quality. I have owned a BL-22, and bought one for my daughter. Both samples were very accurate, durable and functional. If they have a negative it is the shiny lacquer hi-gloss stock. No liking that, but the rest of the package is good -- love the short throw lever, and the good trigger. You can get them used even in Canada in very good condition for about $350-400.

To each his own. Marlin 39A is nice, and from all reports, accurate, just heavier than I like in a rimfire rifle.

I have never owned a Marlin Mod 39, but I have shot enough of them and read enough about them to believe that they may be the best and most accurate bang for the buck in a .22 lever. I do own a Win 9422Mag and a Rem Nylon 76 and can attest to them being outstanding and they could be your best investments. FWIW, I prefer .22 autos or target bolts. Good luck.

Tyson,

If you're married, especially with children, get the Ruger 96/22 because;

Years ago I purchased a gorgeous Grade III Winchester 9422 and my young at the time daughter claimed it for herself. I went along with it being hers because I didn't look into the future. Yep, she married, moved off and took it with her.

I replaced it with a Browning BL22 which was promtly claimed by my wife. I get to oil it once in a while.

Replaced it with the rather homely Ruger 96/22 and low and behold it's still mine! Sure it's a bit ugly, a bit bulky compared to others and was very inexpensive, but man does it shoot.

Honestly, the Ruger is an underappreciated sleeper IMHO, shoots even the cheap ammo well and scratches and dings just don't matter.

Wish I could find one up here, but they're scarce as hen's teeth.

Was watching a 1970�s vintage NIB 39M Mountie on gunbroker last week. It was offered at $675 to start and had no bids over the course of the auction, so I figured, yeah, the seller is too proud of it.

Checked it a day after it ended and apparently more than one person was watching, as in the last bit of the auction the price went up to $735.

$735

The Marlin is a great rifle, but come on. $735 for a .22 rifle � no fancy wood, no super match grade barrel or trigger, no megabuck zero backlash target sights � just a shootin� rifle.

I�d love to get a nice older Marlin but that�s just too rich for me.

That is the problem I am finding, in looking at a suitable shooter Lever .22 rifle. The "nice" ones are CRAZY expensive, and if I do find one at a reasonable price its a beat-up POS. So now I'm not sure what to do? I'm leaning toward new again, but have got a good offer/deal from another campfire member too.

I have a 1960 Mountie in excellent condition. No way no how would I sell it for only $735. Yes I'm biased as I have had it for a long time, but it's like a pre-64 action. If you don't run one then you don't know what you're missing!

Tyson - might want to look this over very soon.

I am wavering myself...

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth.../1/Marlin_39A_with_Weaver_V7_Scop#UNREAD

My first gun was a Marlin 39A. At that time I had to decide between the 39A and 39M. Five years ago I found a very nice �69 vintage 39M and grabbed it for $300. I have since found a pretty good early Winchester 9422. The same store that had the 39M and 9422 currently has a Browning for $450. I am thinking about it.

Which is best? I don�t know. I think it is a matter of personal preference. I have a sentimental warm spot for my 39A, but these days I tend to favor the straight grip of the 39M and 9422. I haven�t really taken the time to do a real accuracy comparison among them. In a few years when I retire I should have time to do it.

The latest round of price hikes just put a lot of stuff over the top for me.

In the last two years or less I�ve watched decent S&W revolvers go from the mid-$300 or $400 range to up over $600 and even $700. Model 34�s are a case in point. Nice guns, but you can�t hardly find one now for less than $600 unless it�s showing a lot of wear. Vintage Marlin 39s were going for the same range and now this.

Generalizing here, but these nice older guns have shown about a 30% price hike overall, and my income sure hasn�t jumped 30% in the last two years.

Of course, given what the future will probably bring, we should just grin and pay the price. Then three years from now when these Marlins are going for over $1000 we can brag about how we got a good one for a mere $575.

You know my first model 39 Marlin was in the 1960's and my latest was in the 1990's. I find that any other lever Acton .22 is just a waste of money. The Marlin .22 lever is the best .22 rimfire ever made and you only need look no further.

There is a thread in Ask the Gunwriters asking how powerful gunwriters are.

Well, I don�t know how powerful gunwriters are but the power of suggestion in internet forums is pretty strong. This thread in particular has made me start scanning gunbroker for any decent deals on Model 39�s.

Own a fairly new M39A. Have shot lots of other M39s and a few Winchesters over the years. Wouldn't take a Henry if someone left me one on the front porch.

One of my huntin' buds bought a new Browning years ago. Purty little thing. Never shot worth a rat's arse, with any sort of ammo we ever ran through it. But it is purty.

As for affordability, paid $300 for my used M39A a few years ago. At the time, the new ones were going for around $400 at the same gunshop, which is why I bought the one I found in the used gun rack. It's as close to new as possible, for alot less money. Even came with the box, paperwork and Marlin scope base.

It now has a Williams peep on it, shoots very well with a variety of ammo.

I have collected, shot and hunted with .22 rifles and handguns for close to fifty years. I have owned most of the quality .22 rifles including pumps, bolt actions, semi-autos and levers. I agree, 39s are quality rifles, I've owned two, probably shot ten others. I prefer the 9422. If I ever buy another, it will be a model 57. Having said all that, I believe a Henry will run just fine for thousands of rounds. My life long hunting and fishing partner has owned one of the Henrys for years. I'm sure he has gone through 15 or 20 bricks of long rifle ammo, maybe more and he has never had a problem. I owned almost 100 .22s at one time, so I've really seen the value of many models go sky high. I have a model 250 Winchester that looks like new.

Why not? What SPECIFICALLY is wrong with a Henry? I have no quarrel with someone who, for a rational reason, dislikes a particular product. But what's your specific gripe about a Henry? Mind you, I'm not a Henry apologist and have no dog in this fight. However, your premptory dismissal of Henrys is curious.

I understand there isn't much love for the standard Henery rimfire, BUT what are the feelings regarding the constructin of the Yellow Boy? Thanks! I saw one in 22wmr

I personally would spend the extra cash and buy the Marlin 39. I would also look for a older model without the stupid cross-bolt hammer safety, believe me you want be sorry buying the Marlin over the others unless you can find a reasonably priced Winchester 9422, which is one of the best lever rimfires ever produced.

bea175: I agree with your comments exactly.
EXCEPT for this - I own 4 (four) Marlin Model 39's and they are NEVER fired!
They are simply "to valuable" anymore to shoot!
This is the MIND SET that I am cursed with.
Over the last 50 years I have shot probably 2 dozen Marlin 39's (and a Marlin Model 1897 that later sold for $37,000 cash!!!) and they ALL impressed me with their accuracy and reliable feeding.
I say "bite the bullet" and INVEST in a "minty" older Model 39 and go have fun with it.
Care for it and "baby it" while afield and your investment should appreciate some.
Best of luck with whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I'm going to speak up for the Ruger 96/22; I have one in 22wmr and love it! I like the way it caries through the woods, the detachable rotary magazine and the quick action that it offers.

I have shot a Kimber, Marlin 39A's and M's, 9422's LR and magnums, CZ's LR and 22 magnum, and a Remington 541S, 541T tapered, and a 541T bull bbl. The Cz is the most accurate with any ammo you want to put in it. The Kimber and 541T are second and a very close second. The 39A's are good but lousy triggers as are the 9422 triggers. The 9422 has the smoothest action I've ever seen and is the most beautiful to look at. I prefer the smooth wood 9422 vs the checkered. If you want a lever, find a clean 9422. You'll keep it forever. If you want accuracy for a reasonable price, get a CZ. They are incredibly accurate with the cheapest ammo you can find. The trigger is user adjustable as well.

CZ makes a Best (affordable) .22 lever action??

I wanted a Marlin 39A Mountie, and would up dealing with a member for his. I let him have my .35 Remington straight stock Marlin 336, and we traded straight up.
The scope is a Leupold Rimfire 2 x 7X, that I bought from Rick Bin. This is one sweet shooting squirrel killer.

She's purdy! But a set-up like that is probably out of the price range I want to spend. I like the strait stock look better than the "standard" style.

I'm still on the hunt for a good deal, but seriously still unsure on what I want, but leaning toward the standard Henry or Ruger 96/22 (if I could find one).

[quote=JeffG]get yourself a used Marlin 39A. It will be the only one you ever want to carry when stalking for squirrels, and bunnies[/quote

+1 on the Marlin

You got that right. Save up for a 39A. You will never be sorry. If you "settle" for a Henry, you probably will be sorry.

I've shot a Henry and it was surprisingly smooth, but lacked quality IMO. The Marlin 39A is just too big. I'd like to try a Mountie. I traded a Marlin 1894 CB in .45 for a minty 9422 and smile every time I shoot it. As mentioned, the action is smoooooth. To my thinking, it strikes the perfect balance between the nice but too-small BL-22 & the Marlin, and beats both in looks.

You will never go wrong saving for a better rifle, and will never regret the wait.

There can be only one......

The Mountie:

Lots of older model 39A's seen on the silhouette fields followed by the 9422 and then the henrys.

There is more than one....I have several of each.Out of the Marlins--- the 39D is sweeeeeet!And in my opinion, the best 39 configuration. My 9422s are way smoother than my 39s, but I like them both the same. My 9422 Mag is my favorite gun.