Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Carbine vs rifle for small game hunting

Hello Boys and Gals

I am looking at the Henry .22LR lever action rifle.
It has octagonal barrel (20-22) and capacity of 15+1.
Henry offers another lever, which has 18 inch (if I remember correctly).
Rifle costs about a $100.00 more, but it's not really a problem since the sights and barrel band are metal not plastic like on the carbine.
This would be my small game hunting gun.
Which do you think would be better for woods.
I am in Connecticut, and very long shots are not really a concern. Both of the guns mentioned can have scope attached.
What would be your preference and what would you suggest?
I'm 5'8".
Thank you all for future inputs.
Mike

As of now every rifle I own, rimfire and centerfire, is a carbine. Does that give you an idea where I stand? Carbines rule the woods IMO.

CB

carbines get my vote too....more handy, and the longer sight radius wont matter when the rifle is scoped, as i'd definitely pick a low powered variable over iron sights. plus, 22LR gains about all the speed its going to achieve from a carbine length barrel anyway.

Mike,

Can't speak as to the Henry...But, I've got full sized (plus) .22's and Carbines. The Carbines are a heck of a lot handier to tote in the woods, particularly if you are going to cover any ground. I've even taken to getting youth rifles and putting one inch butt pads on them, to lengthen the pull a bit, makes a very handy rig. Barrel length will not be a factor regarding accuracy (as stated above...if scoped)...inherent accuracy of the rifle and how well it fits you are more important. After you get it try a mix of ammo to see what it likes.
Jerry

Long barrels are good barrels. They can be mounted on small actions such as T/C Contenders and you wind up with a shorter gun than a bolt or lever action carbine.

Carbine all the way.

I use the carbine length Henry .22 LR as my "front seat" rifle when I am driving the dirt roads for prairie dogs and misc small game and varmints. I have a 3-9 scope on it.

The difference between rifle and carbine is not barrel length, it is how the mag tube, etc attach to the barrel. For accuracy you're better off with rifle-style dovetail hangers, not barrel bands. I've never seen a carbine reliably out-shoot a short rifle with the same barrel length.

Tough choice. Tough

preference

Yes, preference.

My preference is for a 29" barreled Martini that weighs upwards of 10 pounds with scope when I venture forth intent upon serious squirrel hunting, which for me means a leisurely stroll through the woods to likely sitting spots where the rifle spends most of the time laying in my lap. In younger days, if I didn't cover at least several miles in search of squirrels, I felt I had wasted my time- and lighter rifles were preferred. Funny, but my game bag is fuller now than it was then.