Went to a gun show last weekend and handled a Chiappa .22 levergun. Case colored( or reasonable facsimile) frame, good heft, didn't work the action. What do you fellows know about these? I was intrigued for $369.

I haven't shot one yet, but would personally rather have one than a Henry.....

Friends have brought Henry .22s by for a variety of tweaks and repairs,...and I'll no longer lay hands on one. The plastic front sight, Mag tube retention is a PTA, as are a few other CHEAP features. I think they assemble the gun, dril that pin hole, and just drive a pin into it. The chips from that operation can drift down onto the follower's sides, and hang it in the mag tube.....how bogus is that ?

Slicked up a newly acquired Chiappa (while the owner pulled weeds for me) not long ago.
LIGHT YEARS ahead the Henry, and I'd say a fair value at the price.
Just about ANYTHING new off the rack in recent days will benefit from being torn down and finished,...de burring, stoning, etc....The MIMS parts have actually been of some benefit in that regard, they're slick to start with.

GTC

The one I handled at Whittaker's last Wednesday was slicker than the Browning BL-22 I also looked at, and was at least as slick as the rackfulls of Henrys they also had in stock.

I liked the metal finish better on the Chiappa, too, though the wood finish left a lot to be desired, and the sights were, to be kind, very crude.

I was sorely tempted to buy the danged thing, but decided on a S&W M&P 22C compact.

They just did a favorable review on a takedown version over at Gunblast. http://www.gunblast.com/Chiappa-LA322.htm

Wow, those look great! The design has been tested and proved in the Marlins for...a hundred years. How are the barrels?

Looks like a winner so far! Wonder if you can mount a peep sight any way on one?

According to the review I linked in my post above, it is NOT drilled and tapped, but does come with a grooved receiver. There are pictures of it too. I just did a google search and found that there are manufacturers for peep sights to grooved receivers.

I think that thing in the gunblast review is ugly as hell. I have a Marlin 39 which is quite handsome but that Chiappa is NOT.

Think I'd pass. Looked like serious fit issues on the reviewed specimen. Too many real Marlins out ther, admittedly at a price.