Budget .22 lever action

[Big Jim]

Guys, any recommendations for a not too expensive .22 lever action? Probably don't want/need a .22 mag, long rifle will do fine. Just want to plink mostly, maybe bunnies, spruce grouse. I know "budget" is a relative term but not looking for rare, limited, or super high grade rifles.
BTW, did you see the new Marlin .338 lever gun? Sheesh, I'm starting to get a "thing" for lever action rifles; .22, 45-70, maybe a .308, .338.
Jim

[fozz]

22 lever action

Have you looked at Henry Rifles. They make a lot of 22 lever action models. My wife just bought me model h001 it is a nice, American made rifle $269. I also have their Golden Boy model h004 which has a brasslite reciever really nice looking (I've never fired this one) seen this one for a little over $400 at SW. Take a look at their web site I'm looking at my new catalog and I count nine diferent models of 22 lever actions. Thats counting youth and magnum models but not counting .17 cal. models.

[Big Jim]

Thanks Fozz,

I'll check out their site; any other recs?
Jim

[rimfirematt]

I'll check out their site; any other recs?
Jim

Nope! Sadly the lever action world in .22 is both scarce and pricey. You can find winchester 9422's for about 550 or more. Browning BL22's for about that, maybe a little less. Personally Id rather get the browning if your gonna spend that kind of money. There are some funky old winchesters and marlins out there. But they are ugly.

Henry makes a nice gun though. I bet you'd get the same quality as either a winchester or a browning. If I was in the market Id look for a browning BL-22 or a Henry.

[6XLeech]

Marlin 39A on Swap N Sell forum

Snowwolfe had a lever .22LR for sale a couple weeks back.

[walk-in]

Get the Henry. The Golden Boy has the smoothest action of any 22 lever I've ever seen. If I was in the market, thats what I would buy.

[ADfields]

Been fighting feeding problems with my Henry every since I got it in 1999. It has a dye cast feeding block and a stamp steel lift arm that are very hard to get to work correctly. I think I have it sorted and adding a little steel (weld bead) to the lift arm may do the trick for this one. It could be I just have a lemon since I only have experience with the one gun I am not prepared to say they are all bad.

I want a Marlin 22lr myself at this point and “this” Henry would be gone by now had it not been a gift from my Dad.

Andy

[fozz]

adfields have you ever tried to send it back for repairs? Henry has a lifetime warranty on its products. I havent yet fired either of my Henrys but if I had a problem that lasted 10 years I would have sent it back after the first few ftf and got it repaired for free.

[Terry D]

I'm a big fan of the Browning lever-actions. The 22's are sweet little guns, and, IMHO, the smoothest. Rimfirematt is right, they're a little pricier, but lovely to handle and shoot. And they pretty much last forever.

[ADfields]

adfields have you ever tried to send it back for repairs? Henry has a lifetime warranty on its products. I havent yet fired either of my Henrys but if I had a problem that lasted 10 years I would have sent it back after the first few ftf and got it repaired for free.

No, I like to fix things myself and that’s part of why I have tried not to speak ill of the company. 10 years, wow, I guess it has been that long but it seems like just last year. Mostly I am just disappointed by how the Henry is made with cast pot mettle and stamped parts inside.

I have plenty of 22 rifles so I have been in no hurry to get it feeding. The 22 rifle I like best for using is my Ruger 96/22 lever action followed by any of my 10/22s. I have always wanted a cowboy looking 22 rifle and that was why my Dad got me the Henry. Now I want Marlin because I think it is the best made old type lever action 22 still made.

Andy

[fozz]

I like the Marlins also. I saw one at a gun show last year $350 but I wanted to check out the rest of the show. 20 min. later I go back to pick it up it was gone. I ended up with the golden boy for 300 nib not a bad deal if you ask me. That I'll remember that and come back later at the gun shows has screwed me a number of times. I need to learn to pick up the deal in front of me and not look for the little bit better deal mabey on the next table.

[ADfields]

I like the Marlins also. I saw one at a gun show last year $350 but I wanted to check out the rest of the show. 20 min. later I go back to pick it up it was gone. I ended up with the golden boy for 300 nib not a bad deal if you ask me. That I'll remember that and come back later at the gun shows has screwed me a number of times. I need to learn to pick up the deal in front of me and not look for the little bit better deal mabey on the next table.

I have done that also, live and learn. Also have jumped all over what I thought was a great deal and then find I paid the higeset price at the show!:rolleyes: Sucks walking past table after table with beter guns at lower price than the one ya just got.

Andy

[knifemaker]

Love my Marlins, they are the best 22lr leveractions. I prefer the straight stocks so have the 39M and the 39TDS. As for lasting, one of my guns is over 30 years old and going strong as the day it was made and the other is in it's mid 20s.

[zeb]

Marlin 39

CMIIW, but I believe the Marlin model 39 has been produced longer than any other firearm in the US. That has to say something.

Go here: www.thehighroad.org on there there's a whole Marlin 39 club. From what I understand, they are, bar none, the best lever action .22 money can buy.

The Henry has a smooth action, but the Marlin will be more accurate and last much longer.

[nrc]

+1 Henry's

I had a 'base model' Henry for awhile. It was the plain blue, non-octogon bbl. Least expensive one they made.

Shot great. Made in USA. Best action on an out of the box levergun I've ever shot. I think I paid < $200. They are a bit more now, but a great deal for the money.

Nate