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Post by Kristie on Dec 18, 2011 23:42:41 GMT
Does anyone have an opinion of Henry Rifles? I've been researching them a little bit and have been thinking about buying one. Most of them seem to be .22s, and I'm curious how that compares with a .22 pistol. I'm also completely open to any brands other than Henry. What I'm looking for is just something that would be not too expensive, and mainly used for target practice, and to have for when in the woods in case there are any bobcats/wild dogs/coyotes, etc. Oh, and part of what I like about the Henrys are that they have a historical feel to them. Not sure I'd want something very modern.
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Post by Dave(utilityslave) on Dec 19, 2011 1:19:29 GMT
I usually recommend the Ruger 10/22 in one of its variants for the uses you indicated. The price is right and the options can be tailored to your wants. For a classic look (wood furniture and classic lines) the sporter or compact fit the bill. For an older aesthetic the Mannlicher International is good but it is no longer in production by Ruger so you would have to go with aftermarket stocks or used unless you find a vendors stash. This gun is sought after in original factory trim. Some pics of the Mannlcher; www.bing.com/images/search?q=rug ... GRE#x0y280 The 10/22 is a semiauto magazine fed gun. I have six of these including two Mannlichers. The amount of aftermarket items for this gun should you decide you want more or different are almost limitless. The Henry brand is fine. If you want a lever action it is a great choice. Their Golden Boy guns have a classic look that appeals to me. I have one of these. If you have more specific questions, please ask.
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Post by whitefeathers on Dec 19, 2011 5:29:49 GMT
I had a Marlin 39A for a couple years. It was a fun little lever action .22. I remember the day I bought it from the gunshow I went to a friend's place to try it out and we were shooting old CD's and other junk off of the fence post. I turned one of the Cds so that the edge of it was facing me and I actually hit it with a shot! Probably never be able to do that again. I have a .22 pistol and a bolt action .22 rifle.
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Post by ShooterMike on Dec 19, 2011 15:36:21 GMT
Ktistie, the Henry .22 leverguns are fine rifles. They're a bit on the heavy side for a .22, but that makes them a bit more stable from off-hand. The other great levergun in .22 that won't break the bank is the Marlin 39A previously mentioned. It's an even more historic design, changing little since the end of the 19th century, and its action is lighter and more compact.
I don't think you could go wrong with either brand.
I neglected to mention the Winchester/USRAC 9422. It's an excellent .22 levergun also. I will never sell mine (11th birthday present), but they have become so expensive, I wouldn't consider them for your list.
Good luck and let us know what you chose?
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Alan Schiff
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Manufacturers and Vendors
Posts: 464
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Post by Alan Schiff on Dec 19, 2011 20:24:45 GMT
I have a Henry .22 and I love it. The design is not completely historical but it still has a Western feel. The actions on Henry rifles are generally praised as being very smooth right out of the box, and mine is no exception. I've never had any problems with it and felt recoil is minimal.
Hope that helps, Alan
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Post by Kristie on Dec 20, 2011 14:06:49 GMT
Hmmm, all seems to be good advice. Thanks for the input, everyone. I've been having a real hard time with this decision, though, because I'm looking at it from a sword collector's point of view. I'm trying not to get too hung up on picking one based on how it looks, even though that's hard. And I'm looking at the stats and trying to consider things like barrel length and weight and that's not helping me much, either. I've only ever shot handguns, so the conclusion I've come to is I really need to go to a gun shop and handle a few. I do think I'll stick with a Henry, since they seem to come well recommended and I've put all this research into them. What I probably do need help with now is figuring out which to get out of .22 S, L, LR, and magnum. And well, what about the .17 HMR? Might as well not count it out, I'm thinking. Yeah, I'll report on my decision and show off a few pics whenever I end up getting it, maybe once all this business with the holidays is over.
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Post by ShooterMike on Dec 20, 2011 15:31:10 GMT
Kristie, you probably know this, but your previous post may be misleading. In any case, a lever action .22 Long Rifle chambered rifle will shoot .22 Short and .22 Long. They all headspace on the rim, and the only differences are length of case, powder charge, and weight of bullet. But for all practical purposes, you'll likely only shoot .22 LR since that's what's most available and least expensive, as well as more powerful.
A rifle chambered in .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) will definitely offer a substantial increase in power, but the ammo is more expensive and offers less variety (no 550 round bargain box offerings). The choice would be based on your most common usage. I grew up with both a Winchester 9422 (.22 S, L, LR) and a 9422M (.22 WMR), and loved them both. I shot the .22 LR a LOT more due to ammo costs. But I hunted with the .22 WMR mostly, due to its superior performance on game up to coyotes.
I really found the .22 WMR to be sort of a specialty cartridge, but only due to its increased cost over high-performance .22 LR ammo like CCI Stinger and Winchester Power Point. I ended up trading off the 9422M in my late teens, to move up to a .357 Magnum lever action rifle. But I still have and regularly use the 9422 now, 35 years later.
One last piece of advice: if you go to a gunshop and look as several models, try this test of fit. Hold the rifle at a high ready, front sight on target and buttstock at belt level. Close your eyes and smoothly mount the rifle to your shoulder into a relaxed firing position with a proper cheek weld on the comb of the stock. Then open your eyes and see if you're looking at the sights or the back of the hammer. If you're seeing the sights with a good cheek weld, the rifle fits you. If you are looking at the back of the action, the comb of the buttstock is too low for a good fit. Many (most?) women and some men with thin facess have this problem when using productions rifles. Facial bone structure is usually different between men and women. Most women need a higher combed stock for proper fit. If the comb is just a little low, there's a product called a Cheek-Eze. It's a sorbothane peel&stick pad that comes in varying thicknesses. If you just need a little height, these are an alternative.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
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Post by Kristie on Dec 20, 2011 18:02:26 GMT
Wow, I guess there's a good reason you've gone at "Shooter Mike" before - you clearly know your stuff! Thanks so much for these details; they'll really help me a lot! Yeah, I forgot Henry also makes a .357 magnum. Too many choices! I think that's one of the pricier ones, so maybe I'd put it out of my mind on purpose. I'll try to remember your advice when I'm at the gun shop.
Very cool of everyone to help me on this. Should make it a lot easier!
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Post by Dave(utilityslave) on Dec 21, 2011 4:55:57 GMT
Shooter Mike is awsome, isn't he! What you get from Mike is advice based on much experience. Try to find this in the people you talk to that are trying to sell you their wares in the stores. Once you find someone you feel you can trust, pick their brain about the other items you need like cleaning kit/supplies, snap caps, targets, gun rest, etc.
One of my all time favorite guns is a .22 mag revolver I use to own. The .17 HMR is of course an even smaller bullet but when I was buying them they were more expensive than the .22 S, L, and LR. I have a .17HMR Ruger 10/17 that I like.
Good luck on your purchase and I am looking forward to reading about your thoughts and final decisions.
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Post by Jakeonthekob on Dec 21, 2011 5:34:01 GMT
Wow those look like really nice rifles! There's also Howa and those are the equivalents of Winchesters I believe, if you haven't bought your rifle already. The price is sub $500 and it's very accurate as well. I'm waiting for mine to be delivered to the gun shop so I'll post a review when I get a chance.
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Post by ShooterMike on Dec 21, 2011 19:52:40 GMT
Thanks for the kind words Dave. "Experience"... usually defined as "what you get when you don't get what you want." But in this case, it was a pleasant lifetime experience. I just love lever action .22 rifles. A point I made in my wording has caused some confusion, .22 magnum and .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfile (WMR) are the same thing. I always just call it .22 mag in normal conversation too. But since this was answering a question in writing, I got all specific and technical-nerd-like.
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Post by Dave(utilityslave) on Dec 21, 2011 23:14:35 GMT
For some reason when I read WMR my mind went to lesser known wildcat ammo and I didn't realize it until your post Mike. I now recognize that they are the same.............again. :lol:
I edited my post to reflect my renewed knowledge. :oops:
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Post by caferacer on Dec 22, 2011 2:26:27 GMT
perhaps I am biased but a MARLIN is the only .22 lever action I think I would own, anything else just doesn't feel right to me, I just love 1897's and model 39's, MARLIN produced the first .22 lever gun well over 100 years ago, and no one has improved on perfection since, not that the HENRY or WINCHESTER 9422 are bad guns, in fact they are both very nice pieces, but put either of them next to a MARLIN 39a and it is no contest
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Post by Kristie on Jan 31, 2012 14:32:12 GMT
As promised, here's an update for all who wanted to know the outcome. I ended up getting the Golden Boy. Originally, it wasn't even on the table, but it's just too pretty once you see it in person to be able to pass it up! I just got it yesterday and haven't even handled it much yet. The quality seems top notch. I think what I'd like next is a single action army revolver, maybe a 45 colt. Not sure what brand is a good one to go with for that, though. Either that, or I may get the Henry Mare's Leg 45 but the price tag is a little high for me. I should be able to get some pics up later.
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Post by Kristie on Jan 31, 2012 18:16:59 GMT
Okay, here we go.
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Post by ShooterMike on Jan 31, 2012 22:11:34 GMT
Your new pet is so pretty, lying there on her towel catching some warm rays. Congrats.
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Post by Alexander on Jan 31, 2012 23:58:49 GMT
Nice rifle, octagon barrels look so classy
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Post by Kristie on Feb 1, 2012 14:48:07 GMT
Thanks, guys. Yeah, I'm very happy with it. That brass, plus that octagon barrel, plus that beautiful walnut makes for a very artful piece of equipment. I'm really impressed with Henry an I haven't even shot it yet!
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