What is the best 22?

[grubbylabs]

I am thinking of getting a 22 lever gun, what do you all think would be the best bang for your buck under 500? Is it realistic to hope for something around or under 300?

[missionary5155]

Good afternoon
Bought a used Browning BL22 standard grade jap made for 235.00 some years back. It has been the most accurate caliber .22 repeater rifle I have owned. You can get one for about the same price .. just shop about. Mine does NOT like cheap ammo. Has a tight chamber but sure does shoot the better ammo nicely.
Mike in Peru

[750k2]

I'd look for a used Marlin - Should fit your under 5 estimate.
Like 450ish - if you do better it was a deal.
Broker is a nice place to search for going rates.

[grubbylabs]

I have seen the Henry on line but I have yet to fondle one. I really do want a full size one.

[roysha]

MARLIN 39 in any of it's many variations. I've never seen an inaccurate one, all steel and wood, (at least all I've ever seen) USA made, and sturdy as can be. Not terribly impressed with the Henrys. The Jap stuff from WIN and Browning I can pretty much take or leave, mostly leave.

[smoked turkey]

I don't think you will ever regret going with the Marlin 39 in any of its variations. I recently picked up an Original 39 rifle. I actually prefer the straight grip carbine version, but couldn't find one at the right price. As has been stated anything under $400-$425 would be in buying territory if it were me. I know I know, that is a terrible lot of money for a 22. I should know because I paid $69 for my first one way back when. I foolishly let it get away and regretted it so much I paid the high price of $425 just to fix the problem.

[richhodg66]

Plus 1 on the Marlin. I had lusted for one since I was 14 or so (I'm 45 now) and the money, opportunity and dribe never came together all at once. For the past couple of years, the bug bit hard again and every one I came across was either junk or priced at the ridiculous level, or was one of the new ones with that cross bolt safety that I refuse to own.

One finally showed up, very nice, for $400 at a local shop, about $200 less than ones in that condition seem to be running on Gunbroker and such. I slept on it, decided I'd kick myself forever if I didn't, and went back and bought it. Unfortunately, I had to go to Korea shortly after for two weeks and just got to shoot it yesterday. Everything I hoped for and more, I swear, I couldn't shoot a bad group with it. Did nothing but offhand shooting, between me and my youngest, we probably put 300 rounds through it.

I am real glad I waited for that deal. I've handled 9422s before and never thought that much of them. I bought my oldest a Henry Eagle Scout Commemorative rifle when he made eagle, haven't shot it, but I know it isn't the equal of this Marlin internally.

My advice? Hold out for a 39A, you'll be very glad you did. Did I mention that I really like mine?

[pietro]

The Marlin 39a is the only "full-sized" .22 levergun, AND easily the most accurate, with it's usual 24" bbl - as long as you be sure to buy an older, pre-safety version, one with a letter-prefixed SN being the best of all.

The Henry H001 Standard is the least expensive,has no lawyer safeties, and is likeliest the smoothest-operating - the hands-down best plinker & small game hunter.

The Browning BL-22 is small but very finely-finished, and a little more expensive.

The discontinued Winchester 9422 is very good, but sometimes pricey due to the demand.

The Mossberg 464 is basically a cheapened Henry clone (but w/sheet metal rear sight, tang safety) that costs more than the Henry.

The discontinued, clip-fed, rotary magazine (ala 10/22) Ruger 96/22 had a one-piece stock, was accurate, is reminiscent of the Savage 99, but is heavier than the leverguns with two-piece stocks.

.

[corvette8n]

I have a Henry H001 and it shoots any ammo I feed it, I even mixed shorts,longs,LR in the tube and id didn't even hiccup. Slick action too.
I put a large loop lever and metal front sight on mine. Feel free to email Henry and you will get an answer back from the president of the company, great customer service. I don't know about accuracy I plink with mine. I have shot a couple of bricks of Aguila Super Colbri in my cellar range, no problems.

[pdawg_shooter]

+1 on the Marlin model 39.

[Baja_Traveler]

Best birthday present dad ever got me - a Golden 39a for my 13th birthday in 1974...

Use it twice a month to shoot smallbore levergun silhouette matches, and it's very accurate with a Williams foolproof rear sight and 17a front globe.

[Lonegun1894]

I have a Henry and can usually keep every shot on a golfball out to 80yds, but it gets spotty after that. A friend has a Marlin 39 and it is at least as accurate as my henry, and feels more solid. I dont think you can go wrong with either of these two, but I dont have much time with other designs so i'm a bit prejudiced.

[Mumblypeg]

The Marlin 39A. I've owned six... and I wish I had the three I sold back. They went to good friends that begged. I'm too soft hearted...:oops:

[fliintlock555]

I have the Henry and just love the gun. I have scoped mine as eyes are going. Shoots anything I put in it. Accuracy: quarter size, 50yds all day long.

[frankenfab]

I was amazed at the short lever throw on the Browning, the first and only time I handled one. The Henrys are awesome on total appearance, function, and accuracy.

The Gelnfield/Marlin model 60's are the best value I think, with the Ruger 10-22 a more popular but second, in my book.

[Okie2]

Had an original Marlin 39A (was stolen)...great balance...good shooter. Have a Henry (for kids)...nice for $$$...not best out there. Have used Browning BL-22 for $325...my favorite...I LOVE the short throw.... I LOVE the short throw....nice size. Will hold value really well if don't like. Scott ps...you can tape two McDonalds straws together & plug one end...speed loaders...make a dozen or so & put them in a larger tube....pull your feed tube out of your .22 and dump one in....You can warm a barrel in a hurry this way!!!

[hhranch]

Find a Winchester 9422 - always shot well for me, and at least says "Winchester" on the barrel.

[Tom-ADC]

I'm another Henry owner love it, figure I'll get another one some day.

[adrians]

henry 22magnum for me .
love the smooth as butter action and feel of it, accurate to boot also.
:evil: :cbpour::twisted:

[W.R.Buchanan]

+1 on Marlin 39A. I got mine last year for $350! and I looked at it and it took me exactly 15 seconds to yell 'I'll Take it!" It is in nearly new condition and after doing an action job on the gun it functions very smoothly just as the larger guns do when paid attention to.

It is a 1991 39AS with the rebounding hammer and safety which I don't like. Am looking for a pre-safety hammer and trigger to retro fit mine back to the good old days.

I will be redoing the stocks soon, probably Xmas time, and it will be a good looking rifle.

Also I just got a Lyman 66LA sight for this gun which will make it a real fun gun to shoot.

These guns are $679 new and are as expensive as the larger caliber Marlin leverguns, simply because they are made the same way as the big bore guns.

Me jumping on one that was priced at $350 was just luck of the draw, and I was smart enough to realize it at the time. The reason why I knew it was a good deal is because I passed up a pre-safety gun that was in the same nearly new condition for $360, and kicked myself regularly afterwards. That gun sat on the rack for several months before someone finally bought it and I regretted it as soon as it was gone. I knew I had screwed up.

Be patient, they are out there, and you don't have to pay $500 for one, and you shouldn't even consider one that is not in new or nearly new condition unless it is less than $300. they made plenty of these guns, You'll find one.

Randy

[Mike in TX]

Ruger 96. I have one in 22 mag and love it.

[Mk42gunner]

Here's something I posted last year (and a few additions in blue) when this subject came up:


There's not really a bad traditional leveraction .22, just some are better than others. I have had several, but not all of them.

I like the older Marlin 39A's the best; they feel like a real rifle. The one I had was old enough that it was d&t for a scope base, but the hammer didn't have grooves for an extension. The rifle was accurate, 3/4" gravel at 35 yards across a creek was not a challenge to hit.

The Winchester 9422 is very good. The one I had was an XTR, before all the extra "safety" stuff. A good gun, but I can't justify buying another for $500+.

The Browning BL-22 is great. accurate, fun, and a quick action with the short 33 degree lever throw, the trigger wasn't the best.

THe Henry has a plastic front sight/ barrelband. (yuck) but it shoots good. I haven't kept up on prices, but if you replace the plastic barrel band and front sight, it will be okay.

The Ithaca M72 was the same basic design as the Henry, but better quality. I believe they were made by Irma in Germany, (if you can find one). My buddy and I traded one back and forth around 1982-4, I wish I would have kept it.

They are all fun, but an old Winchester 1890 or 06 pump is even better.

Robert

Since the Cowboy shooting fad; along with the Winchester closing a few years ago and Remington buying Marlin, the price on every leveraction has gone through the roof, with the exception of the Henry.

The only lever action .22 I still have is the Henry; no more than I shoot it, it wil last a lifetime.

Robert

[725]

Best .22 shot I ever made was with the Henry, 4x scope. Got to be boring to use the scope so I took it off. Still very accurate, easy to break down to clean, slick action. It's not a Marlin or Winchester, but it's a shooter.

[Wheeler]

I have a Winchester model 9422 Mag that is easily one of the nicest and most accurate .22's I have shot. I don't know that you can find one in the price range you're talking about. The throw on the .22 Mag seems to me to be much shorter than the .30/30 and .357 Mag I have.

[flounderman]

somebody had a 39a advertised on this site yesterday. golden model I believe.

[grubbylabs]

I looked the other day after you posted and could not find the used 39A. It must already be gone. I did have a chance to look at a new Henry at a local store today and I was pleased with what I saw. It seemed like a nice looking rifle.

[Dorf]

grubby labs:I picked up one of the Henrys about a year ago as an "impulse buy" after cycling the action and feeling how smooth it is (compared to the M94 Winchesters I have). After mounting a scope and running every brand of ammo I could find through it, found that it prefers the Wolf Match Target brand. It has become one of my favorite .22s. Hope this helps. Stan

[grubbylabs]

Well I just sold my stud dog so I have a few pennies to put towards a new one and I will be out looking soon to see what I can find. I just hope I don't get sidetracked by the pile of 30-30 wins that I saw the last time I was at my LGS.

[avogunner]

I have to vote for the Marlin 39A also. I have two and just like the others said....accurate, reliable, and purrty.

[bearcove]

My BL 22 would shoot 3/8-1/2" groups at 50 yds from the bench. 3-9x scope. It had a trigger job.

[stubshaft]

Can't ever go wrong with a Marlin 39 or its variants.

[Ziptar]

Another plug for the Marlin 39.

A friend had a 39A when I was a kid and I'd always loved that rifle so, When I decided to get a .22 Lever it was going to be a Marlin.

I almost bought the Henry, after searching high and low for a year for a 39 only to find hefty price tags attached to them. In the end the Henry just wasn't to my liking, I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger when it came to plunking down the cash.

I finally got a 39 and it wasn't easy....

A couple of years ago I gave $275.00 to a Pawn Shop for a beat up and abused pre-safety Marlin 39M that was in sad shape. Had to have been someone's truck gun, and they kept it in the truck between the exhaust and the drive shaft. :sad:

The wood was all beat up, butt stock had several small cracks at the tang and it was rusty.

What's worse is they modified the lever into some big giant abomination that would even scared John Wayne. These are from when I got it.

http://www.ziptar.com/Marlin/39M/Marlin_39M_1.jpg
http://www.ziptar.com/Marlin/39M/Marlin_39M_2.jpg
http://www.ziptar.com/Marlin/39M/Marlin_39M_3.jpg
http://www.ziptar.com/Marlin/39M/Marlin_39M_4.jpg

I spent more on it than I probably should have but, I just couldn't leave that sad looking there looking the way it was.

It only got worse when I got it home it wouldn't feed for nothing. It would double and triple feed rounds, when it did feed a single round it would jam up on the front of the receiver before it could chamber.

I kicked myself, I'd just paid $275.00 for a total basket case. After I got over my remorse I set to work on it.

The thing had never been cleaned, there was so much crud in the action Hoppe's #9 just turned it into mud. just cleaning the internals was 6 hours at the work bench with a tooth brush and toothpicks trying to get all of the gunk out of it.

As I took it apart I found that it was missing the cartridge cut off spacer, the inner magazine tube was from another rifle and was 2" too short, carrier rocker was cracked in half, and the cartridge guide spring was busted.

I spent another 8 hours on it scrubbing all the steel down with Hoppe's and 0000 steel wool but the bluing came back pretty nicely.

It took orders to two different places and $89.00 to get all of the replacement parts need including a new lever. This is the lever that was on it compared to the factory one.

http://www.ziptar.com/Marlin/39M/Gorilla_loop.jpg

As I was getting close to finishing it up I came across a new take off birch stock and fore arm from a .44 Mag 1894 on gun broker listed as a "Buy it Now" for $45.00 shipped so I snapped it up.

I had to do some minor filing and fitting where the butt stock mates to the tang and ends of the fore arm as the lips that slide into the receiver and fore end cap were a tad fat.

Here's how it looks today.
http://www.ziptar.com/Marlin/39M/Marlin_39M_Fixed_up_01.jpg

http://www.ziptar.com/Marlin/39M/Marlin_39M_Fixed_up_02.jpg

Not only is it a full size .22 Lever gun but, with the wood from an 1894 on it the weight and handling a virtually identical to my .45 Colt 1894. Visually you'd have a hard time telling them apart at 10 feet even.

The 39M is on the bottom.
http://www.ziptar.com/Marlin/The_Marlins.jpg

In the end it was a bit of a rough road but, it worked out. It's as accurate as my eyes can get it, the action is smooth as butter, and it feeds shorts, longs, and long rifle without a hiccup.

I wouldn't trade or sell this rifle for anything and if you'd already guessed, I kind of proud of it.

On a side note, A few months ago I put the hideously large loop and beat up stock and forearm on eBay and was able to recoup $150.00 I was amazed at how many people wanted to bid on such a horribly large looped lever and how much they were willing to pay for it but to each his own I guess. :-o

[shagg]

+1 on the 39