Underlever .22lr

[Sakodanny]

Hi folks,

I'm a new member from the UK.
I would like your advise regarding buying a .22lr underlever rifle.
what are the good and bad points of the following;
it will be used for rabbits etc out to around 60yds.
1. Winchester 94/22
2. Henry
3. Marlin

Kind Regards

Danny

[JerryB]

Welcome to another Brit here, we have several and two that are hunters. They can tell you what works for them over there. Nath and gamekeeper seem to be fine men and levergunners. My grandson has a Henry that is a super accurate little rifle and smooth as silk.

[geobru]

Any one of the ones listed are fine guns. You might consider the Browning BL-22 also.

Buy the one you can afford now, then keep a sharp eye and buy the others as you have funds and as good deals come your way.

Thats how you feed the levergun addiction!!

Welcome to the fire.

[Nath]

Welcome Sakodanny,
I use a 9422 and it with out doubt the best 22 I ever have owned including bolts and autos.
the only 22 that comes a close second to it was an old Remington pump action (597 I think).
A small gun of solid steel, the triggers are good but easy to improve if needed.
Shooting off hand comes so natural with one of these but probs does with any levergun thinking about it.
I usually can stuff any type of ammo (subs and HV) with out having to re-zero, including different brands.

Nath.

[Tycer]

A Marlin 39A Mountie is my favorite. It's heavier and the action is firmer to work than the Henry, 9422 or BL-22. It feels more like my centerfire lever action rifles than the others which is why I like it so much. Very accurate and not picky about ammo types or brands.

[gamekeeper]

Welcome to the fire Sakodanny.

I have a 9422 that's a keeper. I have had a Marlin Mountie, that was fine too.
The first levergun I bought when I was a Gamekeeper was an Erma, the forerunner of the Henry and I could not fault it either, so I reckon any of the three you have mentioned would do the job.

Try to handle each one and pick the one that feels right. Henry have quite a choice of models, Winchester, sadly are no longer made, so you would have to find a good used one. Marlin's can be expensive new but the older ones are better.

[J Miller]

Danny,

Welcome to the forum.

Although all of your choices are good rifles, I can speak from experience about only one. Back in 1977 I bought myself a Winchester 9422 for my Christmas present. I still have it, it still functions properly, and it's still far more accurate than I can shoot it. It has satisfied my needs and desires for a .22 rifle so well I've never seriously considered buying another one.
I won't hesitate to recommend one to you.
Unlike the center fire 94s Winchester (USRAC) did not mess them up with the rebounding hammer actions and add on safeties. The last ones are the same as the first ones. Design wise anyway.

Joe

[nemhed]

Welcome to the forum! Back in the late 70's my dad bought me a Marlin 39a for my 12th birthday. I'm thankful every time I pick it up. Unfortunately they don't make it like that anymore and the same goes for the 9422. I'm not much of a fan of the Henry rifles. So IMHO that leaves you with looking for a used model. I think every gun owners on the planet should own at least one high quality 22lr!

[Sakodanny]

Welcome Sakodanny,
I use a 9422 and it with out doubt the best 22 I ever have owned including bolts and autos.
the only 22 that comes a close second to it was an old Remington pump action (597 I think).
A small gun of solid steel, the triggers are good but easy to improve if needed.
Shooting off hand comes so natural with one of these but probs does with any levergun thinking about it.
I usually can stuff any type of ammo (subs and HV) with out having to re-zero, including different brands.

Nath.

Nath many thanks for the info

Danny

[AJMD429]

I like one you didn't mention the best (yeah, I know the 'red dot' sight isn't pretty, but it enabled my 10 year old daughter to routinely hit 2" steel flip-up targets at 75 yards with it... ). The 'flash hider' is simply because kids tend to 'dip' the muzzle in the dirt since they are short, and it protects the muzzle. A normal front sight is between the 'ears' of the slip-on flash-hider (sold for the 10/22).



Here's the peep sight I set up for it...



I like the Ruger 96/22 because the lever-throw is much shorter than the other lever guns I've tried, the cost was much less, the magazine is detachable (10 round to 50 round ones are available), and the one-piece stock comes off so easily for cleaning (many tubular magazines get really rusty due to the forends being so annoying to slip off for a quick wipe-off after an outing in the bad weather).

[Doc Hudson]

Welcome aboard Danny.

i'm not going to knock either the Henry's or Winchesters. Lots of folks like them.

But for me, when someone says 22 lever Gun they have to be talking about a Marlin model 39.

Maybe I've been spoiled by the Marlin Golden Model 39-A that I've owned since 1978. I've probably fired something like 50,000 rounds through it and taken enough small game to fill a railroad car. With it I've made shots that left fellows using fancy German target rifles shaking their heads in amazement.

If I were in the market for another .22 LR lever gun, I'd buy another Marlin Model 39. There are none better IMO.

[wilko]

Henry's are awesome !

[rjohns94]

i've come full circle back to falling blocks for .22lr shooting. I started with a Stevens favorite and now I am toting a little sharps (currently having a Malcolm 3x scope mounted). I use a tang sight currently. I have owned several Marlin, Winchester and Henry .22s, and my favorite was the marlin TDS, a 16 inch version and I had a receiver sight mounted. Best of luck on your choice.

[jhrosier]

Danny,

The Marlin model 39 would be my first choice for a lever action repeater.
I have had mine for many years and have never been dissapionted with either it's function or accuracy.
I wouldn't turn my nose up at a nice small action Martini sporter either.

Jack

[CEMENTHEAD]

You really can't go wrong with a Henry or a Winchester 9422. I have both and prefer the Winchester by the slightest of margins.

Thanks, Tom

[TCB in TN]

A Marlin 39A Mountie is my favorite. It's heavier and the action is firmer to work than the Henry, 9422 or BL-22. It feels more like my centerfire lever action rifles than the others which is why I like it so much. Very accurate and not picky about ammo types or brand.

Ditto, I have owned the 9422, BL22, and the Ruger, also shot the Henry, and IMHO there is no comparison between the guns. Well worth the extra money to buy the marlin. GREAT, GREAT GUNS! Handle well, shoot straight, easy on the eyes, and are built to be shot for YEARS! Currently have 3. 1963 and 67 Mounties, and a 1974 39A they will ALWAYS be with me.

[Pete44ru]

MERRY CHRISTMAS, and welcome to the fire, danny !

I've owned/shot/hunted all three of your choices for several years - and every one of them should meet your shooting requirements, even with the issue open/iron sights and a steady eye/hand.

Your final choice is much like a woman - choose whichever pleases you most, in fit/finish, AND (most importantly) handling.

If you have nil opportunity to at least handle a representative prior to purchasing, you should know that the longer barreled model will hold steadier, and is better for longer and deliberaste shots; whereas the shorter barreled ones will handle quicker in a rapidly developing game situation.

One may very well be better than the others, for fitment of equipment allowed in GB, that most in the US either aren't allowed, or do not use - like supressors/silencers and lights attached to the gun.

IMO, the Henry has the best customer service, Marlin second but easily fixable by a knowledgable owner, and the Winchester worst for parts/service ( bring long discontinued) and hard for most owners to repair - not that they actually require repair very often.

Some would say "Hobson's choice", but I would think it a happy choice, since you can't go really wrong with any of the three.

.

[gamekeeper]

MERRY CHRISTMAS, and welcome to the fire, danny !


One may very well be better than the others, for fitment of equipment allowed in GB, that most in the US either aren't allowed, or do not use - like supressors/silencers and lights attached to the gun.

Some would say "Hobson's choice", but I would think it a happy choice, since you can't go really wrong with any of the three.

.

Tube mags and suppressors are a pain, I have seen Winchesters screw cut, some with the mag tube lowered, some just shortened but if a suppressor(silencer) is fitted it usually means removing it to reload.

I use CB longs for Squirrels so I don't need a silencer.

[Pete44ru]

Since the Ruger 96/22 has a rotary detachable magazine, and a resultantly clean barel - it might well present a viable 4th choice for danny, if supression was in order for his situation.

.

[gamekeeper]

Since the Ruger 96/22 has a rotary detachable magazine, and a resultantly clean barel - it might well present a viable 4th choice for danny, if supression was in order for his situation.

.

I was thinking that too! I'm not sure if the front sight would need moving to allow enough barrel to be screw cut.

[Nath]

Sound moderators on 22 rifles over here are way over estimated in my opinion.
The notion goes it disturbs less game/vermin so you can shoot more. Not so, no one thinks about the noise the bullet makes when it hits home or miss even. That is what make the critters run. All that hissing, buzzing and wanging little lead nugget going past a critter close by, he never hears the gun. Plus they can soon work out where the shot came from because a silenced 22 ain't silent but a crack whether super sonic or not can have them puzzled for a second or two.

I have shot rifles with and with out and I prefere with out and I shoot just as much stuff.

Nath.

[gamekeeper]

Sound moderators on 22 rifles over here are way over estimated in my opinion.
The notion goes it disturbs less game/vermin so you can shoot more. Not so, no one thinks about the noise the bullet makes when it hits home or miss even. That is what make the critters run. All that hissing, buzzing and wanging little lead nugget going past a critter close by, he never hears the gun. Plus they can soon work out where the shot came from because a silenced 22 ain't silent but a crack whether super sonic or not can have them puzzled for a second or two.

I have shot rifles with and with out and I prefere with out and I shoot just as much stuff.

Nath.

+ 1
I have often got a better second shot when the rabbit sat up to see where the wizz bang came from.
The only rifle I put a suppressor on was my little Browning ATD. It spoilt the handling and balance.

[Sakodanny]

Many thanks folks, your advice and recommendations are well appreciated.
I will try both the 94/22 Winchester and the Marlin 39A.
Also I will not add any moderators etc to any one of the rifles that I will purchase.
I have a Sako Quad with .22lr and .17 mach 2 barrels. I prefere the mach2 for rabbits etc out to 120 yds.
But I have always since going to the Fun Fairs in the UK, liked firing a Winchester .22lr pump rifle. Which felt very nice in the hand. But my preference is the cowboy style lever action, and the style of the Winchester looks very good. If I did buy the Winchester, is there any add on's required, like a good rear sight or any other.

Once again many thanks and a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Danny

[Nath]

Only in Britain do I hear a leveraction reffered to as a "cowboy gun".
They were and still are used all over the states even where there is no cow pokes/boys.
I use one and most certainly am not a western cowboy!

I think Williams do a peep for them.

N.

[AJMD429]

As far as a suppressor, I think they make 'integral' ones that are swap-out barrels for the 10/22, and I think the back end of the barrel is similarly attached on the 77/22 and 96/22's (may need some work, but not sure) by the half-dovetail lug apparatus.

Ironic that the U.S. 'allows' more gun ownership, but has extremely strict restrictions on suppressors - not sure what that bunch of laws is supposed to accomplish, other than make shooting ranges more dangerous, and cause more people to wind up needing hearing-aids.

[TCB in TN]

Ironic that the U.S. 'allows' more gun ownership, but has extremely strict restrictions on suppressors - not sure what that bunch of laws is supposed to accomplish, other than make shooting ranges more dangerous, and cause more people to wind up needing hearing-aids.

That comes IMHO because far to many of our legislators are ignorant about suppressors. They have seen them on TV in Mob shows etc, and believe that is what they are for! Sad that so many idiots are in change!