First .22LR...Marlin or Henry Boy?

L

lakewalker

Regular
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Location
AB
Well my PAL should be arriving soon and I've narrowed down my first rifle to a rimfire .22LR Lever action. But which one, Marlin 39A Or Henry Golden Boy? I don't know anyone with these guns to try out, and not sure the pro's and con's of each. I'm leaning to the Marlin for it's history and I think it would have more accessories if I wanted to tinker in the future, but I think I prefer the look of the Golden Boy...ARGGHHHH Can't decide, Help!

I'm probably going to spoil myself and get the Leupold VXII 3-9 Rimfire scope and was wondering what would be needed to mount onto either gun

Thanks for any advice
 
I've got a golden boy. The brass receiver makes it about the slickest action you can find, and it does have a heavy octagon barrel. You can't mount a scope to it, and should be beaten severely if you do :p
 
found that you can buy a scope mount for the golden boy that attaches to the barrel and leaves the receiver intact
 
Another vote for the Henry! Beautiful gun, slick action, relaible, accurate.... You can not go wrong with it.

Buy one and never look back. You will not be sorry.
 
lakewalker said:
found that you can buy a scope mount for the golden boy that attaches to the barrel and leaves the receiver intact
Click to expand...

Yep, for sure. Henry sells cantilever scope mounts for all of their lever action guns!

scope-bigboy.jpg
 
you can buy a goldenboy from henry with engraving and have your name or initials put on it for only like 1200 dollars. looks pretty slick.
 
if youre going to put a scope on it get a bolt action, or a 10/22 or 597.

IMO these levers were meant to be used with irons. mounting a scope on them ruins the handling and they arent really meant to be tack-drivers.

although in the end its your money and your first rifle - so get whatever rifle in whatever configuration that pleases you. ive always thought it sacrilege to scope a lever action though :(
 
And it will be nearly impossible to get a good cheek weld. These stocks are designed to align your eye with the irons sitting 1/4" above the barrel, not a scope 1.5" up
 
The Marlin is what lives at my house, with a Williams FP peep sight. Probably the rifle I shoot more than any other. A classic steel gun made the old way like few are these days.

The Marlin comes with a Weaver scope base which mounts on top of the receiver.
 
Well it sounds like scoping a lever is sacrilege and not ideal...

Hmm thanks for the advice so far guys, I'm going to handle both and see which stock I prefer, on looks alone I'm leaning towards the Henry un-scoped.
 
The Henry is a nice little lever gun you will love, UNTIL you get a 39a!!!! Do your homework, and dont buy a gun for "looks" alone. Over 50 years old and still being produced, I think Marlin is doing something right with the 39a
 
lakewalker said:
Well it sounds like scoping a lever is sacrilege and not ideal...

Hmm thanks for the advice so far guys, I'm going to handle both and see which stock I prefer, on looks alone I'm leaning towards the Henry un-scoped.
Click to expand...

always take what people say with a grain of salt :)
remember that in the end this is your first rifle so get whatever you want.

i personally wouldnt scope a lever action because of the 'style' of gun it is:
a lever action is best as a fast (fastest action, my lever nut friends can work a lever as fast as a semi-auto) and handy little rifle, ideally suited as a brush gun used with iron sights, very quick to bring on target and fast follow-up shots. over a hundred years now and theyre still the best close-in brush rifle, and bear defense in the big bores :)

but in terms of accuracy, they will almost always lag behind an equally priced modern bolt action. a big clunky scope on it it also ruins the rifles handling, and like prosper said the stocks arent really designed for a good cheek weld with a scope so youll end up having to put some sortof aftermarket or crafted raised comb on it. the calibers that classic lever actions come in arent exactly the best suited for accuracy either (although im sure a handloader will argue and show a <1 MOA group with .45-70 this is far from the norm), although the Hornady leverevolution ammo is going a long way to remedy that. the Browning BLRs come in many modern calibers but theyre not a 'true' lever action, theyre more like a bolt action with a lever operated bolt :)

thats not to say that you wont like it with a scope, but it might not be the tack-driver you may be expecting. really up to 100 yards most people can do a lot better than they think with iron sights -- try them out first and see how you like them before you scope it. i also find it a lot more fun and more of a feeling of accomplishment to target shoot with open sights offhand compared to off a benchrest with a scope. another thing to consider is upgrading the iron sights on it, keeping the traditional lever handling but with better accuracy.

that said chalk up one more vote for the Henry Golden Boy. cant get more traditional styling than that - pure class with the octagon barrel, straight grip stock and brass receiver. the Marlin is a nice looking rifle but it definitely takes a second seat to the Henry.
 
I have the Golden boy, it's very accurate gun after replacing the stock sight
with glo sight. Henry can not ship anything currently to Canada because
some issue with Canada Custom. I had to ship the scope mount to a friend
in Texas then to Canada. I haven't install the scope mount yet because
it has to be drilled in to the barrel ..... darn it , I hate to do that ....

I was looking at the new shipment of Marlin 39A the other day and it is a
sweet gun, a bit more money but perhaps it's worthed. Perhaps can't go
wrong to have one Golden Boy and one Golden 39A.......
 
Another vote for the Golden Boy. It wil also be my first rifle. Hmmm, those Marlins look nice too...;)

Sniper22 said:
Henry can not ship anything currently to Canada because some issue with Canada Custom. I had to ship the scope mount to a friend
in Texas then to Canada.
Click to expand...

Anything at all? I would want the brass barrel band to go with the Golden Boy. Surely they can ship that? :confused: :(
 
Marlin 39A

MauserMike said:
The Marlin is what lives at my house, with a Williams FP peep sight. Probably the rifle I shoot more than any other. A classic steel gun made the old way like few are these days.

The Marlin comes with a Weaver scope base which mounts on top of the receiver.
Click to expand...

Actually the basic design of the 39A is over 100 hundred years old. IIRC it's one of the longest running NA designs still being built............. I've had mine for 16 years now.

Get the real deal.................Marlin 39A. You won't regret it.
 
LittleBoyLefty said:
Actually the basic design of the 39A is over 100 hundred years old. IIRC it's one of the longest running NA designs still being built............. I've had mine for 16 years now.

Get the real deal.................Marlin 39A. You won't regret it.
Click to expand...

Yup, the basic design started with the model 1891, and except for war time stoppages, it been made ever since. I haven't even fired my 39a yet, but I've handled both, and the Marlin fits me better. And it actually feels like you're holding a real rifle rather than a beefy pellet gun (which some 22's can feel like).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom