I've gone out with some friends lver the years and shot a bunch of different 22s. Although on guys Marlin was the most accurate the one that felt the most right was another guys Henry lever. Just wondering what the arguementa for/against might be? Thanks for any info
Any reason not to get a lever action .22 over a bolt/semi?
- Thread starter DjRags604
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easyrider604
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- Greater Vancouver, BC
Had a Marlin 39A a while back. Never did a serious accuracy test on it, but I remember hitting a 50 meter 8 inch gong pretty much 99% of the time, with stock iron sights, standing off hand. I know that doesn't say much about rifle or the shooter.
For some reason, it would drop a cartridge (to the ground) if I cycled the lever with the ejection port facing down. Not really very smart gun handling, but because of that, I traded it away. If cycled gun upright, it never failed to eject, or failed to feed.
At the time, I had an Anschutz 1416 double set trigger and it was definitely more accurate. I always loved bolt-actions because of that 1416, so to this day, all I have left are bolties after selling off all my semis.
If you are after accuracy, I would say bolties are typically more accurate, unless you have an ultra special Marlin 39 or Henry. Only reason I'd go lever is for the fun factor.
For some reason, it would drop a cartridge (to the ground) if I cycled the lever with the ejection port facing down. Not really very smart gun handling, but because of that, I traded it away. If cycled gun upright, it never failed to eject, or failed to feed.
At the time, I had an Anschutz 1416 double set trigger and it was definitely more accurate. I always loved bolt-actions because of that 1416, so to this day, all I have left are bolties after selling off all my semis.
If you are after accuracy, I would say bolties are typically more accurate, unless you have an ultra special Marlin 39 or Henry. Only reason I'd go lever is for the fun factor.
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- CAVE Island, BC
If you are not spending a lot of time target shooting from a rest or from a prone position, then a lever is fine. My 9422 was a pain to shoot whenever the lever's travel during ejecting/loading was interrupted by the bench or ground surface. This forced me to abandon my nestled shooting position in order to work the lever action for another shot. With my bolt action I don't even have to move my head aside when performing ejecting/load and the rifle stays put on my shoulder. A semi-auto is even less disruptive for follow-on shots . . . . but that's another kettle of fish.
Every one should experience all actions at some point in their shooting lives.
Every one should experience all actions at some point in their shooting lives.
Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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Levers are real fun and look cool. The tube magazines work well but can get annoying.
If your interest is accuracy, there is nothing other than a bolt action to look at. A Savage Mark II heavy barrel gives very good accuracy at a good price. They are made in Canada. You can spend more and get a CZ, but you won't get better accuracy. If you want to be sure of getting better accuracy than a Savage you need to go to an Anschutz, and ideally one with the 54 action and a heavy barrel. You probably won't outshoot a Savage with a light barrel model 64 Anschutz though.
axemaster8
Member
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- the end of the road
Im a lefty and learned to shoot and grew up on a Browning lever .22. Very short lever throw, small and handy, good tube capacity, very accurate. Because of that, I picked up a nice grade 2 for myself during this year. For me, I like using a manual repeating .22 (lever, bolt, pump) because as was previously mentioned, semi's get boring (but of course have advantage of quicker follow ups). If you plan on mostly using it at a range then quick follow up shots arnt always a necessity IMO, but can be handy for hunting.
I think it will come down to what type of shooting you will be using the rifle for and therefore what kind of accuracy will be considered acceptable.
With reasonable distances there will be many that will get the job done, but as you stretch your distance the more you will be looking at a bolt.
I think it will come down to what type of shooting you will be using the rifle for and therefore what kind of accuracy will be considered acceptable.
With reasonable distances there will be many that will get the job done, but as you stretch your distance the more you will be looking at a bolt.
I'd have to agree that off the bench supported with bags a lever action, pump action or a break open single shot are a bit of a PITA. But for free standing plinking all of those options just sing of FUN ! ! ! !
Give me a brick of ammo and a rimfire sized dueling tree or flip up and reset paddle target at 25 yards and I'm a happy plinking camper. At those times the guns of choice are my Henry lever rifles, one of my pump action Remington 12's or a break action rimfire (don't have one of those yet). I also enjoy my drop block Stevens single shot rifles with a bunch of reloads stuck between the fingers of my support hand.
For 50 yard plinking I'm more inclined to bust out my BSA or Vickers Martini single shot rifles that have peep sights.
When I do break out the Savage Mk II bolt action it's typically to try some long range shooting at 100, 200 and on occasion even 300 yards from the bench when I'm trying to learn to read the wind.
That's me though. But if this style of plinking sounds like fun to you I'd suggest that you'll quite enjoy a Henry and pandering to that inner cowboy.
A dozen or more kids can't be wrong either. I frequently take along a variety of rimfire rifles to the Jr .22 nights for the kids to use so they can shoot something other than the club's single shot Savage Mk I's. Out of the pump, 10/22 with red dot, BSA Martini and a couple of others the Henry is hands down the favorite with the kids. This has been going on for four years now and they STILL line up to be first to shoot the Henry. So "kid tested, adult approved"....
Give me a brick of ammo and a rimfire sized dueling tree or flip up and reset paddle target at 25 yards and I'm a happy plinking camper. At those times the guns of choice are my Henry lever rifles, one of my pump action Remington 12's or a break action rimfire (don't have one of those yet). I also enjoy my drop block Stevens single shot rifles with a bunch of reloads stuck between the fingers of my support hand.
For 50 yard plinking I'm more inclined to bust out my BSA or Vickers Martini single shot rifles that have peep sights.
When I do break out the Savage Mk II bolt action it's typically to try some long range shooting at 100, 200 and on occasion even 300 yards from the bench when I'm trying to learn to read the wind.
That's me though. But if this style of plinking sounds like fun to you I'd suggest that you'll quite enjoy a Henry and pandering to that inner cowboy.
A dozen or more kids can't be wrong either. I frequently take along a variety of rimfire rifles to the Jr .22 nights for the kids to use so they can shoot something other than the club's single shot Savage Mk I's. Out of the pump, 10/22 with red dot, BSA Martini and a couple of others the Henry is hands down the favorite with the kids. This has been going on for four years now and they STILL line up to be first to shoot the Henry. So "kid tested, adult approved"....
Depends on where you shoot. Anything with a tube magazine is somewhat of a pain at ranges where you have to unload and safe them during ceasefires. They are also inconvenient at matches that involve loading 5 rounds at a time and mounting a scope can also be problematic. But if these considerations don't apply to you, then why not.
So far all the ranges I've been too will announce that they will have a ceasefire and allow folks to take the last shots from any magazine that is loaded if it's something like a tube mag rifle. And when plinking it doesn't take long anyway.
Besides, it's easy to clean out a tube mag gun. With the hammer down on a spent round remove the follower completely and simply dump the ammo in the tube out on the table or into the shooter's hand. After that replace the follower and jack the spent casing and the live round that was on the carrier out onto the bench. The whole thing doesn't even take 30 seconds.
Besides, it's easy to clean out a tube mag gun. With the hammer down on a spent round remove the follower completely and simply dump the ammo in the tube out on the table or into the shooter's hand. After that replace the follower and jack the spent casing and the live round that was on the carrier out onto the bench. The whole thing doesn't even take 30 seconds.
I have three 22's that are "just for fun" (I don't hunt anything with them) - a pair of pumps (Browning and a Henry) and my lever (Marlin).
A lever is just plain "cool" but that one thing that detracts from it is, no matter how smooth the lever or how much you try and practice you have to drop the rifle from your sight line to operate the action - I have never found a way to cycle it and keep it on target simultaneously - just too much "mechanical operation" going on.
That may or may not be important to you...
A lever is just plain "cool" but that one thing that detracts from it is, no matter how smooth the lever or how much you try and practice you have to drop the rifle from your sight line to operate the action - I have never found a way to cycle it and keep it on target simultaneously - just too much "mechanical operation" going on.
That may or may not be important to you...
Quick answer, NO. In depth answer, no, that is how I went about it. I got a pump action, a Browning BPR-22, before I got a lever action, a Marlin Model 39A. But I'd gotten a single shot, an old H. Pieper which I feel was made around the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. Then after the Marlin 39A came onboard another single shot joined the crow in the safe, then finally the first bolt, then the first semi, then the second semi, the third semi, the fourth semi, the second bolt, third bolt, and the second pump gun. I tried leaving the light on in the safe, but they still multiplied.... Let's not get into the 22 handguns... Really, really, you know 22s are like peanuts. You can't just have one.
I have a Browning lever 22 that is almost 40 years old ( i got it new) and I can find parts for it anywhere. My newish Henry lever is impossible to find parts for. Henry does not sell parts. You have to send it back to the US for repair. I dumped the Henry.
galam
You say you have a Browning pump? Is it the BPR-22? The BPR-22 was the first new gun I bought 42 years ago, OMG I'm old. My dad taught me on a pump 22 a Winchester Model 61, which I've inherited. That is why I made the BPR my first (new) purchase. I learned on a pump and wanted a pump.
If you are just plinking, IMO a lever action offers the most fun... with a semi, you don't feel as connected to the action as there is no need to do anything but squeeze the trigger... something just feels "right" when you "work" the lever... which is a reason that I prefer a full-throw lever, as opposed to the BL-22 short throw lever... however, if you are interested in maximizing accuracy on paper, you would be better off with a quality bolt action.
