Lever action .22's

ratherbefishin

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Years ago when Ruger brought out their lever action 22,I tried it but didn't buy it because the action seemed sloppy,too much side by side play.Is this typical of all the lever action 22's?Are there any lever actions that are smooth and tight?
 
I currently have a henry, and once had a winchester 9422. Neither has any slop or unwanted play in the lever. Nice smooth actions.

:agree: a Henry and older Winchester actions are buttery smooth. I have 2k rounds through my Henry Frontier and there's no "play" in the lever as you say.
 
The BL-22 is top-notch! Very, very well made gun - smooth and tight.


Absolutely !


I bought mine before 1980, and has never missed a beat gopher shooting in over 30 some years with hundreds of bricks of ammo down range. I did replace a firing pin 5 years ago for about 40 bucks. Have never had more shooting for the dollar.
 
I've owned a BL22 and a Marlin 39a Golden Mountie

Both rifles were very slick with buttery smooth actions.

The Browning was my gopher gun for pasture cleaning.

Having 2 lever 22's seemed redundant so I let the BL22 go.

I have yet to shoot a nicer 22 lever than my 1950's 39a.
 
I've had the Norinco lever, a couple Henry's and now the Mossberg 464. I liked the Norinco action the best to be honest but it wasn't accurate enough past 35 yards or so. The Henry's has the nicest fit and finish for sure, the wood on the two I've had were amazing. I like that the Mossberg feels like a full sized rifle, not so much like a .22. The Mossberg is very beefy and is a solid gun. I have the Mossberg posted in the EE right now actually to fund a new Timmey trigger for my 700.
 
I have a Henry's mares leg and I gotta say it was a lot nicer than I expected it to be. The lever action on it just feels great (To me, keep in mind it's not like I've used a lot of lever actions! )

Edit:
Forgot about the customer service, actually haven't been happier contacting a company! They are great.
 
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I have had a Bl-22 since 1975 and it has had thousands of rounds through it without a single hitch. it has a "choppy" feel too it, not the long smoothness of a win lever 22 or a marlin.
I like the way the trigger travels with the lever on the browning, but I still look with lust at the henry lever guns as I have shot those too and I think they are betters balanced (too me) and I love that smooth lever action - more of a "real" lever gun to me.
however, the browning has really performed well and is really accurate and shoots well off hand. if I let this one go I think one of my kids would take the old man out!good shooting to ya'll
jsd
 
I have owned and shot dozens of lever rimfire rifles... Win 94/22 & 94/22M, Marlin 39A standard and Mountie, Bl-22's, Uberti's, and Henry's... and when I considered all aspects of the lever action experience, I have to say that I would choose the Henry Frontier if I could only have one shooter.
 
I have had a Marlin 39a from 1958 and two Mounties.
With a 3-9 scope on the current Mountie, CCI Select produced 1.5 inch five shot groups at 100 yards.
Will probably always regret selling the first two.
That being said . . . the only other lever action 22 fired was a Marlin 56 in the early 60's.
 
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