I have a Henry survival.....went to the range with a 16 years old nephew the time I shot 20 test loads in 30-06 he used 500 rounds of 22 .....2 fail to fire total...went home cleaned it ....no damage ,no apparent wear ...nice little gun i
Little badger? Henry survival? Papoose? If you own(ed) one, help me decide..
- Thread starter mikeystew
- Start date
Is this a newer one with orange front sight? or older all black model?
walterkilo
Member
- Location
- Boucherville/Stanstead, Quebec
I have a little badger in .22 lr. Fantastic light gun with great accuracy and usefulness !
I used my little badger this fall for grouse. Great little rifle and very light to carry around in the pack when deer hunting although I do get the occasional light primer strike.
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I also have a Marlin Papoose that I picked up last year when Wholesale Sports was blowing out their inventory. I really like the rifle, it goes together quick, is super light and very accurate. A fun little semi!
IMHO you can't go too wrong with either of these depending on what you want it for.
I also have a Marlin Papoose that I picked up last year when Wholesale Sports was blowing out their inventory. I really like the rifle, it goes together quick, is super light and very accurate. A fun little semi!
IMHO you can't go too wrong with either of these depending on what you want it for.
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TheNatural21
CGN Regular
- Location
- Fort Nelson, BC
I have a Marlin 795 (basically non-takedown papoose) and a Henry AR7. Both "new".
The Marlin is one of my favorite rifles and functions flawlessly in all sorts of conditions. Plus it's accurate.
The Henry also functions very well, although I don't have nearly as many rounds through it. I don't find the stock very comfortable and it's not as accurate as the Marlin. It does pack up into a nice convenient package though.
The Marlin is one of my favorite rifles and functions flawlessly in all sorts of conditions. Plus it's accurate.
The Henry also functions very well, although I don't have nearly as many rounds through it. I don't find the stock very comfortable and it's not as accurate as the Marlin. It does pack up into a nice convenient package though.
tactical lever
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Fox Creek, Alberta
I don't believe the Henry is very durable and made to handle a lot of extended shooting. Kind of heard that a long, time ago, probably before they were made by Henry.
I think the Papoose is more useful than the other choices and probably a better bet.
Not sure what your exact needs are, but for a survival gun, and something in a small package, I'd sooner have a Rossi Ranch Hand, with full length (or slightly trimmed) regular butt stock.
Either that or one of the short single barrel shotguns. That would probably be my first pick, as they fold up, are easy to clean, inexpensive, and being a shotgun, highly versatile. Of course being able to shoot 12 gauge flares is a big bonus.
I think the Papoose is more useful than the other choices and probably a better bet.
Not sure what your exact needs are, but for a survival gun, and something in a small package, I'd sooner have a Rossi Ranch Hand, with full length (or slightly trimmed) regular butt stock.
Either that or one of the short single barrel shotguns. That would probably be my first pick, as they fold up, are easy to clean, inexpensive, and being a shotgun, highly versatile. Of course being able to shoot 12 gauge flares is a big bonus.
I have all three you were asking about plus a 10/22 stainless take-down. I haven't had any problems with the Henry AR-7 (red front sight) or the 10/22. The Papoose is the most accurate. I've had it for more years than I can remember.
I like all four but the one I always seem to grab is the Little Badger. Very lightweight and packable. When folded it fits perfectly in the hydration sleeve of my pack. I'm not too fond of the factory sights so I installed a Bushnell First Strike red dot and it's been great.
I like all four but the one I always seem to grab is the Little Badger. Very lightweight and packable. When folded it fits perfectly in the hydration sleeve of my pack. I'm not too fond of the factory sights so I installed a Bushnell First Strike red dot and it's been great.
^that was my experience too. Bought one, test-fired it and instantly wondered why people liked them so much. Terrible ergonomics, very cheaply made, no fun to remove empties..and the wire stock feels just fantastic against your cheek @ -15C out too. lol The trigger was very light, which I wondered about...then less than 1/2 a box in, the gun fired on it's own while I was aiming. (finger not even in the trigger guard) I reloaded, pulled the hammer back and "bang"...went off again. Muzzle control was there in both cases, so no mishaps.
Took it back to the dealer, he replaced it with a new one on the spot...which I promptly sold unfired.
I like guns because to me, they're MORE than tools. I feel a connection. When shooting a particular make/model and you get zero satisfaction from the process (even if the rounds are going where they need to be)...then I feel like THAT gun is a tool. If you get a Badger with a safe trigger...sure...I think it would make a decent choice for small game hunter if you're not really planning on hunting. If you want a hunting gun, or any gun to behave as it should, I'd personally steer clear of the take downs, Badgers etc. and just get your hands on a small, proven rifle like a Rascal, Mini Bolt or the best of the pack, a CZ 452 Scout. (there is/was one in the EE as recently as yesterday) Heck, and older Cooey 39 is a very small-scale, super light, almost-nothing-can-go-wrong-with-it type of rifle too. Being a gun for a boat, perhaps something like a Marlin XT-22 YSR would be a good choice..? Bolt action, stainless, small (youth model), proven mags, likely very accurate, etc.
I know the OP has been using/talking about pack guns/take downs etc. for some time...so I doubt I'm changing any minds here. lol I just think I'd rather have a gun I actually like shooting, as I can always find a good place/way to store things out of the way.
I have a Papoose and a Little Badger... I've had them both for a few years now.
The Little Badger:
Covered the rails with some rail covers, and wrapped that, and the wire stock, in cammo fabric duct tape. The forend pic rail is kinda useless for actually adding things to nthe gun, and a bit of a cheese grater in the hand, so I just covered and wrapped it. The wire stock is "functional" and sturdy enough, but no fun as a cheek rest. The cammo cloth duct tape makes it slightly nicer as a cheek rest... At least it keeps the stock from freezing to your cheek in the cold. Also covered the rear of the receiver with tape, just to cover the non-standard pic rail behind the trigger, who's only function is to chew up your middle finger if using a normal grip.
Accurate enough out to 25 yards with the peeps to bag a squirrel. But you have to keep an eye on that rear aperture. It'll slide up and down the elevation adjustment if you so much as sneeze on it, so you have to keep checking it to make sure it hasn't moved when you pull it out of a pack, or catches on some brush, or it gets hit by a stiff breeze.
Made from the cheapest pot-metal Chiappa could source. Accidentally dry fire it once, and you'll peen a gouge into the chamber so deep you'll need to spend some time with a file to smooth it out enough to be able to chamber a round.
It mostly lives out at the farm now as an emergency spare, that, realistically, I never use.
The Papoose:
Threw on a cheap surplus POSP 3.5x scope, and bought some spare 10 and 25 round mags for it. Easily as accurate, if not more accurate, than the LB. Retains zero after take-down and re-assembly. The shortened forend isn't the most ergonomic thing in the world, but more comfortable than the LB forend by a mile. The stock is a proper stock, and easy to get a good cheek weld on it.
Reliable. Has eaten any ammo I've fed it, whether from the 10 round or 25 round mags.
With the scope attached, it still fits in the carry bag, along with everything you see in the picture (the mini barrel, an empty "Toxic Waste" candy container, holds about 70 loose rounds). As a package, this makes for a super convenient "grab and go", throw it in the trunk and drive off, gun. If my car is going to be leaving city limits, 100% guarantee that thing will be in the trunk. A handy little package with a fun gun to shoot, and enough ammo for a casual day's worth of plinking, or shooting gophers or squirrels.
Between the two:
No contest, the Papoose, hands down, is the better gun. I use it fairly often, partly because it's just so convenient to throw in the trunk of the car with everything I need.
The Little Badger:
Covered the rails with some rail covers, and wrapped that, and the wire stock, in cammo fabric duct tape. The forend pic rail is kinda useless for actually adding things to nthe gun, and a bit of a cheese grater in the hand, so I just covered and wrapped it. The wire stock is "functional" and sturdy enough, but no fun as a cheek rest. The cammo cloth duct tape makes it slightly nicer as a cheek rest... At least it keeps the stock from freezing to your cheek in the cold. Also covered the rear of the receiver with tape, just to cover the non-standard pic rail behind the trigger, who's only function is to chew up your middle finger if using a normal grip.
Accurate enough out to 25 yards with the peeps to bag a squirrel. But you have to keep an eye on that rear aperture. It'll slide up and down the elevation adjustment if you so much as sneeze on it, so you have to keep checking it to make sure it hasn't moved when you pull it out of a pack, or catches on some brush, or it gets hit by a stiff breeze.
Made from the cheapest pot-metal Chiappa could source. Accidentally dry fire it once, and you'll peen a gouge into the chamber so deep you'll need to spend some time with a file to smooth it out enough to be able to chamber a round.
It mostly lives out at the farm now as an emergency spare, that, realistically, I never use.
The Papoose:
Threw on a cheap surplus POSP 3.5x scope, and bought some spare 10 and 25 round mags for it. Easily as accurate, if not more accurate, than the LB. Retains zero after take-down and re-assembly. The shortened forend isn't the most ergonomic thing in the world, but more comfortable than the LB forend by a mile. The stock is a proper stock, and easy to get a good cheek weld on it.
Reliable. Has eaten any ammo I've fed it, whether from the 10 round or 25 round mags.
With the scope attached, it still fits in the carry bag, along with everything you see in the picture (the mini barrel, an empty "Toxic Waste" candy container, holds about 70 loose rounds). As a package, this makes for a super convenient "grab and go", throw it in the trunk and drive off, gun. If my car is going to be leaving city limits, 100% guarantee that thing will be in the trunk. A handy little package with a fun gun to shoot, and enough ammo for a casual day's worth of plinking, or shooting gophers or squirrels.
Between the two:
No contest, the Papoose, hands down, is the better gun. I use it fairly often, partly because it's just so convenient to throw in the trunk of the car with everything I need.
I have a Henry US Survival Rifle with the orange front sight. I have put 2950 rounds through it under a variety of conditions with a wide range of ammunition. Failure rate so far is 6.4% (190 rounds) not including misfires from ammunition that I soaked in water. The majority of failures seem to be caused by one magazine.
Spare magazines can be expensive and hard to find sometimes. The Henry rifle does not float for more than a few seconds largely because the stock is not air tight and it is not filled with foam like the Charter Arms AR-7 was. The Henry rifle does allow the storage on three magazines when everything is stowed in the stock.
After 2950 rounds there is very little signs of wear on most parts. The trigger has smoothed out a bit but is still heavy. I enjoy the rifle and think it is better than most people give it credit. Accuracy is not great but for shooting pop cans or similar sized targets under 50m its a lot of fun. My biggest complaint is that there is no proper way to attach a sling. I made one that is basically a loop of nylon that secures tightly around the stock. It has buckets that connect to a longer loop of nylon that I wear like a purse strap. When collapsed the rifle hangs at my side under my arm. When assembled it hangs the same way but the barrel hangs below my knee so I have to be a bit cautious squatting or sitting down.
Spare magazines can be expensive and hard to find sometimes. The Henry rifle does not float for more than a few seconds largely because the stock is not air tight and it is not filled with foam like the Charter Arms AR-7 was. The Henry rifle does allow the storage on three magazines when everything is stowed in the stock.
After 2950 rounds there is very little signs of wear on most parts. The trigger has smoothed out a bit but is still heavy. I enjoy the rifle and think it is better than most people give it credit. Accuracy is not great but for shooting pop cans or similar sized targets under 50m its a lot of fun. My biggest complaint is that there is no proper way to attach a sling. I made one that is basically a loop of nylon that secures tightly around the stock. It has buckets that connect to a longer loop of nylon that I wear like a purse strap. When collapsed the rifle hangs at my side under my arm. When assembled it hangs the same way but the barrel hangs below my knee so I have to be a bit cautious squatting or sitting down.
x2 on grelmar's post. the little badger is made of mild steel and plastic. It is not durable or well designed and has poisoned my opinion of anything chiappa makes. It's clear that low cost and looks (in some cases) trumps any other consideration with this company. Look no further than the plastic picatinny rails that can't hold a scope zero or the teeny screws they attach them with. Pure garbage design for a dollar or two in cost savings. Unfortunately, they have no direct competition.
Otoh, the papoose is awesome, a proven gun with semi auto capabilities that increase it's usefulness and fun factor.
No contest. Don't have any experience on the AR-7, but it's a lot like the papoose with a lot more issues, and not as accurate by all accounts.
Otoh, the papoose is awesome, a proven gun with semi auto capabilities that increase it's usefulness and fun factor.
No contest. Don't have any experience on the AR-7, but it's a lot like the papoose with a lot more issues, and not as accurate by all accounts.
DarkStalker
Regular
- Location
- Kebekistan
This !
I had a look at the little badger yesterday, seems pretty cheaply built. Also saw a little rossi 410 that looked pretty cool.
Ultimately, I think an older papoose is where it's at. But I'm gonna sleep on it for a couple more weeks.
Ultimately, I think an older papoose is where it's at. But I'm gonna sleep on it for a couple more weeks.
Beverkiller
Regular
- Location
- Magic forest
Little badger for the Win..
I have two ar7 and the little badger is a go to.
Savage rascal could be in the running too.
WHERE dind you get the stock in black with the .22LR i whant one
- Location
- Saskatoon Saskatchewan
I got my little badger today. Overall I like it quite a bit. Had a few misfires off the bat but it was brand new and after a cleaning it seems to be working just fine. Accuracy was around 1.25"@ 25 yards which isnt great but not terrible with the crude sights. I will be mounting some sort of optic on it at some time.
