Pros and Cons of Some Lever 22s

Thunderhog said:
A little off topic, I sure miss all the cool emojis we used to be able to post!

So my question is: How did you post this great laughing one?......:) I see it's an attachment, but from where?
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It's a GIF, if they're small enough (like this one) I just save it to my desk top... copy/paste.
It's not offered through CGN smilies.

Alex
I see there's a nice one a bit SouthEast of you in Melville,
https://www.g u n post.ca/firearms/rifles/regina/henry-carbine-22-rimfire
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SHELL SHUCKER said:
Yep. A crap, zinc based casting that Browning slid into the receiver housing to save on machining costs. Surest way to break it is to over torque
the stock bolt.
ipb-browning-bl22.jpg (JPEG Image, 902 × 952 pixels)
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I've learned something new about the BL-22, but I think I'd have to have a hate-on for them to call anything Browning "crap". My hunch is that they'd be happy making that part from steel as well if people were happy to spend another $100+ on their rifles. I'd also eat my hat if I thought the buttstock was easy to snap-off my just tightening the stock bolt? Definitely the first time I'd heard/read that about a BL-22. Not saying it's impossible, but if it was an epidemic I can't help but think I'd have read about it before now?

I'd like to think this conversation could be about what the best lever gun is, not one about "if you abuse model______ by doing ______ it'll break every time?" Drop a 9422 or a 39 on it's buttstock onto hard ground from 2-3' up, would the result be a manufacturing defect?
 
Alex_Zues said:
I'm aiming (see what I did there?) to buy a lever 22, novice level budget. Henry seemed to rule for a bit. Solid name, etc. Rossi is out there, but it shares the same price as Henry. Now Savage pops put with their Revel, but I don't know much about them. Most of the reviews out there are generic, and lots of people complaining it isn't steel reciever or threaded for silencers (our southern neighbours).

Henry:

Been around for a while, so fewer surprises. Reliable enough action.

Sales on at the moment for Black Friday

Alloy reciever. Meh.

Heritage:

Seems fancy with the rustic finish, but is it lipstick on a pig?

Chiappa takedown:

I hear bad things about QC.

Rossi:

dunno what to say about these ones.
 

Savage:
Aluminum reciever doesn't really bother me since anything in its price point is running some sort of pot metal anyways.

Made in Canada is a nice touch.

With all being a similar price point, is there something I'm missing? My gut is telling me to choose between Henry and Savage.
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I picked up a Rossi Rio Bravo on sale, my first lever, and although my preference is towards Henry this was budget friendly and has been totally reliable. I avoid anything that is top-eject because I'm shooting 99% of the time in an indoor ranged and I get enough hot brass in the face, head, and in my clothes from side-ejects! Top-eject is just asking for trouble, particularly with 22s!! In 22, Rossi is side eject...top eject in larger calibers, as are so many others. With top eject you either use the iron sights, a red dot, or a scout scope, and my eyes are too old for two of those!
 
Drop a 9422 or 39 and the stock might crack, but the frame isn't going to break.
BL22s are slick, good shooting rifles. For most shooters, they are just fine. Reassembling one can be interesting, but hardly in the same league as its big brother, the BLR.
 
"novice level budget" - nothing is cheap these days, but the Henry or Savage would likely led the pack.
And one can always get lucky in the used market.
 
tiriaq said:
Drop a 9422 or 39 and the stock might crack, but the frame isn't going to break.
BL22s are slick, good shooting rifles. For most shooters, they are just fine. Reassembling one can be interesting, but hardly in the same league as its big brother, the BLR.
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An inoperable gun is an inoperable gun when neglect is the culprit, guess that was my point.
 
Alex_Zues said:
Someday I'll win the lottery and can pig out on a diet of fancy rifles, but I can hang with the Kraft Dinner of 22s for now
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Most of us have Alex. Last time I was out shooting, one of the main events was a rimfire I bought this year from a CGN sponsor for $190.

I think it's more about time than winning the lottery. Some of us have been at this a long time. Plenty of time to make mistakes, and try to correct them.

Sometimes it's not about time/$ and more about bad experiences with a specific make/model. I know I've been offered plenty of advice on CGN, and allot of it I would have been better-off taking tbh. Optics mainly, I thought I knew better than the guys telling me to avoid cheap scopes and that decent/good ones are worth the $. I'd have actually saved money had I taken that to heart.
 
I have a budget friendly Henry Frontier. Mines in the less bigger friendly 22wmr.

But otherwise it’s a very nice rifle tk shoot is far more accurate than I expected and looks fantastic with great wood and the heavy octagon barrel. That being said take it apart to clean and you can see where the budget price was accomplished. Regardless I’m happy with the rifle and always smile when I bring it out to the range.

Now I do also really want to get a Savage Revel. Handled one in store and really liked it. Very solid feeling and build quality seemed better than my Henry. My only observation was the front site post needed some colour (my Henry has a brass bead).
 
Tinybear said:
I have a budget friendly Henry Frontier. Mines in the less bigger friendly 22wmr.

But otherwise it’s a very nice rifle tk shoot is far more accurate than I expected and looks fantastic with great wood and the heavy octagon barrel. That being said take it apart to clean and you can see where the budget price was accomplished. Regardless I’m happy with the rifle and always smile when I bring it out to the range.

Now I do also really want to get a Savage Revel. Handled one in store and really liked it. Very solid feeling and build quality seemed better than my Henry. My only observation was the front site post needed some colour (my Henry has a brass bead).
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And just wait until you see the Savage Revel Deluxe version, it will be a show stopper.

Also has a pistol grip.

I believe the release date is January/February next year.......:)
 
45CAT said:
my tried and true list
1 Winchester 94/22 or Marlin 39
2 Browning by a titch
3 Uberti
4 Henry
A Savage walked in the door about a week ago ,weather stinks so no shooting till spring. It feels great with some heft. Workmanship gets 2 thumbs up. Action is smooth. Remember Winchester has one called a “Ranger” . As rare as a “unicorn” you’ve heard about them but they’re not on the shelf and it’s been almost a year.
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Why no shooting during the winter? Is it that cold in Ontario?
 
kjohn said:
An old time gunsmith shuddered when I mentioned a Henry lever .22. He said he did a trigger job on one. He said the guts were "pot metal junk". His words, not mine. I know the fellow would not fib about it.
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I have had a Henry h001 since 2010 and it probably has over 10k rounds through it. (At least a couple bricks a year if not more). It has a giant gash down the side of the aluminum receiver from where somebody dropped it on a rock. The action is still tight, cycles even smoother than it did when it was new. Still shoots great.

The guts aren’t pot metal. Everything important is steel including the trigger, bolt, lever, hammer. The actual receiver is aluminum and the receiver cover is aluminum painted black. When you take the cover off, it looks pretty rough. They also don’t polish or paint the inside of the receiver cover but get overspray in there somehow. When you take it apart you are greeted by something that looks like a hot pile of junk. Luckily they are beautiful when assembled and you don’t have to take it apart very often.
 
.22LRGUY said:
I've learned something new about the BL-22, but I think I'd have to have a hate-on for them to call anything Browning "crap". My hunch is that they'd be happy making that part from steel as well if people were happy to spend another $100+ on their rifles. I'd also eat my hat if I thought the buttstock was easy to snap-off my just tightening the stock bolt? Definitely the first time I'd heard/read that about a BL-22. Not saying it's impossible, but if it was an epidemic I can't help but think I'd have read about it before now?

I'd like to think this conversation could be about what the best lever gun is, not one about "if you abuse model______ by doing ______ it'll break every time?" Drop a 9422 or a 39 on it's buttstock onto hard ground from 2-3' up, would the result be a manufacturing defect?
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I didn't say the BL-22 is crap, just the frame insert is bush. Browning could/should make that part from billet alloy on a CNC machine.
Ain't ever abused any firearm meself & always maintained them proper. I like the BL-22's well enough, but the Win 9422 & Marlin 39's
be my choice for easy take-down and cleaning.

Me former BL-22 & 9422.
 

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