Henry Rifle Forums

I have been considering a Henry pump, specifically, one in .22 WMR. I have read comments here and reviews elsewhere and they are mixed.

Can forum members who have experience with a Henry Pump, either .22LR or .22WMR, give me opinions or comments? Accuracy, mechanical problems, etc. It seems that a somewhat common comment is that Henry Pump rifles are difficult or stiff to operate when working the action.

I know Henry customer service is outstanding but I don't want to adopt a problem. If I am not somewhat confident I will enjoy ownership of the pump, I may shift to consideration of a Henry lever action in .22 WMR.

Thanks in advance for guidance.

They are a little stiff at first but loosen up as you use them.

I HAVE HAD ONE IN .22 LR FOR SEVERAL YEARS. ALSO HAVING A SPEED E LOADER enables me to shoot a lot at one time. The action has loosened up but will n never be like a Winchester 61. That being said I am fond of the rifle and I can uncock it with out dryfiring it, not good for a rimfire. make sure your thumb is out of the way when you work the action.

This is my shooting partner’s (granddaughter) favorite .22 and she is 16 and doesn’t weigh 100 lbs. she’s had some health problems also. She has not had any problems with the pump action and she does shoot some of my lever actions but always come back to the Henry pump.

Thanks all. If I go forward, I want to find one on the shelf in hopes of getting good wood.

Good luck on your pump. I like mine.

daytime dave wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 04, 2026 3:23 pm

Good luck on your pump. I like mine.

The search begins.

We have a nice pawn shop here in Deer Park that has a nice supply of Henry’s including pumps. Next time in I’ll take a look and see what prices are around here. Good luck with the search, always a fun adventure.

Hatchdog -

Thanks.

The innards of the pump is the same as the lever action. The big difference is with the pump the action is 1:1 and with the lever it’s more to the 6:1 ratio. Because of that it feels much harder to slide the bolt back that 1.5” with a 1.5” pump movement. Not compared to the 7” the bottom of the lever makes. Accuracy wise they are both the same. With the pump your trigger hand remains in place while the other hand works the action. On the lever your trigger hand does the action. Because of that I find the pump is quicker to get accurate repeat shots in a hurry.

Sir Henry -

Thanks.