H001 vs 39

[Frontiersman]

I bought a Henry 22 Lever a few months ago and just got around to shooting it. I decided to do a bit of a shoot off against my model 39.

The 39 is a very attractive all blue steel rifle with 24" octagonal barrel, brass hardware, brass bead front and diamond point rear buckhorn sights. The wood is nice, with a decent varnish type finish, no checkering. Of course by comparison the Henry is utilitarian, I don't care for the spray painted black receiver. I would gladly upgrade if someone made a blued steel cover. The sights are basic black with a hooded front. Overall it's an attractive design, but again the receiver is a stark contrast to the beautifully finished wood and checkering.

The shooting was informal at 25 yards using Remington golden bullets to nock down a dozen or so soda and tin cans and a series of 1 1/2 steel gongs on a resettable target. That type of shooting attracts a small crowd and both rifles saw use from several individuals. Hundreds of rounds were fired. Though I noted about 75 % were through the Henry. It seemed once each person had a try at the Marlin, but they went back to the Henry for more fun.

In spite of the additional 6" of barrel and the fancier sights on the Marlin, there was no noteworthy difference in accuracy at that distance.

Both rifles fed and ejected very well, though the Marlin would only feed if you made it a point to hold the rifle with the top of the receiver at 12:00 position. A cant of not more than 5 degrees and it would jam against the barrel face. The Henry fed up, down, sideways, and even up-side-down without a single hitch. Although the action was very smooth on both, the Henry was better, right out of the box. The Marlin is a meticulously Maintained 95% specimen that if well broke in but far from worn out. I was surprised at this, as the Marlin 39 series is a much coveted rifle.

So, in summary ... The Henry is an exceptional rifle, but I wish they would come out with a true blue steel receiver version. I may spend the extra and go with the brass alloy on my next one.

[Sir Henry]

I think the H001 is going to be the 10/22 of lever action rimfire rifles and in another decade there will be a dozen manufacturer offering items just like they do today with a 10/22. So a steel receiver cover might just appear. I just don't see Henry offering it.

[North Country Gal]

I'll be honest. One of the reasons I am such a diehard Marlin 39 or Winchester 9422 fan is that steel build quality and, yes, I am willing to pay the big bucks to get it and, make no mistake, prices on these are going though the roof. I'm very much in the minority, here, though. Most people are not willing to spend that much on a 22 lever gun and I can't say I blame them, especially considering that the Henrys shoot just as well. The Marlin 39 is now in danger of disappearing and the 94/22 is long gone because they priced themselves right out of the market. They were always considerably more expensive than a typical 22 rifle. Would hate to see Henry make the same mistake. Henry is doing a great service to the traditional 22 community by offering 22 lever guns that folks can afford and that work. Like Sir Henry, though, I could see someone offering a steel cover as an aftermarket accessory at some point.

[JEBar]

enjoyed reading your assessment .... looking forward to continued reports .... please consider going to this link http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 988#p35988 to our How Many ? thread where you can add your Henry to our community total

[CT_Shooter]

I bought a Henry 22 Lever a few months ago and just got around to shooting it. ... The Henry is an exceptional rifle, but I wish they would come out with a true blue steel receiver version. I may spend the extra and go with the brass alloy on my next one.

Thanks for your report and excellent comparison of the Henry H001 and the Marlin 39. It sounds like you had a great time.

Congratulations on owning that new Henry, Frontiersman. I look forward to reading more of your experiences with it at the range and in the field.

[tx gunrunner]

I'll be honest. One of the reasons I am such a diehard Marlin 39 or Winchester 9422 fan is that steel build quality and, yes, I am willing to pay the big bucks to get it and, make no mistake, prices on these are going though the roof. I'm very much in the minority, here, though. Most people are not willing to spend that much on 22 lever

+1 ........ The Henry is a super gun and well worth the money and I love the brass looking frame the best. The 39 is a take down and transport easy on a motorcycle, plus it break down into 4 parts for easier cleaning without any tools . The only thing I'm sorry is I never got one of high dollar super fancy 39 with octagon barrel in my life .

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/632256817

[Cowboy Gun Fan]

I would love to have all 3, lol.

But got the Henry first because of the very reasonable price and the availability to boot.

In the 22 that is.

In the 30-30, it's the opposite, lol. I have the Winchester and the Marlin, but not the Henry (yet).

[bandit1250]

I have owned four Henry 001 models with one being a Frontier 22 that I still have. I really like my Henry and it is made well and shoots great. As nice as it is it is no Marlin 39. Out of the four all of the Henrys would not feed if canted to see if there was a round in them or empty. My Frontier fails 100% to feed if tilted to the side at all. If the op's 39A will not feed tilted then I would suggest adjusting the cartridge guide at the top just behind the chamber. When I read this I went to the my safe and got out several 39's and tried feeding tilted. Mine all fed flawless tilted clear over and also upside down. Trying the Henry tilted very slightly I had to free the loaded round every time with my truck key. I am not bashing the Henry in any way because we all know it is the most bang for the buck and I don't see that changing in the future. I also feel that the Henry will stay with their build quality and not be bought out like Remington did to Marlin and mess up a good brand. The comparing the Henry to the 39 Marlin would totally go the other way if you go on the Marlin forums. They both have their good and not so good in certain areas. The take down feature of the Marlin stands alone for ease of transporting and to get it clean easily. I have Marlin's that cost well under a $100 when they were made that if I make one or two calls on the phone they will be gone tonight for $700 or more. I doubt the Henry will ever appreciate in value like the Marlins even if Henry stopped making the rim fire lever guns. Everyone has their favorites in guns and that's the way it is. The Henry vs. Marlin 39 doesn't mean much to me as all my Marlin 39's work very well and shoot good with some better than others. Out of the four Henrys my Frontier satisfies me and the other three did not and got traded off. Which one do I like the best? The Marlin will win with me. Is my Henry Frontier for sale? Not while I am still around!

[ditto1958]

I'm a little surprised that there is not an after market for Henry rimfire lever guns. Receiver covers in different colors and finishes could be very popular if someone would make them available. I'm not sure a steel receiver cover would be viable, as it would have to mount on the aluminum alloy receiver "skeleton" that Henry uses in their rimfires. I am sure, however, that more attractive alloy covers could easily be a reality. Someone just needs to do it.

[tx gunrunner]

Most bolt rifles fall into to systems ........ a push feed or control feed . My Win 9422 was a control feed and very hard to load from ejection one at a time and should to be load in the mag tube . The 39 is a push feed and a loaded round can be drop into the ejection port and close the action and it is loaded in chamber . I've never owned a Henry but it appears to be a type of control feed and I bet if you drop a loaded round in the ejection port it will not close or feed the round in chamber very easy . Please let me known if I'm right or wrong .

[bandit1250]

I'm a little surprised that there is not an after market for Henry rimfire lever guns. Receiver covers in different colors and finishes could be very popular if someone would make them available. I'm not sure a steel receiver cover would be viable, as it would have to mount on the aluminum alloy receiver "skeleton" that Henry uses in their rimfires. I am sure, however, that more attractive alloy covers could easily be a reality. Someone just needs to do it.

The receiver covers can be made to look a 100 yrs. old like Sir Henry has done to a few of his and they look great. They can be stripped like my Frontier and looks good to my eye but maybe not for every one.