Henery 22

[twomoons]

I picked up a like new Henry 22 lever gun in trade a while back and have been tinkering with it some...
The Henry has a PLASTIC front sight and barrel band in one unit and I really didn't like that. The front sight was way to wide for my taste and was hard to see. I took the ramp off the barrel band portion and dovetailed in a Lyman ivory bead front sight. I still didn't like the plastic barrel band so I got out my rotary table for the mill today and I am into making a steel replacment. I'll try and post some pictures as I go along.

[jimh]

i bought one (Henry rifle) for my kids back a few years ago and i totaly agree with both the cheap sites and the plastic barrel band. that being said, while you're making one, if you happen to make a second i know a guy who wouldn't mind buying it. ;D

[Jack]

50$ rifle, 150$ in labor to build the part. . . . .

[Purebred Redneck]

Jack hasn't priced the Henry rifle lately ;D

That's a 400 dollar rifle built like a 50 dollar rifle ;D ;D ;D


I looked at it before I bought my bolt action Marlin back 10 years ago - I wasn't very impressed. The steel bluing looked painted on and felt like plastic. At the time I think it was about $250 and was worth that...I guess...not to me though.
I looked at one in the case at Walmart the other month and I must confess it caught my eye. But not for that price

[jimh]

i think we paid 225.00 for this one a few years back on sale at Christmas. it is the youth model but i can buy a full length replacement stock for it if need be later on down the road.

[jmarriott]

I think henry make one without the plastic. Maybe the oct barrel. I will have to look at the gun pushers place next time.

[twomoons]

The Henry is a copy of the old Ithaca lever 22 that they made in the 70's. The main difference is that the front sight bad barrel bands are made of plastic instead of pot metal. The actions on the gun are castings of a mystery metal that is some stronger than the original zymak, a zink alloy. The stocks are real walnut and the guns seem to stand up well but I just don't like the plastic so i am changing mine. I happend to shoot this weekend with a freind who has a Marlin 39 Mountie and as far as accuracy the guns came out about equal. The henry was actuall just as smooth as the Marlin and fed as well. I don't know how thw cast receiver will stand up over time but the days of an all steel machined gun are just about over. I did look at the Marlin mag tube retainer and have decided to make one like that for the Henry as it will be a little easier than the double band.

But Red is RIGHT $200 dollars woth of work! I did look at a Marlin when I got the henry but $560 for a 22 for the kids was a little more than the wallet could stand.

[jmarriott]

I have several Lever action 22 rifles. I saw a henry at the gun show this weekend,

The seller had lots of nice expensive guns. He said that he has not sold a gun over 800 dollars in a year. He sells a henry about once a month.

I almost bought a mint 870 wingmaster with very dark walnut with slug barrel (smooth bore) and field barrel (modified) I could not get him to take my 375. He wanted 430 at a min. It was a sweet shotgun. The marlin 39a I saw was in fair condition at 450. I never shot rem 76 lever action with box and papers 1050 dollars. Lever guns hold value. If you keep and shot that henry until the right buy on a BBL-22 39a or 9422 comes along you will be able to get most of your money back at a show.

[twomoons]

Having worked on 94-22's I can't say they are any better than the Henry, they skimped on the inside where you can't see it.

[jmarriott]

I am going to do a breakdown on my lever 22's soon.

Heck I got 4 now and maybe soon 5.

I know the henry's action is smooth, so is my 9422 and 39a and bl-22. I do think my win 9422 had nothing to fear for henry as far as insides go but I am no expert so I got to break em down as far as possible and put em back together. Might make for a real neat post. My cousin bought his kid a Henry and I get to shoot it at Easter. I bet it can include it also.

Good deals can still be found as just today while filling my paperwork to get back on the job I found a P serial number (1958 I believe) marlin 39 a mountie on the local pawn shop for 249. No front sight hood missing bulleye normal wear and tear on a gun over 50 years old. Waiting on the call right now from my dad who was on his way to look it over.

[twomoons]

Well the Henry is done and the total cost was $12.00. Here's what i found...
I pulled off the plastic and dovetailed the barrel top for a 370 Lyman white bead front sight. Now to hold the magazine tube in place i was digging through my junk drawer and found, not a suitable chunk of metal, but a mag tube retainer from an old M87 Stevens. I dovetailed that in and now the Henery has steel parts and in the front looks just like a Marlin 39. On GPC the sight and the retainer both cost $12.00 add in a little labor and it wasn't so bad. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

[twomoons]

Here's the finished product, mu old eyes see the sights a lot better now.

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[Jack]

Nice job, Twomoons.

[jmarriott]

Very nice indeed.