[kcult]

I have a friend, no lie, I do. This friend says he took the Henry he bought last year and let his son and Dad shoot it. His Dad brought along a marlin 39A. His Dad shot the Henry and was disappointed that he couldn't hit squat with it. He took the Marlin and was shooting tree branches in half, acorns out of squirrels' hands and the seeds out of pine cones. Well, not really, but there was enough difference between the accuracy of both guns to start an investigation.

The results were the rifling in the Henry (new until it was shot this time) was shallower and there were fewer of them than in the Marlin.

I haven't checked mine, yet. I have an unfired Henry Golden Boy and three Marlins (a 795SS, a 60SB and an 883SS) and will eventually crack open the safe to check them out, but for any owners of both, is this the case with yours? Does the Marlin have deeper and more rifling than the Henry?

 

[willie b]

There is no debate the Marlin is better quality. I'd say the Marlin is twice the rifle at twice the price. That said, I have been more than pleased with my Henry. It was my first .22 rifle I can shoot squirells out of of trees with it. I see no need to shoot branches or acorns... The Henry is a damn fine rifle. Another fine point is how much lighter the Henry is than the Marlin, about 2 lbs less.

 

[Guest]

I wanted a 39A and settled for the Henry --- i have no regrets and mine is a shooter.

 

[FNG]

I have both... wouldn't part with either.

My Marlin 39M is older than I am and shoots like a dream... and its a SOLID gun! After about 20 years- its started to malfunction.... the fix? bending a piece of metal with a pencil.... yup- I expect another 20 years before more "serious maintenance required" again

The Henry doesn't quite have the history, but its got the looks... and the action is butter smooth- right out of the box. I don't know that it'll last as long as the Marlin... but I would buy one again in a heartbeat.

 

[jebnc]

I won a Henry Golden Boy at a Friends of NRA a few years back. A pretty gun, but never fired it. I guess I will just keep it for the grandkids. My sons and I have too many other guns to shoot. But it is a nice gun.

 

[Brandon1]

The Marlin is twice the gun, and no plastic on it vs. whats on the Henry.

 

[ikarus1]

Only plastic on my Henry is the tip on the magazine follower, and that's from the factory

 

[RedneckFur]

The marlin 39a will out shoot a henry... and pretty much any other rimfire rifle save an Anshutz. Its just the best there is out there. Most herny's I've seen, that pretty brass is just a cover, and its aluminum or pot metal underneath.

 

[FNG]

Most herny's I've seen, that pretty brass is just a cover, and its aluminum or pot metal underneath.

try googling "henry frame failure' - I didnt see any listings.... Ive yet to hear folks complaining about the durability of this rifle. (well except Marlin owners that dont actually HAVE one)

Yes, the inexpensive .22 has alloys in it... but - so what? I suspect its the same when people started talking about newfangled materials to replace their solid steel 1911's.... howls of "yer crazy- that damn plastic stuff's gonna icks-plode!"

The Henry is an American made rifle, has great customer service, shoots great, looks great.... that's more than MANY manufacturers can say today.

 

[Silver_Bullet]

I cant shoot acorns with my 39a, so I don't believe you are lying. It is on par accuracy wise with a cz452 bolt action. A sub moa gun, out the box. I can not say anything about the Henry as I have never owned one.

 

[CedarBranchBiker]

I'm shooting the "cheapest" 22 available from Walmart, I love it. Would like a Henry or a Marlin 9too broke and too tight) but ya got to dance with who ya brung. I easy to please.LOL

 

[Scott Elliott]

My Marlin 39A is more accurate than some bolt actions I've owned with twice the power in optics on top. With CCI Standard Velocity it shoots groups approaching a half inch at 50 yards and will shoot groups under an inch at 100 yards.
Not bad for a levergun with a 2-7 power scope Makes me want more Marlins! Any ideas Redneckfur?

 

[Flashpoint]

Never had a lever but every Marlin rimfire I've had has been damn accurate. I attribute it to their ''micro groove'' rifling. It's thin (not sure how deep) but has more lands than most.

 

[Ram48]

I have a Marlin 39d. Owned it since Christmas of 1970, My wife bought it for me before we got married And yes I still have both the wife and rifle and would not part with either. Great gun and still looks new. It has aged a whole hell of a lot better then I have. Shoots as good as ever, again I wish I could say the same about me.
Never owned a Henry but they sure are nice looking guns, a guy next to me at the range last week had one and he shot pretty good with his.

 

[jschneider93]

Well also, I'm not sure about the legitimacy of this, but I've heard in multiple places, on multiple occasions that .22s don't shoot as accurately until the barrels have been "seasoned" with a number of rounds, I think they said somewhere in between one, and a couple hundred. So if your friend's gun had never been fired before, that could be it. For this reason, those people also say to only use solvents in the barrels of .22s about once a year, or when you notice fouling causing a drop in accuracy. Otherwise, they say just to run some dry, and/or oiled patches through it every 100-200 rounds, or every use.

 

[WNC Seabee]

Well also, I'm not sure about the legitimacy of this, but I've heard in multiple places, on multiple occasions that .22s don't shoot as accurately until the barrels have been "seasoned" with a number of rounds, I think they said somewhere in between one, and a couple hundred. So if your friend's gun had never been fired before, that could be it. For this reason, those people also say to only use solvents in the barrels of .22s about once a year, or when you notice fouling causing a drop in accuracy. Otherwise, they say just to run some dry, and/or oiled patches through it every 100-200 rounds, or every use.

There is a lot of truth here. I rarely clean the bore of my .22s. I'll clean the action regularly, but leave the bore alone.

BTW...My circa 1968 39a is also a tack driver. But, so is my POS Marlin 60.

Please excuse my typos...posting from iPad

 

[RedneckFur]

try googling "henry frame failure' - I didnt see any listings.... Ive yet to hear folks complaining about the durability of this rifle. (well except Marlin owners that dont actually HAVE one)

Yes, the inexpensive .22 has alloys in it... but - so what? I suspect its the same when people started talking about newfangled materials to replace their solid steel 1911's.... howls of "yer crazy- that damn plastic stuff's gonna icks-plode!"

The Henry is an American made rifle, has great customer service, shoots great, looks great.... that's more than MANY manufacturers can say today.

I never said Henry's failed, and the passive-aggressive tactics are unnecessary. Just making someone aware that there's more to a Henry than its looks. "Just stating the facts, Ma'am."as they say. I've known people who bought Henry's and were disappointed when they learned the pretty brass was only skin deep.

 

[cranbiz]

BTW...My circa 1968 39a is also a tack driver. But, so is my POS Marlin 60.

And whats wrong with a Marlin 60?

Love mine and it shoots well. First .22 I ever bought and it will go to my son when it's time.

 

[WNC Seabee]

And whats wrong with a Marlin 60?

Love mine and it shoots well. First .22 I ever bought and it will go to my son when it's time.

Oh! That came out wrong! MY Marlin 60 has been abused, battered, neglected, tossed around the bed of a truck, tossed under the truck, left out in the woods all alone, got used as a tent pole...and is still a tack driving machine.

Best $80 rifle on the planet!

I meant " POS" in the most loving way.

Please excuse my typos...posting from iPad

 

[old confederate]

Comparing Henry to Marlin? Whats next? Comparing Rossi and Ruger to Colt and S&W.