Lever vs Bolt

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DeltaCypher0

Inactive
So I've been contemplating purchasing another .22, and I've been set on a bolt action for superior accuracy. How do people feel about lever action? I think the Henry rifles are pretty cool and supposedly "tack driving accurate". Should I just go with a bolt action like Marlin or another American company instead?
 
Accuracy??

Delta Cypher Zero--What do you intend to do with your contemplated .22? That would figure heavily in my recommendation as to lever or bolt.

If you intend to compete with this rifle, you'll have to get a bolt action, probably heavy barrel rifle. Levers just don't cut it in the extreme accuracy department.

If you are more into cool looks in a rifle, well, every lever gun out there out-cools every bolt, and most are accurate enough for casual plinking.

So: Tell us what you want to do with it, and we'll tell you what one to get, to do it.
 
Unless you put them on a bench I doubt you will see any difference between a good lever and a bolt.
 
As Smokey Joe says, lots depend what you want to do with it. The Henry has a silky smooth action and is very accurate, but a good bolt action will be more accurate for competitive shooting. The Henry is a great gun for plinking and more casual target practice. And Henry is well made in America with excellent customer service..
 
I will be hunting small game, squirrel and rabbit. But, I do enjoy target practice.
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Your choice. There's nothing wrong with either for hunting, indeed I've used both. Plus semis. My Marlin 60 has probably accounted for more small game than any of the others, excluding shotguns.

So, for a hunting rifle, the choice is yours. The lever is a lot of fun, but the bolt may (just barely) shave it for accuracy. I wouldn't feel handicapped at all with a good lever .22 in the squirrel woods.
 
My henry .22 was a tac driver. Only downside to the lever action was when shooting scoped from the bench cycling the action with the lever vs bolt makes it harder to get back on target.
 
I'll toss in that if you get a Marlin, get an OLDER one...better made than the new ones or the Henry :)
Plus you can usually find 'em inexpensively in pawn shops/gun shops/online auctions if you shop carefully :)

There are also Modern Lever-actions like the Marlin Levermatics (56/57/57M/62) and the Winchester 150/250

Marlin 56
fullsize


Winchester 250
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Of course, the new Marlin XT22's bolt-actions are out, wicked adjustable trigger, new style synthetic stock, etc...
inexpensive and full of features!! and the Boyd's 800/900 Marlin stocks are a direct fit if you prefer laminates :)
 
My friend has a Henry 22 rifle and I like it very much. It's great for plinking and small gaming. The only downside to Lever Actions is when some people put scopes on them, lol.
 
I own a CZ452 bolt action .22 that is an extremely accurate .22. My brother has owned a Marlin 39a lever action .22 for over 20 years. In my opinion, the Marlin 39a lever action is just as accurate as my CZ, BUT I'd never admit that to my brother.:D
 
Since our .22s probably see more use than anything else, and we have more of them than anything else, just acknowledge the inevitable and get both.
 
My Browning BL22 is hard to beat in the short throw quick action and accuracy department -

ABL222.jpg


Can't compare it to the Henry or the 9422 - haven't owned or shot either - but am happy with the BL22 - I was started on bolt action but, never learned to love it like I do my lever guns.

Jackatage6WhitmanNE.jpg


Here I am in about 1933 with my first bolt action 22 and "trophies"

YMMV
 
OJ said:
My Browning BL22 is hard to beat in the short throw quick action and accuracy department -

ABL222.jpg


Can't compare it to the Henry or the 9422 - haven't owned or shot either - but am happy with the BL22 - I was started on bolt action but, never learned to love it like I do my lever guns.

Jackatage6WhitmanNE.jpg


Here I am in about 1933 with my first bolt action 22 and "trophies"

YMMV
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Great pictures OJ!
 
My first .22 was a semi, then Lever and I guess I'll get a bolt some day.

So, I say start with the lever, I love my Henry!


Lateck,
 
If you intend to compete with this rifle, you'll have to get a bolt action, probably heavy barrel rifle. Levers just don't cut it in the extreme accuracy department.
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Depends on the type of competition. A local club has a cowboy rifle silhouette match and you must use a lever or pump with a tubular magazine.
 
In my experience, if just for plinking, lever actions are more fun. If you're totally serious about small groups, then a bolt action is the better choice.

OJ - What a great photo! If more kids today had an opportunity to do what you were doing in the photo, then I suspect video game companies might go out of business. Might be nice to see kids outdoors again.
 
whippoorwill In my experience, if just for plinking, lever actions are more fun. If you're totally serious about small groups, then a bolt action is the better choice.

OJ - What a great photo! If more kids today had an opportunity to do what you were doing in the photo, then I suspect video game companies might go out of business. Might be nice to see kids outdoors again.
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Thanks for the kind words - I think we probably made it through the great depression in rural areas than they did in urban places. When I wasn't milking cows, cleaning barns, and such productive activities - I was shooting rabbits - and prairie dogs - there was a serious effort to totally wipe out coyotes (which obviously never happened) - but the reduced proportion of them produced an immense overpopulation of Jack rabbits in particular - but also cottontails and prairie dogs. I got my first .22 rimfire single shot for my 6th birthday in 1932 - and, of course, in season, got pheasants and ducks with my .410 double barrel shotgun.

It really is too bad now but kids with guns walking down streets in small towns only drew smiles and friendly waves from people driving by - today, they would be locking schools down - and such. We didn't have video games and such - even our radio was a sometime thing - so evenings were spent reading, cleaning guns, and tying flies for summer fishing.

I'll always be grateful I was put on this planet when I was - most generations of late teenagers are not given much regard and frequently ridiculed - our generation was told we were needed to save our nation in WW II from becoming Japanese or German citizens - and those telling us that were serious. Those of us who made it through really benefited all around -
I'm sure grateful for the life I got to live.

Back to lever guns - I did have a well used - but still good - Winchester 94 in 32 special - for coyotes - and most of those shots were at a fair distance and that spoke well for the accuracy of our rifles. I never felt any 22 was right for that - though others didn't share that feeling - I suspect those coyotes hit with 22s did die eventually but - not a humane death. Shooting coyotes rarely involves a close shot - coyotes are spooky and hard to get close to - but, with practice that 94 did pretty good.
 
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