Post by elguapo on Mar 9, 2024 22:30:55 GMT -5
A few years ago in a fit of nostalgia, I bid on Gunbroker for a 39A Mountie in remembrance of a Marlin with which a massacred a good number of jack rabbits and prairie dogs as a teenager. Like the occasional Gunbroker purchase, the gun arrived and wasn't quite what I suspected. it was a 1950s gun but had a 1970s barrel and maybe 1970s stock set. It shot fine, but I never connected with it. I recently worked a trade for a .45 convertible Blackhawk. I'm super happy with the Blackhawk and don't particularly miss the Marlin! But...in a fit of guilt, I had to find a rimfire lever gun.
The reason for the guilt is my youngest, who is elementary age, loves to shoot and specifically loves revolvers and lever guns. Because of a couple of perceived flaws, I'd wanted to get rid of the Marlin for years but he always liked to take the Marlin to the range. Unfortunately, much like constantly untangling fishing line for a nine-year-old (though I still do that!), I at times got tired of clearing his jams when he cycled the gun at odd angles, which often required disassembly. I always held the gun straight up and down and never had a cycling issue.
Fortunately for the young guy, hope of a rimfire lever was not lost. To replace the Marlin, I bought two Henrys: a round-barrel .22 Mag and a big-loop, round-barrel .22 LR. I was not impressed with Henrys from a few years ago because of heavy use of plastic. The newer ones I've found to be much nicer.
Outside of a couple of convertible Single-Sixes in which I only used the LR cylinder, I've never owned a .22 Mag, making it one of the few common cartridges I haven't messed with. I mounted a decade or so old Weaver 6x40 Classic on the Magnum. I love a fixed 6x for most rifles and it's perfect for the .22 WMR in my opinion. My plan is to test the Magnum on coyotes, bobcats, wild pigs and such things when the youngest isn't shooting it. I shot it today at 75 yards with various types of CCI ammo and it is consistently accurate. If I get my hand under the forearm and support the rifle well, it shoots well under 1" and mostly 1/2" to 3/4" for five at that range. If I leave the forend free to rest on the front, it's more 1 1/4" to 1 1/2". Either way, good enough to put a CCI spire point or TMJ into hog vitals out to as far as I'd want to shoot one with a rimfire.
The sights on the LR are a terrible combination of a square notch'ish rear and patridge front. I suspect the Mag had the same sights, but I removed the rear to clear the scope as soon as I got the Mag. After one range session, I replaced the rear on the .22 LR with a Skinner. The down side is the gun was shooting about 9" high at 35 yards today with the taller Skinner. My understanding is Henry front sights have varied over the years. Fortunately, the front is now replaceable. Though, the question is as with many things lately and especially post COVID: With what? I think I've found a solution, but will know for sure in the next week or so. If I had it to do over, I would get the octagon barreled gun, which I believe has a 3/8" dovetail front and more options for taller sights because of that configuration. Specifically, you can get taller fiber optic fronts, which I once avoided but with age have come to love on handguns and rifles because they give a sharper sight picture for my aging vision. The LR is shooting around an 1" to 1 1/4" with decent ammo for me at 25-35 yards. I have not mounted a scope on that one so suspect those results could be improved upon.
The good news is that I haven't had to clear a single jam with either of these rifles. They function great and shoot well. Plus, they look a lot better than the older Henrys so as a gun "snob," I'm not embarrassed to own either. Both are finished well and the Magnum has a checkered stock that reminds me of the older Winchester 94/22s. Most importantly, the little guy loves shooting them and shoots them well.
Problem solved.
The reason for the guilt is my youngest, who is elementary age, loves to shoot and specifically loves revolvers and lever guns. Because of a couple of perceived flaws, I'd wanted to get rid of the Marlin for years but he always liked to take the Marlin to the range. Unfortunately, much like constantly untangling fishing line for a nine-year-old (though I still do that!), I at times got tired of clearing his jams when he cycled the gun at odd angles, which often required disassembly. I always held the gun straight up and down and never had a cycling issue.
Fortunately for the young guy, hope of a rimfire lever was not lost. To replace the Marlin, I bought two Henrys: a round-barrel .22 Mag and a big-loop, round-barrel .22 LR. I was not impressed with Henrys from a few years ago because of heavy use of plastic. The newer ones I've found to be much nicer.
Outside of a couple of convertible Single-Sixes in which I only used the LR cylinder, I've never owned a .22 Mag, making it one of the few common cartridges I haven't messed with. I mounted a decade or so old Weaver 6x40 Classic on the Magnum. I love a fixed 6x for most rifles and it's perfect for the .22 WMR in my opinion. My plan is to test the Magnum on coyotes, bobcats, wild pigs and such things when the youngest isn't shooting it. I shot it today at 75 yards with various types of CCI ammo and it is consistently accurate. If I get my hand under the forearm and support the rifle well, it shoots well under 1" and mostly 1/2" to 3/4" for five at that range. If I leave the forend free to rest on the front, it's more 1 1/4" to 1 1/2". Either way, good enough to put a CCI spire point or TMJ into hog vitals out to as far as I'd want to shoot one with a rimfire.
The sights on the LR are a terrible combination of a square notch'ish rear and patridge front. I suspect the Mag had the same sights, but I removed the rear to clear the scope as soon as I got the Mag. After one range session, I replaced the rear on the .22 LR with a Skinner. The down side is the gun was shooting about 9" high at 35 yards today with the taller Skinner. My understanding is Henry front sights have varied over the years. Fortunately, the front is now replaceable. Though, the question is as with many things lately and especially post COVID: With what? I think I've found a solution, but will know for sure in the next week or so. If I had it to do over, I would get the octagon barreled gun, which I believe has a 3/8" dovetail front and more options for taller sights because of that configuration. Specifically, you can get taller fiber optic fronts, which I once avoided but with age have come to love on handguns and rifles because they give a sharper sight picture for my aging vision. The LR is shooting around an 1" to 1 1/4" with decent ammo for me at 25-35 yards. I have not mounted a scope on that one so suspect those results could be improved upon.
The good news is that I haven't had to clear a single jam with either of these rifles. They function great and shoot well. Plus, they look a lot better than the older Henrys so as a gun "snob," I'm not embarrassed to own either. Both are finished well and the Magnum has a checkered stock that reminds me of the older Winchester 94/22s. Most importantly, the little guy loves shooting them and shoots them well.
Problem solved.
