[JTF]

Sold a 10/22mag several years ago, a little too soon I see. But it was a problem rifle with poor accuracy to boot. I want to replace it with a new lever action 22 mag. Can anyone comment on the accuracy of the Henry versus the Ruger lever guns?

 

[dunski]

While I haven't fired their rimfire lever guns, I have fired several of the .44mag levers. (4" groups at 40 yards) Garbage plain and simple. Ugly, mis-shapen hunks of piss-poor engineering. Ruger levers make the P series Ruger centerfire semiauto pistols look like a swiss watch--and p series suck.

Don't get me wrong, I like my accurized 10/22 mag but I have over $600 into it ( gun, bbl, stock).
If I were to get another rimfire I'd look at CZ....particularly the military trainers.

 

[cjsdad]

For another opinion contact Skeeter here on the forums! He has one (a 96-22) that he claims is one of the most accurate rifles he owns!

I would not ever compare the accuracy and craftmanship of a rimfire to that of a centerfire. Most likely they were built in different factories with components made by different suppliers! Apples and Oranges thing!

That's like comparing a 10-22 to a Winny 52! They are not in the same league!

 

[Chum]

When my 10/22 magnum died I gave my best shooting barrel to my Dad to use on his 96. His 96 now shoots as good or better than my 10/22 magnum did.

 

[Black Pete]

Sold a 10/22mag several years ago, a little too soon I see. But it was a problem rifle with poor accuracy to boot. I want to replace it with a new lever action 22 mag. Can anyone comment on the accuracy of the Henry versus the Ruger lever guns?

Well the accuracy seems about the same to me anyway. I've been shooting clay pigons at a 100 yards with my Henry LA golden boy .22, and my 10-22 Wally World special. I scoped my 10-22 but Iron sight my Henry.

 

[abbaswede]

henry pump

Henry makes a pump with an octagonal barrel that people say is great.

 

[Skeeter27red]

Model 96

I have the 17" 1:14 twist GM barrel in 22MAG on it most of the time (ported), and I will commonly switch to HMR or HM2, or 17 Aguila, or rarely the 1:9 twist 22lr barrel. I have bedded it and spiffed the trigger pull a lot, but the bottom line is that no Henry is going to outshoot it in any of its top three accurate calibers unless the Henry has had some breathing done to it, and even then it will never be nearly as versatile, the Model 96 can switch to any of the common rimfires in just a few minutes.

 

[050]

I have the 17" 1:14 twist GM barrel in 22MAG on it most of the time (ported), and I will commonly switch to HMR or HM2, or 17 Aguila, or rarely the 1:9 twist 22lr barrel. I have bedded it and spiffed the trigger pull a lot, but the bottom line is that no Henry is going to outshoot it in any of its top three accurate calibers unless the Henry has had some breathing done to it, and even then it will never be nearly as versatile, the Model 96 can switch to any of the common rimfires in just a few minutes.

skeeter nailed this one... the 96mag has gotta be the most versitile action out there for rimfires.....

the 96's benefit from bedding, ditchin the barrel band, and floatin the barrel just as much as the 10/22's do.... and the barrels will swap for 10/22 barrels, if they have the 2nd extractor cut....

my 18" volq stainless bull in 17hm2 is the most accurate on my action, with the green mountain .17hmr 22" blued octagon runnin a close 2nd.... i get slightly better groups out of my 10/22 with all of my .22lr barrels (volq and walther) but i'm sure it's more technique than anything else...

cletus

 

[white house]

I had the Henry Golden Boy WMR and also the Blued one in the same Cartridge. Very accurate. I have not fired for myself the Ruger levers but read and heard they are not out of the box accurate as a rule. Modifications can change that as a rule.

 

[22shooter]

I have a Ruger 96 in .44 Magnum. I just found a handload that shoots 3/4 inch groups at 50 yards. It uses 240 grain Remington bullets. I was surprised with this load.

 

[Skeeter27red]

2nd extractor groove

You do NOT even need the second extractor groove on a Model 96 barrel because the second extractor doesn't do anything, I just took mine out completely and use an aftermarket 10/22 extractor on the right side only, just like in a 10/22 action. That means a 10/22 barrel of any sort, or a 77 barrel with a spacer will bolt straight on, no messing around is needed. On my 96 the head spacing was already a very tight .047, so it works well with either type of ammo, lr based or Magnum.:bthumb:
I've always wanted a Henry with the octagon barrel, so maybe one in 22MAG will find it's way this direction some day, then we can see what it can be made to do.:bthumb:

 

[texasguy]

I own a Henry .22WMR. The first time I shot it was a few days ago and it shot terribly. All over the place. BUT, that may be because it is a brand new rifle and that the sights suck.

 

[theNoid]

I have shot several Henry 22lr levers and one of their Big Boy offerings in 45lc and all of them were accurate enough to hunt with for sure. Never put them on paper, just plinkin' cans and varmint type critters mostly. Granted they aren't an Anschutz target rifle, but for general plinkin' and huntin' use they do the job just fine.

I have yet to know a Henry owner that couldn't best a 4" group at 40yrds, regardless of caliber...don't suppose the shooter has anything to do with accuracy do ya?

Noidster