22cal lever actions old & new ???

[1911crazy]

I been collecting the pump action 22cal rifles but i now want to move on to the lever action 22cal rifles.  I'm interested in the older ones and the newer ones too. 

Questions;

1.  For the older 22cal lever actions what brands to i look for and who made them back then. What do you look for that maybe bad or wornout in a used lever action 22cal rifle?

2. For the new modern 22cal lever actions what brands do you suggest and what models for an adult and a youth model too.  I need two, one of each.

How good are the henry's?? 

How good is the marlin???

 Is there anyone else who makes the lever action 22's?

Sorry for the dumb questions but i have no experience with the lever action 22's and most of the other 22 rifles.  I'd like to only buy them once and get a quality built rifle that will outlast my lifetime and my grandsons lifetime too.

[Rangr44]

The new Henry RF leverguns are great (I have two) - AND they make a Youth model !

The new Remington/Marlins QC sucks, but older, pre-safety Marlin 39a's are among the most accurate you can hope to lay hands on - the earlier, the better.
In the 1980's Marlin made a .22 Mag version of their CF rifle, the Model 1894M - now a collector's item.
In the late -60's Marlin made a fairly good levergun with one-piece stock, the Model 56/57 Levermatic.
Also in the late -60's, Remington made a Nylon stock/receiver .22 levergun, based on their Nylon 66 auto.

Winchester made both low-quality, econo leverguns (Model 250/255), and the premium Model 9422 in multiple versions, all of which are great hunters/shooters, too.

Browning imports high-quality/accurate Japanese Miroku leverguns in standard and high grades - the BL-22 series, which have a very typical fine Browning high-gloss blus & stock finish.

Until recently, Ruger made excellent quality leverguns with one-piece stocks - the Model 96/22 series.

Mossberg & Noble both once upon a time made low-quality .22 leverguns ( in the 1960's & 70's), too; but Mossberg has recently introduce a higher quality .22 levergun, nothing like their earlier gun.

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[torpedoman]

Mossberg & Noble both once upon a time made low-quality .22 leverguns ( in the 1960's & 70's), too; but Mossberg has recently introduce a higher quality .22 levergun, nothing like their earlier gun.

rangr44 does not have an old palomino mossberg 22.

[Rangr44]

[rangr44 does not have an old palomino mossberg 22.]

No, not any more - I sold mine 40 years ago,  as soon as I realized there were better guns I could afford.

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[hillbill]

if yu want the cream of the crop of older lever 22 rifles?get a marlin, they hold ther value.id rate the brownings next and then the winnies.they are all good and id be proud to own any of them.the marlin is all steel and ready to go.i had one when i was a kid and it was prob the most accurate rifle ive ever owned.i got one now from the 50,s and its a jewel.thats jus my opinion, the winchesters and the brownings are awesum too

[Rex in OTZ]

Ruger came out with the model 96 leveraction (now discontinued) which was a version  based on 1960's marlin's levermatic model 56 and 57 rimfires they also made a centerfire model 62 which came in 30carbine and .256winchester =15992 mfg, this was a adaption of the Kessler model 50 levermatic shotgun from the late 1940's early 1950's.
what is interesting Ruger made a model 96/44 leveraction .44mag with a detachable 4 shot rotary mag! they also were in .22lr .22mah and 17Hmr calibers, wish they made one in .22hornet.

a obscure remington mfg leveraction rimfire was the Nylon 76
   
Winchester 250 lever

I added a picture I found of the Kessler shotgun(16ga) they came in all three flavors of 20/16/12gages they had a 2 round mag, they do show up from time to time and Kessler parts can be found at Numrich gunparts site.

Bottom pic is a Marlin 56 (box mag) the 57 was a tube fed monster and the 62 was Box mag fed, with practice a levermatic can sound like a semiauto from its rapididity of fire from its short throw lever as it had a special accellerator link to boost bolt movement so the web of your lever hand never left contact of the stock!

[Old Fart]

I picked up the cheapest version of the little Henry a while back.
My kids love it, my grandkids love it, my wife loves it, and I love it.
It's just a hoot to shoot!
Smooth action and accurate, works for me.

YMMV

[hillbill]

those henrys are a sweet gun for the money. but if your collecting,which i take as a investment for the future,then alloy receiver guns are not what hold their value.all steel guns have always been a better investment.

[Flynmoose]

I love my 1951 Marlin 39A, but find myself shooting my ten year old
Henry, especially when the youngsters want to shoot. The 39A is
too big for them....that's what I tell them anyway.
FM

[hillbill]

lever 22 rifles would be a fun item to collect. id start with the big 3, win, marlin and browning and then go to the more obscure ones.i rember my brother had a win when he was a kid that had a curved lever and was basically the same as thier cheapo aluminum reciever auto at the time.it was a nice lite rifle and had a wide aluminum lever.i think mossberg might of made one also but im not sure.after yu get all the 22 lr yu could start with the 22 mags.that would be a really fun and usefull collection!

[1911crazy]

lever 22 rifles would be a fun item to collect. id start with the big 3, win, marlin and browning and then go to the more obscure ones.i rember my brother had a win when he was a kid that had a curved lever and was basically the same as thier cheapo aluminum reciever auto at the time.it was a nice lite rifle and had a wide aluminum lever.i think mossberg might of made one also but im not sure.after yu get all the 22 lr yu could start with the 22 mags.that would be a really fun and usefull collection!

Your right i'll be probably collecting after i get the first one.  I'm up to 5 older 22cal pumps now.  With a few single shot and repeaters on the way (older ones).  But i'm interested in the new and the old lever 22's.

[hillbill]

i had a ithaca i really shouldnt of sold, id like to have it back.it was a repeater and they did make sum single shots yu can get pretty cheap.im not crazy about alum reciever guns but that ithaca was a tackdriver.its the same as the henry guns they sellin now.only 40 yrs older.it was a dum idea to sell it but a really good fren of mine wanted it and i took the money and got a marlin 39.