Henry Golden Boy Opinions

[Bart Solo]

I am thinking about buying a 22 lever gun.   Has anybody had any experience with the Henry Golden Boy?  Besides the Browning BL-22 what are the alternatives?

[Lurker]

I am thinking about buying a 22 lever gun.   Has anybody had any experience with the Henry Golden Boy?  Besides the Browning BL-22 what are the alternatives?

The alternative is to buy a Marlin 39A. A Marlin 39 is the best lever gun .22, there is now.
Bill

[Flynmoose]

I have a very nice 1951 39A, it stays in the safe, pretty heavy for an old guy to pack around. I don't have a Golden Boy, do have a Henry H001. It gets shot a bunch, accurate and has the smoothest action I have ever used. The Henry guarantee is a great one, never had to use it but nice to have it if needed.
FM

[Bart Solo]

I have been talking to some of my pards at the range.  They have had nice things to say about the Henry 22 lever guns.  One guy has yellowboy he really likes, another has one of the cheaper models.  He says he changed the front sight on it, took it to the california state levergun championships and won the 22 levergun silouette class.  He likes it a lot.
 
I am thinking about assembling guns for my grand children to use cowboy action shooting in the buckaroo class.  My 12 year old granddaughter has been really interested in giving it a try.  The 22 is the only gun I need to buy.  I have a friend with a couple of single sixes and her father has a single shot 410.

[Rangr44]

The GB is excessively heavy, and also has excessive drop to the buttstock - more than either the H001 Standard or H001T Frontier, and too much for most younger shooters.  They can only be scoped via a cantilever bbl mount, and are difficult to peep sight.

Also, the octagonal barrels on the GB & H001T Frontier seem to be a bit too long/heavy for youngsters.

Conversely, the shorter/lighter, round bbl H001 Standard suits most youngsters to a T, have eceiver cover scope mount grooves, and can have a peep added.

Mossberg now makes a similar .22 levergun, more expensive, with shoddy sights.

New Marlin 39a's have poor/spotty QC - get a pre-83 if you can. (no CBS or rebounding hammer)

Winchester 9422's are also great quality - but also usually more expensive when found.

There's Ruger 96/22 leverguns out there, that have a one-piece stock - certainly not a Cowboy gun.

.

[rhernandez914]

Golden Boys are nice guns and rated highly on Gun Test magazine, they gave it an A. They are so smooth and accurate and the quality and finish are hard to beat. You can go with a youth model for younger shooters or those of smaller stature if need be.

I would stay away from the newer Marlin 39 guns. Gun Tests had QC issues with their example (it flunked) and some of the ones I have examined lately were no better. If you can find an older Marlin 39 or Winchester 9422 they are also nice guns.

The inexpensive versions of the Henry are also a nice option. I have not tried the Mossberg 22 so  have no experience with them.

[gallatin]

I have an older 39A and I use it all the time.
Love it
John

[Bart Solo]

I decided to save some money so I bought a standard Henry lever action for my grand daughter to use cowboy shooting.  We took it to the range last Sunday.  It is smooth and sweet.  I think she wants a pink rifle, but that is not an option in lever action rifles.

[Warhawk]

Another alternative would be the Henry youth model .22, the H001Y.  I bought one for my grandson, and he's almost old enough for it.

[Duke0313]

I've had the Henry H001 for several years now. Smooth, accurate and made in the U.S.A.