Henry vs. 10/22....Which to buy??

[Jim101]

To all,

Getting ready to buy my FIRST .22 rifle, hard to believe, I know.  I have it down to these two, they are really different, semi vs. lever.  I really like the looks and feel of the Henry.  I will be doing target shooting and plinking around......

What do you think?  Thanks,

Jim

[TomD]

I had a Henry and enjoyed shooying it.........until I bought my 17 HMR Sporter.

Once I bought the 17 HMR Sporter, I found that I wasn't shooting the Henry anymore. The Henry looks & feels good, and the action is smooth as silk, but the amazing long-distance accuracy of the 17 has me hooked!!

So, I traded the Henry toward another rifle and I'll eventually send-in my Sporter frame for a .22LR barrel.

[Brett]

To all,

Getting ready to buy my FIRST .22 rifle, hard to believe, I know.  I have it down to these two, they are really different, semi vs. lever.  I really like the looks and feel of the Henry.  I will be doing target shooting and plinking around......

What do you think?  Thanks,

Jim

The Ruger affords you the option of tinkering with it and creating a serious target shooter because there are so many after market suppliers of 'hot rod' parts.  You can get target barrels, complete target trigger systems, extended magazines, thumbhole stocks, etc, etc, etc.  Most of which are easy do it yourself drop in parts with little or no fitting required.  I think Graybeard has a forum devoted to the 10/22 fans, check it out.   On the other hand if your not the tinkering type and are more of a traditionalist go for the Henry.  A 'cowboy' gun can be a lot of fun for roundin' up a bunch of bushwackin' tin cans.

p.s.; If you decide to go with the 10/22 I would suggest getting a 2nd hand one and use the money you save to start modifications like a target barrel.

[Nightrain52]

Jim101-I moved this topic to rimfire section as I thought it would be more appropiate here rather than in the H&R-NEF section. Thanks

[Lawdog]

Jim101,

While the Henry is a very good rifle I believe you would be better served with a Ruger 10/22.  More after market items to turn it into the rifle you want/need to fit your style of shooting.  Small groups and tight lines to you.  Lawdog
 

[jh45gun]

While Ruger has its fans my attitude is why do you have to buy a rifle to MAKE it accurate? It should be that way with out the tinkering. A Marlin semi auto will shoot better groups out of the box than most rugers. I have had 4 of them at one time (10/22's ) or a other one was a 10/22 T ( Target) and My 22 mag Henry will shoot rings around any 10/22 I have had with exception of the target model and my Henry shoots as good or better than that one did. I do not own a 10/22 now and never plan to get a other either! Feed a Henry the ammo it likes and it will shoot! GO to the Henry web sight and see the letters praising the gun and then make up your own mind. Jim

[7magWoodsman]

If you decide to go with the 10/22 I would suggest getting a 2nd hand one and use the money you save to start modifications like a target barrel.

I agree

While Ruger has its fans my attitude is why do you have to buy a rifle to MAKE it accurate?

I am a Ruger fan, yet agree with this, although the 10/22 is pretty accurate out of the box.....I am not saying the stock 10/22 is a "target" rifle by any means, but with a little practice the average rifleman will have no problems getting a few bushy tails to fry up, and to actually be able to tell the difference in field accuracy you would have to be a mighty fine marksman to begin with and if you are such a rifleman, I don't think the factory 10/22 is going to hold you back much...JMHO

Feed a Henry the ammo it likes and it will shoot!

Yes this is true, with the right ammo the Henry is a shooter, but the same can be said about the 10/22.........I have seen quite a few people, including myself, "draw" smiley faces on notebook paper with a .22. This can be accomplished with both the Henry and the 10/22 but to my experience the Henry does leave a prettier smile.....

The Henry eats .22 shorts, longs, and long rifles. A lot of people will never understand the overall effectiveness of the .22 short for frogs and small game.

Buy which ever one that fits you best....

After saying all that I give the Henry Lever Action the nod.

 

[jh45gun]

Frogs are tasty! Though I never shot any mostly used a spear or a piece or red yarn and a flyrod. Unforunately Frogs are on a decline in  my area and a lot are comming up deformed.  :cry:  Of course if they came up deformed with 10 legs more to eat.   Just joking if the frogs are coming up deformed you have to wonder what is causing it and if it is affecting other critters? I AGREE! The Henry is a keeper and I have heard very few folks who after shooting one did not buy one or want one. Yea some folks have disowned them for one reason or a other but then all brands have that problem. I would say the disatisfied owners are a very small number. The Henry web site has pages of letters of owners who are thrilled with their purchase. I am one and also have a letter there. If I did not have such a limited income I would have a 22lr Henry right now. Maybe a late CHRISTmas present some day. IMHO they cannot be beat! Jim

[SBF]

I personally own both of these rifles you're talking about.  Like you said they are both VERY different.  I guess it depends what you want to do with it really.  If you want a plinker, small game gun I say get the Henry.  If your more interested in target shooting I'd say get the 10/22 and modify to your hearts content.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy either gun.  Another nice thing about Henry rifles is the customer service.  Anthony Imperato is the president of Henry and I've e-mailed with him back and forth on a few occassion.  He happened to see a post I made once when I first got my rifle that the front sight was "off" a small degree and I'd have to adjust it when I had the time.  He e-mailed me the next day and offered to send a call tag and have the gun's front sight adjusted for me for free.  I graciously declined, it really was no big deal.  He e-mailed me a few months later to ask if I got everything adjusted and if there was anything else I might need.  He also wanted comments (both good and bad) about the gun I bought.  I was honest with him and he was grateful.  I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Henry Rifle or recommend them to someone else.  The customer service alone is priceless IMO.  We need more companies in our industry like Henry.

My .02

[Jim101]

Thanks for all the replies......Everyone here and other boards feel the same, both very good rifles and accurate.  After much reading, looking and holding, I am going with the Henry....I'm not one to "tinker" much and as tempting as the 10/22 is, once you get bored with it you can add some options to make it "better", I don't have the budget to spend extra dollars on rifle mods, not now. I look at it this way, I'll more than  likely get the 10/22 next year...I just really like the looks of the Henry lever action, it will be a good match with my Ruger Single-Six........After all I do live in Texas....

Thanks again for all the help,

Jim

[jh45gun]

I do not think you will be disapointed! Like I said I love my 22 mag Henry and it is as accurate real accurate. At 50 yards using a scope on it and CCI full metal jacket ammo I shot a group that had 4 shots in a hole the size of a 30 cal hole. One flyer for a 5 shot group made it just under a half a inch at 50. If not for that flyer it would have been a 5 shot group that was 30 cal in size. Who says levers cannot shoot!   I would have to say I see no reason why the 22lr versions would not shoot as accurate using ammo that particular gun likes. Let us know after you get it sighted in how you are doing and remember try lots of different types of ammo as 22's like some brands over others. Jim

[Jim101]

Jim,

Thanks for the advice, when I get it, I'll post my results....

Jim

[jh45gun]

To see your best results throw a scope on it even one of the cheapy 22 scopes (3/4 ) will work to see what kind of accuracy you are getting. Some guys with older eyes have to use a scope or peep sight as open sights are harder to use. If your a young fellow you might get excellent groups using the factory open sights. The cheap 22 scopes can be had for 10 to 15 bucks if you do not have  a extra scope on hand and of course you can always take it off if you like shooting open sights better.

[Jim101]

Jim,

Yes, a scope will be on order.  I have "One Ragged Hole" sights on my Single-Six and 22/45 and they do help.....I am, "a young guy, trapped in an old man's body" as they say....
But, I do enjoy getting out and shooting, went to the Range on Wed. afternoon and shot a brick of Dynapoints..........beautiful day.....'


Take care,

Jim

[HipShot]

To see your best results throw a scope on it even one of the cheapy 22 scopes (3/4 ) will work to see what kind of accuracy you are getting. Some guys with older eyes have to use a scope or peep sight as open sights are harder to use. If your a young fellow you might get excellent groups using the factory open sights. The cheap 22 scopes can be had for 10 to 15 bucks if you do not have  a extra scope on hand and of course you can always take it off if you like shooting open sights better.

I agree totally. The most accurate .22 I've EVER owned is one I still have; it's a Glenfield (Marlin) 60. I put a BSA 4x on it, ($6.97 at Wal-Mart). That cheap scope gives me nickel sized groups at 50 yards.

I had no clue how accurate that .22 was until I admitted  to getting old and bought a scope. I took a squirrel last night with an eye shot at 45 yards. It's given me a new love for the old .22. It's like a whole new world opened up.

(OFFTOPIC)
I recently put a "One Ragged Hole" sight on my Winchester 94. That'll do the trick for a few years probably. It's absolutely amazing. When I need a scope for that, I'll retire the top eject 94 and get an angle eject. I hate to do that; I'm a southpaw.

[Brett]

The scope is a good idea, however save yourself some time & frustration and avoid the $10 - $15 Wally-world scopes.  If you do any amount of shooting at all they will fail within a couple of years and you will have to buy another one.  Get a Simmons 4X32 Model 10/22 scope for around $50 right from the start.  They are sharp & clear, have a  full one inch tube and are calibrated to be parallax free for normal .22 shooting distances.

[jh45gun]

I only posted the idea of a cheap BSA or Simmons 3/4 inch tube to see what the gun will do if he did not want to spend a lot on a scope now. Better ones can be bought later if needed. I have one of those 7 dollar BSA's on my Elcheapo semi auto Springfield ( Savage ) I bought a while back for 20 bucks and the scope works fine. I have a cheap Simmons scope same thing 3/4 tube 15 bucks on my crossbow and it is holding up and working fine also. Yea 1 inch tubes and more expensive scopes are nice heck I have  a Leupold  M8 4x on my Henry 22 mag but if I did not have that, a lesser scope I could live with until I could afford a better one. Jim

[kkebs]

I recently purchased a Henry H0001 after looking at several others and
finally decided on the Henry.  The rifle consistently shot tight groups out
of the box and after putting a scope on it was able to keep shots into a
nickle size group at 50 yards.  I did notice several scratches on either
side of the receiver and wrote to Mr. Imperato asking what was the best
touch up to use.  He replied within one day and said he was sending a
new receiver at no charge.  It arrived yesterday and when I opened it
it had a few chips on it.  I wrote to Mr Imperato last night and this morning
early I received another email from him saying he was sorry and that
another would be sent at no charge.   This is real customer service and
I am planning to purchase the golden boy this month for my other grandson.  So if you want an excellent shooting rifle at a reasonable
price backed by a company who believes in customer service than the
Henry is the way to go.