The best Lever Action in 22LR across those ones?

[Vince24]

Hi guys

At some stage I would like to add one 22LR level action (just 1!) to my collection of service rifles, for recreational shooting with the iron sights, from 50 to 100m.

I would like to get your opinions on the following models, as regards fluidity and accuracy and other matters relevant to shooting (sights, trigger etc):

- Browning BL22
- Erma EG71
- Miroku ML22
- Henry H001
- Rossi Rio Bravo
- Chiappa LA322
- Mossberg 464

Appreciate any insight you may have from owning or shooting one of the above!

The winchester 9422 is not there on purpose. Same for the Norinco JW21, Marlin 39A.
But open to other models I have not listed above.

Cheers !!

Vince

[deye243]

You already put the best one in 1st place

[bladeracer]

Hi guys

At some stage I would like to add one 22LR level action (just 1!) to my collection of service rifles, for recreational shooting, from 50 to 100m.

I would like to get your opinions on the following models, as regards fluidity and accuracy and other matters relevant to shooting:

- Browning BL22
- Erma EG71
- Miroku ML22
- Henry H001
- Rossi Rio Bravo
- Chiappa LA322

Appreciate any insight you may have from owning or shooting one of the above!

The winchester 9422 is not there on purpose. Same for the Norinco JW21, Marlin 39A.
But open to other models I have not listed above.

Cheers !!

Vince

Of those, I have the Henry (and the Norinco, my neighbour has a 9422M), and a mate has the same model Henry. I know somebody with the Browning and it seems like a nice rifle but I haven't tried it myself. I had thousands of rounds through the Norinco when it broke (lifter system is weak) and I switched to the Henry, which has also had thousands through it. I still think the Norinco is the better rifle but the Henry has been pretty flawless for me. The Henry feed system is significantly more robust than the Norinco/Winchester setup. It has some minor issues, the wood is not fitted very neatly and the zinc receiver cover paint chips off very easily. But it's very reliable, and easy to strip for cleaning (but don't do it in the field as there are little parts that will hide in the grass). Running the lever slowly will cause feed issues but if you run it properly it'll likely run forever (neither rifle will feed truncated bullets). If I can ever find a 24" model Henry I'll grab it just for the added sight radius. I'd prefer the shorter Youth butt stock but don't want to buy a Youth model just for that.

Since January 2018 I've used the lever 22's for regular offhand iron-sight practice, on half-scale silhouettes from 40m to 100m. But the past few months a mate has been coming out to join me in weekly practice, so I've closed the distances right up while he gets the hang of shooting offhand. We've mainly been shooting steels from 15m to 45m, though I've been putting some out around 70m recently to try to extend the range. I'm getting bored with the close range stuff, but on Monday we put seven 120mm gongs up only about 8m away and just ran 15rd mags at speed back and forth across them, and had a blast. We also shoot some .38 and .357 with the .22's (and I took a 12ga. out this week, and a muzzleloader last week - it's all about having fun). I've fired 2165rds of the Cyclones since September 17th - except for 150rds they were all in the Henry. My empty .22 boxes add up to 7950rds since May 13th, but just under 1000rds was pistol shooting.

The Browning is a Cowboy Action practice rifle and gets run very fast, and I don't recall seeing it have any issues at all. Oh, actually, I have seen some light strikes in it, which I collected, brought home and they fired just fine in the Henry, so that might be an issue with the Browning or just a result of running it so fast. They were Remington Cyclones, but my mate and I have fired thousands of these in the last seven weeks and we've had exactly one dud round. I hit it eight times and it wouldn't fire. When I pulled the bullet a disc of priming compound dropped out with the powder, definitely a bad round. The priming compound detonated nicely when I lit the powder though.

My mate had the Erma years ago, which is why he bought the Henry now, I think the Erma is what Henry copied for the H001?
The Miroku and Browning are the same rifle as far as I'm aware.
I've never seen the Rossi or Chiappa, but the Rossi exploded diagram looks like a copy of the Henry H001? The Chiappa takedown design looks pretty interesting.
Another that comes to mind is the Ruger Model 96, which uses the rotary mags. Pakenham Firearms had a 96M earlier this year.

I forgot to address the "fluidity, accuracy and sights" of my rifles. I prefer the action of the Norinco over the Henry, it just feels a little better but I can't enumerate precisely how. The Norinco is also slightly more accurate but you have to shoot a lot of groups off the bench to measure a difference in them, once you've worked out which ammo they prefer. Due to a cataract I'm running Williams aperture sights on them, it just slides into the dovetail, but you will need to raise the front sight slightly to suit. I just used a screw the right height and filed it to a blade. My mate's Henry has the OEM sights and they work just fine.

[Bugman]

Have had the Browning and a Henry. I liked them both.

[Wapiti]

The BL22 is the absolute pick, both from quality, short lever throw, and excellent accuracy.
In fact I exchanged a 94/22 for my BLR, couldn't get rid of that marginally accurate thing fast enough.

[alexjones]

I know you said lever but the henry 22 pump is good too.

[bladeracer]

I know you said lever but the henry 22 pump is good too.

Have you used one or seen one in a shop somewhere? My mate has a Trombone and I quite like it, but I'd rather buy something new.

[mickb]

I dont havemuch experience with them. One input is I had two older cousins both buy the Norincos recently. They were good looking and accurate, however on one the sights were rattly and terribly mouned. Needed a degree of gunsmithing to sort out and install new ones.

[No1Mk3]

The Browning and the Miroku are the same rifle, BL22 is made in Japan by Miroku.

[alexjones]

I know you said lever but the henry 22 pump is good too.

Have you used one or seen one in a shop somewhere? My mate has a Trombone and I quite like it, but I'd rather buy something new.

Yes mate I have one in 22LR it is the same as the henry lever but pump. There is quite a few of the rossi pump ones for sale lately too.

The henry pump also comes in a 22mag which is cool.

[bladeracer]

I know you said lever but the henry 22 pump is good too.

Have you used one or seen one in a shop somewhere? My mate has a Trombone and I quite like it, but I'd rather buy something new.

Yes mate I have one in 22LR it is the same as the henry lever but pump. There is quite a few of the rossi pump ones for sale lately too.

The henry pump also comes in a 22mag which is cool.

Cool, if I can find one somewhere I'll grab it. My mate's Trombone is lovely but it's old and I want something I can put tens of thousands of rounds through without any issues.

[mickb]

What I like about the older rimfire pump actions including the browning, Win 61 and Rossi 62 is they were all takedown models. very fast takedown and re-assembley too.

[bladeracer]

What I like about the older rimfire pump actions including the browning, Win 61 and Rossi 62 is they were all takedown models. very fast takedown and re-assembley too.

My mate's Trombone is a takedown which is nice. But it has extraction issues and the pump doesn't always unlock when fired. I'd rather something new just for reliability.

[mickb]

Fair call mate, his sounds like it has age/wear issues. I just picked up a great functioning one for about $300, missing a lot of blue however but runs very well.

[alexjones]

I know you said lever but the henry 22 pump is good too.

Have you used one or seen one in a shop somewhere? My mate has a Trombone and I quite like it, but I'd rather buy something new.

Yes mate I have one in 22LR it is the same as the henry lever but pump. There is quite a few of the rossi pump ones for sale lately too.

The henry pump also comes in a 22mag which is cool.

Cool, if I can find one somewhere I'll grab it. My mate's Trombone is lovely but it's old and I want something I can put tens of thousands of rounds through without any issues.

I refresh usedguns 50 times a day man. I see new rossi pump 22 often and the henry only every now and then.

Off the top of my head a new rossi is $600ish and $1000 for the henry.

[bladeracer]

I refresh usedguns 50 times a day man. I see new rossi pump 22 often and the henry only every now and then.

Off the top of my head a new rossi is $600ish and $1000 for the henry.

I've seen the Henry listed at $1140 but hadn't looked for the Rossi. Is that an option I should look at?

[Wyliecoyote]

The 96/22s as well as the rest of the 96 series were never a good gun when they came out and are not any better now. Overpriced and under accurate. The one and only good feature they ever had is the proprietary Ruger rotary magazine.

[alexjones]

I refresh usedguns 50 times a day man. I see new rossi pump 22 often and the henry only every now and then.

Off the top of my head a new rossi is $600ish and $1000 for the henry.

I've seen the Henry listed at $1140 but hadn't looked for the Rossi. Is that an option I should look at?

I don't want to recommend the rossi as I have never used it. It is however half price nearly and the build qualities have gotten better from what I hear. Also they always seem to be for sale more often than the henry so more stock seems to be shipped to Aus compared to the henry.

The rossi comes in synthetic and wood stocks, if that matters to you whilst the henry is only wood.

[bladeracer]

I refresh usedguns 50 times a day man. I see new rossi pump 22 often and the henry only every now and then.

Off the top of my head a new rossi is $600ish and $1000 for the henry.

I've seen the Henry listed at $1140 but hadn't looked for the Rossi. Is that an option I should look at?

I don't want to recommend the rossi as I have never used it. It is however half price nearly and the build qualities have gotten better from what I hear. Also they always seem to be for sale more often than the henry so more stock seems to be shipped to Aus compared to the henry.

The rossi comes in synthetic and wood stocks, if that matters to you whilst the henry is only wood.

I'll look into it and see if I can find one, appreciate the tip. As I mentioned, the exploded parts diagram of the Rossi lever-action makes the internals almost identical to the Henry H001, and the Rossi Gallery pump-action is the same.

Henry H001.jpg (164.59 KiB) Viewed 4359 times

Rossi Rio Bravo.jpg (124.53 KiB) Viewed 4359 times

Rossi Gallery pump-action 22LR.jpg (95.7 KiB) Viewed 4359 times

The main difference is that the Henry breaks into two halves when you remove the receiver cover for cleaning. I think I would prefer the Rossi actually where you only remove the cover.

[alexjones]

Listed about an hour ago on used guns man. henry pump with a scope 1 grand but its a 22mag.

https://usedguns.com.au/gun/678565/

[bladeracer]

Listed about an hour ago on used guns man. henry pump with a scope 1 grand but its a 22mag.

https://usedguns.com.au/gun/678565/

Nice, but I have no use at all for any rimfire other than .22LR.

[alexjones]

Listed about an hour ago on used guns man. henry pump with a scope 1 grand but its a 22mag.

https://usedguns.com.au/gun/678565/

Nice, but I have no use at all for any rimfire other than .22LR.

Yeah same mate I agree. 22mag is cool but I use a 223 instead.

Another thing with the henry pump and lever in 22lr it also fires 22short. Can fit about 23 of them little things in the mag tube which is a lot of fun.

[bladeracer]

Yeah same mate I agree. 22mag is cool but I use a 223 instead.

Another thing with the henry pump and lever in 22lr it also fires 22short. Can fit about 23 of them little things in the mag tube which is a lot of fun.

Thanks for the reminder, I have several bricks of shorts in different brands, I'll have to start burning them up in our weekly practice

I don't recommend the S&B Short though. In everything I've tried them in they spit crap in my face - wear glasses if you're shooting these things. And they only make just over 600fps for me.

[alexjones]

Yeah same mate I agree. 22mag is cool but I use a 223 instead.

Another thing with the henry pump and lever in 22lr it also fires 22short. Can fit about 23 of them little things in the mag tube which is a lot of fun.

Thanks for the reminder, I have several bricks of shorts in different brands, I'll have to start burning them up in our weekly practice

I don't recommend the S&B Short though. In everything I've tried them in they spit crap in my face - wear glasses if you're shooting these things. And they only make just over 600fps for me.

Thanks for the tip mate I wont buy them then. I only have using the cci 22 short in that 100round plastic box.

[Cape_Yorkee]

I purchased a Rossi Rio Bravo 22LR lever earlier this year. It is quite a simple lever action to break down and clean. It cycles extremely well and for the price the build quality is very reasonable. It was a bit of a rash purchase as the price and cycling won me over in the end - I walked in to purchase a 22WMR and walked out with this instead! I would be open to sell it on if someone was keen.

[bladeracer]

I purchased a Rossi Rio Bravo 22LR lever earlier this year. It is quite a simple lever action to break down and clean. It cycles extremely well and for the price the build quality is very reasonable. It was a bit of a rash purchase as the price and cycling won me over in the end - I walked in to purchase a 22WMR and walked out with this instead! I would be open to sell it on if someone was keen.

I still haven't seen one yet but I think I will be wanting one.

I did run twenty Shorts through the Henry this week and they cycled just fine. They were more than forty-year-old Winchesters that my mate found in an old cartridge belt, going green with corrosion but fired just like new.

[Vince24]

Thanks a lot for all the answers on that topic.

One key aspect for me is whether it is possible to easily do a windage adjustment, i.e. without tools and punching stuff.

Which one of those Lever 22 has a windage adjustable rear sight?

I note the new Winchester 22LR Ranger has it, and the price seems attractive?
($790 brand new with Cleavers, not sure what they charge for shipping).

@+!

[bladeracer]

Thanks a lot for all the answers on that topic.

One key aspect for me is whether it is possible to easily do a windage adjustment, i.e. without tools and punching stuff.

Which one of those Lever 22 has a windage adjustable rear sight?

I note the new Winchester 22LR Ranger has it, and the price seems attractive?
($790 brand new with Cleavers, not sure what they charge for shipping).

@+!

I don't worry about it, I only adjust it once when I zero the rifle then never need to touch it again. You could put a Williams aperture on the rifle which is fully adjustable. Again though, once I zero it I never adjust it again.