Henry .22cal pump rifle

[steve1701d]

Last year I entered a raffle and pretty much forgot about it, and today I get a letter in the mail telling me I won a Henry .22 cal pump rifle. I checked out Henry's website and it looks cool. I already have a Ruger 10-22 and a Marlin bolt action .22, so this will give me another plinking device/squirrel killer.
Or, I can get a check for $200 (read "knife money"). Anyone have any opinions of this .22? Should I take the cash and buy knives instead? Or keep the .22?

 

[RattlerXX]

Take the .22 man! Take it out shoot it, and post a review on it, because I want to know how it will hold up.

Congratulations!!!!

 

[Cougar Allen]

I have one of the original Winchesters, the exposed hammer model. Accuracy is not outstanding but reliability is fantastic and it's capable of very rapid fire if you care about that. I understand the modern reproductions don't have as good fit and finish as the originals but are the same otherwise.

That's too dry and factual -- now for some opinion:

Maybe I'm influenced because I grew up shooting that gun, started shooting it when I was so small my father had to hold up the front of it for me (and it's not a heavy gun; I was two years old). I love that gun. It has never failed to function in all those years, but I have other reliable guns; there's more to it than that -- and I think there's more to it than that it was my first gun, too. It's hard to explain though. I guess it's mostly that it feels good -- the balance and feel of it, the ergonomics.... It's great for snap-shooting -- get someone to throw things in the air for you to shoot! It points as naturally as a good shotgun, feels like it's part of you. That's not just my opinion; it fits all my friends just as well as it does me. It's a short pull stock, fits anybody.

 

[steve1701d]

Thanks for the advice, guys! It really does look nice! I called the dealer that is giving the gun away, and he said he will order it if I want, but that he had a Henry Golden Boy .22 in stock if I wanted one now (Iwould have to make up the $30-$40 difference). I have always wanted a lever-action, so tommorrow I think will pick the Golden Boy up. It list's at more that the pump, and if I like it, then the pump will probably find it's way into my collection some day, too. The Golden Boy won Guns and Ammo's rifle of the year. I will try to review it when I get a chance to shoot it.

By the way, I understand what you mean, Couger. I have an old Marlin bolt-action .22 that was my grandfather's, probably around 40 or so years old. I love shooting it, love looking at it. It always reminds me of him, and I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for Marlins because of it.