Bocajnala

For a hunting rifle, Marlin. The Henry is heavy. I've shot multiple henry rifles. All shot good. All were nice looking, and well made. But they are expensive, and they are heavy. I don't think you'll have any issue with a new marlin. But if you want an older one, just look around. Tons of used marlin lever guns around.
-Jake

Champlain Islander

I just liked the feel of the action when I played around with it at the gun shop. Way too heavy to hunt with but what sold me on it was the looks and the feel. It just felt like a nice quality action gun and I bought it probably mostly for the eye appeal. I didn't blink twice about paying $400 for it since that is less than half the average cost of most of my other long guns. It is just a plinker and someday will sit in one of my grandsons safe. I have never owned a Marlin and only answered the post because I have owned a Henry for 5 years or so. If price vs value is an issue I have a few others that are probably over priced too but still they sit right there in the safe and are rarely used. I think many gun owners have the same situation.
I do enjoy periodic cleaning days though and when I oil up and wipe off that Henry receiver it sure does look purdy.

Mr. Longbeard

Well I had them both in my hands and the Henry just felt better and looked better made... the Remlin had metal chipped off at hole in receiver were cross bolt safety come through...🤔 as soon as I seen that and felt how smooth the action was on the Henry I made up my mind... I think I made the right choose...

moosemike

The trouble with Henry's is the magazine tube loads from the front like a .22. I think that's kind of cheesy.

Oldtimr

I don't know Moose, the originals loaded from the tube and at least you won't get a sore thumb like I do when loading my 45-70 through the reciever port. If I fully load it I use a push rod I bought at Enck's gun barn. Usually I only load three shells, I never needed more than one anyway.

moosemike

The originals did load that way. Though I much prefer "Kings Improvement".

Bocajnala

My marlin .30-30 tears my thumb nail up when loading... the .44 doesn't though. But that .30-30 is a pain.
-Jake

Oldtimr

You should try the 45-70 Boca. I can see where the shorter .44s would be less of a problem. I was in a gun shop that the owner is involved with SASS shooting and has a lot of customers from that bunch because he does smith work on single action revolvers and shotguns and lever actions of the cowboy era. I was telling him how my thumb gets sore from loading my 45-70 and the last two shells really tear it up so I only load three. He showed me a push rod he developed for the SASS shooters who must reload many times over a days competition, it looks like a ball starter but it is made of a very hard black plastic. It looks like a ball started for a muzzle loader. The rod is 3 1/2 inches long with a ball on one end. I bought one it was only a couple of bucks, when I go for hogs and I take it with me because I load the tube all the way because sometimes when you are walking up to your hog others start coming back so I feel better having a fully loaded rifle.

super_hunt54

You sure aint whistling dixie there OT. Don't know how many hogs I've dropped coming back in while I was walking up. ESPECIALLY if I was using one of my suppressed AR's. When walking up on a hog, I ALWAYS have one chambered and my thumb ready on the safety or, if using one of my levers, thumb on the hammer. Head on a swivel too!

Oldtimr

Yes sir, I like my legs without bloody slices in them and I sure don't want to leave this world by being eaten by wild hogs.