I like my little Henry just fine.

Everything that I have read on them points to the Henry's as being a fine little lever action 22. That is probably what I will get my 4 year old son in a couple of years. They have one of the smoothest actions that I have ever felt.

Henry or Marlin.

My dad has owned a marlin lever action forever, it was the gun I learned to shoot on 30 some years ago. Still functions great and looks pretty good too.

I used to own a henry .22 and would have no problem suggesting one to someone. Very nice action and probably the most accurate out of the box .22 I have owned. I'm talking like 1 inch groups at 100 yards off from a bench with a high powered scope and the right load.

It is one of the few guns I wish I would not have sold.

I would say if you can afford it, get a marlin, if you are on a budget get the base model henry. Both are nice rifles.

My honest opinion though would be to shy away from the lever guns and get a good bolt action, like a savage with the new accutrigger. With a bolt gun you can pull the bolt and clean it from the back vrs doing it from the front where you could damage the crown and ruin your accuracy.

Lever guns are fun, just sort of a pain to clean. Not the best for bench shooting either. They make real fine hunting guns though because they will feed anything you put in them.

I have no experience with the browning, but I would imagine they are nice enough gun. Haven't met a browning I didn't like.

Paul

My Uncle used to have an old Marlin .22, probably the samemodel you described, Paul, and it has been the most accurate .22 I have ever seen.

henry golden boy

Marlin 39a or the Henry,both are great little levers in 22.
BBJ

Along with other .22's, I have a Browning, it stays on the rack for the most part, the trigger pull is terrible, and a gunsmithI trust says there isn't much he can do with the Brownings.My gun,my opinion.
I tend to agree with Paul, I think a bolt action is the way to start off, and they do have a number of advantages.

I'd get a marlin. I'd also look for a used one if a new one cost too much. The marlins are forged steel and walnut. They will last many generations. My Dad bought me a 39a for my 13th birthday and now 23 years later and many, many thousands of rounds later it is still going strong. You can also clean the 39 from the breech if you like.

The browning is nice except for the "made in japan" on the barrel. I don't mind my electronics or motorcycles to come from japan, but not a true American icon like the lever action rifle.