I have a brand new Henry, and I have no issues with it. This rifle ejects out 2 feet from me and I have hunted with it and it's been a wonderful hunting experience.
Artie Phleck my Henry is a Big Golden Boy 44 Mag and it loads threw the bottom tube under the barrel. It does not load threw the side gate at all, it’s the injection gate only on my Henry.
@@aaroncalgary Henrys has tradtionally load rounds from the tube, they sell versions with and without loading gate. So that's on the buyer. Lever pops open? Very odd. Most don;t seem such an issue.
Lifetime warranty with the Henry. As what I've read the company will repair anything. The other companies screw up the repairs often. I like the fact Henry is American Made also
After sighting in at 60 feet, I could easily cover 5 shots with a nickel ruclips.net/user/postUgkxQt2uORDRfFOVSrO4idv4B90ThT6EOnEL ! Truly a pleasure to shoot! Scope was easy to adjust for eye relief. Only problem the varmints must have seen it delivered lol!Update: So impressed with shot groups at 30 yards I purchased a Hammers 3×9 with adjustable Objective scope! Now a true nail driver!
Reading through the comments I see a lot of people dislike the Henry for their weight and the way you have to load it but I think it's the price of the gun that really turns them off I bought a Henry 3030 and let me tell you it's nothing but quality when I bought my Henry 3030 I was just planning to use the gun as a brush gun so I didn't want to put a scope on it and as far as the plug let's be honest when you're hunting in the brush how many shots do you get at a deer to be truthful I think they're all three great guns in one day I'm going to hand my Henry down to my grandson
Inthegreenetv I love my Henry...smooth as butter, shoots straight, amazing fit and finish on the wood, brass and every screw and I’ve never had an single issue. You can just feeL the quality. Sure you load through the tube....but it holds 10 rounds...how many people get 10 shots at a deer and still need to reload to keep going at it again. So that’s not really a weighted comment. I’ve owned a early 2000s marlin, sold it had a few jams, fit and finish were bad, quality control was like a 1970s red Ryder BB gun. I own a Winchester 94, it is lighter then the Henry and shoots well...but dang it...it not as beautiful, and after owning a Henry the Winchester feels cheap. I plan to hand my Henry down as well, my Henry, my Truck, my dogs and my Wife aren’t for sale don’t ask me what order they are in.
@@perseusrex614 lol OK ,The grammar police are out… I was at work two years ago when I left that message . I used the microphone on my iPhone with one hand. I hope that helped you out.
@@inthegreenetv4936 lol sorry friend, I'm not trying to be a grammer Nazi, I hate it when people get on me because my English is not perfect because its my second language - I'm just saying it because its really hard to read, as its just one giant run-on sentance. But now I understand why :) Cheers my friend and be well!
Being a first time lever action buyer I bought a Henry based on what I read on many of the rifles available. The marlins and winchesters all seemed to be made in in asia and suffered from build problems. I didn't read any claims of such on the henry. I bought the henry in 45-70, its built like a brick shit house and will out last me. I have put over 100 rounds through it so far and haven't had any problems with reloading or misfires. I am not being paid to write this either. Just my opinion. Good video though, its good info like this that helps people prioritize what they want in any purchase and make an informed decision.
Thanks for commenting. I am glad you got a nice Henry and are enjoying lever actions. I think they are a fun action to shoot. It is a shame the Winchesters are now made overseas and cost a fortune. The Marlin's are still made in USA. I have read that Henry is continuing to improve on design "problems" as they pop up and listen to customers to continue to improve their product. Glad you got a good one. The firing pin not striking the primer I think was truly a fluke to my rifle, and not a broad problem. Henry fixed it ASAP, so I am sure you will have a gun to last a lifetime with their warranty if anything should ever arise.
No offense but 100 rounds is hardly putting it through its paces. I don't consider a weapon reliable until I have at least 500 rounds through it and preferably 1,000 rounds.
I think he should have commented about the scope mount. Because the Marlin is side eject, the scope can be mounted quite low. I'm pretty sure that this Marlins scope mount is one that has openings so that the open sights can be used if desired. I mention this because many people may not know that and think the scope is way too high.
That's see through mounts or sometimes called jump sights. They work good if game jumps up fast in front of you instead of trying to find them in the scope.
You got a bad Henry. It happens..happened to me. But they fixed all issues and more. The ghost sites were junk. The lever popping open on loading. They replaced the barrel and sites and lever. They fixed mine and its awesome now. My Marlin had to go back to Marlin/remington 3 times for loading ramp issues. Parts kept breaking or failing. It was under warranty all three times and they did fix it..but customer service was kind of shitty. Henry went above and beyond...kept me informed on the repair, from the time i shipped it out (they paid) it was back in 13 days.
They copied the historic Marlin 336 design but omitted the side gate! The brand new Henry’s are available now with the side gate because enough Henry lovers complained about the lack thereof!!
@@kevinrollman3101 umm henry made the level action rifle marlin take the base design and added the side gate henry had to wait for patent restricts to go through before they could do anything with a side gate and they took there sweet time doing it but both are good guns but henry is made in america
Replace the factory trigger in the Marlin 336 with the "trigger happy" kit from Wild West Guns that you can get from Brownells. The trigger pull will be around 3 pounds and crisp with no creep. Difference between night and day. Accuracy will improve.
I own a 45-70 Henry golden boy and .357 mag Henry golden boy. Use them both for deer neither has weak ejection have never had them jam both have been flawless as long as I have had them. Two of my favorite guns.
I hunted with a Marlin 1894c in 44 Mag for close to 40 years. Gave it to my oldest and bought a Henry Big Boy (blued/blacked receiver) in 357 Mag. Gonna need to scope the Henry (my old geezer eyes ain’t what they used to be) but that Henry’s lever cycles much smoother than the Marlin! And, I LOVE the magazine loaded vs the side loading gate. At least my thumbs think so.
Dudes..... get yourselves a set of eyes like mine and with the iron I see either the sights or the target. With a scope (correctly fitted & adjusted on my own gun) I can see both VERY clearly. Point here is it’s not always the aesthetics. It’s what you have to work with. Period. If you’re young and have the body strength along with 20/20 vision you can choose what you want. Me. I have to get what I can work with.
My father gave me my first rifle @ 15yr. Old I love my 30-30 Winchester. I am 34 and still my favorite rifle. Can't miss when I have this rifle in my hand
I hunt hogs with my marlin 336. It’s a great hog gun drops em fast. it’s scoped but I have the ring mounts so I can see the original sights as well. I personally kind of like the heavy trigger. on the adrenaline filled follow up shots you don’t even notice the longer trigger. hair triggers seem to hinder accurate follow up shots. When the blood is pumping you don’t feel the difference in pounds. it’s more of a help with timing....it slows things down just a hair.... slow is smooth etc...🙂. Thanks for the post...
The new Henry all have side load plus the tube load fantastic I think other companies will follow that combination I have a Henry Golden Boy beautiful rifle very accurate love it thank you for your post
My wife bought me a brand new Marlin 336 in 1979, I have had it ever since and I will own it the day I die. It has never failed to fire and eject properly. It has taken countless Whitetail deer over the years I have owned it and has been borrowed by friends that have also taken deer. My son harvested his first deer with it as did his son. The woods of my home state make this an excellent short range gun, as most shots are seldom over 100 yards.
I live in California and was looking for a 357 magnum lever to go with my SW 686 and all I could find was the Henry Big Boy. It's become my favorite gun. I don't hunt, it's for home protection, SHTF, and plinking. I like the heavy weight, almost zero recoil.
I want to get a '94 again. I used to have a short Winchester '94 chambered in 30-30. I'm a big fan of lever action rifles. The first gun I ever bought was a Marlin 30-30 - way back around 1997, well before the quality issues started. Still may favorite gun, but that's probably just nostalgia. I have two model 92 rifles chambered in 44 magnum and 45 Colt, a Henry .22 and a Rossi Range Hand in 45 Colt.
My 94 has a scope directly on top of the reciever. It was made in (according to looking the serial number up) 1984. They started the angle eject in 1982.
Pre 1964 are top eject. The angle eject was introduced in 1964 and it was my understanding that all were then manufactured that way. I have a 1948 (top eject) that I have a scope mount for. I've never seen the need to mount a scope on it.
Grant Howze Warrior X is correct, the AE or angle eject was introduced in 1982. I have a Model 94 from about 1972 that is not angle eject and also doesn't have the pre 1964 screw on the bottom toggle.
I prefer the Marlin lever rifles myself. They are extremely reliable and accurate. I also like that they are easy to work on. All of my Marlin lever rifles are JM stamped. I have a Win 94 and rarely use it. It is nowhere near as smooth and is much more complicated to repair. I'll stick with my JM Marlins. I have not scoped any of my lever rifles .... yet. If my eyes start to become an issue I will adapt to a scope but for now ... no scopes on my lever rifles. I have other scoped too .rifles if needed
I had a Rossi 92 in 44-40 and I liked it except for 2 things. First, the hammer was hard to decock, it tended to not move well until a certain point and then it would jump ahead quickly. I was a little scary to lower the hammer when loaded. Second, the wooden stock was very dark, almost like synthetic, but that was a really minor thing. It must have been stained black.
2:29 yes eject toward head nuisance but get a hot shell go down your shirt and you're dancing (not a nice dance). Loved my Marlin 30-30 from 30 yrs ago.
I love my 1990 model 336 Marlin 30-30. I just bought it for $300 and the guy even through in 2 boxes of ammo. That is a steal. Thw side eject and smoother action is what I like about the Marlin. And it is more accurate than a Winchester to me.
Thank you for watching my video and leaving a comment on your first hand experience with the Henrys. I don't mean in any way to talk bad upon the Henry, was just giving my personal experience with the ONE model I used and how it compared to other lever actions I have. So it's a very small sample of what is out there, and am glad to hear you have ones you enjoy.
In the early 80's, I was set on buying a 30-30. I was going back and forth between the Marlin 336 and the Winchester 94. I went with the Marlin because of the side ejection; I knew I was going to put a scope on it. Years later, I picked up a Henry because I wanted an un-scoped lever action. Both are great guns. I've never had the first problem with either of them. I never did get a Winchester. I wouldn't own a contemporary Marlin for all the tea in China.
You can scope the Winchester. They have a special mount that causes the ejected round to roll up, and out to the side. Do not ask me where to get them though as I have no clue.
Not sure how a real world experience can be wrong… a turd of a gun is a turd of a gun. My last turd of a gun was a ruger LCP. I had nothing but problems with that thing since day 1.
Great review, I am looking at getting a lever action 30-30 and was leaning towards the Henry, but hearing about the issues with loading and your description of the ejection issues that I have also noticed in other videos I'm going to look closer at the marlin.
The new Henry 3030 also has side gate loading with the tube all in one rifle check out the new all weather one and the scope mounts on rifle and you don't need to raise scope .
Don't let this one video discourage you. It's surely so many more videos that's praising the Henry rifle's so Henry must be doing something right. I love the 7 different Henry rifle's that I own.
All three are great lever guns and work well, They are all lever guns, but each with it's own individuality. It seems it's more a decision of personal preference. I have owned a couple 94's and one 92, and currently have a 336 .32 win. spl. From what I have read the Henry's are a well made reliable rifle, I would like to try one out.
Just checked my Henry Big Boy Steel .44 mag for the problem you cite. BS - no problem at all as you described. Henry has the smoothest action of all three (I have them). It is super accurate out of the box with open sights. You do Henry a disservice with your bogus argument against the brand.
Hi Ted, thanks for your opinions on your Henry. Is yours brand new "2017 / 2018" ? My Henry had all the problems I described, why would I make it up? Henry knew about the problem of not being able to close the lever once it popped open. I know this because they told us in the repair letter that they had a fix for it coming, and "repaired" my rifle. So maybe your's is a newer model? Also mine was in 30-30, yours is in .44mag. Two different guns/designs, I don't know if the problems I experienced are in the pistol caliber rifles, I was speaking strictly about the 30-30 model. Maybe I just got a lemon, but two trips to the factory and not as good handling as either a Winchester or a Marlin made me sell it. I personally don't like the loading tube either, but that is personal preference.
Well, me too. My Henry 44 Mag brass big boy is very fussy on what rounds that will feed through it. I also have a Henry 22 lr lever gun that is very fussy on what ammo that it will shoot accurately. And those ungodly sights is another story.
Thanks. Very helpful. (My 13-year old daughter asked me to get a lever action. As a good father, that's what I have to do. Right? That's why I buy ice cream and cookies too. Not for me. Oh, no. It's all for her.)
The reasons I chose the Henry 45-70 over the Marlin are; 1. I don't want a cross bolt safety on an exposed hammer lever gun. Especially when hunting. More especially when in bear country. 2. I prefer the Henry tube magazine loading port. To unload Winchester or Marlin lever guns, the action must be cycled repeatedly. Each cycle extracts a round, then ejects a round, chambers the next round, extracts that round and then ejects it. Continue until the magazine is empty, and the chamber is empty. All while the hammer is in a full cock position. And slinging the heavy cartridges to potentially be damaged. With the Henry, you just remove the tube and dump the contents into an upturned hat. If there is a round here in the chamber, open the action and remove the cartridge. I see advantages here. And perhaps safer also.
If you have a take down model you can just take the magazine tube out and all rounds that are not in the chamber will fall out then cycle the action and check that all is unloaded
There's a guy in Colorado that sells a scope mounting system for the Winchester Model 94. The scope sits down where the rear sight is and you need to buy a scout style scope with a longer eye relief but it works fantastic. The rear of the scope is right at the front edge of the top ejection port and shells clear the scope just fine.
I have always loved Marlins. I finally purchased one a couple of years ago. It was used, but in great shape and it functions flawlessly. It was also a Big Bore and I wanted a big bore. Anything .35 Remington or larger is what I wanted. I was looking for a .450 Marlin, but I got a .444. Anyway you can't go wrong with one.
I have a Remlin 336W in 30-30. It took a lot of work to get it to cycle like Marlin intended it to, but it is just as slick as any JM rifle ever made; not even Remington could screw that up. I have hunted with a pre 64 Winchester 94 in 30-30 that was loaned to me. To me they are both just fine, and the 30-30 cartridge is all one needs. The loading gate on the Marlin's just needs work too, but no big issue. As far as the floppy Marlin trigger goes: it breaks clean and consistent - it is a perfect hunting trigger. I have 5 different target triggers in this house - all on rifles I use for shooting targets or plinking with; and I spend good money on them too. A hunting rifle only needs a good hunting trigger. The cross-bolt safety on the Remlin - put an O-ring on it and pretend it was never there. But head this Warning: The triggers on both the pre 64 Winnie's, and Marlin's without a cross bolt safety, can 'bump' fire when you hit the butt of the stock on the ground. It is in the design of the triggers, and a lite trigger in these rifles should be avoided because they can be dangerous; it is not a flaw - just a fact. Having said that, the 1/2 cock is the only true safety on these rifles.
By Remlin I take it you mean the remington group made marlin. I picked up one new that Ruger is now making. it has a real nice trigger and the action is very smooth.
The biggest turnoff on the Winchester is the price. Marlins are great guns and that heavy trigger is an easy enough fix. Henry's round barrel 30/30 is only ounces heavier than the winchester in similar configurations. There are different lengths in barrels and such that make a noticeable difference. Henry's octagon barrel is a full pound heavier and very noticeable. It must be noted that Henry now offers side gate loading and has always given a lifetime guarantee on their guns. Most of their guns get rave reviews,but occasionally issues with feeding or ejection pop up. I love the nostalgia of the winchesters,but if I were to buy one,itd most likely have to be well used. Thanks for sharing.
You can side mount your scope on the Winchester, but you have to roll the scope so the right/ left knob becomes the up/down, this leaves your iron sight open.
my father and I both have pre 64 Winchester top ejection 30-30 s. we used a side mount and then turned the scope 90 degrees left. your elevation becomes windage and windage becomes elevation. no problem with accuracy.
I owned a Marlin 336C as my first deer rifle. I bought it from K-Mart for 119.95 + tax in the fall of 1980. It was a great gun! However the allure of the Ruger M-77 .270 was too much. I sold it in 1985 for $125. That was one of my regrets, that I didn’t keep both guns, since both were one-shot deer droppers within their proper ranges. I never had to kill one over 80 yards away.
I owned a Marlin 336C .35 Remington built circa 1960. I never had issues with the trigger weight. I gave it away about 5 years ago and regret it. Bought a mint condition 1977 336 in .30-30 recently as a replacement, but paid 10x what my dad paid for that old .35.
It’s important to note that the later model Winchesters from 1990 onward feature the side eject and offer scope mounting. Because of the side eject and scope mounting if preferred, I prefer the Winchester because it’s fast handling and lightweight and very accurate... of course all this is purely subjective to each person.
A friend just gave me a 94 recently. He acquired it in the 70s & its seen little use. It looks to be in great condition but I notice when you cycle the action the floor plate doesn't lie flat against the receiver. Its usually 5mm or more out. Have you seen this before? Wont have a chance to try it for the next few weeks.
Sorry I am not overly familiar with trouble shooting the model 94's as I have never had one get a problem other than a loose loading gate screw which I just simply tightened. Maybe someone else with more knowledge can chime in. I do know my "floor plate" when closing the action doesn't always sit 100% flush with the receiver, but it's darn close if not, definitely not 5mm out. You could try running a dummy round through to see if it cycles, but I would make sure it functions before firing it. Sorry couldn't be more help.
Got all three-you got to love lever actions. Compared to all the sub moa going on today one could say they can't shoot for s#*t. But I still love them. And yes Marlin has addressed the issues they had. They really have made an about face.
I know there are some people who don't like scopes on lever guns, but I really can't see the problem with it other than maybe an aesthetic one (or just being an old Krusty curmudgeon). I will say, I do have a lever gun and I do not have a scope on it. It gets used on deer drives and stuff like that where a scope would likely just get banged against trees and other such things. However, a scope extends the range with which I could comfortably take an ethical shot. The biggest advantage in my opinion is the light gathering capability of scopes in low light conditions. Most of my harvests have been right at opening shooting light or right at/close to the end of shooting hours. If I didn't have another rifle that I took with me to the stand, I would not even think twice about putting a scope on my lever gun.
Right now I am using IRM4895 powder with Sierra 150gr. round nose hunter bullets. I don't know if this is the best for accuracy etc... since I haven't experiment with anything else. But that powder and bullet combo work great in my 30-06 as slightly reduced loads, so I just use the same powder and bullets in my 30-30 so I don't have to buy anything different.
After shooting my Henry .44, all summer the marlin 30-30 felt like a toy. But you’re right about securing the handle when you bring that tube down. It’s ultimately up to you because they obviously work. My Henry ejection is great but that tube down handle malfunction is weird. I love marlin and Henry so I don’t know what to think
On the Winchester, you can put a scope on it. It cannot be right above the gun but instead off to the right. I have a pre-64 and it has a scope and I hunt with it all the time.
I have a top eject 94 and have a scope. You have to have scope adjusted all the way to account for side mount. If you go any further the cross hairs come loose and it has to be repaired. But it's fine for 100 yds which were I live is about as far as you're ever going to get a shot at a deer anyway.
Hi James, thanks for commenting. I can't give an honest answer on the full accuracy potential of the Henry since we only tried one brand of factory loads before selling. Accuracy was not as good as my Winchester or Marlin, but I have developed hand loads for them. We were getting about 3" groups (scoped) from the Henry at 100 yards, plenty good enough for hunting. It was my least accurate 30/30 but maybe we didn't find the load it likes. I never hunted with the Henry, but it's balance is closer to a Marlin, slightly heavier feeling but very similar. I did like the straight grip when carrying over the Marlin pistol grip. Mine was the blued steel.
@chris mclaughlin well you are entitled to your opinion but that doesn't change the fact that Henry riffles are a very successful company. One of few still completely made in USA.
@chris mclaughlin then here is a suggestion go move and live in China if it's so good. I will agree that skilled labor has been on decrease for a good while here. But because for years college education has been pushed over skilled trades. This is just now beginning to change as people realize the importance of skilled labor. But that said I can guarantee that the product coming out of Henry is the finest quality any where.
@chris mclaughlin well as I said your just one opinion that counts very little. Personally I have not owned a Henry or a Mossberg. All my guns have been Marlin, Savage and Winchester and all have been fine guns. Only issue I ever had was on my Savage 243 the neoprene stock had a flaw that allowed the barell to over float. But just required to be rebeded which fixed it.
@chris mclaughlin I need not own one and inexperienced I am not. I have handled firearms since the age of 8 and I am now 61. One person's opinion means absolutely nothing but reviews and statistics do. Those do not agree with your opinion. But for lever action I do prefer Marlin I hunted white tail for 20 years with a model 336 gold trigger bought new in 1971. Over those years I made some pretty incredible shots for a 30-30. Including a kill of almost 900 yards. So don't be making statements about someone you have no idea about.
@chris mclaughlin well I am not the one making durogatory remarks. But if you want to continue on that route we can. But that's how some are if they don't have facts to stand on all that left is name calling. There is a word for that but I am not willing to stoop low enough to use it.
If you take the scope off your Marlin and you will find that the balance point moves forward a bit making a almost perfect 50-50 balance. I also think there is something wrong with that extra safety. That little piece is there for a reason. My 336 has to be completely closed just as your Winchester, please have that checked out before something goes wrong.
If your talking about the Winchester you have to squeeze the lever a little in order to pull the trigger on a Winchester 94 I’ve had multiple and all have the same features it’s annoying reason I use my Marlin instead
Not a bad review. I just received a 1966 production year model 94 in 30-30. I also have a JM stamped Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70. My impression is that I love the Winchester for its size and weight. Its a fast woods gun. I did a complete breakdown, cleaning and function check. Like you said, the action is nowhere as smooth as the Marlin, but the Winchester trigger breaks consistently between 2.5 and 3 lbs. Awesome trigger in my opinion. The Marlin trigger breaks at 5 lbs on the button. Acceptable to me for a woods gun. I have no problem with the 5 lb trigger. But yes, the Marlin is much heavier in weight. I didn't bother to weigh the guns. However; I welcome the weight when it comes to shooting a bowling ball out of the guide gun. Still a nice lever gun . I'm having a little trouble loading the Winchester. The loading gate hits the cartridge rim sometimes and I have manipulate the loading gate to get it to drop. I'll have to look into that. No such issue with the Marlin. Between the two, I like the Winchester, but I love both guns. Proud to own both. I've not handled a Henry so no opinion there. Your review pretty much confirms what I found.
The Winchester 94 is rated at 6.75 lbs, both the Henry, and Marlin are rated at 7 lbs. 4oz is not a "Big Difference". As for ease of leverering a round, loading a round, and trigger pull; you CANNOT, get objective answers unless all 3 guns are new, or have exactly the same round count. Furthermore, how the Hell can you do a comparison with one of the rifles absent???
Will, thanks for viewing and commenting. In a perfect world I agree that a fair review would have all models brand new and in identical condition,age etc... But I don't live in a perferect world where I have the money to just buy new guns to review. I have to use what's on hand, and tried to make it informational with what I had. As far as weight, while they are "similar" , the way they balance that weight is different. Winchester feels much lighter in the hands and shouldering than the other two because of the balance. Yes one rifle was absent but I addressed this in another comment if you would like to read that. Thanks.
Interesting video. I have a Winchester Model 94 30/30, also made in 1981. It is by far my favorite gun. My Dad had the Marlin 336 30/30 when I was a kid and I was never really fond of it. Now, I own a Marlin 1895SS 45/70 and like it very much. It is, however, a beast! It weighs maybe half again as much as the 94, but it also packs more of a punch. I have never tried a Henry.
You can put a scope on the model 94's just need a side mount. My 1969 model 94 has a scope. But since you can't mount a scope directly above the receiver the scope is slightly off center to the left so when you eject a cartridge it can fly out without being blocked in by the bottom of a scope. Mines sighted in at around 100 yards any target passed that distance I have to compensate a little bit. I don't have a problem with it but most people do. You can also remove the rear sight and mount a scout scope on the 94's but that requires drilling and tapping which can effect the integrity of the gun if it's a collectors. (Pre 64). I was gonna do that but the cool thing with the side mount is that I can use a scope or iron sights at the same time. So I have 2 alternatives to choose from with my 94. Any target closer than 70-60 yards I ditch the scope and just use iron sights. Anything around 100 yards or further I'll use my scope. Which is why I'll take the Winchester over any other. Most guns you're either stuck with iron sights or a scope I have BOTH options with my 94. Can't beat it. And my Winchester outperforms my grandfathers Marlin in all categories not that it means anything but still says a lot.
I love the Marlin 336 in 35 got a 2-7 scope on it perfect for swamps and pine thickets the 94 I have found is perfect with a good peep site. Dry firing a Marlin 336 will break the firing pin in my past experience .
I have a Marlin from 1981 and the trigger is pretty nice to me. I haven't tried a Winchester though. The trigger is maybe 5 pounds and quite crisp. The Winchester is maybe 4 or even 3 then?
I like the Marlin 336 best hands down..... easy to work on them. Trigger job is a piece of cake. Action is smooth as silk. Accurate, fast handling and extremely reliable. The new Win 94 is not for me. Henry is not even in the same league. Marlin all the way for me.
I think the best thing to do is handle each brand. They all feel or fit everyone differently. If your talking brand Winchesters are high quality but very expensive. Henry's are not cheap, middle of the road between these three and have some hit or miss design elements depending who you ask. Their fit and finish is nice, but functionally questionable in my opinion. Marlin is most value for the money of the three. But again this is my opinion only. Mossberg and Rossi also make popular lever guna in 30-30 but I have no experience with them. If going used I would simply recommend a JM stamped barrel original Marlin of the three I mention in video.
If you didn't sit in front of the back lit window it would be much easier to see you and the long arms you are discussing. Just a thought on your comment on how well we could see.
Finally All The Basics Intelligently' w Real World 'feel' About The Experience's of All 3 Classic's ! Very Greatful To Find Your Review of These!👍 Always Many Blessings To You and Your Family🇺🇸
When deciding, you CANNOT go by ONE person's review. Everyone is different. One may love a Marlin, one may love the Win. So it's important for YOU to decide, not because of one review.
I own the Marlin and my son recently acquired a model 94 Winchester. I was surprised how much lighter the Winchester was compared to my Marlin but I will not Change brands I love my Marlin.
I started out all for Marlin. I liked their 45/70, and the 39. But over time for a wider range of uses, I find the Winchesters are more both hunting and fighting rifles. I don't see any fights on the horizon, but the ease of top loading, or side loading is nice. And for the really big stuff, you have 1886 and the 1895 (not the subject here of course). I kept wanting Marlins, but finding Winchesters to buy. The main strong point for the Marlin has always been the easier scope mounting, but this is no longer seems like a big deal given the preference for forward mounted optics and and dots. In fact the cool kids have just that kind of AR, or Scout setup on their Marlins, with forward rails, running well into the barrel. Winchesters can do that.
You left out the Browning BLR. I love mine. Short throw action. Rotating bolt lock-up. Magazine fed. Capable for High intensity cartridges. Good balance point also. Able to shoot spitzer bullets. Scope mountable. Side ejection. Strong ejection. Overall light weight. Decent trigger pull. Carbine length. Acceptable recoil. And the post 81 rifles have been "polished" up for users. Beyond that, you left out the 1895 Winchester. Completely different feel, and an extra long throw, but a very good lever gun as well. P.S. it sounds like you got a "lemon" with your Henry. Haven't owned one myself, but my friend swears by his, and refuses to sell it for love or money.
The Henry lever action rifle has been around since the American Civil War days. Henry-Rossi. They were the about the first. If anyone was copied it was Henry. I've got a Henry lever action rifle in .45 Colt. and a Marlin in 30-30. I appreciate both of them and will not be getting rid of either one. I appreciate the Winchester 30-30 quite a bit less for the reason that you stated about case ejection. I've had a hot case drop between my face and my glasses and I'm not looking to cause a self-inflicted eye injury because of their top ejection system.
You can't beat a good trigger pull. One other advantage the Marlin has over the Winchester is, they are a heck of a lot easier to get the bolt out to give it a good cleaning. The rest of the rifle is easier to disassemble compared to the Winchester for that matter. People make fun of my 30-30 but I kill more deer than any of them. I've never lost an animal. I got 1 elk with it too. Thanks for the information. Bob
I won't shoot at anything past 200 yards and I got real tired of scopes being hard to see at dusk and dawn so I shoot only open sites. That said, I did get a 2 point once in a 3 point restricted area with my Winchester, but that is my favorite rifle. I like my Remington 700 but the Winchester 94 is my favorite.
its my understanding that the "big boy" and the 45-70/3030 henry's are considered to be of lower quality. That's what i've heard people I know say and what I've seen people say online (at least the people who don't get paid). but what about their 22's? are they any better? because rimfire is a different ballgame.
I had a henry .22 in 2011-12 and got rid of it. It had a smooth action and looked good but when you shot it you had to really press your face against the stock to align the sights once it was sighted in. I believed the bore was not centered well - just a guess . My friends henry ,which was a year older, was a nice shooter and he still has it. Hope this helps !
Good video. It was "Practical use" oriented. Real hunters don't care what the wood looks like on their rifle. My hunting rifles are "Work guns" and show the hard use from hunting. I had a few 94' Winchesters over the years, and they are handy to hunt with. I still have one top eject model and that is enough. When I bought my first Marlin I was done with Winchester 94's. I have had a 35 Remington and 45/70 336 model rifles and they were made way better than a Winchester 94'. The only problem I had with the 336 45/70 was the action froze shut when I was hunting in a bad snow storm. I had to fire off a round to unload it at the end of the day. I have one model 88, but it is a cabinet gun. They have become so expensive that as a hunting rifle they are out of reach for most people. Same with the BLR. NOW, to the real lever gun. Look around for a '99 Savage. They are balanced well to carry and are really not that heavy. They are available in many calibers and easily scoped. Every '99 rifle I own (Over a dozen) has a smooth action. The safety on the common models also holds the lever closed. There were so many made that you can still pick up a good one for hunting at a reasonable price. Will I ever buy a Henry? Probably not after all the complaints I have read about.
I have never experienced an issue with the loading tube with my Henry, possible you had something wrong with yours. The lever jamming issue is also something I know for a fact doesn't happen with mine, but I have the .45 Colt version and not the 30-30 so I'm not sure if it has anything to do with that. And WOW, the firing pin not striking the primer! Weak ejection is also something I haven't experienced, mine tosses the spent cartridge in spectacular form no matter how slowly you work the lever. I dunno man, sounds like either the 30-30 had issues or Marlin is paying you (joke man....I got jokes!). So you had a Henry rifle that had 3 major issues, and you sent it to Henry to fix and when you got it back it was still doing all 3 malfunctions? I did a massive amount of research before I purchased my Henry and I've put about 2k rounds through it, about 10 different loads from multiple ammo companies, without a single malfunction. And this is the norm for these. I wish I could get a look at the Henry you had because that thing sounded horrible and then see what the folks at Henry would say about it. If I were in your shoes though I probably would have parted ways with it also. Good video!
Thanks for watching my video and commenting. The Henry .45lc, .357 etc... are a different design than their 30-30's. Completely different guns. Their 30-30 is basically a copy of the Marlin design minus the loading gate and a loading tube instead. As you can tell by my vintage gear... I am obviously sponsored and biased. haha. From new our Henry would not fire, not even 1 round. The firing pin would not make contact with the primer. Henry was nice and fixed this ASAP. Got the gun back and it had several issues with weak ejection and also the lever popping open causing to eject a live round to feed another that wasn't fixed. We could have either sent it back again, and played that game or just sell it. We chose to sell it. It was a pretty rifle, but just had a lot of issues. Maybe we got a bad one? I also don't like the bluing. Like 3 shades of bluing between the receiver, barrel etc... They are not the same, seemed cheap in that aspect to me. Also didn't like the front sight and front barrel band were all one piece. Different things we noticed once owning it that we just decided we liked our Marlins and Winchesters better.
Definatley sounds like ya had some issues with the Henry wich from all accounts is unusual. Henry like any 1 can and will make a dude at time personally ill take a Henry or Winchester over Marlin's crap guns any day of the week. Henry 1st over any of the 3. I've had 2 Marlins both junk 1 was a 444 i bought in 85 or 87 don't remember the year and their 45-70 guide gun. Had so many issues with both gun bought brand new in box from the local dealer swore id never buy another 1 of those pieces of junk as long as i live. The 444 stock busted in 4 places and their was a big gouge about 2 inches from the end of the barrel about a 1/4 inch deep that didnt appear till after i fired 4 rounds thru the gun. Mise you this gun was brand new and 4 rounds fired thru it. Don't even get me started on the guide gun anyway lol, 2 for 2 not again. Also Henry didn't copy Marlin Henry was made long before Marlin came around some like the tube feed i personally prefer it over the side gate but each to their own.
Henry makes a fine rifle. For hunting tube loading is fine. I get the frustration but is a non-issue to me. I had the lever pop but Henry cs replaced lever and that issue is better. They say the new model has fixed this problem. For a new gun the marlin is not as nice.
I have a brand new Henry, and I have no issues with it. This rifle ejects out 2 feet from me and I have hunted with it and it's been a wonderful hunting experience.
I also have a brand new Henry, the bullets won't load through the side gate and the lever popping open and jamming happens everytime.
Artie Phleck my Henry is a Big Golden Boy 44 Mag and it loads threw the bottom tube under the barrel. It does not load threw the side gate at all, it’s the injection gate only on my Henry.
@@aaroncalgary Henrys has tradtionally load rounds from the tube, they sell versions with and without loading gate. So that's on the buyer. Lever pops open? Very odd. Most don;t seem such an issue.
Lifetime warranty with the Henry. As what I've read the company will repair anything. The other companies screw up the repairs often.
I like the fact Henry is American Made also
After sighting in at 60 feet, I could easily cover 5 shots with a nickel ruclips.net/user/postUgkxQt2uORDRfFOVSrO4idv4B90ThT6EOnEL ! Truly a pleasure to shoot! Scope was easy to adjust for eye relief. Only problem the varmints must have seen it delivered lol!Update: So impressed with shot groups at 30 yards I purchased a Hammers 3×9 with adjustable Objective scope! Now a true nail driver!
Reading through the comments I see a lot of people dislike the Henry for their weight and the way you have to load it but I think it's the price of the gun that really turns them off I bought a Henry 3030 and let me tell you it's nothing but quality when I bought my Henry 3030 I was just planning to use the gun as a brush gun so I didn't want to put a scope on it and as far as the plug let's be honest when you're hunting in the brush how many shots do you get at a deer to be truthful I think they're all three great guns in one day I'm going to hand my Henry down to my grandson
Inthegreenetv I love my Henry...smooth as butter, shoots straight, amazing fit and finish on the wood, brass and every screw and I’ve never had an single issue. You can just feeL the quality. Sure you load through the tube....but it holds 10 rounds...how many people get 10 shots at a deer and still need to reload to keep going at it again. So that’s not really a weighted comment. I’ve owned a early 2000s marlin, sold it had a few jams, fit and finish were bad, quality control was like a 1970s red Ryder BB gun. I own a Winchester 94, it is lighter then the Henry and shoots well...but dang it...it not as beautiful, and after owning a Henry the Winchester feels cheap.
I plan to hand my Henry down as well, my Henry, my Truck, my dogs and my Wife aren’t for sale don’t ask me what order they are in.
Damn you need to learn punctuation. And this is coming from someone who ESL...
@@perseusrex614 lol OK ,The grammar police are out… I was at work two years ago when I left that message . I used the microphone on my iPhone with one hand. I hope that helped you out.
@@inthegreenetv4936 lol sorry friend, I'm not trying to be a grammer Nazi, I hate it when people get on me because my English is not perfect because its my second language - I'm just saying it because its really hard to read, as its just one giant run-on sentance. But now I understand why :)
Cheers my friend and be well!
@@Unclejake You already got them in order.
Being a first time lever action buyer I bought a Henry based on what I read on many of the rifles available. The marlins and winchesters all seemed to be made in in asia and suffered from build problems. I didn't read any claims of such on the henry. I bought the henry in 45-70, its built like a brick shit house and will out last me. I have put over 100 rounds through it so far and haven't had any problems with reloading or misfires. I am not being paid to write this either. Just my opinion. Good video though, its good info like this that helps people prioritize what they want in any purchase and make an informed decision.
Thanks for commenting. I am glad you got a nice Henry and are enjoying lever actions. I think they are a fun action to shoot. It is a shame the Winchesters are now made overseas and cost a fortune. The Marlin's are still made in USA. I have read that Henry is continuing to improve on design "problems" as they pop up and listen to customers to continue to improve their product. Glad you got a good one. The firing pin not striking the primer I think was truly a fluke to my rifle, and not a broad problem. Henry fixed it ASAP, so I am sure you will have a gun to last a lifetime with their warranty if anything should ever arise.
No offense but 100 rounds is hardly putting it through its paces. I don't consider a weapon reliable until I have at least 500 rounds through it and preferably 1,000 rounds.
gq4101 I've had a 90s model marlin and it is great
Winchester’s made in Japan , excellent quality now !
Actually Marlins have never been made in Asia . And the the Winchester’s built today in Japan are top quality .
I think he should have commented about the scope mount. Because the Marlin is side eject, the scope can be mounted quite low. I'm pretty sure that this Marlins scope mount is one that has openings so that the open sights can be used if desired. I mention this because many people may not know that and think the scope is way too high.
That's see through mounts or sometimes called jump sights. They work good if game jumps up fast in front of you instead of trying to find them in the scope.
You got a bad Henry. It happens..happened to me. But they fixed all issues and more. The ghost sites were junk. The lever popping open on loading. They replaced the barrel and sites and lever. They fixed mine and its awesome now. My Marlin had to go back to Marlin/remington 3 times for loading ramp issues. Parts kept breaking or failing. It was under warranty all three times and they did fix it..but customer service was kind of shitty. Henry went above and beyond...kept me informed on the repair, from the time i shipped it out (they paid) it was back in 13 days.
They copied the historic Marlin 336 design but omitted the side gate! The brand new Henry’s are available now with the side gate because enough Henry lovers complained about the lack thereof!!
@@kevinrollman3101 umm henry made the level action rifle marlin take the base design and added the side gate henry had to wait for patent restricts to go through before they could do anything with a side gate and they took there sweet time doing it
but both are good guns but henry is made in america
Replace the factory trigger in the Marlin 336 with the "trigger happy" kit from Wild West Guns that you can get from Brownells.
The trigger pull will be around 3 pounds and crisp with no creep.
Difference between night and day.
Accuracy will improve.
I own a 45-70 Henry golden boy and .357 mag Henry golden boy. Use them both for deer neither has weak ejection have never had them jam both have been flawless as long as I have had them. Two of my favorite guns.
What load do you use in 357 for deer?
I just bought the Henry H009cc 30-30. The workmanship is awesome it shoots great. Smooth action. The checkering is flawless.
I still like my 1975 Marlin 336C in 30-30. Great shooter!
Art Warmanen Same my father gave me mine. Honestly I think with ability to mont a scope it’s a lot more practical than this guy says.
Mossberg is also making rifles in .22 Long Rifle Caliber, and .30/30 Winchester Caliber both in lever action and semi-automatic action.
You can scope the 94 top eject, you use an off-site scope. The scope sits on the left side of the frame
I bought a Marlin because of the side eject and side loading
1894s have had angle eject for over 30 years.
I hunted with a Marlin 1894c in 44 Mag for close to 40 years. Gave it to my oldest and bought a Henry Big Boy (blued/blacked receiver) in 357 Mag. Gonna need to scope the Henry (my old geezer eyes ain’t what they used to be) but that Henry’s lever cycles much smoother than the Marlin! And, I LOVE the magazine loaded vs the side loading gate. At least my thumbs think so.
in my opinion: scopes dont belong on a lever gun.
I agree, they are a wild beast to be shot with iron sights, just like an AK-47.
Yes, but if You hunt deer in an area with antler restrictions a scope becomes a necessity.
depends on how bad your eyes are......
Merle Morrison I wear bi focals, but here is a video of Me with My Scoped 30 30 at 202 Yards.ruclips.net/video/gU0qBv-Vrro/видео.html
Dudes..... get yourselves a set of eyes like mine and with the iron I see either the sights or the target. With a scope (correctly fitted & adjusted on my own gun) I can see both VERY clearly. Point here is it’s not always the aesthetics. It’s what you have to work with. Period. If you’re young and have the body strength along with 20/20 vision you can choose what you want. Me. I have to get what I can work with.
My father gave me my first rifle @ 15yr. Old
I love my 30-30 Winchester. I am 34 and still my favorite rifle.
Can't miss when I have this rifle in my hand
I hunt hogs with my marlin 336. It’s a great hog gun drops em fast. it’s scoped but I have the ring mounts so I can see the original sights as well. I personally kind of like the heavy trigger. on the adrenaline filled follow up shots you don’t even notice the longer trigger. hair triggers seem to hinder accurate follow up shots. When the blood is pumping you don’t feel the difference in pounds. it’s more of a help with timing....it slows things down just a hair.... slow is smooth etc...🙂. Thanks for the post...
The new Henry all have side load plus the tube load fantastic I think other companies will follow that combination I have a Henry Golden Boy beautiful rifle very accurate love it thank you for your post
Once the Marlin is loaded the balance point is ahead of the lever "hump".
My wife bought me a brand new Marlin 336 in 1979, I have had it ever since and I will own it the day I die. It has never failed to fire and eject properly.
It has taken countless Whitetail deer over the years I have owned it and has been borrowed by friends that have also taken deer.
My son harvested his first deer with it as did his son. The woods of my home state make this an excellent short range gun, as most shots are seldom over 100 yards.
I live in California and was looking for a 357 magnum lever to go with my SW 686 and all I could find was the Henry Big Boy. It's become my favorite gun. I don't hunt, it's for home protection, SHTF, and plinking. I like the heavy weight, almost zero recoil.
I want to get a '94 again. I used to have a short Winchester '94 chambered in 30-30.
I'm a big fan of lever action rifles. The first gun I ever bought was a Marlin 30-30 - way back around 1997, well before the quality issues started. Still may favorite gun, but that's probably just nostalgia.
I have two model 92 rifles chambered in 44 magnum and 45 Colt, a Henry .22 and a Rossi Range Hand in 45 Colt.
My 94 has a scope directly on top of the reciever. It was made in (according to looking the serial number up) 1984. They started the angle eject in 1982.
Pre 1964 are top eject. The angle eject was introduced in 1964 and it was my understanding that all were then manufactured that way. I have a 1948 (top eject) that I have a scope mount for. I've never seen the need to mount a scope on it.
Grant Howze Warrior X is correct, the AE or angle eject was introduced in 1982. I have a Model 94 from about 1972 that is not angle eject and also doesn't have the pre 1964 screw on the bottom toggle.
I prefer the Marlin lever rifles myself. They are extremely reliable and accurate. I also like that they are easy to work on. All of my Marlin lever rifles are JM stamped. I have a Win 94 and rarely use it. It is nowhere near as smooth and is much more complicated to repair. I'll stick with my JM Marlins. I have not scoped any of my lever rifles .... yet. If my eyes start to become an issue I will adapt to a scope but for now ... no scopes on my lever rifles. I have other scoped too .rifles if needed
Love my Winchester Model 94 30-30 from 1958 that I inherited.
I bought a rossi 92, truthfully it is rough on edges ( loading gate), fit and finish but it works like a champ and hunting accurate all day.
i agree . i have owned or shot them all. the rossi is a much better rifle than the Henry or the mossberg. ..
I had a Rossi 92 in 44-40 and I liked it except for 2 things. First, the hammer was hard to decock, it tended to not move well until a certain point and then it would jump ahead quickly. I was a little scary to lower the hammer when loaded. Second, the wooden stock was very dark, almost like synthetic, but that was a really minor thing. It must have been stained black.
I love my Rossi .30-30! Taken a few boars with it. It is pretty much the Marlin in this video.
2:29 yes eject toward head nuisance but get a hot shell go down your shirt and you're dancing (not a nice dance). Loved my Marlin 30-30 from 30 yrs ago.
I love my 1990 model 336 Marlin 30-30. I just bought it for $300 and the guy even through in 2 boxes of ammo. That is a steal. Thw side eject and smoother action is what I like about the Marlin. And it is more accurate than a Winchester to me.
We have several Henry's in various calibers , use them for both hunting & plinking with no issues.
Thank you for watching my video and leaving a comment on your first hand experience with the Henrys. I don't mean in any way to talk bad upon the Henry, was just giving my personal experience with the ONE model I used and how it compared to other lever actions I have. So it's a very small sample of what is out there, and am glad to hear you have ones you enjoy.
In the early 80's, I was set on buying a 30-30. I was going back and forth between the Marlin 336 and the Winchester 94. I went with the Marlin because of the side ejection; I knew I was going to put a scope on it. Years later, I picked up a Henry because I wanted an un-scoped lever action. Both are great guns. I've never had the first problem with either of them. I never did get a Winchester. I wouldn't own a contemporary Marlin for all the tea in China.
Marlins are made in the USA in KY or NY.
That's not true my Henry I can close my lever action when the hammer back and my bullets will eject out just like your Marlin
Marlin rocks! I really hope Ruger does them justice...Lever action rifles are AMAZING and Marlins are extra special...
You can scope the Winchester. They have a special mount that causes the ejected round to roll up, and out to the side. Do not ask me where to get them though as I have no clue.
Which one of these 3,if u could only have,one?,Which gun would u choice?
I own a Henry 30-30 and I love it.....u are so wrong about most of what you are saying about the Henry
Ruger 308 damm straight bro
Not sure how a real world experience can be wrong… a turd of a gun is a turd of a gun. My last turd of a gun was a ruger LCP. I had nothing but problems with that thing since day 1.
Great video, thank you for sharing your knowledge. God Bless You Good Sir
Great review, I am looking at getting a lever action 30-30 and was leaning towards the Henry, but hearing about the issues with loading and your description of the ejection issues that I have also noticed in other videos I'm going to look closer at the marlin.
The new Henry 3030 also has side gate loading with the tube all in one rifle check out the new all weather one and the scope mounts on rifle and you don't need to raise scope .
Don't let this one video discourage you. It's surely so many more videos that's praising the Henry rifle's so Henry must be doing something right. I love the 7 different Henry rifle's that I own.
All three are great lever guns and work well, They are all lever guns, but each with it's own individuality. It seems it's more a decision of personal preference. I have owned a couple 94's and one 92, and currently have a 336 .32 win. spl. From what I have read the Henry's are a well made reliable rifle, I would like to try one out.
Just checked my Henry Big Boy Steel .44 mag for the problem you cite. BS - no problem at all as you described. Henry has the smoothest action of all three (I have them). It is super accurate out of the box with open sights. You do Henry a disservice with your bogus argument against the brand.
Hi Ted, thanks for your opinions on your Henry. Is yours brand new "2017 / 2018" ? My Henry had all the problems I described, why would I make it up? Henry knew about the problem of not being able to close the lever once it popped open. I know this because they told us in the repair letter that they had a fix for it coming, and "repaired" my rifle. So maybe your's is a newer model? Also mine was in 30-30, yours is in .44mag. Two different guns/designs, I don't know if the problems I experienced are in the pistol caliber rifles, I was speaking strictly about the 30-30 model. Maybe I just got a lemon, but two trips to the factory and not as good handling as either a Winchester or a Marlin made me sell it. I personally don't like the loading tube either, but that is personal preference.
Well, me too. My Henry 44 Mag brass big boy is very fussy on what rounds that will feed through it. I also have a Henry 22 lr lever gun that is very fussy on what ammo that it will shoot accurately. And those ungodly sights is another story.
Thanks. Very helpful. (My 13-year old daughter asked me to get a lever action. As a good father, that's what I have to do. Right? That's why I buy ice cream and cookies too. Not for me. Oh, no. It's all for her.)
The reasons I chose the Henry 45-70 over the Marlin are; 1. I don't want a cross bolt safety on an exposed hammer lever gun. Especially when hunting. More especially when in bear country. 2. I prefer the Henry tube magazine loading port. To unload Winchester or Marlin lever guns, the action must be cycled repeatedly. Each cycle extracts a round, then ejects a round, chambers the next round, extracts that round and then ejects it. Continue until the magazine is empty, and the chamber is empty. All while the hammer is in a full cock position. And slinging the heavy cartridges to potentially be damaged. With the Henry, you just remove the tube and dump the contents into an upturned hat. If there is a round here in the chamber, open the action and remove the cartridge. I see advantages here. And perhaps safer also.
If you have a take down model you can just take the magazine tube out and all rounds that are not in the chamber will fall out then cycle the action and check that all is unloaded
There's a guy in Colorado that sells a scope mounting system for the Winchester Model 94. The scope sits down where the rear sight is and you need to buy a scout style scope with a longer eye relief but it works fantastic. The rear of the scope is right at the front edge of the top ejection port and shells clear the scope just fine.
I have always loved Marlins. I finally purchased one a couple of years ago. It was used, but in great shape and it functions flawlessly. It was also a Big Bore and I wanted a big bore. Anything .35 Remington or larger is what I wanted. I was looking for a .450 Marlin, but I got a .444. Anyway you can't go wrong with one.
444 is one of the best, hold on to it and never get rid of it.
I have a Remlin 336W in 30-30. It took a lot of work to get it to cycle like Marlin intended it to, but it is just as slick as any JM rifle ever made; not even Remington could screw that up. I have hunted with a pre 64 Winchester 94 in 30-30 that was loaned to me. To me they are both just fine, and the 30-30 cartridge is all one needs. The loading gate on the Marlin's just needs work too, but no big issue. As far as the floppy Marlin trigger goes: it breaks clean and consistent - it is a perfect hunting trigger. I have 5 different target triggers in this house - all on rifles I use for shooting targets or plinking with; and I spend good money on them too. A hunting rifle only needs a good hunting trigger. The cross-bolt safety on the Remlin - put an O-ring on it and pretend it was never there. But head this Warning:
The triggers on both the pre 64 Winnie's, and Marlin's without a cross bolt safety, can 'bump' fire when you hit the butt of the stock on the ground. It is in the design of the triggers, and a lite trigger in these rifles should be avoided because they can be dangerous; it is not a flaw - just a fact. Having said that, the 1/2 cock is the only true safety on these rifles.
By Remlin I take it you mean the remington group made marlin. I picked up one new that Ruger is now making. it has a real nice trigger and the action is very smooth.
I bought a circa 1942 win m94 last year. Blueing is worn but shoots just fine. Best $300 I've spent?
The biggest turnoff on the Winchester is the price. Marlins are great guns and that heavy trigger is an easy enough fix. Henry's round barrel 30/30 is only ounces heavier than the winchester in similar configurations. There are different lengths in barrels and such that make a noticeable difference. Henry's octagon barrel is a full pound heavier and very noticeable. It must be noted that Henry now offers side gate loading and has always given a lifetime guarantee on their guns. Most of their guns get rave reviews,but occasionally issues with feeding or ejection pop up. I love the nostalgia of the winchesters,but if I were to buy one,itd most likely have to be well used. Thanks for sharing.
You can side mount your scope on the Winchester, but you have to roll the scope so the right/ left knob becomes the up/down, this leaves your iron sight open.
my father and I both have pre 64 Winchester top ejection 30-30 s. we used a side mount and then turned the scope 90 degrees left. your elevation becomes windage and windage becomes elevation. no problem with accuracy.
I gave my Winchester away . Marlin is the best to me and way less money.
I owned a Marlin 336C as my first deer rifle. I bought it from K-Mart for 119.95 + tax in the fall of 1980. It was a great gun! However the allure of the Ruger M-77 .270 was too much. I sold it in 1985 for $125. That was one of my regrets, that I didn’t keep both guns, since both were one-shot deer droppers within their proper ranges. I never had to kill one over 80 yards away.
I owned a Marlin 336C .35 Remington built circa 1960. I never had issues with the trigger weight. I gave it away about 5 years ago and regret it. Bought a mint condition 1977 336 in .30-30 recently as a replacement, but paid 10x what my dad paid for that old .35.
Love my scoped Marlin 336, about the same year. Accurate and never any problems in over 40 years
It’s important to note that the later model Winchesters from 1990 onward feature the side eject and offer scope mounting. Because of the side eject and scope mounting if preferred, I prefer the Winchester because it’s fast handling and lightweight and very accurate... of course all this is purely subjective to each person.
A friend just gave me a 94 recently. He acquired it in the 70s & its seen little use. It looks to be in great condition but I notice when you cycle the action the floor plate doesn't lie flat against the receiver. Its usually 5mm or more out. Have you seen this before? Wont have a chance to try it for the next few weeks.
Sorry I am not overly familiar with trouble shooting the model 94's as I have never had one get a problem other than a loose loading gate screw which I just simply tightened. Maybe someone else with more knowledge can chime in. I do know my "floor plate" when closing the action doesn't always sit 100% flush with the receiver, but it's darn close if not, definitely not 5mm out. You could try running a dummy round through to see if it cycles, but I would make sure it functions before firing it. Sorry couldn't be more help.
Got all three-you got to love lever actions. Compared to all the sub moa going on today one could say they can't shoot for s#*t. But I still love them. And yes Marlin has addressed the issues they had. They really have made an about face.
I paid 300 $ for an old 94 and that Winchester shoot perfect.
Pre 64?
A 66 but it looks brand new
I know there are some people who don't like scopes on lever guns, but I really can't see the problem with it other than maybe an aesthetic one (or just being an old Krusty curmudgeon). I will say, I do have a lever gun and I do not have a scope on it. It gets used on deer drives and stuff like that where a scope would likely just get banged against trees and other such things. However, a scope extends the range with which I could comfortably take an ethical shot. The biggest advantage in my opinion is the light gathering capability of scopes in low light conditions. Most of my harvests have been right at opening shooting light or right at/close to the end of shooting hours. If I didn't have another rifle that I took with me to the stand, I would not even think twice about putting a scope on my lever gun.
I have a new Henry long ranger and don’t have that problem with the action just tried with snap caps. Also a hunter
Agreed, you can't go wrong with either one, though I prefer the older model Marlins, because you can mount a scope and they are very well made.
The one thing I notice most (Beside the whole tube thing of a Henry,..which I wouldn't want), is that I LOVE a straight comb on my lever actions.
What type of handload do you use in your Marlin? I just got one but have not built any bullets for it yet.
Right now I am using IRM4895 powder with Sierra 150gr. round nose hunter bullets. I don't know if this is the best for accuracy etc... since I haven't experiment with anything else. But that powder and bullet combo work great in my 30-06 as slightly reduced loads, so I just use the same powder and bullets in my 30-30 so I don't have to buy anything different.
After shooting my Henry .44, all summer the marlin 30-30 felt like a toy. But you’re right about securing the handle when you bring that tube down. It’s ultimately up to you because they obviously work. My Henry ejection is great but that tube down handle malfunction is weird. I love marlin and Henry so I don’t know what to think
I have a model 94 and I have a side mounted scope on it and it is 0 in 100 yards and I love it no problem I had it since 1985
Hi man, what do you think about difference 30-30 and 45-70, Marlin
Many thanks
P.s I choose one from them
Great job on the video. Very informative, thank you. I just bought a used model 94 can't wait to shoot it.
On the Winchester, you can put a scope on it. It cannot be right above the gun but instead off to the right. I have a pre-64 and it has a scope and I hunt with it all the time.
That is what I was thinking too.
Would it be very difficult to use change microgroove rifling to better lands & grooves? Without a lot of equipment?
I have a top eject 94 and have a scope. You have to have scope adjusted all the way to account for side mount. If you go any further the cross hairs come loose and it has to be repaired. But it's fine for 100 yds which were I live is about as far as you're ever going to get a shot at a deer anyway.
How was the accuracy of the Henry? Was the Henry balanced while carrying? Did you have the brass or steel Henry?
Hi James, thanks for commenting. I can't give an honest answer on the full accuracy potential of the Henry since we only tried one brand of factory loads before selling. Accuracy was not as good as my Winchester or Marlin, but I have developed hand loads for them. We were getting about 3" groups (scoped) from the Henry at 100 yards, plenty good enough for hunting. It was my least accurate 30/30 but maybe we didn't find the load it likes. I never hunted with the Henry, but it's balance is closer to a Marlin, slightly heavier feeling but very similar. I did like the straight grip when carrying over the Marlin pistol grip. Mine was the blued steel.
From the time this video was recorded Henry has made alot of improvement to their 30-30 including a side gate. They have listened too their customers.
@chris mclaughlin well you are entitled to your opinion but that doesn't change the fact that Henry riffles are a very successful company. One of few still completely made in USA.
@chris mclaughlin then here is a suggestion go move and live in China if it's so good. I will agree that skilled labor has been on decrease for a good while here. But because for years college education has been pushed over skilled trades. This is just now beginning to change as people realize the importance of skilled labor. But that said I can guarantee that the product coming out of Henry is the finest quality any where.
@chris mclaughlin well as I said your just one opinion that counts very little. Personally I have not owned a Henry or a Mossberg. All my guns have been Marlin, Savage and Winchester and all have been fine guns. Only issue I ever had was on my Savage 243 the neoprene stock had a flaw that allowed the barell to over float. But just required to be rebeded which fixed it.
@chris mclaughlin I need not own one and inexperienced I am not. I have handled firearms since the age of 8 and I am now 61. One person's opinion means absolutely nothing but reviews and statistics do. Those do not agree with your opinion. But for lever action I do prefer Marlin I hunted white tail for 20 years with a model 336 gold trigger bought new in 1971. Over those years I made some pretty incredible shots for a 30-30. Including a kill of almost 900 yards. So don't be making statements about someone you have no idea about.
@chris mclaughlin well I am not the one making durogatory remarks. But if you want to continue on that route we can. But that's how some are if they don't have facts to stand on all that left is name calling. There is a word for that but I am not willing to stoop low enough to use it.
What do you mean by rebounding trigger?
Marlin 336 30 30 ....5yrs old ( baby time in gun life i know) but lots of rounds and no problems so far...good video man...
If you take the scope off your Marlin and you will find that the balance point moves forward a bit making a almost perfect 50-50 balance. I also think there is something wrong with that extra safety. That little piece is there for a reason. My 336 has to be completely closed just as your Winchester, please have that checked out before something goes wrong.
If your talking about the Winchester you have to squeeze the lever a little in order to pull the trigger on a Winchester 94 I’ve had multiple and all have the same features it’s annoying reason I use my Marlin instead
Not a bad review. I just received a 1966 production year model 94 in 30-30. I also have a JM stamped Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70.
My impression is that I love the Winchester for its size and weight. Its a fast woods gun. I did a complete breakdown, cleaning and function check. Like you said, the action is nowhere as smooth as the Marlin, but the Winchester trigger breaks consistently between 2.5 and 3 lbs. Awesome trigger in my opinion. The Marlin trigger breaks at 5 lbs on the button. Acceptable to me for a woods gun. I have no problem with the 5 lb trigger.
But yes, the Marlin is much heavier in weight. I didn't bother to weigh the guns. However; I welcome the weight when it comes to shooting a bowling ball out of the guide gun. Still a nice lever gun .
I'm having a little trouble loading the Winchester. The loading gate hits the cartridge rim sometimes and I have manipulate the loading gate to get it to drop. I'll have to look into that. No such issue with the Marlin. Between the two, I like the Winchester, but I love both guns. Proud to own both. I've not handled a Henry so no opinion there.
Your review pretty much confirms what I found.
The Winchester 94 is rated at 6.75 lbs, both the Henry, and Marlin are rated at 7 lbs. 4oz is not a "Big Difference". As for ease of leverering a round, loading a round, and trigger pull; you CANNOT, get objective answers unless all 3 guns are new, or have exactly the same round count. Furthermore, how the Hell can you do a comparison with one of the rifles absent???
Will, thanks for viewing and commenting. In a perfect world I agree that a fair review would have all models brand new and in identical condition,age etc... But I don't live in a perferect world where I have the money to just buy new guns to review. I have to use what's on hand, and tried to make it informational with what I had. As far as weight, while they are "similar" , the way they balance that weight is different. Winchester feels much lighter in the hands and shouldering than the other two because of the balance. Yes one rifle was absent but I addressed this in another comment if you would like to read that. Thanks.
What is your opinion on a Mossberg 464 30/30
Interesting video. I have a Winchester Model 94 30/30, also made in 1981. It is by far my favorite gun. My Dad had the Marlin 336 30/30 when I was a kid and I was never really fond of it. Now, I own a Marlin 1895SS 45/70 and like it very much. It is, however, a beast! It weighs maybe half again as much as the 94, but it also packs more of a punch. I have never tried a Henry.
You can put a scope on the model 94's just need a side mount. My 1969 model 94 has a scope. But since you can't mount a scope directly above the receiver the scope is slightly off center to the left so when you eject a cartridge it can fly out without being blocked in by the bottom of a scope. Mines sighted in at around 100 yards any target passed that distance I have to compensate a little bit. I don't have a problem with it but most people do. You can also remove the rear sight and mount a scout scope on the 94's but that requires drilling and tapping which can effect the integrity of the gun if it's a collectors. (Pre 64). I was gonna do that but the cool thing with the side mount is that I can use a scope or iron sights at the same time. So I have 2 alternatives to choose from with my 94. Any target closer than 70-60 yards I ditch the scope and just use iron sights. Anything around 100 yards or further I'll use my scope. Which is why I'll take the Winchester over any other. Most guns you're either stuck with iron sights or a scope I have BOTH options with my 94. Can't beat it. And my Winchester outperforms my grandfathers Marlin in all categories not that it means anything but still says a lot.
I love the Marlin 336 in 35 got a 2-7 scope on it perfect for swamps and pine thickets the 94 I have found is perfect with a good peep site. Dry firing a Marlin 336 will break the firing pin in my past experience .
I have a Marlin from 1981 and the trigger is pretty nice to me. I haven't tried a Winchester though. The trigger is maybe 5 pounds and quite crisp. The Winchester is maybe 4 or even 3 then?
I like the Marlin 336 best hands down..... easy to work on them. Trigger job is a piece of cake. Action is smooth as silk. Accurate, fast handling and extremely reliable. The new Win 94 is not for me. Henry is not even in the same league. Marlin all the way for me.
I don't know a lot about level action as far as "brands" go, but generally who makes the best rifle between the three?
I think the best thing to do is handle each brand. They all feel or fit everyone differently. If your talking brand Winchesters are high quality but very expensive. Henry's are not cheap, middle of the road between these three and have some hit or miss design elements depending who you ask. Their fit and finish is nice, but functionally questionable in my opinion. Marlin is most value for the money of the three. But again this is my opinion only. Mossberg and Rossi also make popular lever guna in 30-30 but I have no experience with them. If going used I would simply recommend a JM stamped barrel original Marlin of the three I mention in video.
For the Winchester I think you can buy a side mount for a scope for the top eject
If you didn't sit in front of the back lit window it would be much easier to see you and the long arms you are discussing. Just a thought on your comment on how well we could see.
Scope on a 94 is sacrilege! You can tune the ejector. My 94 is very smooth, trigger is decent as well.
Finally All The Basics Intelligently' w Real World 'feel' About The Experience's of All 3 Classic's ! Very Greatful To Find Your Review of These!👍 Always Many Blessings To You and Your Family🇺🇸
When deciding, you CANNOT go by ONE person's review. Everyone is different. One may love a Marlin, one may love the Win. So it's important for YOU to decide, not because of one review.
I placed a long eye relief Scout Scope on my Win '94 30-30 (1968) and it shoots like a dream.
I own the Marlin and my son recently acquired a model 94 Winchester. I was surprised how much lighter the Winchester was compared to my Marlin but I will not Change brands I love my Marlin.
I started out all for Marlin. I liked their 45/70, and the 39. But over time for a wider range of uses, I find the Winchesters are more both hunting and fighting rifles. I don't see any fights on the horizon, but the ease of top loading, or side loading is nice. And for the really big stuff, you have 1886 and the 1895 (not the subject here of course). I kept wanting Marlins, but finding Winchesters to buy.
The main strong point for the Marlin has always been the easier scope mounting, but this is no longer seems like a big deal given the preference for forward mounted optics and and dots. In fact the cool kids have just that kind of AR, or Scout setup on their Marlins, with forward rails, running well into the barrel. Winchesters can do that.
You left out the Browning BLR. I love mine. Short throw action. Rotating bolt lock-up. Magazine fed. Capable for High intensity cartridges. Good balance point also. Able to shoot spitzer bullets. Scope mountable. Side ejection. Strong ejection. Overall light weight. Decent trigger pull. Carbine length. Acceptable recoil. And the post 81 rifles have been "polished" up for users.
Beyond that, you left out the 1895 Winchester. Completely different feel, and an extra long throw, but a very good lever gun as well.
P.S. it sounds like you got a "lemon" with your Henry. Haven't owned one myself, but my friend swears by his, and refuses to sell it for love or money.
The Henry lever action rifle has been around since the American Civil War days. Henry-Rossi. They were the about the first. If anyone was copied it was Henry.
I've got a Henry lever action rifle in .45 Colt. and a Marlin in 30-30. I appreciate both of them and will not be getting rid of either one. I appreciate the Winchester 30-30 quite a bit less for the reason that you stated about case ejection. I've had a hot case drop between my face and my glasses and I'm not looking to cause a self-inflicted eye injury because of their top ejection system.
Good review of all three rifles now I know which I prefer thanks
You can't beat a good trigger pull. One other advantage the Marlin has over the Winchester is, they are a heck of a lot easier to get the bolt out to give it a good cleaning. The rest of the rifle is easier to disassemble compared to the Winchester for that matter. People make fun of my 30-30 but I kill more deer than any of them. I've never lost an animal. I got 1 elk with it too. Thanks for the information. Bob
I won't shoot at anything past 200 yards and I got real tired of scopes being hard to see at dusk and dawn so I shoot only open sites. That said, I did get a 2 point once in a 3 point restricted area with my Winchester, but that is my favorite rifle. I like my Remington 700 but the Winchester 94 is my favorite.
its my understanding that the "big boy" and the 45-70/3030 henry's are considered to be of lower quality. That's what i've heard people I know say and what I've seen people say online (at least the people who don't get paid). but what about their 22's? are they any better? because rimfire is a different ballgame.
I had a henry .22 in 2011-12 and got rid of it. It had a smooth action and looked good but when you shot it you had to really press your face against the stock to align the sights once it was sighted in. I believed the bore was not centered well - just a guess . My friends henry ,which was a year older, was a nice shooter and he still has it. Hope this helps !
Good video. It was "Practical use" oriented. Real hunters don't care what the wood looks like on their rifle. My hunting rifles are "Work guns" and show the hard use from hunting. I had a few 94' Winchesters over the years, and they are handy to hunt with. I still have one top eject model and that is enough. When I bought my first Marlin I was done with Winchester 94's. I have had a 35 Remington and 45/70 336 model rifles and they were made way better than a Winchester 94'. The only problem I had with the 336 45/70 was the action froze shut when I was hunting in a bad snow storm. I had to fire off a round to unload it at the end of the day. I have one model 88, but it is a cabinet gun. They have become so expensive that as a hunting rifle they are out of reach for most people. Same with the BLR. NOW, to the real lever gun. Look around for a '99 Savage. They are balanced well to carry and are really not that heavy. They are available in many calibers and easily scoped. Every '99 rifle I own (Over a dozen) has a smooth action. The safety on the common models also holds the lever closed. There were so many made that you can still pick up a good one for hunting at a reasonable price. Will I ever buy a Henry? Probably not after all the complaints I have read about.
I have never experienced an issue with the loading tube with my Henry, possible you had something wrong with yours. The lever jamming issue is also something I know for a fact doesn't happen with mine, but I have the .45 Colt version and not the 30-30 so I'm not sure if it has anything to do with that. And WOW, the firing pin not striking the primer! Weak ejection is also something I haven't experienced, mine tosses the spent cartridge in spectacular form no matter how slowly you work the lever. I dunno man, sounds like either the 30-30 had issues or Marlin is paying you (joke man....I got jokes!).
So you had a Henry rifle that had 3 major issues, and you sent it to Henry to fix and when you got it back it was still doing all 3 malfunctions? I did a massive amount of research before I purchased my Henry and I've put about 2k rounds through it, about 10 different loads from multiple ammo companies, without a single malfunction. And this is the norm for these.
I wish I could get a look at the Henry you had because that thing sounded horrible and then see what the folks at Henry would say about it. If I were in your shoes though I probably would have parted ways with it also.
Good video!
Thanks for watching my video and commenting. The Henry .45lc, .357 etc... are a different design than their 30-30's. Completely different guns. Their 30-30 is basically a copy of the Marlin design minus the loading gate and a loading tube instead. As you can tell by my vintage gear... I am obviously sponsored and biased. haha. From new our Henry would not fire, not even 1 round. The firing pin would not make contact with the primer. Henry was nice and fixed this ASAP. Got the gun back and it had several issues with weak ejection and also the lever popping open causing to eject a live round to feed another that wasn't fixed. We could have either sent it back again, and played that game or just sell it. We chose to sell it. It was a pretty rifle, but just had a lot of issues. Maybe we got a bad one? I also don't like the bluing. Like 3 shades of bluing between the receiver, barrel etc... They are not the same, seemed cheap in that aspect to me. Also didn't like the front sight and front barrel band were all one piece. Different things we noticed once owning it that we just decided we liked our Marlins and Winchesters better.
Definatley sounds like ya had some issues with the Henry wich from all accounts is unusual. Henry like any 1 can and will make a dude at time personally ill take a Henry or Winchester over Marlin's crap guns any day of the week. Henry 1st over any of the 3. I've had 2 Marlins both junk 1 was a 444 i bought in 85 or 87 don't remember the year and their 45-70 guide gun. Had so many issues with both gun bought brand new in box from the local dealer swore id never buy another 1 of those pieces of junk as long as i live. The 444 stock busted in 4 places and their was a big gouge about 2 inches from the end of the barrel about a 1/4 inch deep that didnt appear till after i fired 4 rounds thru the gun. Mise you this gun was brand new and 4 rounds fired thru it. Don't even get me started on the guide gun anyway lol, 2 for 2 not again. Also Henry didn't copy Marlin Henry was made long before Marlin came around some like the tube feed i personally prefer it over the side gate but each to their own.
Dark Hollow or anyone else, how do you like the 1873 Uberti?
Henry makes a fine rifle. For hunting tube loading is fine. I get the frustration but is a non-issue to me. I had the lever pop but Henry cs replaced lever and that issue is better. They say the new model has fixed this problem. For a new gun the marlin is not as nice.