r/canadaguns • u/Feisty-Confusion-356 • 24d ago
Buy recommendations First firearm recommendations
Hey folks,
I’m new to firearms and thinking about getting a used lever-action .22 as my first rifle. I like the classic style, the ammo is affordable, and it seems like a good way to learn the basics.
For someone buying their first gun, is a used lever-action .22 a good idea?
What models should I be looking at?
What should I check before buying used?
Any red flags with older .22 lever guns?
I want something reliable, safe, and fun to learn on. Not trying to overcomplicate it.
Thanks in advance.
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u/Savings-Beautiful-46 24d ago
Henry Golden Boy
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u/pooshlinger 24d ago
I have one of these in .22 MAG and its so much fun to shoot, and the .22 MAG isnt like LR. Quite a bit of power behind it.
However it jams and fails to extract if i dont rod the barrel every 20 rounds, leaving casings stuck in the chamber which are hard to remove with another round chambering behind it.
My only gripe. Sucks to spend 10 mins of my range time just trying to remove a stuck casing.5
u/Own-Pause-5294 24d ago
Do you mean cleaning the barrel with a cleaning rod? Having to do that every 20 rounds sounds like quite the hassle.
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u/pooshlinger 24d ago
Yes dude its quite the hassle. I put about two magazines through it (about 24 rd) then she jams up. My LGS doesnt have a huge selection on 22mag ammo so could be that but its jammed with 4 different types so far.
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u/pewpewlepew 24d ago edited 24d ago
Ruger 10/22, affordable to start with. LOTS of aftermarket parts. Affordable ammo. Then an SKS, this is the way.
EDIT: sorry didn't read your post at all, I hate tubular mags where you slide the rounds in at the top and put the little stick in, feels slow and weird.
Go for a Derya TM22-L or something, magazine fed. More time shooting.
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u/Feisty-Confusion-356 24d ago edited 24d ago
SKS is, for sure, in my mind. But the itch to own a lever action is dominating at the moment.
I blame wild west movies' influence.
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u/Leather-Tour9096 24d ago
I’ve just gotten my first lever and man it is awesome. I’ve wanted one since the training course where you handle all the different actions.
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u/Strict_Common6871 24d ago
As a first used get something very common - 10/22 or a CZ bolt, much easier to maintain, lots of info, spares, upgrades
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u/SHAREtheEXPERIENCE 24d ago
I second the Henry lever .22 recs but I'd go with the classic matte black one (H001 I think) instead of the Golden Boy. Same quality build but less expensive since you're just getting started.
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u/Feisty-Confusion-356 24d ago
Wow! H001-new seems to be pretty easy on my wallet! Will definitely shortlist this! Thank you!
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u/Massive_Expression_2 24d ago
Henry H001 is a great starter and keeper. Not the ultimate lever gun but it's great value and super reliable. Fun to shoot and very accurate. Just ask my wife. Mine has become "her gun" now.
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u/NEUMANN-METALWORKS Neumann Metalworks 24d ago
SKS is more suitable for learning "the basics" of gun ownership, especially cleaning and disassembly. It's price consistently goes up and there's always the ever-looming threat of it being banned. Better to get it earlier than later.
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u/Feisty-Confusion-356 24d ago
True, that particular reason is motivating me to start my "collection".
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u/Crimbosus 24d ago
I would go either with a Henry or Browning Bl22. A lever 22 is usually only tube fed and no sidegate feeding, so if your looking for that you might have to step it up to 357
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u/Top_Importance6216 24d ago
I havent really played around too much with .22, other than the classic Henry golden boy,
alternatively, if you want an affordable lever gun thats easy to shoot but can also scale up to a decent hunting rifle with the right ammo: get something in .357 mag. you can shoot .38 special, which is much cheaper.
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u/Feisty-Confusion-356 24d ago
Henry seems to be the fan fav!
The reason I'm going for a .22 is that its easy on my wallet, atleast in the beginning. I would eventually go for a higher caliber once I am well versed with handling a firearm. That being said .38 seems to be on the affordable side. Will definitely give it a good thought.
Thank you for the suggestion.
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u/pooshlinger 24d ago
Sks 100%
Affordable ammo and its so much fun
Just dont get rinsed online for one
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u/Memorywipe 24d ago
How do you avoid getting rinsed? Looks expensive everywhere
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u/pooshlinger 22d ago
You really cant but ive seen the odd russian go for 8-900 where most i see are around 1200. Still a rinse either way. May aswell save up for a mk15!
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u/Heavy_Newspaper_5546 24d ago
The Canadian trio:
10/22 SKS 12ga pump
And then anything else you like :)
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u/theservman on 24d ago
The Canadian Non-restricted Starter Kit (Modern) consists of:
- 22lr semi
- 12ga pump
- SKS
Recent developments make me think that a "tactical lever" needs to be on the list as well.
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u/Feisty-Confusion-356 23d ago
I'm thinking of the exact same kit, except that I might start with a lever action.
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u/Comfortable-Sir-7634 24d ago
The best firearm out there is a gun. Anything that catches your eye or makes people say "cool gun"
Remember, the first rule of firearms is to have fun
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u/Vituperate250 24d ago
In my experience used .22 rifles of any type live in two camps. 1) Well cared for, operates flawlessly, and might need parts replacement eventually because of age and use. 2) Beaten, put up wet, and abused. They will break, if they're not already broken, and probably sooner than you like.
Used Winchester .22 lever guns, I can't remember the model name, get a good reputation. I would look for those.
If you can get some .22LR "action proving" snap caps that can help determine function. They're dummy rounds. Use these to load the magazine tube and confirm the tube spring has enough tension. Cycle a few through the action to confirm it cycles without jams, roughness, or undue amounts of effort.
Obvious things to look for are the overall condition of the outside of the gun (rust, cracked wood, etc), what you can see of the inside of the action (rust, rough/gritty when cycling, difficult to cycle, etc), and the bore (rust, pits, rings). If the outside is rusty and the wood is damaged and it looks like it wasn't cared for, you can usually expect the rest of the gun to be in the same condition.
The bore is a good indication too. Some shops will have little flashlights available to help you look up the bore, you may need to bring your own, something small enough to get into the ejection port and bright enough to light the entire bore. PROVE the gun safe, open the action, shine the light into the bore using the ejection port, and then look down the bore from the muzzle end. Look for rough patches (pitting), rings, or anything that doesn't look like smooth metal. One or two small pitted areas aren't the end of the world for .22 rifles, they usually shoot fine, but significant pitting is an indication the previous owner didn't care for the rifle.
Most reputable gun shops will list used firearm condition with the NRA Condition Rating Scale (my blatherings about it are below), and their staff can often help in selecting a worthwhile used gun. I find the smaller the shop, the better the advice is. As for the NRA scale, I would buy a Very Good or better gun as my first rifle. Good condition is acceptable if I find one I really like and it seems to be mechanically sound. Fair and Poor are project or parts guns, not the kind of experience you want for your first rifle.
- Perfect: This one is obvious, and rare to find
- Excellent: Metal and wood is like-new. The action functions flawlessly. No broken parts.
- Very Good: Metal and wood show signs of use, but not damage. The action functions, the bore is in shootable condition. No broken parts.
- Good: Metal and wood show above-average wear - dents, scratches, etc - but nothing affecting function. The action functions, parts show signs of wear and use. Bore is shootable, but may have pits or frosty rifling.
- Fair: Lots of wear. Rusty. Damaged wood. These guns are safe to fire, but expect to replace parts, and the action may be difficult to operate.
- Poor: Needs restoration. Parts are broken. The action may or may not work. Usually not safe to shoot.
If you're willing to buy new, I would recommend Henry .22 lever guns. I have a Henry Frontier rifle - their .22LR lever gun with a big ol' octagon barrel - and I love it. Reliable and well built. It lacks some old-world charm because the receiver isn't blued, but as a plinking rifle it is perfect.
Hopefully this helps!
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u/Feisty-Confusion-356 24d ago
Thanks, this helps a lot.
I’ll keep an eye out for used Winchester .22 lever guns, but I’ll also compare against a new Henry. At this stage, I think reliability and a smooth first experience matter so I will definitely will not cheap out.
Appreciate the detailed explanation.
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u/Vituperate250 24d ago
Great! Happy to help.
I'm sure there are other new lever guns that are good, too. I only have experience with Henry. The Browning BL-22 comes to mind, and Savage recently released a lever-action .22. Usually American brands are high quality, but I haven't tried either of those guns I mentioned. Folks here tend to have good experiences with Chiappa guns, too.
Turkish (Morrison, Derya) and Brazilian (Rossi) manufactured guns can be perfectly functional but a little "rough around the edges", i.e. the finish isn't as nice, some sharp edges to the metal, the wood doesn't fit closely to the metal parts, etc, etc.
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u/TheSkrillanator 24d ago edited 24d ago
My personal opinion would be to get a simple semi auto .22LR as your first gun. Ruger 10/22, Derya TM22 or the TM22 Feather, Winchester Wildcat 22. I have an Adler RF-224 which I've had 0 F2F/F2E problems with after multiple trips to the range without cleaning, and I absolutely love it, but some people (myself still included) say quality per unit is hit or miss on those Turkish guns.
In any case, a widely used .22LR semi auto platform brand new is still super cheap, you'll learn the fundamentals on an easy to procure and care for gun, and you'll likely see less problems on the tried and tested models.
If you REALLY want a lever 22, most people I've talked to say the Henry Mare's Leg is pretty smooth.
But I'd rather settle for something dinky, simple, and easy first, save up, and get the Lever of my dreams after that. Something chambered in .44 or .357 Mag, NOW we're talking cowboy yee haw shit.
Edit:
I guess I should also answer your questions
Red flags on used .22's: this is one that I'd be wary of. The mechanism for a rimfire mechanism is precise. It has to be. As your aware after your PAL course, a rimfire cartridge ignites via crush pressure on the exposed rim (hence the name). This is why youre advised never to dry fire a rimfire gun - the firing pin slams into the breech and potentially ruins it for future ignition. Constant use potentially exposes the mechanism to similar wear over time. I'd advise against a used .22 - or any rimfire really, for that reason UNLESS youre a season pro knowing what to look for. Centrefire used, go for it.
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u/Traditional_Bank2200 24d ago
Browning BL22 is a fantastic option. That was my first rifle. I’ve shot thousands of rounds through it, and it has never failed me once! Great little tack driver, has filled the cook pot many times!
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u/Scott-YYC 24d ago
If you want a lever .22, like a few guys have said already, I'd look at a Browning BL-22.
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u/black_covfefe_please 23d ago
Lever guns are known for reliability, which is what you want in a first gun. But, lever guns are actually the most complicated system of any action style. A lot of people are recommending a 10/22. That is a great suggestion. Very reliable. Simple.
I would also suggest as options. Savage A22., If budget is a concern, Winchester Wildcat. If you are leaning away from a semi-automatic, Savage MKII.
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u/Conscious_Bid_8762 21d ago
Get a .357 lever gun and load up on .38 special I love the new miraku winchesters and the new marlins can’t go wrong with either.
For a .22 I tried a bolt action tikka and was super impressed on the list. Again not cheap but you often hear around here. buy once cry once ?
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u/One_Salary_9068 24d ago
Your first gun for the field would be a Shotgun. But if its only for the range, any 22 that you like shoold do.
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u/TheBulletBuddy 24d ago
A used rifle probably wouldn't be the best bet for a first rifle.
Do you know what you should be looking for in terms of damage/wear on a used firearm, do you know what's considered safe, what isn't, and what someone hacked together to make it do something they wanted?
Get your self a new 10/22 or an sks and learn on that, cant go wrong with either one.