Looking for a pump action .22 caliber rifle?
Henry has a beautiful octagon barrel rifle that will fit your collection well.
I got the opportunity to test out the Henry Arms Pump Action Octagon .22 Rifle.
Pump action .22 rimfire rifles were all the rage decades ago. Many of them functioned with .22 short, .22 long and .22 long rifle ammunition interchangeably. This offered the shooter everything from gallery loads to high velocity small game loads in one rifle. My great-grandmother was a crack shot on running rabbits with her little pump action .22 rifle back in the day. Henry Arms was well aware of the popular .22 rifles, the favorites for plinking and small game hunting across the country. They make a beautiful pump action .22 rifle that is made right here in the USA.
The Henry Arms Pump Action Octagon Rifle is offered in .22 magnum or .22 short, long and long rifle cartridges. I received the latter from my good friends at Silverado Arms. Be sure to check them out online or stop by for a visit.
The test rifle chambered for .22 short, .22 long and .22 long rifle ammunition sports a 20″ octagon blued steel barrel with 1:16 rate of twist. The .22 long rifle version can hold 15 rounds of .22 long rifle and as much as 21 rounds of .22 short ammo. The 6 pound rifle is 38.5″ in length total and has a fully adjustable semi-buckhorn with diamond insert and a brass bead front sight. The grooved 3/8″ receiver is ready for a scope or red dot of your choice. The American Walnut stock and forearm add a beautiful touch to the 14″ length pull.
A 1/4 cock allows for safe carry of the loaded rifle while hunting and shooting. This classic appearance rifle keeps everything at the shooter’s fingertips. It lacks the annoying external safeties that many rifle makers attorneys love to add and many shooters hate. I certainly fit in that last category. Hats off to Henry Arms for keeping those off their fine weapons.
The first range day was a function test and an impromptu non-bench sight in. Using Federal Bulk Pack 36 Grain Hollowpoint .22 long rifle ammunition I printed a tad low on the first round. With a rear sight elevation of two positions I was dead on offhand at 15 yards. At this point I pumped out several tube mags of 15 rounds each into a small well centered ragged group. I then brought out CCI CB Long ammunition and it too functioned flawlessly. This was repeated with the CCI Quiet .22 long rifle ammunition. At the shorter range the low velocity and super quiet ammunition then tore up a soup can. The action was very smooth and the light trigger was equally a joy to squeeze off.
The second range day this time for groups came. I fired five shot groups from a bench rest at targets placed 25 yards out on a cold Ohio day with the ever present wind howling. Welcome to winter in Ohio but it won’t slow down a dedicated hunter or shooter.
Fiocchi Standard Velocity Lead Round Nose 40 grain cartridges grouped 1.75″ total. Left over snow glare while using open sights and the strong winds played havoc during this testing. I am sure a summer calm weather review would have yielded tighter groups. Hunting seasons are mostly during colder weather up north so the climate was just right for real world hunting scenarios.
The largest of groups that day were with the bulk packaged Federal 36 grain Hollowpoint cartridges. The group opened up to 3.25″ if the flier was counted in the group. Without the flier a 1-5/8″ was achieved. Side note the cartridges in this bulk pack sounded to have a variety in velocity audible to the ear. One shot was a crack and another maybe a thud. I also had one dud after a solid firing pin hit and deep indentation. I blame the ammunition in this case for the flier. Bulk pack ammunition might be bargain prices but as you can see here you get what you pay for.
Firing the Henry Pump Action Octagon Rifle I found that offhand shooting was quite natural. It was a very simple fact to hold on a target and hammer it shot after shot even out to the farthest 60 yards I tested. A plastic lemon juice container (the size of a real lemon or a fat squirrel’s head) swinging from a string in the wind was no match for this slick slide action repeater. I fired a variety of other ammunition I had handy from CCI .22 Shorts to CCI CB Long ammunition and they all shot to point of aim after adjustment to group left into the bullseye. The target images above show the degree of difference before the rear sight drift adjustment.
This rifle is quite addictive to shoot. Whether you choose quiet shooting low velocity ammunition for backyard plinking or pest control, or you pick high velocity rounds for maximum power it is a reliable shooter. From .22 shorts, longs or long rifle ammunition the test rifle ate them all without any hiccups. It is an old school cool pump action .22 made in the modern day that is a proven performer on the range and in the woods. What more could a target shooter, hunter or collector want from a handy .22 rifle?
Check out the Henry Arms Pump Action Octagon Rifle and all of the other great American made rifles on Henry Arms website.