Importance of gun fit/handling/balance to you?

[Sir Henry]

I like the way my rimfire Henrys shoulder. Well most of them anyway. The Golden Boy just doesn't like me. On the other hand the Small Game Carbine just seems to know where to go. I like closing my eyes and shouldering the rifle. I might not be on target when I open my eyes but the sights are aligned. I have a youth stock on a lot of my Henrys because I don't need to lock it into my shoulder because of recoil. It is just enough to stabilize the rifle.

[North Country Gal]

Ditto on the Golden Boy for me. Oh, I could probably adapt, but have other lever guns that do fit me, so no need to do so.

Yeah, the old close your eyes and throw the gun to your shoulder trick is a tried and true method to check for fit, no just for shotguns, but also rifles. Funny, too, how you can't tell by just looking at a rifle. Gotta pick it up and shoulder it to know for sure.

[Squatch]

I like my Golden Boy. But it's sure not the best fit for me. Not sure why they put so much drop on just that one model.

[North Country Gal]

I think it's a style and historic thing on the GB. There was a time when shooting without using the stock to get a cheek rest was the way rifles were shot. I think Henry would sell more GBs, though, if they updated the design. Most modern shooters have learned to shoot using a cheek rest and find that much drop to be awkward.

[Sir Henry]

Henry does make a brass-lite receiver cover and you can make any H001 a GB look similar.