Cowgirl Corner: Winchester 9422
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2017 6:08 pm
I know this is the Henry forum, but there is something magic about the name Winchester when it comes to lever guns. Here's a Winchester we could not pass up. It's an early Winchester 9422 in 22 LR, made in 1975. (First year for the 9422 was 1972). Got it for a great price, well under the going price for 9422s. No way could we pass it up. This one's been carried and used, for sure, but it still shoots like a dream.
These early guns are very desirable. When Winchester introduced the 9422, they offered a 22 LR version with its own 22 LR sized receiver and a 22 mag version with a slightly longer magnum receiver. In the 90s, though, to save money and cut costs, Winchester made both the 22 LR and 22 mag on the same 22 mag sized receiver. As a result, these later 22 LR 9422s could not reliably feed 22 Shorts. The barrel of these guns will sometimes have the 22 S stamped out or will simply say 22 L -LR. This 1975 can handle 22 Shorts, though. Shot some the other day without a hitch.
Been having loads of fun with this 9422, the last couple of weeks, rigging it up with various sights. Action is butter, butter smooth in a way that no Marlin 39 can match. Might even give some of those Henry 22s a run for the money in that regard.
Didn't have a receiver peep for the 9422 in the parts drawer, but did just happen to have a Skinner barrel mount for it. Because I do prefer a blade sight, I also changed out the bead sight to a Skinner brass front blade.
Rather have a receiver peep on this, however. That barrel mounted peep on this short rifle makes for a very short sight radius. Then, too, that peep is just too far from the eye for any sharpening effect. Okay, that my excuse for missing one at 25 yards from my usual standing position.
Next I tried a red dot with the Ultradot 25. Definitely a much faster and easier sight to use than a barrel peep and not enough weight to change the balance of the 9422, either. Okay, not traditional, but for plinking and fun shooting, a red dot on this gun is terrific.
Keeping them all in the black at 25 from the same standing position was a breeze with the red dot. Honestly, folks, given the way your Henrys are also so smooth and easy to operate, a red dot makes a terrific sight for plinking and recreational shooting.
To give the Winchester a bit more of a traditional sight, though, I also tried a low power scope. This one was a fixed power 2.5x Leupold Ultralight. It's a scope I usually reserve for use on centerfire lever guns, but it proved to be a great choice on the 9422.
May surprise some, but just that little 2.5x magnification really helps with shooting, but is still very easy to handle from a standing position.
50 yards, too. Some serious lever gun fun with the Winchester 9422.
These early guns are very desirable. When Winchester introduced the 9422, they offered a 22 LR version with its own 22 LR sized receiver and a 22 mag version with a slightly longer magnum receiver. In the 90s, though, to save money and cut costs, Winchester made both the 22 LR and 22 mag on the same 22 mag sized receiver. As a result, these later 22 LR 9422s could not reliably feed 22 Shorts. The barrel of these guns will sometimes have the 22 S stamped out or will simply say 22 L -LR. This 1975 can handle 22 Shorts, though. Shot some the other day without a hitch.
Been having loads of fun with this 9422, the last couple of weeks, rigging it up with various sights. Action is butter, butter smooth in a way that no Marlin 39 can match. Might even give some of those Henry 22s a run for the money in that regard.
Didn't have a receiver peep for the 9422 in the parts drawer, but did just happen to have a Skinner barrel mount for it. Because I do prefer a blade sight, I also changed out the bead sight to a Skinner brass front blade. Rather have a receiver peep on this, however. That barrel mounted peep on this short rifle makes for a very short sight radius. Then, too, that peep is just too far from the eye for any sharpening effect. Okay, that my excuse for missing one at 25 yards from my usual standing position.
Next I tried a red dot with the Ultradot 25. Definitely a much faster and easier sight to use than a barrel peep and not enough weight to change the balance of the 9422, either. Okay, not traditional, but for plinking and fun shooting, a red dot on this gun is terrific.
Keeping them all in the black at 25 from the same standing position was a breeze with the red dot. Honestly, folks, given the way your Henrys are also so smooth and easy to operate, a red dot makes a terrific sight for plinking and recreational shooting.
To give the Winchester a bit more of a traditional sight, though, I also tried a low power scope. This one was a fixed power 2.5x Leupold Ultralight. It's a scope I usually reserve for use on centerfire lever guns, but it proved to be a great choice on the 9422.
May surprise some, but just that little 2.5x magnification really helps with shooting, but is still very easy to handle from a standing position.
50 yards, too. Some serious lever gun fun with the Winchester 9422.