HISTORY
The Golden Boy is named after and patterned on the famous 1866 Winchester “Yellowboy” rifle chambered in .44 Rimfire. Named Yellowboy for its bright polished brass frame, this rifle refined the design of the difficult-to-load 1860 Henry rifle.
Now with a loading gate on the right side of the receiver, the 1866 Winchester lever-action rifle became a hit worldwide and paved the way for other famous rifles like the 1873 and 1892 Winchesters that followed. Now comes the modern Henry version chambered in ever-popular .22 Magnum, ready to take on the world in competition and fun.
Related: 25 Years Later – How Henry Brought New Life to an 1860s Brand
WINCHESTER MODEL 94 .22 WMR COMPARISON
My personal silhouette competition rifle is the hard-to-find Winchester Model 94 chambered in .22 Magnum. I have added a Marbles tang peep sight and Lyman 17A front sight to help me define its accuracy. Note that the barrel is the same 20-inch length as the Henry gun.
Unlike the brand-new Golden Boy, it is an old gun with many worn spots and scratches on its stocks. Winchester ceased production of this model in 2005 – and just try to find one today! That is why Henry is having success with its Golden Boy line.
MY IMPRESSIONS
When I opened the Henry box, I realized that I should have worn my sunglasses – what a gorgeous shiny gold receiver! It is purposely elongated to resemble the earlier Winchester design. The satin-smooth walnut stocks are nicely grained and beg to be touched. Other golden furniture includes the forend barrel band and butt plate. Note the 20-inch full-octagon barrel. Rear sight is semi-buckhorn, and the front sight is a brass bead.
Picking up the rifle, I noticed its hefty weight of nearly 7 pounds. This is a good feature and will allow a steady aim. The gun feels solid with “just right” dimensions. Its 14-inch length of pull is just right for me, as is the sight picture as I gaze down the barrel.
Working the action reveals a sweet smoothness derived from closely fitting internal parts. Closing the lever results in a reassuring “clunk” that rams home a cartridge. Balance is well-centered, as it should be on a classic lever gun. It points more like a lightweight shotgun, allowing me to follow a moving target if needed while hunting or shooting rolling pop cans. This rifle should be fun to shoot!
Henry lever guns are simple and easy to operate. The Golden Boy is ambidextrous. Once loaded through the under-barrel magazine tube, simply move the lever out and back to load a fresh round. I like the hammer half-cock safety. This prevents accidental discharge even if dropped yet allows the firearm to be ready simply by pulling back the hammer. Unlike other guns, no cross-bolt safety is installed. Henry has kept the design true to the original and trusts its inherent safety.
The trigger breaks cleanly at 3.5 pounds – amazingly light for a production gun. I cannot wait to test this beauty at the Area 51 range!
SPECIFICATIONS
- Overall Length: 38.5 inches
- Barrel Length: 20 inches, full octagonal/scope capable
- Length of Pull: 14 inches
- Weight: 6.75 pounds
- Stocks: American walnut
- Receiver: Brasslite gold finish
- Sights: Rear semi-buckhorn, front brass bead
- Magazine Capacity: 16 .22 LR or 21 shorts
- Trigger: 3.5 pounds, single stage
- Calibers: .22 WMR (as tested), 22 LR, .17 HMR
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MSRP: $708
POWER OF .22 WMR
This rifle holds 12 rounds of .22 WMR – plenty considering the cartridge’s power. I load rounds through the slot in the magazine tube while the rifle is vertical with buttstock resting on my foot. Closing the action and running the lever once loads the chamber. It is a smooth action!
Although it is similar to the .22 Long Rifle cartridge, the .22 WMR is much more powerful and visibly longer with a jacketed bullet. Today I am shooting CCI hollow points to demonstrate the hitting power of its bullets moving at 1,875 feet per second (fps). This round would certainly be an excellent choice for hunting small to medium game and even home defense.
This rifle competes in Silhouette Lever gun matches against centerfire rifles like .45 Colt, .44 Magnum, and .357 Magnum. At distances up to 100 yards, it is quite accurate and will knock down the steel targets with authority.
Related: Own a .22 Magnum? This Is the WMR Ammo You Need
SHOOTING TIME
Area 51 in Arizona is primed and ready for action today to test the Golden Boy. Starting with the steel silhouette at 15 yards, the rifle shows good accuracy. Hits are well centered. Once I find my zero, the flapper is hit regularly, as is a center head shot. That 3.5-pound factory single-stage trigger is amazing and makes my job a lot easier.
Shooting root beer 2-liter jugs is my favorite test! Shooting from right to left, four jugs explode with unexpected force. The high-velocity 1,875 fps hollow points are much more dramatic than the slower velocity .22 LR cartridges. The empty bottles are thrown in every direction.
Notice how smooth and reliable the action is while I move from each target. Reloaded, now I move to the 60-yard steel target. Balance and the nice trigger make hitting the steel easy. Even with the semi-buckhorn barrel sights, my old eyes can find center. With peep sights installed, I could wring every bit of accuracy out of this carbine.
Some shots are made at much smaller pop cans. This is a good show of accuracy and explosive power of the .22 WMR. Every pop can hit explodes with force that splits the can into shreds. Final shots on the long and short steel targets show good hits. No jams, malfunctions, nor failures to eject were encountered in tests today.
Pros & Cons
