Lever-action rimfires can be a lot of fun for kids or adults, whether it’s popping a can along the ground (with a safe backstop), punching holes in paper, or knocking a rabbit down at 100 yards. We recently tested a trio of entertaining lever-action rimfires to find out which one shot the best, operated most smoothly, and was easiest to carry. Our products were: Chiappa LA322 Standard Carbine 920.383 22 LR, $290; Henry Golden Boy Model H004 22 S/L/LR, $500; and a Rossi Rio Bravo RL22181WD 22 LR, $300.

Besides the straight-grip wood stock and exposed hammer, these rifles had other similarities, such as a 15+ round-capacity tubular magazine, adjustable open sights made of steel or plastic, and they came optics ready. Overall, our test guns delivered good accuracy at short ranges, and they delivered better firepower than bolt guns. Moreover, because they are manually operated, they can feed and eject more reliably than many semi-autos. Even so, one of the guns had some function problems, as we relate below.

The Henry gun will fire 22 Short, Long, and Long Rifle ammo. However, the shooter should use discretion when firing 22 Shorts in it. A continuous diet of this ammunition will cause carbon build-up at the end of the Short case, and in worse-case situations, they will cause a ring to form in the chamber. This ring will cause extraction problems when Long Rifle is later fired.

Accuracy testing was conducted using our range bag as a rest. We fired at black and red 3-inch bullseye Splatter Targets (10/$11; SplatterBurstTargets.com) placed at 15 yards. The black open sights on the rifles were fairly easy to see on these targets, and the range data attests to our ability to see the target and aim consistently. Ammo used included Remington Thunderbolts with 40-grain lead round-nose bullets, CCI Blazer 38-grain LRNs, and CCI “Stangers” with 32-grain copper-plated hollow-point bullets. The Stangers are a hot round, with a factory muzzle velocity of 1640 fps. In real life, it is a lot less. CCI doesn’t list the length of the test barrel in its data, but our data shows muzzle velocity in the range of 1435 to 1498 fps — less than factory data, but still cooking along. We also fact-checked the CCI Blazer’s factory muzzle velocity factory data, which states 1235 fps. Our data ranged from 1155 to 1229. Remington Thunderbolt factory data states 1255 fps, and we recorded 1111 fps to 1165 fps. Our test barrel lengths were 20 inches with the Henry, 18.5 inches with the Chiappa, and 18 inches with the Rossi. The Rossi, with the shortest barrel length, produced the most velocity with all the ammo. Accuracy was very good with these rifles, with 15-yard groups forming one ragged hole, in most cases. With an optic mounted, we know groups would be even smaller.

We also used our range bag as a rest to slice playing cards. We cut a vertical slit in the cardboard and inserted a card in the slit. Initially, it took a few shots to get our dope. The diameter of the 22 LR bullet is small, so if you are a bit off, you just nick the card. With all three rifles, we were able to hit the cards on their edges. Some cards we hit multiple times before a shot flicked the pieces onto the ground.

For our speed shooting test, we placed an 8-inch paper plate at 15 yards and ripped through a magazine as fast as we could manipulate the lever. We found some of the rifles were faster to operate than others, and with all three rifles, we found it easy to keep hits on the plate.

Tubular magazines offer extra rounds compared to a box magazine, but tube magazines take more time to load. We loaded these rifles by pulling out the inner brass magazine tubes just enough to open the loading port. All the loading ports are cut out in the shape of a cartridge, so loading should be idiot proof. We also mixed up ammo in the magazines to try and trip up these lever actions. All fared well except for the Chiappa LA322, which choked on ammo a few times and had a few soft primer hits.

We like this Italian version of the Marlin Model 39A, but we can’t say we have total confidence in this rifle. The Henry Golden Boy is good, but it is heavy and the pitch in the stock did not allow shooters to get a good cheek weld. We like the looks of the Henry, and you’ll pay for them. The Rossi Rio Bravo was a pleasant surprise, and it gets our nod as a Best Buy, even with some cheap-looking plastic parts. Here’s what we thought about this trio in more detail.

Gun Tests Grade: A (BEST BUY)

$300

The Rossi Rio Bravo is a newer lever action introduced in 2020. Our sample is the model with a German beechwood stock, though there is also a model with a black polymer stock. The wood Rio Bravo has classic lever-action 22 looks, like a miniaturized Winchester Model 1892. It features a straight pistol-grip stock, smooth satin wood finish, brass bead post steel front sight, and adjustable rear steel sight with a stepladder setup to adjust elevation. You need a punch and hammer to adjust windage. The top of the receiver is grooved for a scope mounts.

The barrel band and forearm cover on the Rossi Rio Bravo are black polymer and slightly cheapened the look of this otherwise fine little rifle. The serrated polymer buttplate was nicely fitted to the stock, and the wood-to-metal fit was nice. The receiver has a matte-black finish, and the barrel is blued. The four Phillips screws attaching the receiver to the carrier were a slightly different finish and made the rifle look a bit cheap. Sling swivels were installed on the stock toe and the barrel band. We appreciated the sling-swivel studs.

Out of the box, the Rossi felt lively and allowed us to get a nice, firm cheek weld on the comb. The lever was smooth to operate, but not nearly as silky as the Henry. The loop and trigger guard were large, so the Rio Bravo could be operated with gloved hands.

The Rossi loads the same way as the other rifles tested, through a loading port in the magazine tube. To access the port, you need to rotate the knurled knob of the inner brass magazine tube and withdraw it. When you see the tip of a cartridge in the magazine tube, it is fully loaded. Then push the inner magazine tube back into the outer steel magazine tube and twist and lock it into place. A rubber O-ring ensures a tight fit. Loading was an easy process. The hammer had plenty of medium serrations, allowing us to cock and uncock with confidence using our thumb.

The Rossi had no half-cock safety, but it did incorporate a button safety above the trigger. Put the safety on Safe, and the hammer and lever are locked. A right-handed shooter can easily manipulate the button with the trigger finger.

The two-stage trigger pull broke at 5.5 pounds. The trigger pull was a bit much, and the initial stage-one take-up was about a half inch. Not the best trigger, but again the queen of clubs was sliced, and the Rossi came in a very close second to the Henry in terms of accuracy.

Going hot with the Rio Bravo, we found yet another sweet-shooting rifle. Our best five-shot group was with CCI Stangers that measured 0.33 inch. The Remington rounds gave us a best group that measured 0.55 inch. The CCI Blazers were no slouch either. Best group with them measured 0.78 inch. The paper plate didn’t stand a chance. It was easy to cycle the lever fast and stay on target. We slowly operated the lever to incite a jam, but could not. It cycled a mixture of 22 LR ammo with no issues.

Our Team Said: If you are looking for a great-shooting, slick-operating lever-action rimfire with the traditional blued metal and wood, consider the Rossi. Some of the screws and plastic parts look cheap, but the rifle performs and comes at a reasonable price. It is a Best Buy.

22 LR Range Data

Value Guide 22 Rifle Rankings