Henry Golden Boy Silver Father’s Day .22 LR 20 in Octagon

About this product

What is the Henry Golden Boy Silver Father’s Day .22 LR? It's a full-size, lever-action .22 LR rifle with a 20-inch octagonal barrel, nickel-plated receiver, and American walnut stock, designed for ceremonial gifting, casual target shooting, and collection. This commemorative edition from Henry Repeating Arms emphasizes traditional aesthetics and smooth mechanical operation over tactical modularity. Its specific design choices, from the 1:16 twist rate to the 6.75 lb unloaded weight, prioritize a particular shooting experience rooted in historical rifle platforms.

What is the Henry Golden Boy Silver used for?

This rifle is built for low-volume recreational shooting, light small-game hunting within 75 yards, and as a display-worthy collector's item. The 20-inch octagonal barrel provides excellent sight radius for the semi-buckhorn and brass bead iron sights, making it ideal for informal target work. Its 16-round tubular magazine capacity supports a full session without constant reloading, but its 6.75 lb weight and 38.5-inch overall length prioritize deliberate, stable shooting over fast handling.

How does the Henry Golden Boy Silver compare to the Stevens 334 Rifle?

The Henry Golden Boy is a better choice for historical appreciation and ceremonial gifting, while the modern bolt-action Stevens 334 Rifle in .308 Win excels at serious hunting and precision. The Stevens 334 features a detachable box magazine and a receiver drilled and tapped for optics, offering superior practical accuracy and caliber versatility for medium game. For pure .22 LR plinking and collection appeal, the Henry's lever action and nickel finish win; for a utilitarian hunting tool, the Stevens platform is objectively more capable, as detailed in our review of the Stevens 334 in .308 Win.

What does it weigh and what are the dimensions?

The rifle weighs 6.75 lbs unloaded and measures 38.5 inches in overall length with a 20-inch octagonal barrel. The 1:16 twist rate barrel is optimized for standard and high-velocity .22 LR rounds, not hyper-velocity or proprietary match loads some modern rifles favor. The lever throw requires a 4.5-inch arc to fully cycle the action, contributing to its traditional feel and slower practical rate of fire compared to semi-automatics.

Who is this NOT for?

This rifle is not for shooters seeking a modern, optics-ready .22 for competitive rimfire matches or high-volume training. The lack of a Picatinny rail or drilled-and-tapped receiver severely limits optic mounting solutions without gunsmithing. It's also a poor choice for backpacking or survival kits due to its weight—nearly a full pound heavier than synthetic-stocked .22 bolt actions like some CZ models—and the tubular magazine's slower reload process compared to box magazines.

What's in the box?

You receive the rifle, a basic owner's manual, and a trigger lock for transport compliance. Unlike some modern sporting rifles, it does not include a hard case, cleaning kit, or any spare magazine—because it uses a fixed tubular magazine. Expect to spend an additional $45-$75 on a quality soft case appropriate for its 38.5-inch length and to protect the nickel finish and walnut.

Is the Henry Golden Boy Silver worth it at $694.99?

Yes, if your primary goal is acquiring a heirloom-quality, mechanically smooth .22 lever gun for gifting or display, not if you need the most accurate or practical .22 for the money. The premium pays for the hand-fitted walnut-to-metal fit, the dedicated Father's Day engraving, and the polished nickel finish—details absent from utilitarian models like the standard Henry H001. For a similarly priced but more versatile modern rimfire, consider a Bergara BXR or a dedicated .22 upper for an AR-15 platform.