Henry Golden Boy .22 LR vs .22 WMR: Which Chambering?

The two Golden Boys look almost identical on the rack. The decision is really about what you will feed them and what you want them to do.

Same rifle, different job

Henry's Golden Boy is a lever-action rimfire with a tube magazine, a brass receiver and a traditional look. It is offered in more than one chambering, and the two most common are .22 LR and .22 WMR. The rifle you see in the store looks nearly identical in both. The difference is the cartridge it was built to digest.

The two listings are the Golden Boy in .22 LR, with a 20-inch barrel, and the Golden Boy in .22 WMR, with a 20.5-inch barrel. Both are walnut-and-brass lever guns. Everything below is about choosing the chambering, not the cosmetics.

The numbers that are on the listing

The LR rifle's ability to feed Short, Long and Long Rifle is a real feature if you like quiet loads; see our quiet rimfire guide. The WMR rifle feeds only magnum rimfire.

Ammunition: the practical difference

This is where the decision gets made. It is less about ballistics than about what you will actually buy and shoot.

.22 LR is the most common and widely stocked rimfire cartridge. It comes in an enormous range of loads, from quiet to high-velocity to match, and is generally inexpensive per round. If you want to put several hundred rounds through a rifle in an afternoon, this is the one that makes that reasonable.

.22 WMR is a more powerful cartridge in a longer case. It generally costs more per round and is stocked in smaller variety. You can still shoot it plenty, but it makes sense to plan your sessions around fewer rounds.

For general ammunition shopping, browse the retailer's .22 LR category and read our guide to bulk .22 LR. For the WMR side, our .22 WMR vs .22 LR article explains the power, cost and safety differences in depth.

What each is good at

Choose .22 LR when

• You want to plink, to shoot a lot, and to keep the cost per session reasonable.
• You like the idea of Short and Long ammunition for quiet shooting.
• Your hunting is squirrels and rabbits at modest ranges. Our small-game hunting guide covers loads and ethical limits.
• You are introducing someone to shooting. Low noise and low recoil help.

Choose .22 WMR when

• You want a flatter trajectory and more energy for small game or varmints at longer range.
• You hunt in places where a bit more authority at distance is useful and legal.
• You will not be shooting hundreds of rounds at a time.
• You already own a .22 LR rifle and want a second tool that does something different.

Note that more power also means more noise, and a bit more consideration of what lies behind the target. The backstop and safety rules do not relax at rimfire distances.

The lever-gun experience

Both rifles share the traits that make a Golden Boy a pleasure: a smooth lever, a loading port and tube that reward a gentle hand, and a handling character that suits informal shooting. LeverGuns covers the full family in its Golden Boy lineup article and compares options in the budget .22 lever guns piece. On this site, Best .22 lever and pump rifles puts the Golden Boy beside its rivals.

One practical caution for tube-fed rifles: load only the cartridge types the manual allows, and follow its loading and unloading procedures. A tube-fed rifle is a different handling experience from a box-magazine one, and the manual's steps are the authority.

Loading and unloading a tube magazine

A tube magazine under the barrel holds cartridges nose to tail and feeds them one at a time. It is a different routine from a box magazine, and it rewards doing the same steps the same way every time.

• Keep the muzzle safe while loading. Point the rifle in a safe direction, finger off the trigger, as you feed rounds through the loading port.
• Know how to unload completely. Follow the manual's procedure for emptying the tube and the chamber, and look into the chamber to confirm it is clear before you put the rifle away.
• Count your rounds. The listings show 16 for the .22 LR rifle and 12+1 for the .22 WMR rifle, but the figure depends on cartridge length. Shorter cartridges fit more; confirm in the manual.
• Keep the tube clean. Rimfire residue builds up, and a dirty tube can slow feeding.

Rimfire ammunition is rimfire ammunition, so the tube-magazine ammunition concerns that apply to pointed centerfire bullets do not apply in the same way. The manual still decides which cartridges are approved.

If you could only pick one

Ask three questions:

1. How many rounds will you shoot in a typical session? Hundreds: LR. A few dozen: either.
2. What will you hunt, if anything? Squirrels and rabbits: LR is entirely adequate. Larger small game or varmints at distance, where legal: WMR is the case for the magnum.
3. Do you want quiet options? Only the LR lets you shoot Short and Long.

If two of three point to LR, buy LR. It is the more versatile rifle for most owners.

One more option

Henry also offers a Golden Boy configured for .22 Short, in a military-style edition. It is a niche rifle for people who specifically want the Short cartridge, and not one to buy by accident. If the quiet side appeals to you, the LR rifle's ability to feed Short ammunition covers most of that need.

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications and publicly available information. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and legality for your own situation.

Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links to Ammunition Depot. We may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial choices are not influenced by commissions. Check current price, stock and specifications directly with the retailer.