I've had a Little Badger for a few years now and I love it. Small, light, accurate, simple, rugged, and reliable. It's everything I care to have in a ruck/survival rifle.
The Henry is NOT waterproof. Water enters through the receiver bolt. It does float but not for very long. I have a Marlin Papoose and it's a neat little survival rifle too, it disassembles and stores in a floating case, and it will float indefinitely.
@@phantasmorama8997 I noticed with the chintzy cap on the butt it’s not meant to be 100% waterproof- it’s actually made to float with the barrel and receiver on it- because the stock is mostly hollow, the buoyancy of the air in the stock makes it float. I had to find really old ads to figure that out.
@@crankygunreviews Your reply is accurate but I made the comment because at 2:45 in the video you said it should be watertight when it's all closed up. I wish you'd have mentioned that it is in fact not watertight. Also you said nothing about the butt cap being "chintzy" in the video. These are things you obviously know but don't share. I enjoyed the video, just didn't want anyone to think the Henry is something that it is not. There is a video on YT showing just how fast these things sink. The guy demonstrates this in calm pond water. I'd imagine in rough water that might cause a kayak or canoe to overturn it would sink even faster. The floating for a few seconds is a great idea as long as the owner knows he must not hesitate in retrieving the rifle from the water. Happy 2025, keep the videos coming. You earned yourself a new subscriber.
@ this wasn’t meant to be a full review of just that rifle, it’s an overview- and I said it should be watertight. I’ve never tried submerging mine. I will do a more in depth on just the Henry, and my try floating it in my tub, maybe put some electrical tape on the butt cap area to see how it goes. Most of the early info I found on these was to keep it afloat for a little while after assembled. With the barrel and receiver on, the stock being full of air Will keep it afloat For a little while, not indefinitely
They do those Little Badger 's in .17 HMR too and I am guessing the barrel can be switched with the .22 LR one.I think also shotgun versions as well in 9 mm Flobert although the ammunition is hard to get hold of and pretty weak.
@@buffalosoutdoors thanks Buffalo! I’m with you, they fill a niche market and I like them despite maybe not being the easiest to shoot. I had people suggest like a Marlin 60 or a Cricket for this category too, but to me those are not minimalistic guns.
I have the Little Badger and the 10/22 takedown. I opted for the .22 Mag in the Chiappa, not an option on the other two. If I used the rifle as a survival rifle to fill my pot with small game in the wilderness, the Chiappa wins hands down. It's so small and light, and takes up such a small area in a pack, it's a no-brainer, especially with the significant power increase in the Magnum cartridge. For a true grid-down SHITF situation, I'd opt for the 10/22 with a couple of 25 round Ruger mags. .22 lr is a marginal self defense cartridge, but in an urban riot type situation, the ability to send dozens of rounds downrange in a few seconds makes for a much more capable package.
check out the Savage 42 takedown. it comes in 22mag over 410g. you want a survival rifle for various game hunting and survival it is another good option.
@@ajfriedman4495The Savage model 24 came with a lot of different combinations of calibers and shotgun gauges. The .22 Long Rifle over a 20 Gauge is popular. It also goes used for $1,000.00. .22 Magnum over a 20 Gauge. 30-30 over a 12 Gauge.
@@americanharleyrider8 , the price depends on the model. 22lr 410g are available for sub $500, 22mag 410g are at base pro for below $540.00. I haven't seen to many of the larger caliber model around. however given the options of the savage I'd take it over two of the models mentioned. 10/22 is my absolute choice however this would be the number two choice.
@ I have worked at 3 gunshops. We have never had a Savage model 24 come in. I am in Ohio. Gunbroker would be my best choice. I hit the gunshows hard. I haven’t seen one in 10 years.
I have a Henry Survival rifle, a Marlin Papoose and a 10-22 takedown. The Papoose is a great choice because it is inherently accurate, more so for me because I put XS sights on it.. one hole at 30 yards. It has a last round hold open and it has a carry bag that makes it float and I have 25 round magazines for it. My 10-22 takedown as stock wasn't a good survival gun because of the weight and it wasn't as accurate as my Papoose. I put a BX trigger into it, A Volquartsen carbon fiber barrel on it and a Backpacker stock. Because there are no iron sights with the Volquartsen barrel, I put a red dot on it. So now I have a 900 dollar survival .22 that I am afraid to damage or lose. It's about as accurate as my Papoose and only slightly heavier. The Henry is a distant 3rd place. The Little Badger is intriguing, if it were made in .22 magnum it would be even more interesting. The absolute reliability of a break open single shot is a huge plus.
@@stevenmiller184 great insights, and I agree with you on the 10/22 takedown- mine would cost almost $900 to rebuild if I did it now, but I’m not afraid to shoot mine
@@crankygunreviews I take my 1022 to the range and would certainly find it useful in the woods, but I'd hate to have it damaged.... the Henry and Papoose are almost throw away guns.. More dings = Patina.
The papoose is not inherently accurate. Infact without a great deal of torque on the nut, it isn't very accurate at all. Both of mine were terrible and required a cheater bar to get enough torque. And the return to zero on an optic was terrible. My 10/22 TD is very good but suffers on return to zero as well without barrel mounted optics.
The Henry seems the most interesting to me. I have a 10/22, and its great, but i dont want to buy another just for the takedown version. The thing I like about the henry is that it has no exposed barrel to get snagged on clothing, straps, or string/cords. The Henry would float long enough for you to pick it up if you were lucky enough to see it fall into the water. I would have liked to have seen you shoot them though. With any of those guns I would probably not have any optics on them because it would just make them more awkward to pack away. I guess my takeaway is; I forgot I wanted the Henry Survival, and now I gotta find one for $300.
I have wanted, and still want the 10/22 in a similar configuration. Very nice. Regarding the ranking you concluded with. I'd sum it up as: The Little Badger is what what you'd want to carry; The 10/22 is what you'd want to shoot when you get to your destination; and the Henry is what you'd want if you fell in the river.
I think that's one of the best summarizations I'd throw a whistle at. I can't help but think however, if falling into a river, I wouldn't have just the gun slung around. It would be a in a pack, making any floating ability completely useless. It's nice to have if you're only carrying the weapon, but I have never seen anyone do that. I have yet to purchase my own, but I feel like I will make a video eventually once I have tried it and compared it in various situations with other rifles. This does help inform my choice though, so it's good to hear these perspectives!
Absolutely love my 10/22 takedown with the magpul barrel mounted red dot. Holds zero wonderfully since the red dot lives on the barrel itself. I highly recommend it over the pic rail you currently have.
Great informative video! Thanks! I can add a few points that may be important in a bug out situation that ends up in being in the woods for longer that you have hoped for: - spare parts availability. With millions of 10/22 produced, parts are everywhere - learning curve. 10/22 fan base is enormous, lot more people can use it quickly, without introduction, because they have it, too - single-shot vs semi-auto. Being able to correct a miss and send a follow up is a big advantage of semi-autos - long term ruggedness and resilience to lack of maintenance. 10/22 can have a stainless steel barrel, so very little in it if anything at all can rust. Bagger may be even better, because of its simplicity - ability to add a suppressor. Big thing if you don't want to let everyone know you are here in the woods. 10/22 can have a suppressor or even a shrouded barrel. Yeah, I know, there's a subsonic .22LR ammo, but you don't always choose the ammo Also I can fit more than 100 rounds into my 10/22 + Magpul stock AND minimalist cleaning kit that still gets the job done. Everything gun-related is contained to gun itself, very nice.
When I was growing up , a friend of mines father was a major in the Air Force, he gave my friend one of there survival rifles, the Henry is a copy of that rifle. We took that rifle camping and canoeing many times , it does float, and we submerged it many times when everything was stored in the stock , and it never leaked.
@@williampalmer6290 I think the older ones had one piece stocks and better butt caps, this one has a stock that is not water tight, and the butt cap is really cheesy- with a little tape it could be water tight, and in a survival situation, having some electrical tape or duct tape handy is always a benefit as well
I have a henry. I also have a savage 24 take down. It's an O/U in 22lr/20ga. I then bought a set of short lane shotgun adapters for it. Little 3" sleeve inserts that allow you to shoot MANY pistol calibers from the 20ga barrel. I can shoot 9 calibers with 1 rifle. That is a true survival rifle!
Off on a bit of a tangent, I almost skipped this video thinking it was AI generated. Thank you for being a person, doing a review on guns that are actually in front of you and not pirating clips from other guntubers. Humanity first! But anyway, the Chiappa is certainly a capable gun, though if you need to use your survival gun as a self defense tool, semi-auto would definitely be the way to go. While with a bit of tape you can make the Henry REALLY water-proof, that advantage becomes negated if you store any of the other rifles in a water-proof gun bag that you can easily get off of Amazon. While I am leaning towards the Ruger, I have to say that whatever weight you can cut is always going to be a good thing. I'd have to go with the Henry for all-around performance. However they're all good rifles, but like with all guns in general it boils down to what compromises you're willing to live with.
Thanks for not clicking away/ I never use AI content, and I try to hold my borrowing of TH-camrs content to short clips now and then. The Henry definitely would be more waterproof with tape, I know that. And in all honesty the 10/22 is the best of these three rifles for sure, and weight aside, that is what I would pick. For ultimate minimalism though, if you needed to conceal it, and weren’t worried about self defense, the Little Badger is the best. I think the Henry is a good compromise if mine is reliable
I think this is a pretty fair comparison. I've not had the Little Badger, although I've shot one several times. I did have a Henry Survival rifle, but after the Ruger 10/22 Takedown came out, I sold it and now my primary go-to gun for portability and capacity is the 10/22. It packs more than small enough, assembles and disassembles very very quickly, and the storage capacity was the winning ticket for me. You neglected to also note that the 10/22 has yet another decently-sized waterproof storage compartment at the foot of the grip. I keep a little survival pocketknife in there, but it would easily hold probably 20-ish more loose rounds. I carry one extra mag in the butt-stock, a box of 50 rounds as well there, and probably an addition 10 loose rounds. So you're actually able to easily carry in excess of 100 rounds, all within the rifle. To me, that's golden for a grab-n-go survival gun.
@@5thGenNativeTexan thanks for your feedback, I’m going to do another update on this soon, have a 10/22 butler creek folding stick coming in which may be a better comparison. My grip storage has a bore snake in I covered it in a separate video, but yeah you could put a small knife, or fishing gear, or more ammo in there for sure
I’ve got a Henry and well pleased with it . Had issues after several years and I sent it back . They replaced everything in but stock and receiver . Basically a new gun .
I owned the Henry takedown rifle. It was accurate. My problem with it was the front sight. It was slightly undersized so if it bumped against something, the windage would be off. The other issue is that it is picky about ammo. The company advises using high velocity ammo. Standard ammo and target ammo will sometimes the ammo to fail to eject. That is not good for a survival rifle. I have owned the double badger which is a .22 over .410 gauge. It had nice sights. It shot well. It also had two triggers. I did not like the way it breaks open. It also does not eject the shells. I have the standard 10/22 takedown. I only added two things to it. I put in a better bolt hold open switch. I changed the iron sights for Williams Fire Sights which makes a huge difference. I know it comes with a scope mount base but that would defeat the purpose of an survival firearm.
I missed picking up a marlin papoose a few years ago. Later I picked up a savage 64 takedown , it came with a bag and a extra magazine, It's a nice rifle. Saw a Henry surival at the flea market, but guy wanted what it cost new for it , and it had been used and needed cleaning . The badger is a neat little 22 , my buddy has one . Have shot it a few times , but is a little short for me. I remember when I was a kid , my best friends dad had a charter arms surival one and had jamming problems
@@JG-xt9io yeah I heard the charter arms and AR7 rifles had issues- I almost bought a charter arms one before this one… I think most of the issues are based on the magazines- the Henry mags have a spring loaded weren’t that helps feeding
@crankygunreviews I saw a video of mixup98 , where he was saying the same thing . I remember, my friend's dad couldn't get through a magazine without problems. But it was cool how everything fit in the stock
Boy, you messed up; how often do you run across a Marlin Papoose ? Well, I'm partial to both the 10-22 and Papoose.. You can always have more than one favorite.
Henry AR7 Survival Rifle. Stoner's other AR. The butt cap can over time stretch and loosen but its no big deal to put a strip of duct tape around the butt end edge to snug the cap up again. The mags are the weak point. Don't damage the mags that have the feed ramp on them and it will run reliably. I paid $216 for mine brand new many years ago. I did get the third extra mag. It will take an optic but it won't store with an optic on it. Mine has been reliable and accurate. It has not been ammo picky. More than capable of minute of squirrel or rabbit. Yes your survival rifle battle is very subjective. Happy New Year.
@@rbm6184 I was pretty disappointed in the butt cap to be honest. It’s thin plastic- I always thought it was rubber. These are really meant to float when they’re assembled- the stock is full of air and buoyant- not so much when everything is in the stocks. From what I’ve heard the He rt mags are the best- they have the spring steel wire that aids feeding, but yes I’m sure they’re a bit fragile still. Happy new year!
@@crankygunreviews The floating feature is only meant for retrieval should it fall into the water. It is not meant to float indefinitely. Yes the wire keeper on the Henry mag holds the rounds in place and aids in reliable feeding. Just don't damage the feed ramp or you will need to get a new mag.
I have an original (not Henry) Armalite AR-7 bought in 1982. . .I bought an Armalite extended mag, the AR7 scope and mount, which won't fit into the stock cavity. I also an aftermarket M16 grip with telescoping wire stock like an M2 grease gun. . .So, I'm used to it. . .I loved it since 1964 James Bond "From Russia with Love" when he shoots down a helicopter with an AR-7. It floats, but I don't have a boat.
My guess is that the Badger, because of it's incredibly simple design, would be the easiest to maintain (clean, repair if needed) than the others which would be another thing to consider in an emergency survival situation.
I’ve talked about that in my videos before- I don’t have quiet cans, so if it has threads I just usually buy a brake even though I know it’s not needed
Why no Marlin Papoose? Mine ran just over 300 CDN pre vid 19, the carry bag allows it to float. It's fairly light, and about as quick to assemble as the 10/22. It come with 1 7 round mag but it accepts 22 round marlin mags, when packed up it can fit in a pack. It can accept a red dot, holo type or short scope and still fit in the floating bag. Bonus as it's stainless steel, no rust.
I voted for the Henry in your poll. The videos I’ve seen are less than encouraging, but I like the concept. If you’re Paul Harrell, you use a .25acp Baby Browning to take down deer. What a legend. Happy 2025! 🎉
They skipped one of the most important factors of a survival rifle. How well it can withstand abuse while packed away. Would you feel comfortable tossing it into the trunk, or having things tossed on top of it?
The Little Badger is definitely the most portable and also the cheapest, so a pretty easy expense for someone who might just be interested in shooting cans or wants to introduce their son to the fun of shooting cans (or actual hunting, because all I said until now you could just use a pellet gun for). No magazine means the gun is either safe or not safe, there's less stress involved in handing it to a newbie if you just tell them to break it open whenever they're not pointing down range... I wonder if it can float, if you tape an empty bottle inside of the stock. Being so threadbare just makes you want to put your hands on it. The 10/22 is a 10/22 and the Takedown stock is just a "smarter" more portable version. Personally I would go for something less compact but prettier with a wooden stock at that point, unless you need that small size to store it in your safe or you simply find it cool along with the fact you can stuff a whole range session in that stock. The Henry is the one I find the least use for. It was made for a specific purpose, and said purpose just isn't for the regular person. It's very compact but also round and probably awkward to backpack, and there are better "truck guns". You're probably buying it for the history more than anything else (and there's nothing wrong with that).
Something that I don't think you're accounting for is how you can treat them. What one would you feel comfortable throwing into a trunk, or shoving into a bag with a whole bunch of other items that you then throw into a trunk.
Springfield m6, currently in production by TPS arms. It's a 22 over .410 break action. Though TPS makes it in many configurations. Give it a look . Best minimalist survival gun IMO
I have a couple of these and also a Marlin 70PS or papoose as it was originally called. It came with a nice case also and was touted to float as long as you had the case zipped up for a period of a few minutes. I have the little badger and it's an older model before the threaded barrel was an option. I wrapped it with 100 ft of para cord, made .22 ammo straws which are just heavy walled drinking straws with several rounds in them and melted to seal on both ends. Thus the ammo is pretty impervious except to high temps. I also weaved a nice Buck skeleton knife into the paracord with it's sheath, so I have a nice knife along for doing chores or cleaning game. Mine also has metal sights, so I guess the older ones were better in that aspect. One other firearm that should be included as I think it shines better than most of these is the M6 scout style rifles. TPS arms still makes one and has a variety of calibers. I like the .22 Hornet/.410 and have also some .410 to .22 rifled adapters, so while it weighs a bit, when taken down it has a lot of capability. I even load my own brass .410 shells with .41 magnum bullets backwards as heavy hitting 215 gr. slugs as well as 4 ball buck loads and #6 shot. I can load 2 of each of the .410's into the stock and about 10 .22 hornet as well. They make it in .410 - .22 LR also, but the diminunitive .22 Hornet is a much heavier hitter and works well up through pigs and deer for moderate ranges. Nice review though.
@@MrTacklebury love your ideas for the little badger! I’m gonna use some of those! The straws full of ammo are a great idea. I have had a lot of people mention the M6, they’re not as common, and the video was specifically about 22LR, but I get the point- these three are not the only ones. I haven’t seen a papoose in years
I thought it was a great video. Subscribed. In saying that, I do own all 3 of these guns, but my 10/22 is the Stainless steel breakdown version. My vote for a minimalistic choice is the Little badger, but not all situations warrant going minimalistic on your gun. Really the Little badger only has 1 shot, where as the others have a semi-automatic capacity of 8 or 10 rounds, with quick access to another 16-20 rounds. So, don't bring a Little Badger if you thought you might get into a fire fight. Also, not a big deal, but that Little Badger carry bag is designed to fit like a back pack with the ability to have the gun fall down and out in one quick motion for deployment for if you see a quick meal or whatever. Final thought, 1 pound of weight is equal to 137 rounds of .22 ammo.
@@rwatson2609 I like your insights :) I agree, honestly the 10-22 is the best of the three, but I think the little badger follows the spirit of minimalism the best
I don't own a Chiappa, but I own the other two offerings here. Depending on what you need, the environment, and weight considerations...........most of the time I'll go with the Ruger. The weight is a tradeoff for the magazine/rounds capacity and deployability over the other two, and accuracy as well. the Henry is surprisingly accurate, but so is the Ruger. I bought the Magpul stock for it after buying the 10/22 takedown. No regrets.
I have the Henry and this exact 10/22 with the X22 stock. I did get a lemon 10/22 so I have about $400of extra parts into it. I like the size and small package of the Henry compared to the 1022 and it is my go-to to just throw in a bag and leave. My 1022 is a tack driver now and use it a lot. Its takedown package is alittle larger and not as sleek as the Henry so it doesn’t come with me while out and about. Love them both.
There are different barrels for the 10-22 takedown; Barrels like the TacSol X-Ring Takedown barrels for the 10-22 are both significantly lighter, plus threaded barrel is an option, as well as fiber optic sights. Another great option for this type of rifle is the mount that allows you to mount the sight on the barrel itself rather than the receiver. Yes, it's a few bucks, but it's a great option for any takedown.. By doing so, the accuracy is improved as it's locked to the barrel itself rather than the receiver. Another really good rifle, if you can find one, is the Marlin Papoose takedown. While I would not rate it as being significantly better than the Ruger 10-22 takedown with a TacSol barrel, it's close; The downside is that the mags for it tend to be either 8 round or 10 round mags. Or at least that's all I ever found for it. I would score any semi-automatic significantly higher than a single shot for a survival rifle of any sort. Being able to fire off a fast second shot is important if you happened to miss that first shot, especially if it's dinner that is running away at the moment. Pecking order: I'd take the Ruger 10-22 Takedown first; then the Marlin Papoose, then the Henry Survival rifle and the Little Badger would be my dead last choice. Ergonomics, semi-auto and ability to transition relatively quickly is more important than being the lightest; or being the fastest to deploy. If you have the rifle stowed, in a bag, for any of those rifles, well, by the time you go from fully stored to fully operational is similar, except the "build time" on the Henry is enough to make it a poorer choice. But if you are out and about, survival wise, your rifle will probably already be assembled anyways, so now you have ergonomics and semi-auto to be the deciding factors...
I could not find a papoose- I was trying to find what was readily available for this video- also my 10/22 isn’t a fair comparison with my work done- I should have used a bone stock one or just a stock takedown with the x22 backpacker, but would still weigh more and cost more. In my opinion, the backpacker stock is what makes the takedown viable- the takedown is good but not self contained, and doesn’t have storage for more ammo
Firstly, thank you for this video - you presented the your points well and the comparison of all three of these popular survival .22 options is extremely useful. I particularly look forward to your follow up comparing the accuracy of the these guns, because that's such a fundamental attribute of any firearm, regardless of the scenario. I almost wish you had held off tallying the scores in this video. Because without an accuracy rating, it's difficult to say the Little Badger is/will be rated highest. Having said all that, and in the spirit of helpful criticism/healthy dialog, I do question some of your assumptions/methodology. Particulary your weighting, or lack thereof, between the categories and also within them. For instance, for speed of deployment, you rated the AR7 only two points below the Badger, even though the AR7 took 40 times as long. Similarly, the Badger and the Ruger incurred only a one point penalty relative to the AR7 in terms of floatability when the AR7 was able to while the others couldn't float *at all*. I also wonder if it was fair to weight each category equally, especially for a survival situation. Take time to deploy. With the exception of a self defense situation (where .22LR is far from the best option), it's hard to imagine a survival scenario where you're not going to have the weapon fully deployed long before you actually need to use it. That category seems far less important that, say weight, portabilty or ammo capacity. To say nothing of the still pending accuracy comparison. The value of floatbility also seems less important in all but a few use cases, particularly given that you (correctly) noted that these weapons are likely to be stored in some other survival package. Still, I really appreciate the data points you've provided. You're already steering me away from the option I have been leaning towards - the Henry AR7. So far at least, you're convincing me the Badger or the Ruger takedown are better alternatives.
@@marchills4131 it’s really all relative- and like you, everyone will lean towards the one they like best. When I do the accuracy I will probably use my 10/22 M1 carbine because it’s the only 10/22 I have with a factory barrel and normal sights. It will be a better comparison, and the internals are the same between my takedown and the M1 carbine version. It’s not “scientific” per se, but in a point system, that’s how I ranked it. I don’t think there will be a definitive answer to be honest, everyone needs to decide what’s best for them, their budget, their intended scenarios, and buy what they want. I just wanted to have some fun
I have the 10/22 with the mag pul stock as shown here. I spent less than half what he paid for the same set up. it was about $250 +/- for the takedown and $150 +/- for the stock. Personally I love the thing and only use iron sights but you can add on of course. I almost got the Henry but I found it awkward and I never had a personal experience with the Badger. For me the weight is WELL worth it, even with four full magazines it feels very light to me.
@@KarlRoyale good for you. Prices have gone way up. I also added a heavy barrel, trigger spring upgrades, red dot, and extended mag release that’s part of the reason mine was more money
I own 2 of the 3, the backpacker 10/22 and the lil badger. If I ever come across a good deal on the Henry I'll grab one of those too. I like the lil badger being a single shot and using a suppressor. With the CCi Quiets its ridiculously quiet without the action noise and you don't have to worry about if a weak load will cycle. The 10/22 is my absolute favorite. Just an all around classic 22 plinker and eats/cycles most 22 loads unless they are extremely anemic. It also helps there is a healthy aftermarket for 10/22 stuff compared to the Badger or the Henry.
I would like the 10/22 takedown, I have the target version with the bull barrel, and it's a joy to shoot, but heavy. The great thing about the Henry is that you can shove it down the side of a stuffed backpack and it's smooth and round enough to not snag against something. Ergonomics are a bit weird for sure, but I just hold it by the side rather than try to get my whole hand around the grip. Much more comfortable that way.
True freedom is always the greater good . And for years I loved my Marlin papooses in 22LR/22mag. Portable accurate and that's accurate up to 150 yrds open sights or with a 10x scope, always a fan of the Ruger 10/22 and the 10/22mag. Of coarse then they didn't make a take down back then. Henry's survival rifle was always a viable option for both a survival gun and a pack gun. The chiappa was a fine camp gun as long as you didn't need suppression fire . And timing allowed for the 1 shot one kill.however I was quite fond of my dad's two take downs one a Marlin 30-30 TD / and a marlin38_55 TD both had period correct glass and carry cases. It's a shame they done make many of those any more. Anyhow I enjoyed the video and the chiappa makes for a good trail gun for ease of operation and it makes a good first gun for a young shooter. Myself I believe I'd go for the Ruger in its stock configuration or the configuration you chose if it was a lot cheaper. The Henry strictly for a floating survival gun is still awesome everytime . However what ever happened to the browning semi auto bag rifle they sold tons of at gander mountain? Curious!
I have what was available to me that didn’t bankrupt me- ironically I said I couldn’t find a Papoose, then I walked into a shop yesterday and boom, there was a papoose- more than I wanted to spend though.
For a solid 25 years i loved the 1022 TD and I finally decided to give into the hype and buy one. Much like you, a $499 factory setup quickly turned into a $1000 investment. Its the worst shooting rifle i think i own! It can be out shot all day long by a savage 64 TD that i paid a whopping $169 for. I liken the 10/22 TD to a jeep. Its cool, lots of aftermarket options but theres a lot of hype surrounding an old legend that just doesnt live up to the standard with the product we are recieving today. The little badger is insanely repeateable for accuracy due to the sights. The henry is difficult to see the front sight post, but a yellow paint pen can fix that (even if it is a bit fat). Also, if one were to know the Henry could end up submerged, say on a canoe trip, you could always tape the seam of the butt cap with some type of tape that may buy some time for any water intrusion (in fact, id be very curious to see how this played out with some of todays waterproof tapes). The 10/22 COULD be the most accurate but will cost some dough to get it there. For a trap line gun/minimalist/get the job done gun, itll be the little badger all day long. I love the Henry and the ability to carry a bit more ammo. For me being a lefty, the henry works out well with the offset and is fairly comfortable to shoot. My 10/22 TD has the same stock and is very similar to yours. It wont see much use in its lifetime, ill put it that way. As cool as it is and as neat as the options may be its just not worth anywhere close to what i have put into it.
Was your 10/22 accurate before you put all the stuff on it? Mine has fine accuracy- I make sure my barrel is plenty tight, and I am happy with my KSA barrel. The reliability I attribute to all stick 10/22 bolt and action. The little badger I think will be the most reliable and easy to use, just has the least features
@crankygunreviews im picky when it comes to accuracy. The 10/22 shot inch, maybe inch and a half groups at 50 yards straight out of the box, no mods. I toyed the ring tightness, stock torque, etc and after a few other mods it eventually tightened up. Its not INACCURATE now, not after some investment. But to spend a grand to have an accurate 22? That was unexpected and quite an unwelcome surprise. I have plenty of accurate 22s that absolutely didnt cost that much money to be pleased with. Its a bit similar to a Glock in its following, you either love it or hate it. Theres no denying its a reliable and well functioning rifle. So make no mistake, im not sitting here digging on it being total garbage. I just think it doesnt live up to the hype surrounding it.
@@crankygunreviews 1 inch-1.5 inches at 50? Yeah, thats a 3 MOA spread brother. For a $500 rifle i surely do expect better than that! Like i said about the savage 64 TD, itll run 1/2 inch at 50 all day and i paid $169 for that thing. The little badger and little badger TDX will shoot an inch on their worst day if youre familiar and proficient with M1 style sights. Lets say you NEEDED that 10/22 TD to put some food in your belly, do you really want to waste 4 or 5 rounds trying to get a squirrel or rabbit because its inaccurate? Or better yet, scare something off and miss the opportunity altogether? I know i surely dont, especially if ammo is limited to begin with. Im sorry man, i just have higher expectations for a rifle that wasnt cheap to begin with compared to other similar rifles in its category.
Now the Survival Rifle i have been carrying starting in 1977 is a Savage model 24-C 22 LR-20 GA 20 inch barrel it take down ammo in the stock 5 1/4 lbs with a case , i am thinking about getting a the Chiappa Little Badger TDX in 22 LR.
The Henry/Armalite AR-7 was never adopted by any of the US military. The Armalite AR-5 (bolt action in .22 Hornet) was adopted by the USAF as the MA-1 air crew survivale rifle in 1955. Also the Henry will not float more than a few seconds.
While *_technically_* the Henry Survival rifle itself hasn't been used as a pilot survival rifle, the AR-7 did have a variant sold to the Israeli military as a pilot/air crew survival rifle, which was then modified further by the Israelis, giving it a telescoping stock, an FAL type pistol grip, and a modified front sight.
If you buy the furniture from otterman outdoors for the little badger it folds tighter locks into place as well give you grip and cheek rest and if you pair it with the 22tube he sells you get more ammo storage.
I saw a video of a guy that got a buttstock pouch for his ar-7 and with a minor alteration to the cartridge loops (he cut the threads on every second loop) he was able to have 24 rounds in 3 mags in the stock, another 24 in 3 mags in the modified cartridge loops, and another 100+ in the zippered pouch (depends how big it is)... a bit overkill but it's a great way to conveniently keep it all together.
@ Fair enough. Minimalistic is in the title. I should do a better job paying attention. Still, if I was going to take one with me for survival it would be the 10/22 Backpacker combo. Second choice would be a break action 12 gauge with barrel inserts giving a broader choice of ammo 😀
Interesting video. I would never choose the Little Badger just because of the 1-shot limitation, but I did enjoy your video. Question: What kind of barrel do you have on the Ruger 10/22?
I own the 10/22 and it’s just as fast to take down and store. You don’t need to lock the bolt back just pull it far enough back maybe half way and you can twist the barrel out to the point you can have a fully loaded mag sitting in it and still break it down.
@@crankygunreviews yes but you should look at the Savage revel I got one on order. From what I have seen it is very accurate for a leaver rifle. and will come apart and back together very fast, also the pins are locked in so you will not loos them, just two parts.
The 10/22 is a real rifle, it just happens to be able to be stored more compactly than a normal rifle. The Chiappa is a single shot, so no-go for me. The AR-7 made by Henry is outstanding in my opinion, mine shoots great, love it. I have a 10/22 TD, all stock...also shoots great just much bulkier and weighs more. For me the AR-7 is the winner for affordability, capacity, ease of use. If my priority was being able to put rounds on target quickly I'm bringing a real gun, not one of these.
10-22 Backpacker can take a sling. It's also super accurate, I've shot quarter sized groups at 100' with one. Weight and deployment time are less relevant when you can sling it instead of breaking down. Downside is that the stock bolt release sucks and needs to be swapped. $10 replacement.
Who's old enough to remember James Bond using a "Henry"in From Russia with Love"..or Patrick McGoohan using one in Danger Man..one hidden in a loaf of bread??? Yeah I'm THAT OLD...75...
@ yeah I watched the clip recently, and honestly it wasn’t too outlandish how he shot it down… but 22LR or 25 ACP it would have to be very close (which he was supposedly) and you’d have to have exceptional shot placement. But at least it wasn’t a to y wimpy helicopter not a big one that was 1/4 mile away lol
Ok so the firearm that the US Air Force put into some aircrew survival gear was made by Springfield Armory and it was a double barrel under and over firearm the top barrel shot either 22 long rifle or 22 magnum and the bottom barrel shot for 10 shotgun either slugs or buck shot. However, is versatile as inspire was and still is the trigger system on. It left a lot to be desired.
The one that was made for the Air Force was 22hornet / 410 and had 14” barrels there are a ton of them buried in Alaska they referred to it as permanent storage did a trench with a dozer throw them in and cover it up with said dozer my brother was in the dam detail
My choice is the Ruger 10/22 with the Magpul stock. Store 3 more Magazines in the stock or a box of 50 rounds. This is in addition to the mag in the receiver. Also has 25 rounds mags available.
For the purpose of emergencies I'd keep the 10-22 in a vehicle. Carries a lot of ammo and weight isn't a factor. For backpacking I'd take the Henry Rifle. The badger is for a very slim survival pack along with other emergency supplies. If it's for survival more ammo is better. After 12-24 shots all you have is a bad club.
@@jackinhoff-k4c I’m not made of money- and I don’t even know what that gun is. Edit- I looked up the TPS M6- it is not really in the category of this video since my rule was 22LR minimalist survival rifle. If I went with over/under combos, the category would be a lot larger.
man if only I knew gun design, I would love to make a henry survival in 5.56, it looks really cool. I's even give up the ability to disassemble it just to retain that look
I hear people saying their 10/22 takedown isn’t accurate. I have one and it shoots great. The secret is giving the barrel nut an extra click after the initial tightening, after you take it down. Very repeatable groups.
The Pak-Rifle is pretty neat, it's a single shot, breakdown .22 that weighs only 1 pound, can double as a fishing rod too. Only downside is the price is fairly hefty... So for the money, I'd go with the Chiappa. Lightweight, minimal parts=easy maintenance, reliable and accurate, easy to shove into a backpack.
@@zer0deaths862 I probably shouldn’t have made cost a deciding factor in this discussion, but it’s only one point, wouldn’t have skewed the results much
Back in the 80s had a Charter Arms AR-7, standard 10/22 and a Savage 24SE .22LR/.410 combination gun. For a pure hunting gun the Savage wins but I was doing lots of backpacking and canoeing then in several states. Gun laws were a bit different then too. But the AR-7 would always find its way into my pack. Cost in early 80s were NIB AR-7 $75, NIB 10/22 $80 and my dad got the Savage at an auction for $40.
@@crankygunreviews One thing to consider about rear peep sights is the closer your eye is to the hole, they larger it is. Your eye will automatically center the front sight. Same time as a teenager I was shooting M1 Garands, M1903A3, M14 and M16s. AR-7 and Little Badger rear sight is fast once used properly.
It's worth noting that they've released a newer version pf the Little Badger called the Takedwon XTreme that comes apart and stows in an allegedly floatable tube. It's also threaded, too, so It makes a good suppressor host. I can fit the suppressor and a few boxes of 22lr ammo in the tube along with the gun. Don't know if that weighs it down to no longer buoyant, though.
My experience with the ar-7/henry-survival is that owners tend to think they're worth WAY more than they are, a LOT of owners have caused water damage while trying to show off how they're "designed to float", and the magazines are way more expensive and (in my experience, less reliable than) 10/22 mags... and they stopped producing the old extended magazines... meaning all of the ones on the market are only getting older and less reliable.
I think it's worth considering what does the term "survival rifle" mean? If you're looking at an extended journey in wild country using the rifle to hunt animals for food, then I'd chose the little badger every time. You'll be walking with a backpack. It's by far the most compact and lightweight option to put in that backpack. When you stumble upon potential dinner it can be pulled out and shot much faster than the other options. In terms of capacity it's not really part of the comparison as being single shot I'd probably just carry a pouch full of loose ammo. I also find the ability to float option a bit weird. Are you just leaving your main hunting weapon scuttling about in the bottom of your canoe? None of my guns float and I've never needed them to!
Oh I completely agree- the precept of this video was around minimalism versus long term survival or urban survival… situation determines what you need more- capacity, caliber, etc
I like the comparison but I would personally add a “reliability” comparison in the mix. That would be a pretty important factor for a survival situation. 👍
I have a 10-22 like yours except I have 110 rounds in the opening stock which is a spare mag and a printed .22 ammo plastic grid that holds 100 rounds. It’s in my get home bag. Also a Holosun 510C.
If I have to throw it in a stashed survival kit, ammo included, the Henry. If I need to be truly accurate, comfortable and useful, the Ruger (but Compact with a Butler Creek stainless folder stock). I have no use for the Badger single shot unless I'm seriously weight limited. I would also want the ability to add a sling over floatability as a plus.
i was pretty disappointed with my buddy's henry, but glad i got to mess with his before i bought one. i'm leaning more towards the 10/22 now, if i end up getting one. i already have a regular 10/22 and marlin model 60, so not in a rush.
@@crankygunreviews honestly still not 100% against it, his was beat to hell and not very well maintained, so i'd still like to see one in better shape before i completely write it off.
Beretta Neos! Beretta used to make a carbine kit that adapted a nice 22 pistol to either an SBR or a carbine. They also used to make the pistol. Converting took about as long as assembling the AR-7.
@@crankygunreviews Beretta made the Neos for about 2 decades, the carbine kit for about two years. There's only a couple thousand of them out there and the prices used rival mid level AR's.
My US Suvival has major reliability issues. ( Yes, I sent my rifle to Henry for warrantee issues and the replaced the rifle. New one is much better but still has issues.) I now have a 10/22 Takedown. I need more range time with the Ruger before making a decision.
@@crankygunreviews Mine has chronic failure to feed. Load 8 rounds, charge, fire. Failure to feed with bent bullet. Rest of the mag is usually good. Loading 6 may or may not be better. I get the same results across ammo brands, and with all bullet weights and styles I've tried. It works great if I charge, drop the mag, fire, and repeat. Sort of a self ejecting single shot.
I’ve had a Henry in the past, nice but I sold it, was fairly reliable tho. I plan to build a similar 10/22 but carbon fiber barrel and ghost ring instead of a red dot
The “plus 1” is ridiculous - you’re not going to have anything chambered in any of them in their broken down condition. If they are assembled and fully loaded, what’s the point?
If we're just talking minimalistic then I agree the little badger wins. But if we're talking about general purpose survival, the 10/22 takes it for me: far more on board ammo capacity, the fiber glass glass sights that come from the factory are really user friendly compared to the peep sight and ghost ring imo, the fact its semi-auto automatically puts it over the little badger for me, the fact it's got 10rd mags versus the 8rd mag of the henry ar-7 gives it another edge.
the first thing i did with my little badger was to take off the bottom rail (and the side rails) it let it fold to a tighter angle, hence a smaller profile.
If you can only bring one pack, and may need to hike for miles, weight matters. Reliability and accuracy are paramount, and capacity can be debated as more or less important depending on if you plan to fight lots of people/animals, or just use it for hunting small game to literally survive.
I have had a lot of people mention the over/under- I was going for what is easy to find right now, in most big box stores, that uses 22LR, and is minimalistic. That’s why I chose what I chose. There are tons of other good options, but for the average guy walking into Cabela’s, Bass pro, sportsman’s warehouse, etc, anyone can buy these guns
If it’s a small game hunting situation only then I would pick the other. But max accuracy and maximum rounds down range in a self defense/hunting set up then the 10/22 would still be my pick.
That the end of the day what matters is this, if someone laid those 3 rifles on a table and said, "Choose one, you will be stuck in the woods for a month" which one would you pick? I'd pick the 10/22. Also, I completely disagree that the Lil Badger is easiest to shoot. Imagine its winter and you need to kill a rabbit. You're fumbling around trying to loading one cartridge at a time with thick winter gloves. The person with the 10/22 can crack off 10 rounds easy, then reload another 10, with the reload probably being faster than loading a round and cocking the Badger. You also dont have to break your sight picture to reload and you can quickly get off multiple follow-up shots if you miss, which would be less likely than the badger if you had a decent optic. Its heavier, but it might also be one the most important items in your pack, so its worth being a bit heavier to be a lot more prepared. I also think you drastically understated the importance of ammo capacity. If it's meant to be a survival rifle, you're more likely to survive if you have more ammo vs having a lighter gun.
Good stuff, here. I noticed that your AR-7 has a black storage compartment lining and a black front sight. Is it a recent purchase and was that an option or just how they are being made right now? Also, I didn't hear you mention that the AR-7 has a tool free drift adjustable front sight blade for windage. I, personally, wouldn't have much use for a single shot rifle in .22lr. In .223, maybe. I want my survival gun to aid me in surviving in more ways than feeding me, therefore I'd have to know that I could put multiple rounds downrange quickly, since sometimes it takes more than one 40 grain bullet at 1200 fps to do the job. That 1022 would be sweet as hell and it would certainly do all I'd ever ask of it, but there's just no way I'm leavin' an $800 gun bouncin' around inside my truck all the time. I have a 60s vintage Armalite and a 3 year old Henry and I love them both. The best thing to do with the Charter Arms AR-7 is leave the butt cap off and toss it off a bridge. BTW, a black, padded, soprano ukulele gig bag makes an awesome shoulder case for the AR-7 and lots of ammo. Pretty inconspicuous anywhere in your vehicle. Looking forward to your range tests.
@@mrhalfstep my Henry is very recent manufacture. I didn’t know the front sight you could drift without a tool- I guess that’s good, but if it’s that loose it may get damaged or moved too easily. A “survival” rifle is something you can use for minimal sustenance- yes a .223 would be better if it folded like the little badger, I had a sngle shot 223 “hunter” rifle with a scope for a while, and it was fun, but was still pretty bulky- if you needed to shoot a rabbit or squirrel with .223 there wouldn’t be much left- that’s why a 22LR… would be less effective in defense or for large game, but as a true survival rifle, is pretty effective
@@crankygunreviews The front sight on mine isn't loose by any means and it does, admittedly, require a makeshift "tool" in the form of a stick that can bear against the actual dovetail base. I trust it to stay put. I agree with most of what you just said. Where I disagree is the premise that a "survival" gun is just for sustenance. This gun's original STATED purpose for the military was to kill game AND to allow a downed pilot, behind enemy lines, to kill the enemy and/or capture a better and more lethal weapon, to make him more capable of escape and evasion. I'm just adding that, IMO, to be effective for defense, it has to be faster than a break barrel shotgun to load. I want a semi auto .22 lr, personally and I think that's why this gun was designed as a repeater with multiple magazine storage.(just two in the original Armalite AR-7)
@ good points- semi auto is def better. As long as it operates. At least they didn’t make the US Survival or the 10/22 with a magazine disconnect - that would have sucked if you ever lost the magazine
It's too bad the Chiappa doesn't fold more completely. It seems like the bottom "stock" support could have been formed to fit around the trigger guard.
@@TKevinBlanc they make a more compact version, just didn’t have one close to me to buy when I was preparing for this. If you take one section of rail off, it gets a little smaller too
@crankygunreviews As I look again, I realize that I sound like an idiot as the barrel folds against the trigger guard. It's still too bad it could fold up more completely.
I've had a Little Badger for a few years now and I love it. Small, light, accurate, simple, rugged, and reliable. It's everything I care to have in a ruck/survival rifle.
👍
@@crankygunreviews You put the Ruger in, but you forgot the Marlin. The Marlin also has a .22 Mag offering as well.
The Henry is NOT waterproof. Water enters through the receiver bolt. It does float but not for very long. I have a Marlin Papoose and it's a neat little survival rifle too, it disassembles and stores in a floating case, and it will float indefinitely.
@@phantasmorama8997 I noticed with the chintzy cap on the butt it’s not meant to be 100% waterproof- it’s actually made to float with the barrel and receiver on it- because the stock is mostly hollow, the buoyancy of the air in the stock makes it float. I had to find really old ads to figure that out.
@@crankygunreviews Your reply is accurate but I made the comment because at 2:45 in the video you said it should be watertight when it's all closed up. I wish you'd have mentioned that it is in fact not watertight. Also you said nothing about the butt cap being "chintzy" in the video. These are things you obviously know but don't share. I enjoyed the video, just didn't want anyone to think the Henry is something that it is not. There is a video on YT showing just how fast these things sink. The guy demonstrates this in calm pond water. I'd imagine in rough water that might cause a kayak or canoe to overturn it would sink even faster. The floating for a few seconds is a great idea as long as the owner knows he must not hesitate in retrieving the rifle from the water. Happy 2025, keep the videos coming. You earned yourself a new subscriber.
@ this wasn’t meant to be a full review of just that rifle, it’s an overview- and I said it should be watertight. I’ve never tried submerging mine. I will do a more in depth on just the Henry, and my try floating it in my tub, maybe put some electrical tape on the butt cap area to see how it goes. Most of the early info I found on these was to keep it afloat for a little while after assembled. With the barrel and receiver on, the stock being full of air
Will keep it afloat For a little while, not indefinitely
They do those Little Badger 's in .17 HMR too and I am guessing the barrel can be switched with the .22 LR one.I think also shotgun versions as well in 9 mm Flobert although the ammunition is hard to get hold of and pretty weak.
@@kevanhubbard9673 I don’t have a 17hmr so I wanted to stay with 22lr
10/22 IMO
@@patbrown463 watch the whole thing
I love these types of rifles, I just find them interesting. I've been looking forward to your video. Good overview, good stuff.
@@buffalosoutdoors thanks Buffalo! I’m with you, they fill a niche market and I like them despite maybe not being the easiest to shoot. I had people suggest like a Marlin 60 or a Cricket for this category too, but to me those are not minimalistic guns.
I have the Little Badger and the 10/22 takedown. I opted for the .22 Mag in the Chiappa, not an option on the other two. If I used the rifle as a survival rifle to fill my pot with small game in the wilderness, the Chiappa wins hands down. It's so small and light, and takes up such a small area in a pack, it's a no-brainer, especially with the significant power increase in the Magnum cartridge. For a true grid-down SHITF situation, I'd opt for the 10/22 with a couple of 25 round Ruger mags. .22 lr is a marginal self defense cartridge, but in an urban riot type situation, the ability to send dozens of rounds downrange in a few seconds makes for a much more capable package.
@@vivangreco1710 thanks for sharing! So many others think all these are a “joke” for survival- I really think they have a place
check out the Savage 42 takedown. it comes in 22mag over 410g. you want a survival rifle for various game hunting and survival it is another good option.
@@ajfriedman4495The Savage model 24 came with a lot of different combinations of calibers and shotgun gauges.
The .22 Long Rifle over a 20 Gauge is popular.
It also goes used for $1,000.00.
.22 Magnum over a 20 Gauge.
30-30 over a 12 Gauge.
@@americanharleyrider8 , the price depends on the model. 22lr 410g are available for sub $500, 22mag 410g are at base pro for below $540.00.
I haven't seen to many of the larger caliber model around.
however given the options of the savage I'd take it over two of the models mentioned. 10/22 is my absolute choice however this would be the number two choice.
@ I have worked at 3 gunshops. We have never had a Savage model 24 come in. I am in Ohio. Gunbroker would be my best choice. I hit the gunshows hard. I haven’t seen one in 10 years.
Little badger hands down...
If it's a minimalist rifle showdown , then obviously the one with the most minimal parts to operate wins !!!
@@Stickbow1980 thanks for your input, in the spirit of this video, you are right :)
I have a Henry Survival rifle, a Marlin Papoose and a 10-22 takedown. The Papoose is a great choice because it is inherently accurate, more so for me because I put XS sights on it.. one hole at 30 yards. It has a last round hold open and it has a carry bag that makes it float and I have 25 round magazines for it. My 10-22 takedown as stock wasn't a good survival gun because of the weight and it wasn't as accurate as my Papoose. I put a BX trigger into it, A Volquartsen carbon fiber barrel on it and a Backpacker stock. Because there are no iron sights with the Volquartsen barrel, I put a red dot on it. So now I have a 900 dollar survival .22 that I am afraid to damage or lose. It's about as accurate as my Papoose and only slightly heavier. The Henry is a distant 3rd place. The Little Badger is intriguing, if it were made in .22 magnum it would be even more interesting. The absolute reliability of a break open single shot is a huge plus.
@@stevenmiller184 great insights, and I agree with you on the 10/22 takedown- mine would cost almost $900 to rebuild if I did it now, but I’m not afraid to shoot mine
@@crankygunreviews I take my 1022 to the range and would certainly find it useful in the woods, but I'd hate to have it damaged.... the Henry and Papoose are almost throw away guns.. More dings = Patina.
@ I see your point. I almost cry when my guns get dinged up
The papoose is not inherently accurate. Infact without a great deal of torque on the nut, it isn't very accurate at all. Both of mine were terrible and required a cheater bar to get enough torque. And the return to zero on an optic was terrible. My 10/22 TD is very good but suffers on return to zero as well without barrel mounted optics.
@@bafumat never had a problem with mine. I usually use the included wrench, but not always.
The Henry seems the most interesting to me. I have a 10/22, and its great, but i dont want to buy another just for the takedown version. The thing I like about the henry is that it has no exposed barrel to get snagged on clothing, straps, or string/cords. The Henry would float long enough for you to pick it up if you were lucky enough to see it fall into the water. I would have liked to have seen you shoot them though. With any of those guns I would probably not have any optics on them because it would just make them more awkward to pack away.
I guess my takeaway is; I forgot I wanted the Henry Survival, and now I gotta find one for $300.
I have wanted, and still want the 10/22 in a similar configuration. Very nice. Regarding the ranking you concluded with. I'd sum it up as: The Little Badger is what what you'd want to carry; The 10/22 is what you'd want to shoot when you get to your destination; and the Henry is what you'd want if you fell in the river.
That is a pretty good summary. Lol
I think that's one of the best summarizations I'd throw a whistle at. I can't help but think however, if falling into a river, I wouldn't have just the gun slung around. It would be a in a pack, making any floating ability completely useless. It's nice to have if you're only carrying the weapon, but I have never seen anyone do that. I have yet to purchase my own, but I feel like I will make a video eventually once I have tried it and compared it in various situations with other rifles. This does help inform my choice though, so it's good to hear these perspectives!
@@SmellThemFish thanks for commenting and your perspective too, makes my videos so much more useful to all
Absolutely love my 10/22 takedown with the magpul barrel mounted red dot. Holds zero wonderfully since the red dot lives on the barrel itself. I highly recommend it over the pic rail you currently have.
I'm happy with mine, but thanks
Great informative video! Thanks!
I can add a few points that may be important in a bug out situation that ends up in being in the woods for longer that you have hoped for:
- spare parts availability. With millions of 10/22 produced, parts are everywhere
- learning curve. 10/22 fan base is enormous, lot more people can use it quickly, without introduction, because they have it, too
- single-shot vs semi-auto. Being able to correct a miss and send a follow up is a big advantage of semi-autos
- long term ruggedness and resilience to lack of maintenance. 10/22 can have a stainless steel barrel, so very little in it if anything at all can rust. Bagger may be even better, because of its simplicity
- ability to add a suppressor. Big thing if you don't want to let everyone know you are here in the woods. 10/22 can have a suppressor or even a shrouded barrel. Yeah, I know, there's a subsonic .22LR ammo, but you don't always choose the ammo
Also I can fit more than 100 rounds into my 10/22 + Magpul stock AND minimalist cleaning kit that still gets the job done. Everything gun-related is contained to gun itself, very nice.
@@vtl1349 all good points :) thanks for watching
I bought my Charter Arms AR-7 in the 80's. Henry has done marvelous job improving the design.
I agree
When I was growing up , a friend of mines father was a major in the Air Force, he gave my friend one of there survival rifles, the Henry is a copy of that rifle. We took that rifle camping and canoeing many times , it does float, and we submerged it many times when everything was stored in the stock , and it never leaked.
@@williampalmer6290 I think the older ones had one piece stocks and better butt caps, this one has a stock that is not water tight, and the butt cap is really cheesy- with a little tape it could be water tight, and in a survival situation, having some electrical tape or duct tape handy is always a benefit as well
I have a henry. I also have a savage 24 take down. It's an O/U in 22lr/20ga. I then bought a set of short lane shotgun adapters for it. Little 3" sleeve inserts that allow you to shoot MANY pistol calibers from the 20ga barrel. I can shoot 9 calibers with 1 rifle. That is a true survival rifle!
Very cool. The title of the video was 22 survival rifles, not combos, but many people suggested and over under shotgun/22 - thanks for watching!
Off on a bit of a tangent, I almost skipped this video thinking it was AI generated. Thank you for being a person, doing a review on guns that are actually in front of you and not pirating clips from other guntubers. Humanity first! But anyway, the Chiappa is certainly a capable gun, though if you need to use your survival gun as a self defense tool, semi-auto would definitely be the way to go. While with a bit of tape you can make the Henry REALLY water-proof, that advantage becomes negated if you store any of the other rifles in a water-proof gun bag that you can easily get off of Amazon. While I am leaning towards the Ruger, I have to say that whatever weight you can cut is always going to be a good thing. I'd have to go with the Henry for all-around performance. However they're all good rifles, but like with all guns in general it boils down to what compromises you're willing to live with.
Thanks for not clicking away/ I never use AI content, and I try to hold my borrowing of TH-camrs content to short clips now and then.
The Henry definitely would be more waterproof with tape, I know that. And in all honesty the 10/22 is the best of these three rifles for sure, and weight aside, that is what I would pick. For ultimate minimalism though, if you needed to conceal it, and weren’t worried about self defense, the Little Badger is the best.
I think the Henry is a good compromise if mine is reliable
I think this is a pretty fair comparison. I've not had the Little Badger, although I've shot one several times. I did have a Henry Survival rifle, but after the Ruger 10/22 Takedown came out, I sold it and now my primary go-to gun for portability and capacity is the 10/22. It packs more than small enough, assembles and disassembles very very quickly, and the storage capacity was the winning ticket for me. You neglected to also note that the 10/22 has yet another decently-sized waterproof storage compartment at the foot of the grip. I keep a little survival pocketknife in there, but it would easily hold probably 20-ish more loose rounds. I carry one extra mag in the butt-stock, a box of 50 rounds as well there, and probably an addition 10 loose rounds. So you're actually able to easily carry in excess of 100 rounds, all within the rifle. To me, that's golden for a grab-n-go survival gun.
@@5thGenNativeTexan thanks for your feedback, I’m going to do another update on this soon, have a 10/22 butler creek folding stick coming in which may be a better comparison. My grip storage has a bore snake in I covered it in a separate video, but yeah you could put a small knife, or fishing gear, or more ammo in there for sure
I’ve got a Henry and well pleased with it . Had issues after several years and I sent it back . They replaced everything in but stock and receiver . Basically a new gun .
@@jerryshort2021 thanks for the feedback
I owned the Henry takedown rifle. It was accurate. My problem with it was the front sight. It was slightly undersized so if it bumped against something, the windage would be off. The other issue is that it is picky about ammo. The company advises using high velocity ammo. Standard ammo and target ammo will sometimes the ammo to fail to eject. That is not good for a survival rifle. I have owned the double badger which is a .22 over .410 gauge. It had nice sights. It shot well. It also had two triggers. I did not like the way it breaks open. It also does not eject the shells. I have the standard 10/22 takedown. I only added two things to it. I put in a better bolt hold open switch. I changed the iron sights for Williams Fire Sights which makes a huge difference. I know it comes with a scope mount base but that would defeat the purpose of an survival firearm.
Thanks for the insight!
I missed picking up a marlin papoose a few years ago. Later I picked up a savage 64 takedown , it came with a bag and a extra magazine, It's a nice rifle. Saw a Henry surival at the flea market, but guy wanted what it cost new for it , and it had been used and needed cleaning . The badger is a neat little 22 , my buddy has one . Have shot it a few times , but is a little short for me. I remember when I was a kid , my best friends dad had a charter arms surival one and had jamming problems
@@JG-xt9io yeah I heard the charter arms and AR7 rifles had issues- I almost bought a charter arms one before this one… I think most of the issues are based on the magazines- the Henry mags have a spring loaded weren’t that helps feeding
@crankygunreviews I saw a video of mixup98 , where he was saying the same thing . I remember, my friend's dad couldn't get through a magazine without problems. But it was cool how everything fit in the stock
@ I’m hoping mine will be good- it’s brandy new
Boy, you messed up; how often do you run across a Marlin Papoose ? Well, I'm partial to both the 10-22 and Papoose.. You can always have more than one favorite.
@@MrPir84free Mine was a nice, Hey have you got a Henry? No but check this out, deal.
Henry AR7 Survival Rifle. Stoner's other AR. The butt cap can over time stretch and loosen but its no big deal to put a strip of duct tape around the butt end edge to snug the cap up again. The mags are the weak point. Don't damage the mags that have the feed ramp on them and it will run reliably. I paid $216 for mine brand new many years ago. I did get the third extra mag. It will take an optic but it won't store with an optic on it. Mine has been reliable and accurate. It has not been ammo picky. More than capable of minute of squirrel or rabbit. Yes your survival rifle battle is very subjective. Happy New Year.
@@rbm6184 I was pretty disappointed in the butt cap to be honest. It’s thin plastic- I always thought it was rubber. These are really meant to float when they’re assembled- the stock is full of air and buoyant- not so much when everything is in the stocks. From what I’ve heard the He rt mags are the best- they have the spring steel wire that aids feeding, but yes I’m sure they’re a bit fragile still. Happy new year!
@@crankygunreviews The floating feature is only meant for retrieval should it fall into the water. It is not meant to float indefinitely. Yes the wire keeper on the Henry mag holds the rounds in place and aids in reliable feeding. Just don't damage the feed ramp or you will need to get a new mag.
@ thanks for the tips!
Nice video, hit all the important points.
@@jacksavage7808 thanks
I have an original (not Henry) Armalite AR-7 bought in 1982. . .I bought an Armalite extended mag, the AR7 scope and mount, which won't fit into the stock cavity. I also an aftermarket M16 grip with telescoping wire stock like an M2 grease gun. . .So, I'm used to it. . .I loved it since 1964 James Bond "From Russia with Love" when he shoots down a helicopter with an AR-7. It floats, but I don't have a boat.
I would love to have an original
My guess is that the Badger, because of it's incredibly simple design, would be the easiest to maintain (clean, repair if needed) than the others which would be another thing to consider in an emergency survival situation.
@@HappyFunNorm in the spirit of minimalism, you are correct
Digging the muzzle brake on the 10/22. I always feel like I need something to tame the vicious recoil of the deadly .22lr.
I’ve talked about that in my videos before- I don’t have quiet cans, so if it has threads I just usually buy a brake even though I know it’s not needed
Little Badger is available in 22, long rifle, WMR, and 17 HMR. Great selection of ammo. And the trigger pull is to die for.
@@ChuckHeinze it does have a fantastic trigger
Why no Marlin Papoose? Mine ran just over 300 CDN pre vid 19, the carry bag allows it to float. It's fairly light, and about as quick to assemble as the 10/22. It come with 1 7 round mag but it accepts 22 round marlin mags, when packed up it can fit in a pack. It can accept a red dot, holo type or short scope and still fit in the floating bag. Bonus as it's stainless steel, no rust.
@@PlayingWithFireOutdoors they’re not as easy to find.
I voted for the Henry in your poll. The videos I’ve seen are less than encouraging, but I like the concept. If you’re Paul Harrell, you use a .25acp Baby Browning to take down deer. What a legend.
Happy 2025! 🎉
@@Biscuit7102 thanks for watching! Happy New Year!
They skipped one of the most important factors of a survival rifle. How well it can withstand abuse while packed away.
Would you feel comfortable tossing it into the trunk, or having things tossed on top of it?
Big Congratulations.100% true.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Well parsed out, thanks for sharing n' God bless brother
@@Soli_Deo_Gloria_. thanks! Hope you made it through the whole thing :)
The Little Badger is definitely the most portable and also the cheapest, so a pretty easy expense for someone who might just be interested in shooting cans or wants to introduce their son to the fun of shooting cans (or actual hunting, because all I said until now you could just use a pellet gun for). No magazine means the gun is either safe or not safe, there's less stress involved in handing it to a newbie if you just tell them to break it open whenever they're not pointing down range... I wonder if it can float, if you tape an empty bottle inside of the stock. Being so threadbare just makes you want to put your hands on it.
The 10/22 is a 10/22 and the Takedown stock is just a "smarter" more portable version. Personally I would go for something less compact but prettier with a wooden stock at that point, unless you need that small size to store it in your safe or you simply find it cool along with the fact you can stuff a whole range session in that stock.
The Henry is the one I find the least use for. It was made for a specific purpose, and said purpose just isn't for the regular person. It's very compact but also round and probably awkward to backpack, and there are better "truck guns". You're probably buying it for the history more than anything else (and there's nothing wrong with that).
@@cdgonepotatoes4219 I appreciate your opinion on each gun, and tend to agree with you
Something that I don't think you're accounting for is how you can treat them.
What one would you feel comfortable throwing into a trunk, or shoving into a bag with a whole bunch of other items that you then throw into a trunk.
Why I went with the ar7 I keep it in my truck don't have to worry about dirt getting in it or getting wet
In that case the AR7 would be the obvious choice.
There's something so elegant about the little badger
@@polecat3 I agree-
Springfield m6, currently in production by TPS arms. It's a 22 over .410 break action. Though TPS makes it in many configurations. Give it a look . Best minimalist survival gun IMO
@@FTB1776 yeah I looked them up, couldn’t find one near me, and I’d go bankrupt buying everyone too…
I have a couple of these and also a Marlin 70PS or papoose as it was originally called. It came with a nice case also and was touted to float as long as you had the case zipped up for a period of a few minutes. I have the little badger and it's an older model before the threaded barrel was an option. I wrapped it with 100 ft of para cord, made .22 ammo straws which are just heavy walled drinking straws with several rounds in them and melted to seal on both ends. Thus the ammo is pretty impervious except to high temps. I also weaved a nice Buck skeleton knife into the paracord with it's sheath, so I have a nice knife along for doing chores or cleaning game. Mine also has metal sights, so I guess the older ones were better in that aspect. One other firearm that should be included as I think it shines better than most of these is the M6 scout style rifles. TPS arms still makes one and has a variety of calibers. I like the .22 Hornet/.410 and have also some .410 to .22 rifled adapters, so while it weighs a bit, when taken down it has a lot of capability. I even load my own brass .410 shells with .41 magnum bullets backwards as heavy hitting 215 gr. slugs as well as 4 ball buck loads and #6 shot. I can load 2 of each of the .410's into the stock and about 10 .22 hornet as well. They make it in .410 - .22 LR also, but the diminunitive .22 Hornet is a much heavier hitter and works well up through pigs and deer for moderate ranges. Nice review though.
@@MrTacklebury love your ideas for the little badger! I’m gonna use some of those! The straws full of ammo are a great idea. I have had a lot of people mention the M6, they’re not as common, and the video was specifically about 22LR, but I get the point- these three are not the only ones. I haven’t seen a papoose in years
I thought it was a great video. Subscribed. In saying that, I do own all 3 of these guns, but my 10/22 is the Stainless steel breakdown version. My vote for a minimalistic choice is the Little badger, but not all situations warrant going minimalistic on your gun. Really the Little badger only has 1 shot, where as the others have a semi-automatic capacity of 8 or 10 rounds, with quick access to another 16-20 rounds. So, don't bring a Little Badger if you thought you might get into a fire fight. Also, not a big deal, but that Little Badger carry bag is designed to fit like a back pack with the ability to have the gun fall down and out in one quick motion for deployment for if you see a quick meal or whatever. Final thought, 1 pound of weight is equal to 137 rounds of .22 ammo.
@@rwatson2609 I like your insights :) I agree, honestly the 10-22 is the best of the three, but I think the little badger follows the spirit of minimalism the best
چهاسلحههایجالبی...افرینبهشماوموفقباشید👍👍👏👏❤️❤️✋️🙏⚘️
Thank you!
Great video !!
@@brentvadenais6567 thanks!
I don't own a Chiappa, but I own the other two offerings here. Depending on what you need, the environment, and weight considerations...........most of the time I'll go with the Ruger. The weight is a tradeoff for the magazine/rounds capacity and deployability over the other two, and accuracy as well. the Henry is surprisingly accurate, but so is the Ruger. I bought the Magpul stock for it after buying the 10/22 takedown. No regrets.
@@dhession64 accuracy and reliability are really paramount: if you can’t hit your target, may as well not bring it
I have the Henry and this exact 10/22 with the X22 stock. I did get a lemon 10/22 so I have about $400of extra parts into it.
I like the size and small package of the Henry compared to the 1022 and it is my go-to to just throw in a bag and leave.
My 1022 is a tack driver now and use it a lot. Its takedown package is alittle larger and not as sleek as the Henry so it doesn’t come with me while out and about.
Love them both.
@@banshee107 I love both of mine too, and the 10/22 is def the better gun, but the Henry and Chiappa have their places too
There are different barrels for the 10-22 takedown; Barrels like the TacSol X-Ring Takedown barrels for the 10-22 are both significantly lighter, plus threaded barrel is an option, as well as fiber optic sights. Another great option for this type of rifle is the mount that allows you to mount the sight on the barrel itself rather than the receiver. Yes, it's a few bucks, but it's a great option for any takedown.. By doing so, the accuracy is improved as it's locked to the barrel itself rather than the receiver.
Another really good rifle, if you can find one, is the Marlin Papoose takedown. While I would not rate it as being significantly better than the Ruger 10-22 takedown with a TacSol barrel, it's close; The downside is that the mags for it tend to be either 8 round or 10 round mags. Or at least that's all I ever found for it.
I would score any semi-automatic significantly higher than a single shot for a survival rifle of any sort. Being able to fire off a fast second shot is important if you happened to miss that first shot, especially if it's dinner that is running away at the moment.
Pecking order: I'd take the Ruger 10-22 Takedown first; then the Marlin Papoose, then the Henry Survival rifle and the Little Badger would be my dead last choice. Ergonomics, semi-auto and ability to transition relatively quickly is more important than being the lightest; or being the fastest to deploy. If you have the rifle stowed, in a bag, for any of those rifles, well, by the time you go from fully stored to fully operational is similar, except the "build time" on the Henry is enough to make it a poorer choice. But if you are out and about, survival wise, your rifle will probably already be assembled anyways, so now you have ergonomics and semi-auto to be the deciding factors...
I could not find a papoose- I was trying to find what was readily available for this video- also my 10/22 isn’t a fair comparison with my work done- I should have used a bone stock one or just a stock takedown with the x22 backpacker, but would still weigh more and cost more. In my opinion, the backpacker stock is what makes the takedown viable- the takedown is good but not self contained, and doesn’t have storage for more ammo
Firstly, thank you for this video - you presented the your points well and the comparison of all three of these popular survival .22 options is extremely useful. I particularly look forward to your follow up comparing the accuracy of the these guns, because that's such a fundamental attribute of any firearm, regardless of the scenario. I almost wish you had held off tallying the scores in this video. Because without an accuracy rating, it's difficult to say the Little Badger is/will be rated highest. Having said all that, and in the spirit of helpful criticism/healthy dialog, I do question some of your assumptions/methodology. Particulary your weighting, or lack thereof, between the categories and also within them. For instance, for speed of deployment, you rated the AR7 only two points below the Badger, even though the AR7 took 40 times as long. Similarly, the Badger and the Ruger incurred only a one point penalty relative to the AR7 in terms of floatability when the AR7 was able to while the others couldn't float *at all*. I also wonder if it was fair to weight each category equally, especially for a survival situation. Take time to deploy. With the exception of a self defense situation (where .22LR is far from the best option), it's hard to imagine a survival scenario where you're not going to have the weapon fully deployed long before you actually need to use it. That category seems far less important that, say weight, portabilty or ammo capacity. To say nothing of the still pending accuracy comparison. The value of floatbility also seems less important in all but a few use cases, particularly given that you (correctly) noted that these weapons are likely to be stored in some other survival package. Still, I really appreciate the data points you've provided. You're already steering me away from the option I have been leaning towards - the Henry AR7. So far at least, you're convincing me the Badger or the Ruger takedown are better alternatives.
@@marchills4131 it’s really all relative- and like you, everyone will lean towards the one they like best. When I do the accuracy I will probably use my 10/22 M1 carbine because it’s the only 10/22 I have with a factory barrel and normal sights. It will be a better comparison, and the internals are the same between my takedown and the M1 carbine version.
It’s not “scientific” per se, but in a point system, that’s how I ranked it. I don’t think there will be a definitive answer to be honest, everyone needs to decide what’s best for them, their budget, their intended scenarios, and buy what they want. I just wanted to have some fun
I have the 10/22 with the mag pul stock as shown here. I spent less than half what he paid for the same set up. it was about $250 +/- for the takedown and $150 +/- for the stock. Personally I love the thing and only use iron sights but you can add on of course. I almost got the Henry but I found it awkward and I never had a personal experience with the Badger.
For me the weight is WELL worth it, even with four full magazines it feels very light to me.
@@KarlRoyale good for you. Prices have gone way up. I also added a heavy barrel, trigger spring upgrades, red dot, and extended mag release that’s part of the reason mine was more money
I own 2 of the 3, the backpacker 10/22 and the lil badger. If I ever come across a good deal on the Henry I'll grab one of those too. I like the lil badger being a single shot and using a suppressor. With the CCi Quiets its ridiculously quiet without the action noise and you don't have to worry about if a weak load will cycle. The 10/22 is my absolute favorite. Just an all around classic 22 plinker and eats/cycles most 22 loads unless they are extremely anemic. It also helps there is a healthy aftermarket for 10/22 stuff compared to the Badger or the Henry.
@@jeremywills9303 I agree with you
I would like the 10/22 takedown, I have the target version with the bull barrel, and it's a joy to shoot, but heavy. The great thing about the Henry is that you can shove it down the side of a stuffed backpack and it's smooth and round enough to not snag against something. Ergonomics are a bit weird for sure, but I just hold it by the side rather than try to get my whole hand around the grip. Much more comfortable that way.
I like your thinking
Great points. Thank you.
You’re welcome!
True freedom is always the greater good . And for years I loved my Marlin papooses in 22LR/22mag. Portable accurate and that's accurate up to 150 yrds open sights or with a 10x scope, always a fan of the Ruger 10/22 and the 10/22mag. Of coarse then they didn't make a take down back then. Henry's survival rifle was always a viable option for both a survival gun and a pack gun. The chiappa was a fine camp gun as long as you didn't need suppression fire . And timing allowed for the 1 shot one kill.however I was quite fond of my dad's two take downs one a Marlin 30-30 TD / and a marlin38_55 TD both had period correct glass and carry cases. It's a shame they done make many of those any more. Anyhow I enjoyed the video and the chiappa makes for a good trail gun for ease of operation and it makes a good first gun for a young shooter. Myself I believe I'd go for the Ruger in its stock configuration or the configuration you chose if it was a lot cheaper. The Henry strictly for a floating survival gun is still awesome everytime . However what ever happened to the browning semi auto bag rifle they sold tons of at gander mountain? Curious!
I have what was available to me that didn’t bankrupt me- ironically I said I couldn’t find a Papoose, then I walked into a shop yesterday and boom, there was a papoose- more than I wanted to spend though.
@crankygunreviews yes my two ran me about 400$ bags and all. Aside from my service weapon very dependable.
@@shaneharrison4775 the papoose I saw was $450 I think, so maybe not so bad…
For a solid 25 years i loved the 1022 TD and I finally decided to give into the hype and buy one. Much like you, a $499 factory setup quickly turned into a $1000 investment. Its the worst shooting rifle i think i own! It can be out shot all day long by a savage 64 TD that i paid a whopping $169 for. I liken the 10/22 TD to a jeep. Its cool, lots of aftermarket options but theres a lot of hype surrounding an old legend that just doesnt live up to the standard with the product we are recieving today.
The little badger is insanely repeateable for accuracy due to the sights. The henry is difficult to see the front sight post, but a yellow paint pen can fix that (even if it is a bit fat). Also, if one were to know the Henry could end up submerged, say on a canoe trip, you could always tape the seam of the butt cap with some type of tape that may buy some time for any water intrusion (in fact, id be very curious to see how this played out with some of todays waterproof tapes). The 10/22 COULD be the most accurate but will cost some dough to get it there.
For a trap line gun/minimalist/get the job done gun, itll be the little badger all day long. I love the Henry and the ability to carry a bit more ammo. For me being a lefty, the henry works out well with the offset and is fairly comfortable to shoot. My 10/22 TD has the same stock and is very similar to yours. It wont see much use in its lifetime, ill put it that way. As cool as it is and as neat as the options may be its just not worth anywhere close to what i have put into it.
Was your 10/22 accurate before you put all the stuff on it? Mine has fine accuracy- I make sure my barrel is plenty tight, and I am happy with my KSA barrel. The reliability I attribute to all stick 10/22 bolt and action.
The little badger I think will be the most reliable and easy to use, just has the least features
@crankygunreviews im picky when it comes to accuracy. The 10/22 shot inch, maybe inch and a half groups at 50 yards straight out of the box, no mods. I toyed the ring tightness, stock torque, etc and after a few other mods it eventually tightened up. Its not INACCURATE now, not after some investment. But to spend a grand to have an accurate 22? That was unexpected and quite an unwelcome surprise. I have plenty of accurate 22s that absolutely didnt cost that much money to be pleased with.
Its a bit similar to a Glock in its following, you either love it or hate it. Theres no denying its a reliable and well functioning rifle. So make no mistake, im not sitting here digging on it being total garbage. I just think it doesnt live up to the hype surrounding it.
@ 1/2 group at 50 yards out of a takedown is bad? Geesh. Are you easily disappointed?
@@crankygunreviews 1 inch-1.5 inches at 50? Yeah, thats a 3 MOA spread brother. For a $500 rifle i surely do expect better than that! Like i said about the savage 64 TD, itll run 1/2 inch at 50 all day and i paid $169 for that thing. The little badger and little badger TDX will shoot an inch on their worst day if youre familiar and proficient with M1 style sights. Lets say you NEEDED that 10/22 TD to put some food in your belly, do you really want to waste 4 or 5 rounds trying to get a squirrel or rabbit because its inaccurate? Or better yet, scare something off and miss the opportunity altogether? I know i surely dont, especially if ammo is limited to begin with. Im sorry man, i just have higher expectations for a rifle that wasnt cheap to begin with compared to other similar rifles in its category.
@@UserFormelyKnownAs_hjkh sorry, I misread- I though you said 1/2” group at 50- yea 1” to 1 1/2” is pretty big at 50
Now the Survival Rifle i have been carrying starting in 1977 is a Savage model 24-C 22 LR-20 GA 20 inch barrel it take down ammo in the stock 5 1/4 lbs with a case , i am thinking about getting a the Chiappa Little Badger TDX in 22 LR.
Cool! The savage is neat. Happy new year!
Gonna get one of these soon. Putting together a little bag where I can just grab it and go hiking
Good idea
The Henry/Armalite AR-7 was never adopted by any of the US military. The Armalite AR-5 (bolt action in .22 Hornet) was adopted by the USAF as the MA-1 air crew survivale rifle in 1955. Also the Henry will not float more than a few seconds.
I said there was only some truth in that theory
While *_technically_* the Henry Survival rifle itself hasn't been used as a pilot survival rifle, the AR-7 did have a variant sold to the Israeli military as a pilot/air crew survival rifle, which was then modified further by the Israelis, giving it a telescoping stock, an FAL type pistol grip, and a modified front sight.
@@linksbro1 yes, I covered that a little in the separate US Survival video
If you buy the furniture from otterman outdoors for the little badger it folds tighter locks into place as well give you grip and cheek rest and if you pair it with the 22tube he sells you get more ammo storage.
Good to know
I saw a video of a guy that got a buttstock pouch for his ar-7 and with a minor alteration to the cartridge loops (he cut the threads on every second loop) he was able to have 24 rounds in 3 mags in the stock, another 24 in 3 mags in the modified cartridge loops, and another 100+ in the zippered pouch (depends how big it is)... a bit overkill but it's a great way to conveniently keep it all together.
@@motorteeth well, adding pouches you can do whatever you want of course.
Excellent comparison video. I guess a Ruger Charger with a folding stock would be a good survival "rifle" too.
@@stevenr1354 yeah, the chargers are great too, unfortunately not legal in my state
@@crankygunreviews 😢😥😢
@@stevenr1354 I know…
Good work. 10/22 is my pick. All about accuracy.
@@Bro-hl1pq it probably is the best choice, despite not being the smallest or lightest.
The holes in the Henry allows for almost 50 rounds to be held in the but stock in addition to the mags.
Nice
I use a Springfield M6 22/410. I've made a few mods to allow more ammo carry, paracord wrapped forearm, stock pouch, sling and custom camo.
Yeah a lot of people suggested those. Not in the spirit of this video, but definitely viable for survival
10/22 with backpacker stock FTW. In addition to the take down ability, I can carry more rounds in the storage areas with the rifle.
@@Homested_Happenings it’s the better overall rifle. But it’s not the most minimalistic, which was the point of the video
@ Fair enough. Minimalistic is in the title. I should do a better job paying attention. Still, if I was going to take one with me for survival it would be the 10/22 Backpacker combo. Second choice would be a break action 12 gauge with barrel inserts giving a broader choice of ammo 😀
@ 10/22 is def the best overall, and a 12 gauge break action is good too- could always get barrel inserts and shoot a ton of calibers
Interesting video. I would never choose the Little Badger just because of the 1-shot limitation, but I did enjoy your video. Question: What kind of barrel do you have on the Ruger 10/22?
@@zatoichi101 the 10/22 barrel is a Keystone Arms (KSA) MICROGROOVED barrel.
I own the 10/22 and it’s just as fast to take down and store. You don’t need to lock the bolt back just pull it far enough back maybe half way and you can twist the barrel out to the point you can have a fully loaded mag sitting in it and still break it down.
I said in the video you can do it faster than I do. It’s close to the same speed, but still not as fast- that’s really a low priority
I have owned all 3. The Ruger 10/22 is hands down the best minimalist rifle there. It's a bit heavier but worth the weight.
It is a very popular choice
The savage 64 takedown is definitely worth checking out if you are in the market for this kind of gun
@@jaydendyck7327 👍
Now you can add the Savage Revel Still waiting for mine to come.
Yeah, but I can’t buy them all
@@crankygunreviews yes but you should look at the Savage revel I got one on order. From what I have seen it is very accurate for a leaver rifle. and will come apart and back together very fast, also the pins are locked in so you will not loos them, just two parts.
The 10/22 is a real rifle, it just happens to be able to be stored more compactly than a normal rifle. The Chiappa is a single shot, so no-go for me. The AR-7 made by Henry is outstanding in my opinion, mine shoots great, love it. I have a 10/22 TD, all stock...also shoots great just much bulkier and weighs more. For me the AR-7 is the winner for affordability, capacity, ease of use. If my priority was being able to put rounds on target quickly I'm bringing a real gun, not one of these.
@@asmith7876 good points- the 10/22 is a better rifle, but for portability it is not the “best”
10-22 Backpacker can take a sling. It's also super accurate, I've shot quarter sized groups at 100' with one. Weight and deployment time are less relevant when you can sling it instead of breaking down. Downside is that the stock bolt release sucks and needs to be swapped. $10 replacement.
I agree with you on it being a better rifle for carrying and shooting
Who's old enough to remember James Bond using a "Henry"in From Russia with Love"..or Patrick McGoohan using one in Danger Man..one hidden in a loaf of bread??? Yeah I'm THAT OLD...75...
I think I’ve seen the movie- been a while though.
According to the movie, Bond's rifle was .25 ACP. Always bugged me...
@ yeah I watched the clip recently, and honestly it wasn’t too outlandish how he shot it down… but 22LR or 25 ACP it would have to be very close (which he was supposedly) and you’d have to have exceptional shot placement. But at least it wasn’t a to y wimpy helicopter not a big one that was 1/4 mile away lol
Ok so the firearm that the US Air Force put into some aircrew survival gear was made by Springfield Armory and it was a double barrel under and over firearm the top barrel shot either 22 long rifle or 22 magnum and the bottom barrel shot for 10 shotgun either slugs or buck shot. However, is versatile as inspire was and still is the trigger system on. It left a lot to be desired.
I’ve seen those, very cool
The one that was made for the Air Force was 22hornet / 410 and had 14” barrels there are a ton of them buried in Alaska they referred to it as permanent storage did a trench with a dozer throw them in and cover it up with said dozer my brother was in the dam detail
@ yes the AR4 or the AR6 I believe. I talk about it in my subsequent Henry Survival video
My choice is the Ruger 10/22 with the Magpul stock. Store 3 more Magazines in the stock or a box of 50 rounds. This is in addition to the mag in the receiver. Also has 25 rounds mags available.
@@WoodyXRay probably the best choice though not the most minimalistic
The backpacker stock also has a hollow grip. Great spot for extra battery, ear plugs, or just another 20 rounds.
@ true- mine has a bore snake in it now- I forgot about that for more ammo
For the purpose of emergencies I'd keep the 10-22 in a vehicle. Carries a lot of ammo and weight isn't a factor. For backpacking I'd take the Henry Rifle. The badger is for a very slim survival pack along with other emergency supplies.
If it's for survival more ammo is better. After 12-24 shots all you have is a bad club.
@@kdaltex I like you’re reply/ each has their strength
The TPS Arms M6 Takedown should've been included.
@@jackinhoff-k4c I’m not made of money- and I don’t even know what that gun is. Edit- I looked up the TPS M6- it is not really in the category of this video since my rule was 22LR minimalist survival rifle. If I went with over/under combos, the category would be a lot larger.
Yes, the TPS M6 would be my choice as well.
@ they’re cool
man if only I knew gun design, I would love to make a henry survival in 5.56, it looks really cool. I's even give up the ability to disassemble it just to retain that look
@@AsbestosEnjoyer that would be cool
I love my Little Badger. I also think the sights are lame however it is still surprisingly accurate.
@@jamiekinch188 haven’t shot mine yet
I hear people saying their 10/22 takedown isn’t accurate. I have one and it shoots great. The secret is giving the barrel nut an extra click after the initial tightening, after you take it down. Very repeatable groups.
@@johnanderson3405 mine has always been plenty accurate even when it had the factory barrel
The Pak-Rifle is pretty neat, it's a single shot, breakdown .22 that weighs only 1 pound, can double as a fishing rod too.
Only downside is the price is fairly hefty...
So for the money, I'd go with the Chiappa. Lightweight, minimal parts=easy maintenance, reliable and accurate, easy to shove into a backpack.
@@zer0deaths862 I probably shouldn’t have made cost a deciding factor in this discussion, but it’s only one point, wouldn’t have skewed the results much
Back in the 80s had a Charter Arms AR-7, standard 10/22 and a Savage 24SE .22LR/.410 combination gun. For a pure hunting gun the Savage wins but I was doing lots of backpacking and canoeing then in several states. Gun laws were a bit different then too. But the AR-7 would always find its way into my pack. Cost in early 80s were NIB AR-7 $75, NIB 10/22 $80 and my dad got the Savage at an auction for $40.
@@chlebowg cool info! Thanks for sharing
@@crankygunreviews One thing to consider about rear peep sights is the closer your eye is to the hole, they larger it is. Your eye will automatically center the front sight. Same time as a teenager I was shooting M1 Garands, M1903A3, M14 and M16s. AR-7 and Little Badger rear sight is fast once used properly.
@ I like the rear sight. I think it’s great- almost like my M1 carbine as I mentioned
It's worth noting that they've released a newer version pf the Little Badger called the Takedwon XTreme that comes apart and stows in an allegedly floatable tube. It's also threaded, too, so It makes a good suppressor host. I can fit the suppressor and a few boxes of 22lr ammo in the tube along with the gun. Don't know if that weighs it down to no longer buoyant, though.
@@meekrob29 I mentioned the TDX little badger @3:45 in my video
@crankygunreviews Ah, my bad. I was listening in the background and didn't read that.
My experience with the ar-7/henry-survival is that owners tend to think they're worth WAY more than they are, a LOT of owners have caused water damage while trying to show off how they're "designed to float", and the magazines are way more expensive and (in my experience, less reliable than) 10/22 mags... and they stopped producing the old extended magazines... meaning all of the ones on the market are only getting older and less reliable.
@@marcush4741 I agree with your points :)
Ruger seems like a fantastic option. Could be lighter. And a small prism scope wouldnt hurt.
@@snookiewozo I’m working on another 10/22 variant…
I think it's worth considering what does the term "survival rifle" mean? If you're looking at an extended journey in wild country using the rifle to hunt animals for food, then I'd chose the little badger every time. You'll be walking with a backpack. It's by far the most compact and lightweight option to put in that backpack. When you stumble upon potential dinner it can be pulled out and shot much faster than the other options. In terms of capacity it's not really part of the comparison as being single shot I'd probably just carry a pouch full of loose ammo. I also find the ability to float option a bit weird. Are you just leaving your main hunting weapon scuttling about in the bottom of your canoe? None of my guns float and I've never needed them to!
Oh I completely agree- the precept of this video was around minimalism versus long term survival or urban survival… situation determines what you need more- capacity, caliber, etc
May be the lightest but when the TD is on its 8th round and you're just loading your break-breach second and now trying to reaquire your target......
@@danielhiggins4775 yeah, the 10/22 may be the best, but the point was the best minimalist rifle
I like the comparison but I would personally add a “reliability” comparison in the mix. That would be a pretty important factor for a survival situation. 👍
@@johnanderson3405 I plan to have a part 2. I said that in like the first couple minutes of the video and at the wrap up
@
Looking forward to it. 👍
@ thanks
I have a 10-22 like yours except I have 110 rounds in the opening stock which is a spare mag and a printed .22 ammo plastic grid that holds 100 rounds. It’s in my get home bag. Also a Holosun 510C.
@@OceanBob very nice!
You can mount a scope on the Henry. It just isn't a picatinny rail, and you have to take it off for storage
@@jpmiller7922 it’s not picatinny- too narrow. And it’s not screwed on, it’s cast in. I think it’s a weaver size rail
If I have to throw it in a stashed survival kit, ammo included, the Henry. If I need to be truly accurate, comfortable and useful, the Ruger (but Compact with a Butler Creek stainless folder stock). I have no use for the Badger single shot unless I'm seriously weight limited. I would also want the ability to add a sling over floatability as a plus.
@@panzerabwerkanone sling is useful
i was pretty disappointed with my buddy's henry, but glad i got to mess with his before i bought one. i'm leaning more towards the 10/22 now, if i end up getting one. i already have a regular 10/22 and marlin model 60, so not in a rush.
I hear you. I had to try one- if I hate it, I’ll resell it. Not much risk, they seem to sell quickly at my local shops
@@crankygunreviews honestly still not 100% against it, his was beat to hell and not very well maintained, so i'd still like to see one in better shape before i completely write it off.
Beretta Neos! Beretta used to make a carbine kit that adapted a nice 22 pistol to either an SBR or a carbine. They also used to make the pistol. Converting took about as long as assembling the AR-7.
Never even heard of one
@@crankygunreviews Beretta made the Neos for about 2 decades, the carbine kit for about two years. There's only a couple thousand of them out there and the prices used rival mid level AR's.
My US Suvival has major reliability issues. ( Yes, I sent my rifle to Henry for warrantee issues and the replaced the rifle. New one is much better but still has issues.) I now have a 10/22 Takedown. I need more range time with the Ruger before making a decision.
@@douglasmaccullagh7865 I hope my US Survival is good!
@@crankygunreviews Mine has chronic failure to feed. Load 8 rounds, charge, fire. Failure to feed with bent bullet. Rest of the mag is usually good. Loading 6 may or may not be better. I get the same results across ammo brands, and with all bullet weights and styles I've tried. It works great if I charge, drop the mag, fire, and repeat. Sort of a self ejecting single shot.
@ that stinks
I’ve had a Henry in the past, nice but I sold it, was fairly reliable tho. I plan to build a similar 10/22 but carbon fiber barrel and ghost ring instead of a red dot
@@channingwalmsley9738 nice!
The “plus 1” is ridiculous - you’re not going to have anything chambered in any of them in their broken down condition. If they are assembled and fully loaded, what’s the point?
Yup, already been pointed out. I meant in total capacity- but none of these would be stored with a +1
If we're just talking minimalistic then I agree the little badger wins. But if we're talking about general purpose survival, the 10/22 takes it for me: far more on board ammo capacity, the fiber glass glass sights that come from the factory are really user friendly compared to the peep sight and ghost ring imo, the fact its semi-auto automatically puts it over the little badger for me, the fact it's got 10rd mags versus the 8rd mag of the henry ar-7 gives it another edge.
I agree with you
the first thing i did with my little badger was to take off the bottom rail (and the side rails) it let it fold to a tighter angle, hence a smaller profile.
@@502deth yeah I plan to. Also put some paracord on the stock.
I wish Marlin still offered the 39A takedown, wonderful little firearm for backpacking.
@@alstruck8063 I saw a papoose last week in a shop for $450, but did not buy it because I was in for something else already
Maybe a survival rifle shouldn't be minimalistic.
If you can only bring one pack, and may need to hike for miles, weight matters. Reliability and accuracy are paramount, and capacity can be debated as more or less important depending on if you plan to fight lots of people/animals, or just use it for hunting small game to literally survive.
Ive owned all 3. The ruger is my favorite
@@67wing the Ruger is definitely the best of the three
if you are comparing different options. How about the Savage 42 takedown. there are options here 22lr or 22mag and it has a 410g as well.
I have had a lot of people mention the over/under- I was going for what is easy to find right now, in most big box stores, that uses 22LR, and is minimalistic. That’s why I chose what I chose. There are tons of other good options, but for the average guy walking into Cabela’s, Bass pro, sportsman’s warehouse, etc, anyone can buy these guns
I like my backpacker. It is a little heavier but it holds extra ammo and maybe a fire starter and is reliable and super accurate.
@@gsxr419 I agree - if you can stand the weight it’s a great gun
If it’s a small game hunting situation only then I would pick the other. But max accuracy and maximum rounds down range in a self defense/hunting set up then the 10/22 would still be my pick.
@@crankygunreviews Tacsol barrel... That's part of the answer to the weight.. Besides, you threw on a heavy bull barrel; far from ideal ..
@ yeah but the micro groove rifling and heavy barrel make it more accurate.
@@gsxr419 I agree
That the end of the day what matters is this, if someone laid those 3 rifles on a table and said, "Choose one, you will be stuck in the woods for a month" which one would you pick? I'd pick the 10/22.
Also, I completely disagree that the Lil Badger is easiest to shoot. Imagine its winter and you need to kill a rabbit. You're fumbling around trying to loading one cartridge at a time with thick winter gloves. The person with the 10/22 can crack off 10 rounds easy, then reload another 10, with the reload probably being faster than loading a round and cocking the Badger. You also dont have to break your sight picture to reload and you can quickly get off multiple follow-up shots if you miss, which would be less likely than the badger if you had a decent optic. Its heavier, but it might also be one the most important items in your pack, so its worth being a bit heavier to be a lot more prepared. I also think you drastically understated the importance of ammo capacity. If it's meant to be a survival rifle, you're more likely to survive if you have more ammo vs having a lighter gun.
@@tylerbryanhead minimalistic survival was the concept. But the 10/22 is the best of the 3 hands down
@crankygunreviews makes sense, good video!
@ thanks
Good stuff, here. I noticed that your AR-7 has a black storage compartment lining and a black front sight. Is it a recent purchase and was that an option or just how they are being made right now? Also, I didn't hear you mention that the AR-7 has a tool free drift adjustable front sight blade for windage.
I, personally, wouldn't have much use for a single shot rifle in .22lr. In .223, maybe. I want my survival gun to aid me in surviving in more ways than feeding me, therefore I'd have to know that I could put multiple rounds downrange quickly, since sometimes it takes more than one 40 grain bullet at 1200 fps to do the job. That 1022 would be sweet as hell and it would certainly do all I'd ever ask of it, but there's just no way I'm leavin' an $800 gun bouncin' around inside my truck all the time. I have a 60s vintage Armalite and a 3 year old Henry and I love them both. The best thing to do with the Charter Arms AR-7 is leave the butt cap off and toss it off a bridge. BTW, a black, padded, soprano ukulele gig bag makes an awesome shoulder case for the AR-7 and lots of ammo. Pretty inconspicuous anywhere in your vehicle.
Looking forward to your range tests.
@@mrhalfstep my Henry is very recent manufacture. I didn’t know the front sight you could drift without a tool- I guess that’s good, but if it’s that loose it may get damaged or moved too easily.
A “survival” rifle is something you can use for minimal sustenance- yes a .223 would be better if it folded like the little badger, I had a sngle shot 223 “hunter” rifle with a scope for a while, and it was fun, but was still pretty bulky- if you needed to shoot a rabbit or squirrel with .223 there wouldn’t be much left- that’s why a 22LR… would be less effective in defense or for large game, but as a true survival rifle, is pretty effective
@@crankygunreviews The front sight on mine isn't loose by any means and it does, admittedly, require a makeshift "tool" in the form of a stick that can bear against the actual dovetail base. I trust it to stay put.
I agree with most of what you just said. Where I disagree is the premise that a "survival" gun is just for sustenance. This gun's original STATED purpose for the military was to kill game AND to allow a downed pilot, behind enemy lines, to kill the enemy and/or capture a better and more lethal weapon, to make him more capable of escape and evasion. I'm just adding that, IMO, to be effective for defense, it has to be faster than a break barrel shotgun to load. I want a semi auto .22 lr, personally and I think that's why this gun was designed as a repeater with multiple magazine storage.(just two in the original Armalite AR-7)
@ good points- semi auto is def better. As long as it operates. At least they didn’t make the US Survival or the 10/22 with a magazine disconnect - that would have sucked if you ever lost the magazine
the 10/22 seems to be the most practical, although you could use a bigger caliber like 5.7mm
@@User-dc6sm 👍
It's too bad the Chiappa doesn't fold more completely. It seems like the bottom "stock" support could have been formed to fit around the trigger guard.
@@TKevinBlanc they make a more compact version, just didn’t have one close to me to buy when I was preparing for this. If you take one section of rail off, it gets a little smaller too
@crankygunreviews As I look again, I realize that I sound like an idiot as the barrel folds against the trigger guard. It's still too bad it could fold up more completely.
@ yeah, not much more you could do short of no trigger guard with a folding trigger