Hi,

Reaching out to experts. I am brand new to lever action rifles.
If you had to get one - with the idea that it will be the ONLY lever action rifle you had - would you pick a brand new 20 inch Henry Big Boy with octagonal barrel, side gate, rubber shoulder pad on the stock, etc - or a Japan made Miroku 1892 Winchester 24 inch, regular barrel, metal buttpad, engraved, used in a very good shape. Both 45LC, 10+1, both would be the same money give or take $50.

Thank you in advance!

Can’t speak to the Henry, but I have a Miroku and it is very well-made.

Hands down the winchester. I have not been impressed with Henry's.

Where?

I think you mean the Winchester with a 20" barrel, the 24" holds 13rds.

Actually, I go for the Henry X.

I wouldn't touch a Henry, just because of MY OWN experience but they do haves great customer service. I'd suggest Marlin but I don't think they're making a 45LC right now.

I purchased a 1892 45LC Short Rifle, Winchester  (Japanese) in 2019. Without a doubt it's my favorite lever guns. Their customer service is great too. The problem with the Winchester is that it has a tang safety and rebounding hammer, some folks don't like em. I thought I could live with em but later decided to delete em both via a gunsmith.

Yes, my bad - 24 inch so not 10.
And one is used and another new at my local shop. Prices almost identical with a Winchester coming out a bit lower.

I do not own a Japanese Winchester, but do have a couple old 94s (a 1946 and a 1968) in 30-30. They are great guns.

I do have a new Henry H010 lever gun in 45-70 and the thing is excellent. I've got a about 100 or so rounds through it and find it a really good shooter. It's also very well made. I'm now a big fan of Henry rifles.

For pistol calibers, I really like the 1892 design. It just feels nice and trim to me.

I agree 100%..unless you have to work on em. The Marlin/Henry is so much easier to work on.

I think the Rossi R92 20" round barrels is about the most beautiful lever gun made. Id pay double for a good one.

Winchester.

When you say “work” - you mean some smithing?
All I want to do is to enjoy some time at the range. No plans to add a scope, change sights, etc. Also there is a “brand” factor for me and the fact that I am positive that’d be the only one. I don’t hunt and no cowboy shooting. But I have a nice single action in 45LC, so wanted to get a lever gun. Somehow I am drawn to Winchester without knowing anything about lever guns.

The Marlin and Henry action is easy to take down for cleaning and to work on, they're very simple. The 92 action isn't simple. It's a stronger action, but requires a little more attention.

I love my Marlins but the 92 will always be my favorite

I own a Browning B92 Centennial model .44 magnum. It's made by Miroku in Japan and is exquisite both in function and craftsmanship.  The bluing is so deep if you fell in you'd drown.

Thank you all!
Still making up my mind but your insights were very helpful.

The Miroku made Winchester lever guns are, IMO, the finest made production lever guns available.

When I was young I bought a couple 92 winchesters in 25-20. Handloaded they were most excellant small game rifles.
I have an 80s vintage Jap made Browning 92 in 44 magnum. I had it drilled and tapped for a receiver sight. Ruined the collector value but I don't care. My only other levergun is a model 94 30-30 i bought back when you could order them out of a department store catalog through the mail. I'll keep the browning over the Winchester.

As the above poster said, the Miroku made Winchester is the finest made lever action currently manufactured (excluding niche brands like BHA, etc.). The Miroku factory produces some of the finest guns in the world today, with few exceptions. The tang safety and rebounding hammers are unfortunate, but many people don’t care.  I have them deleted and “fixed.”  But you can also just ignore them.  Even with those they are still a higher quality gun specifically fit and finish.

The Henry will likely function just fine.  However, in the Cowboy Action Shooting world, where they run the piss out of their guns, they recommend the Italian guns first (due to availability, options, durability and upgradeability) followed by the Miroku and Marlins. If parts availability and upgrades were more readily available I have no doubt the Japanese guns would be the premiere choice, but they are very low volume guns (they only make a few thousand a year) and a bit pricier. The cowboy shooting communities generally recommend against Henry’s.  Henry’s will work great for the casual shooter, but when you start investigating “hard use” situations, you begin to see why that quality matters.

Again, for the Henry fan boys, nothing wrong with Henry’s for the average shooter, they have great CS and warranty and made in USA, all good selling points.  I’ve owned at least three of them myself.  And if all you ever buy is a Henry you’ll never know the difference and likely be happy.  But once you own both a Henry and a Miroku gun, I can’t see how anyone with any bit of critical inspection skills would ever say they are “equal”.  There is a difference,  and in this case, with them being the same price, it’s a no-brainer in my opinion.

I’ve owned anlmost every brand of lever gun.  I still own Italian guns, marlins, a few Rossi’s but mostly Winchesters.  I will not own another Henry unless something drastically changes.  

Can’t thank you enough for this insight. I see the context now.
I am most definitely a casual shooter. I won’t hunt neither participate in any Cowboy Action shooting. And almost certainly it will be my only lever action rifle. So, like you said, I won’t know a difference and my round count will be low. Another thing that pushes me toward that specific Henry is the barrel length. The Miroku is 24, the Henry is 20. I had a chance to handle a 24 Winchester (not the one I am considering, it was a rifle caliber) and frankly it felt front-heavy compared to the Henry, that feels super balanced. So, I am still on the fence.

Winchester makes a 20"short rifle and a 20" carbine in 45LC. Check out GB. You might ask your local guns store to order you one.

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" target="_blank">https://www.gunbroker.com/Lever-Action-Rifles/search?PageSize=24&Sort=13&View=1&Ch-manufacturerName=Winchester&Ch-model=1892&Ch-Caliber=.45%20Colt&Ch-BarrelLength=20%20inch

Winchester makes a 20"short rifle and a 20" carbine in 45LC. Check out GB. You might ask your local guns store to order you one. They come and go, I haven't seen a carbine this year.
https://www.gunbroker.com/Lever-Action-Rifles/search?PageSize=24&Sort=13&View=1&Ch-manufacturerName=Winchester&Ch-model=1892&Ch-Caliber=.45%20Colt&Ch-BarrelLength=20%20inch

Win wins...

Thank you all again!
Great insights and context.
Went for the Miroku Winchester after all.

You are going to like how that 24" barrel just hangs there when you shoot, nice long sight plane and steady.

Yup Winchester all day long