I like them both!
Buy what you like aka what trips your trigger!
I like the blued/walnut and the brass/walnut. My husband likes them both plus his Marlin in stainless steel/walnut. Some RIFLES suit and FIT him better than other ones - same as for me.
I like the Henry Golden Boy, I have one NOW, and I like some of the other Henry 22lr lever action rifles too.
There are 2 Marlin Golden 39A rifles here and other Marlins - made in CT. Marlin 336C in 30-30, Marlin 336SS in 30-30 and a Classic Marlin in 45-70. They are fine shooters and they were bought NIB too. With the way that MARLIN is having problems with their lever action rifles, I decided to go with a Henry in 22lr. Not shoot the the other Marlins here that much and since my husband IS a Marlin Loving Man (Made in CT) - I wanted to kind of 'save' the 22lr rifles for him - not use them as MUCH but I can still shoot them. He does have other fine firearms including a couple of Remington rifles even though some people complain about them and want to LUMP them (Remington!) all in one group. Same as Ruger and Savage. Etc.!!!
The Big Boys have the solid brass receiver. My husband just got one and we shot it. He would like me to shoot it some more too. Fine shooting firearm just as the Henry Golden Boy is to me!
I like the Browning BL22 and the Winchester 94-22 - I had them too. Plus we had some other Wins. When they stopped making the Winchesters in the 94Trappers - we sold them. I hear people complain about them, Japanese made, but ALL of those were fine shooters and looked nice too. I would NOT hesitate to suggest a Browning BL22 to anyone and they have different receivers now too. Walnut/blue and walnut/silver color steel (?). I have seen both of them in person and on their website. My BL22 and 94-22 were walnut/blued.
I figure IF you don't like the LOOKS of something or HOW the gun loads or unloads plus for any other reason... do NOT buy it.
I read complaints about MARLIN before the 'sell out' and move and read them now. Personally, I NEVER had a problem with my Marlins, my late husband did not with his, and my husband, Montana Man, has had NO complaints about his past or present ones. He has been shooting Marlins since he was a KID - no kidding. The people that I know who have owned and shot HENRY guns in various calibers have been extremely pleased with them and IF they did have any issue with one of them... HENRY made it right - great customer service. You do NOT hear that too much about many other companies in this day and age especially with FIREARM COMPANIES.
So if you do not like what something looks like or how it works/operates... do not buy it. If you do NOT like how a company cares about it's customers anymore and the customer service or repair company is a royal JOKE... don't buy from them or boycott them.
I am used to tube feeding 22lr lever action rifles - I like them so shooting a centerfire one would not bother me. My husband is used to the other type of loading but he had NO problems shooting his new Big Boy in 357Magnum the other day. I like single shot rifles a LOT too! Lever action and single shot rifles are my favorite shooters.
Now, I do NOT like bolt action rifles at all... I have shot some and they are not my 'Thing'. I have shot some semi automatic rifles and they are not my thing. I DID LIKE THE MARLIN PAPOOSE that I bought for my late husband. We both shot it but he shot it more. When I narrowed down what I liked the most in rifle styles... my top favorites kept coming up to me... lever action and single shot.
If my husband, MM, shoots and owns a couple of bolt action and semi automatic rifles... more power to him. They do not interest me and the looks do not trip my trigger as a PRETTY falling block or single shot or lever action rifle does to ME. So to each their own even though he is more of a lever action rifle man and always has been. In fact, I told my husband that IF he died before I did, I would sell ALL of the bolt action and semi automatic rifles that he owned. I would sell some of his other firearms that are not my THING and/or I don't shoot due to my arthritic hands. I most likely would even sell some of the few, sweet, classic, quality and PRETTY handguns that I gifted to him too. Some would be gifted as 'we' have gifted in the past too. So he knows this Now and we update our firearm lists and values just as we update everything else in our lives.
My husband, MM, is helping a very close, older friend do this with his GUN LIST this coming weekend. He and another gun man (FFL man - our local dealer.) will go to the man's house and help him complete his gun list so that IF something happens it will be easier for his wife.
Take care and have a nice Friday.
A lady who likes her Henry Golden Boy and likes HENRY firearms. A lady who likes SOME of those Made in CT Marlins too!