I've always wanted a lever action 44 mag and the time has come. The three models that I have narrowed it down too are the model 1894 Marlin, Henry big boy (steel receiver) and the Rossi 92.

My intentions with this gun is for plinking, possible hunting, carrying in the woods and just to add to my collection.

Here is what I know or at least what I've read about each.

Marlin 1894 -
Older models that have the JM stamp on them are more desirable, especially pre safety era. They are also pretty hard to find right now and are quite expensive (more than a new one which are about $700)
The newer ones made after 2007 are not as good although many people are reporting that the last couple years of production they are being made well again.
Has the side loading port which seems WAY easier to load than the tube/rod style.
Heard the lever itself is kind of "sharp" and your fingers get chewed up after shooting it after awhile (new ones).
Otherwise are relatively light (6lbish) and have a pretty smooth and reliable action.
Accuracy is pretty good especially with the newer ones that don't have the micro groove barrels.
Micro groove barrels are only an issue with cast bullets that are not large enough.
Wood and the fit and finish is nice but not as good as a Henry.
Trigger is acceptable.
Easily accepts a ghost ring sight if desired.

Henry Big Boy (steel receiver) -
First off, my step dad has a 45 colt golden boy and it is beautiful. Don't want the golden boy because it is quite a bit heavier (over 8lbs) and is way to flashing for me.
Very smooth action, fit and finish are wonderful.
Very accurate for a lever gun.
Has the tube/rod style loading which on face value I don't like. I do have a marlin model 60 which has the same style of tube reloading but not sure I'll like reloading 44 mag this way.
Trigger is supposed to be nice.
Ghost ring sight is available but installs differently (possibly with an adapter plate?) not sure if i have that correct or not
All around a great shooter, haven't found many people who had anything bad to say about them. Some people do say they wished Henry offered the side loading port like the Marlin/Rossi

Rossi 92
Lightest of the bunch at 5lbs
Doesn't have the smoothest action but is usually pretty reliable
Designed after the winchester?? Not sure if that is right or not, and don't people say that the Winchester 44 mags are usually not good because the action wasn't designed for a short cartridge? Does this apply to the Rossi?
Cheapest of the bunch at about $600 or less
Pretty accurate
Trigger is acceptable
Ghost ring sights are also available, not sure if they just mount without any adapter or not
Side loading port, again which seems like a WAY easier way to reload
Fit and finish are ok
Many people say they are the best bang for your buck lever action.

I'm willing to spend the 700+ on the Henry but the thing that is making me really hesitant to do so is the tube/rod style of reloading it. Can anyone tell me if they find it to be a pain in the butt compared to the Marlin or Rossi? I'm sure some here have both or have fired both.

Any opinions are welcome, what should i get !

Thanks

I have a 16 inch Rossi in .45 Colt and love it.  I bought the Steve's Gunz DVD and parts kit to smooth up the action and remove the safety.  I stripped and refinished the wood, and I'm very happy with how it looks.  I use it for plinking at the range and I've taken it deer hunting (so far without success).  

I paid about $450 or $500 for mine, but I watched for a good deal for a month before I bought it.

I haven't owned or handled a Marlin, and I've only handled a Henry at a gun store.  That said, I'm very happy with the Rossi.

The Rossi is basically a copy of the Winchester 1892, which was designed for pistol length cartridges like the .44Mag and is an excellent and very strong design.  (It's a scaled down version of the 1886 action)

Those people are referring to Winchester 1894 rifles chambered for the .44 mag and other pistol length cartridges.  The 1894 was designed for cartridges like the .30-30 & .35-55.  Those people claim the 94 is unreliable with pistol cartridges, but I have never had a single malfunction with my .357 94AE.  I have yet to hear any credible or first hand accounts of reliability issues with 94s in pistol cartridges.  That said, I'm not a huge fan of the 94 action, and I strongly prefer the 92 action and my .357 1892 Winchesters over the 94.

+1 all the above, with the exception that I don't have a winchester 94 and haven't even used one since the late 70's.

Of the options listed in the OP, I'd try to steer toward the Puma/Rossi as well; I just hugely prefer the 1892 action to the 1894, which I fully acknowledge is subjective & personal preference. The only reason I'd buy a different levergun at this point is if I found a deal on an 1886.

Bought a Rossi 92 44 mag 20" a few months ago.  My first lever action.  Bought it for the same reasons as you.  Couldn't be happier.  Now, I don't have anything to compare it to, but I will say I read a lot about the action on the Rossi before I bought.  Mine is smooth as silk.  I wouldn't hesitate to go Rossi.  With the curved butt of the stock, and being a .44, it will give you a jolt if not shouldered correctly...does for me anyway...6'1" 175lbs...not a lot of padding or muscle .

I'll be starting a new thread about mounting a red dot on my 92.  I so much wanted to keep the buckhorn sights (and modified mine to try to) but my eyes just can't focus at that range.

Good luck.

I have a Marlin 1894S that I bought back around '92 or '93.  It's been a great rifle. Wished I would've bought a stainless version of it when they first came out.

I have a 20 inch Rossi 92 in 357.  It's a absolute hoot to play with.  Surprisingly accurate, completely reliable.  Mine will even feed full wadcutters if I'm careful.  Rossi gets panned a lot but this is one item they have figured out.  Mine is an older LSI import.

I have a Winchester 94 .44 magnum from the first generation built and they run short cartridges just fine.  Back in the day the most common .44 magnum cartridges used semi wadcutter bullets.  The radical stepped design of that bullet does tend to interfere with the action.  However, when running ammo with common rounder profile bullets, the action can be worked without any problems.

I love my Winchester, it's extremely light and shoots like a dream but unloading it is a PITA.  That's why I love my Henry Big Boy .45 Colt, yes it's heavier but it soaks up recoil like a dream making fast followups much easier and unloading a magazine full of ammo is insanely easy.  The Winchester requires cranking the lever for every round left and then gathering up the bullets that go everywhere with that design.  Back in the day when these guns were used for combat, loading on the fly was absolutely necessary and magazines were usually kept topped off.  Today, neither is needed.  There's no life or death need to fire 10-14 rounds and keep topping off the mag.  Even when plinking very few folks will burn through that much .44 magnum or .45 Colt at a time.  Since we don't generally keep our lever guns full at all times, especially when they have to be transported, having an easy, fast way to unload your mag into a nice, easily managed pile is a blessing.  I just open my Henry and pour the ammo into a hat.  With my Winchester it takes significantly longer, far messier and the cartridges tend to get dinged up from hitting wherever they hit.

Not to mention the Henry rifles are insanely accurate, which definitely doesn't hurt.

Don't write off either one.