marlin model 60..... opinions?

Longranger

Hi all, as per title, I'm just wondering if anyone has one and if so what do you think of it? I've been offered one at a really good price and I've been after a nice. 22lr semi for a while for short range bunny bashing and a bit of fun too. I have an old but immaculate west german schmidt and bender 6x42 and my old SAK mod ( the marlin is already threaded) and I reckon they would suit it just grand. I was considering a 10/22 but the price of the marlin has me changing my mind. Any and all advice would be great.
Cheers
LR

EWQuinn

I had one for some years, gave it to my nephew. Good gun, accurate, fine for rabbit shooting, very reliable. I liked it a lot and so does he now.

Trigger can be a little bit rough compared to some, but I was able to shoot it just fine. Not easy to adjust, so make sure you like the rifle and the trigger pull is ok before you buy.

FISMA

Haven't had the 60, but if the price is right, why not?

She's been around since 1960, correct? Thus, it has stood the test of time.

What year is the one you are looking at?

I am of course a 10/22 shooter, but mainly because I get them so cheap. If a 60 came my way at the right price, probably would pick one up.

The savings would have to be considerable though. There is just too much support and parts for the 10/22 to overlook.

Not crazy about the tubular magazines, unless it is on a lever action cowboy gun.

Longranger

FISMA wrote: »

Haven't had the 60, but if the price is right, why not?

She's been around since 1960, correct? Thus, it has stood the test of time.

What year is the one you are looking at?

I am of course a 10/22 shooter, but mainly because I get them so cheap. If a 60 came my way at the right price, probably would pick one up.

The savings would have to be considerable though. There is just too much support and parts for the 10/22 to overlook.

Not crazy about the tubular magazines, unless it is on a lever action cowboy gun.

Hi FISMA, it's only 18 months old and I can pick it up for waaay less than it's worth as the owner is emigrating in may and wants to get rid of it asap. Like you said, the 10/22 is great for after market stuff but I just want it for bunnies and a bit of fun. Oh, and it's the camo stock version! B-):-D

Zxthinger

Trigger is heavy, not adjustable without considerable research and forethought and even then it's easy to botch it up.

Trigger guard is made of plastic, and both the receiver retention screws bare down it via drill/machined/moulded screw holes at either end, any over tightening of the action screws can causing splitting/cracking/deformation of the trigger guard.

The barrels are held into the receiver body with a single retaining pin and poi changes are possible.

There is no real bearing surface at the rear of the receiver body to allow for bedding, except for half moon shaped shelf right at the rear of the reciever body and it's only 1/8" thick at it's mid-point.

The inner trigger assembly floats under the receiver & bolt and is hooked on to the front of the receiver thanks to a cross-pin. The same trigger assy is only fixed to the back of the receiver with a plastic split pin which oddly is .22" dia do a fire case might serve as a replacement.

I found that the really only like standard velocity stuff. Sub sonic stuff often fails to cycle in them and it's even worse if they are in anyway dirty.
The high velocity stuff voids the warranty but it also cause the above barrel shifts in the receiver.

There are no upgrades available with the acception of a ram-line stock and a trigger gaurd made with aluminium by rimfire technologies (USA)

Some variants take standard mags and their female retaining frames are brittle, being made of some die cast muck. I have seen them cracked and broken.
If there was no licence to be bothered with (like in the USA) and the cost of the gun was the only real consideration and safes or alarms were a moot point then yep I'd buy it. But when you consider the real hassle of the Irish system and everything as detailed above then you might reconsider.
If ye had a b/a 22 then you can feed it anything u fancy. Ye could bed it and prob get upgraded parts, thats if Tje trigger isn't already adjustable.

The semi is great for follow up shots and taking running rabbits which you won't be doing to handy with a bolt action.
The marlins are light weigt tbh and that's a bonus but is it worth it

pedroeibar1

They are good fun, for close up shooting, plinking, cheapo. Just make sure your licence position is OK - I have the Marlin 99 DL, a glitzier version, gold trigger, nicer stock, (doesn't make it shoot any better), cheapo sight. No issues with the trigger or anything else, but had to do an interview with the Chief Super because of the mag (mine takes 18 LR in the tube). Semi-autos are not liked by AGS so don't commit until you get the licence nod from AGS. ( I have several other guns, never an issue until I had to get the renewal on this after the new laws were introduced)

EWQuinn

I wouldn't over think it if you are getting a great deal and it's for plinking and small game thumping, provided it's in good shape. You can get the after market aluminum trigger guard for approx $45 US. But if you just snug the rear screw and don't "torgue" it too tight should be ok. Dissassembly and cleaning was never a problem for me and I'm not a "mechanic". You do want to clean the action & bolt periodicallly, but if yer not shooting a high volume of rounds regularly that shouldn't be too big a deal.

There's a procedure available for working on the trigger, I considered it and I could have done it, but its a real PITA and was / is not worth it. Full dissassembly and gunsmithing is not for the faint of heart on this rifle IMHO. If you want to get into tricking out a rifle to be a "custom" tack driver get the Ruger and spend the money. Good luck, if you get it and shoot it, we want to know how it works out

Longranger

Thanks for the replies lads, I did a bit of negotiating today and I think I'll be going for the ruger. Had a few test shots with both and the ruger was definitely the nicer rifle to shoot. I also managed to get a good deal on a new one in synthetic/stainless and already threaded . Looks like a problem solved! :-D
Thanks again.
LR

FISMA

Longranger wrote: »

I did a bit of negotiating today and I think I'll be going for the ruger...

Excellent choice LR, welcome to the club.

On a side note, ya wanna buy a barrel?:D :pac:

I bet you'll find it shoots much better out of the box than it is given credit to do.

Later on down the road, when you decide to upgrade, you'll be amazed at the amount of aftermarket support for the 10/22.

I would say that it is the single best supported firearm today, perhaps, ever.

EWQuinn

Its great that you got to try them out and decide based on actual shooting. That's the right way to do it.

Zxthinger

Out Of interest, how much was the marlin going for..

Longranger

Zxthinger wrote: »

Out Of interest, how much was the marlin going for..

It WAS going for 200 but when I said today that I wasn't taking it, it went to someone else for 250.

Zxthinger

Good value from either price.