Any opinions or comments on the Marlin 2000

[Lovesbeer99]

I see these around lately and they look like an inexpensive option to get into small bore competition, but I don't see much feedback or accessories on these guns. I know they don't compare to an Anschutz, but is it worth the money? Does anyone use it in competition? how accurate are they?

Are there any similar guns in the same price range?

Thanks in advance

[Bart B.]

I'd get a used Anschutz for a reasonable price. The difference between them and Mossberg is night and day. Especially in their triggers.

You need to decide how far from your point of aim you'll accept missing when the shot's fired. If it's only a tiny bit (1/3 MOA), then you'll need a very accurate rifle to do that; 2/3 MOA at worst. If you don't mind missing it by two or three times that much, then most any rifle will do. 2/3 MOA at 50 yards is fairly easy to do. Only the best rifles and ammo will shoot 2/3 MOA at 100 yards.

Note that one learns to shoot better faster with a more accurate rifle and ammo. That's what gives feedback to the shooter for each and every shot. Good feedback is great. Poor (bad accuracy of rifle and ammo) ain't so good.

[B&E COP]

Hey there! About 8 years ago I bought a Marlin 2000, the one with the blue stock. I got it for my daughter to shoot on the high school rifle team until she grew enough to handle an Anschutz. She never had to: She could never outshoot the Marlin! I shot it several times in prone for grouping as I was considering shooting it in smallbore silhouette without the buttplate. I thought it shot very well, especially for the price. The ammo I used in it was Eley Club. This was a long answer, but I really liked it. I sold it after my daughter's graduation to another fellow for the same purpose. The rifle was always too small for me but just right for my daughter. She was 5'1, and I am 6' if that helps your decision. Good luck.

[Bart B.]

B&E COP, you mention this about your daughter shooting the Marlin 2000She could never outshoot the Marlin!What do you mean by this?

Once sighted in, the rifle shoots close to and once in a great while exactly where the sights were aligned on the target, or the call point, when it fires. The best shots call where the sights were on the target very well and all the shots are inside a small circle about that call point. Those with lesser abilities don't call their shots as well and the bullet will strike inside a large circle around the call point.

So, how is it she could never outshoot the Marlin?

[Lovesbeer99]

Thanks for the responses so far. Any feedback on the trigger? Can you describe the pull, weight, take up, letoff, overtravel, etc?
Also, I'm 5'4" so I'm short for an adult. Sometimes these "junior" rifles fit me better without any alterations.

Also, I was hoping to get 1/2 moa if possible. 2/3 is not much of a difference so I'll be happy with that for now, especially for the price point. There is a single shot at a local shop for 350.00 in very good shape and I might pick it up soon.


Thanks
Lovesbeer99

[Bart B.]

Lovesbeer99's desires:Also, I was hoping to get 1/2 moa if possible.You'll need to get an Anschutz 1903 to do that well at 50 yards/meters for a minimum investment of $1400. And the Eley Tenex or RWS R50/R100 ammo to make that happen will cost 25 to 30 cents a shot.

I don't think any smallbore match rifles/barrels and ammo these days will shoot 1/2 MOA at 100 yards. They used to before the mid 1980's before the priming compound was changed for safety and barrels were really good. Eley's ammo plant primer section had a bad explosion back then killing a few workers. Compounds made since then were much safer but not as consistant for accuracy and were more abrasive due to the glass frit used. Prior to this event, rimfire match barrels lasted 40 to 50 thousand rounds of best accuracy; now it's about half that. Accuracy used to be 3/8ths to 1/2 MOA at 100 yards with a Hart or McMillan barrel shooting an ammo lot well matched to your rifle but now folks throw parties if they get a barrel-ammo combination that'll shoot under 3/4ths MOA at 100 yards. Really good rimfire barrels are rare these days. 2004 Olympian gold medalist Matt Emmons tried 8 or 9 barrels before finding one good enough to use.

I don't mean to frighten your pocket book, but this is the reality these days. Here's a link to a review of the Marlin 2000 with accuracy test data.

http://www.gun-tests.com/performance/feb96junior.html

[Howard Roark]

Mac Tilton deals in nice used Anschutz and the like rifles. (http://www.mtguns.com/) His prices are very good.

I bought an Anschutz 1413 from a fellow competitior to shoot smallbore prone with for $750 including the rear sight. There are deals out there if you know where to look.