I have a Marlin Camp 9

Never shot one. Always wanted one. Couldn't afford a used one when they discontinued them.

I wonder if Ruger's new PC carbine is driving prices down?

I like the idea of 1911 and Smith mags, but right now the Ruger with Glock mags is tough to beat in this market.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the wood stock though.... thats a huge bonus!!!

friend has one. it's a nice little unit. There was something with the buffers to watch for- have several of on hand as I recall, or perhaps it was to add them. a little google fu will reward you with a ton of info on it. other than that. It was accurate as you could ask for.

Me too. I wanted a nice 9 MM carbine. Got it before the new Ruger was out. Replaced the recoil spring and the buffer with aftermarket. Otherwise didn' t change think. Its shooter. Won't outshoot my milspec, but it doesn't need to. I live in commie land so I can only have 10 rounders, but they work good enough.

I got a Camp 9 when they first came out. 179.00 new at a gun show. Great little carbine. There was a good article on loading for them way back. I use Bluedot but I don't remember the load offhand. Only issue, as with all Marlin semies is the buffer. I replaced this one once. I probably should get a new one just because of age. The new black ones are more rubbery and won't shatter like the hard nylon ones. I have no problem busting clay pigeons at 100yds. Not bad for a 9mm. I can't belivee the prices on used ones.

They are good little guns. My Brother-in-law bought one after I talked him out of a Remington 7400 .30-06 for an HD gun. (In a suburban neighborhood) He put a Leupold 2-7 on it, and sighted it in for 100 yards. I had to replace some action parts on it, and I will tell you it was a PITA. But it is a good accurate little gun, and with the extra mags I gave him when I sold my Kel-Tec (Took S&W mags same as the Camp Carbine), he's well set for HD.

Smith and Wesson 69 series mags work in the Camp 9, but they can be hard to find. 59 series mags are much easier to get ahold of and will work too- they just stick out a bit farther.

I actually use a Camp 9 mag in my 6904.

Audie Murphy said:

Wondering if anyone has one and your thoughts. Thanks.

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Please, tell us about yours. Have you had it long or is it a recent acquisition? How does it shoot for you and do you like it?

If you have one, I might be a little jealous.

I have the camp 45 and the factory buffer failed which led to the hammer strut bridge failing. I guess some of my reloads with Blue dot were a little warm.
I installed a new blackjack buffer, hope this is better than the original.
Made a new hammer strut from a trashed saw blade, annealed, cut and shaped then hardened and tempered.
I did install a Wolff 18 lbs recoil spring, which I prefer over the factory 16 lbs spring.
This gun has been running well for 500 plus rnds since the fix.
What I like about this carbine is it shoots very well and loads with 1911 mags.

audie murphy

I bought mine about 10 years ago. It needed a new buffer pad. I replaced it and to this day I have never shot it. Dog gone it. Maybe some time soon.

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Yeah, I'm a thinking this should go right to the top of your "To Do" list!

Like joneb said, set the blackjack buffer and the Wolff 18 lbs recoil spring.

I was in Australia in November for work. I had been wanting a Camp 9. I bid on one thinking that I would be outbid. I won. I called (from Australia) to pay for the rifle and asked him if he would remove the over 10 round mag from the box and hold the shipment for a week until I was back in the US. He was agreeable.

When I got the rifle, sure enough the nylon buffer was toast and crumbling all over the action. I got the same advice that joneb did for his. It was good advice.

I load mine with AA No 7, 147 grain FMJ's. Shoots them like clockwork. I found a good load over the winter and loaded up about 500 for practice work. They are loaded a little on the warmer side. Buffer still looks good after about 250 through it.

I ordered one when they were first announced, my serial number is in the mid 300’s. I haven’t shot it in awhile but it’s the favorite gun of a friend of mine. The micro groove barrels do like jacketed bullets better than others IME.

Oh, and do not run aluminum cased ammunition in them.

I saw one in gun shop last year for $450. I had no idea what it was so I went home to research it. Went back the next day to buy it and it was gone.

As much of a cult following as the Camp Carbines are, I wish Marlin or someone would come up with a new and improved version of one... and I'm not talking about something like the MechTech, although it has it's merits.

I've always wanted a Camp 45, just can't afford the price of admission in the used market.

someguy2800 said:

I saw one in gun shop last year for $450. I had no idea what it was so I went home to research it. Went back the next day to buy it and it was gone.

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That's what your smartphone's for....

Maybe when Marlin was owned by Marlin, but not now...

Audie Murphy said:

Well, if that's the case then mine will be a Safe Queen. I'll buy a quality Bull Pup, and call it good.

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get the ruger. leave the marlin in the safe.

I have one of the original, 1st generation Camp45s. Repaired the buffer a couple of times, and the blackjack is sitting on top of the safe for when all these polyhedral to-its get hammered into round. Sigh.

It's been my glass testbed for some time now. (And, yes, a 6-12x40 looks right peculiar on a .45acp) It's currently wearing a Holosun HS503G with a PA tip-out magnifier behind it.

The significant change from 1st to 2nd generation versions was in the way the bolt hold-open lever was attached. In the first generation, the lever ride the side rail and has a loose coil spring. This requires about 4.5 hands to properly reassemble. The 2nd gen buffers were not as good. The 2nd gen triggers are more consistent--not better, just more consistent. Mine has a 4-4.5# trigger that's really smooth.

Yeah, would be nice if whoever owns Marlin now would bring these out again. With a Camp40 using Glock mags, also.

I wished I had bought one back then!

I bought one about 25 years ago for around 300 bucks, maybe a little more. That was used.

Mine was really outstanding, but I sold it because I wanted a carbine like rifle with more power. I think I replaced it with a Model 94 Winch. Ranger.

I regret getting rid of mine because it was such a sweet shooter, but my brother had one just like it and it wasn't as accurate. They may have been hit or miss (he still has his, though.) I was amazed when I saw how much they were going for a few years ago, but I wouldn't be surprised if the price has come down a little because of competition in that market.

As much as I liked mine, if I was in the market today, I'd probably buy a Hi-Point carbine in 10mm for $280. That's a much better deal than the Camp Carbine ever was.