Christmas List ... Turn Marlin 60 into HD Tool

[IdealFugacity]

Hi all,

With PA gun laws preventing me from using my Marlin 60 for squirrel hunting, I'm going to be getting a bolt-action 22 (likely the XT-22) for that purpose.

I'd like to keep the Marlin 60 in use as we have a lot of fun plinking and target shooting at the range with it. My girlfriend also loves it and it will be a stepping-stone to bigger and better things as time goes on (next step is a 22 handgun to get her approving of those as well).

With Christmas coming up, I figured I'm asking for some accessories to turn the two .22 rifles into Appleseed guns but I want to also use this Marlin 60, with CCI Mini-Mags, as my home defense platform for the time being. She is comfortable with the gun which is important, and more importantly it's "what I got" for now. A shotgun is not preferred in my house and I would prefer to focus only on the Marlin 60 in this thread.

I currently have a Nikon Pro-Staff 4x32 on the Marlin, but as dry-firing now in flashlight conditions duing the "Sandy Blackout", the first time we've slept with a loaded firearm next to us, I can tell that this is a horrible choice for low-light indoor use. I will put this scope on the bolt action tree-rat gun.

So, I figure I need at least two things on my Christmas list to turn this into a working HD weapon:

1) An indoor low-light sighting option. Preferably one that will also work for Appleseed and Plinking at the range.

2) A weapon-mounted light.
Maybe #3?) A shorter stock? This is a stock marlin 60 with a Walnut stock.

Are "tech sights" going to work with indoor lighting, and/or flashlight pointed at door or weapon-mounted light? Or is a different type of sight preferred here?

Thanks for any input!

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[Odd Job]

If that was me and I had to use a .22 rifle for HD in circumstances where light might be an issue, I would go for a reflex red dot.
Not sure how useful that would be for Appleseed. In fact I don't know if you can get that .22 rifle to be good in both roles at all.
I wouldn't cut the stock at all...

(And yes, I am not going to argue that .22 is not worth anything for HD. I understand that's all you got.)

 

[IdealFugacity]

It doesn't have to fit both requirements, nothing wrong with having another set of iron sights to swap out for an AS

Red dots require batteries right? I've never used them but have heard mixed things from how quick they are to the target, down to the concerns about batteries. I don't have a particular opinion on the issue with no experience.

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[Sobel]

They have tacticool lever actions at my lgs when I saw it I died a little inside :'(

 

[IdealFugacity]

It doesn't need to be tacti-cool. Even a classic wood stock Winchester 94 needs something on it to help you put a round on the target. That's all I think I'm asking for, along with the light...

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[Bobson]

I wouldn't look any further than fiber optic "iron" sights - maybe even just a fiber optic front sight, and leave the rear iron sight alone. Green front, red rear, maybe. I don't think any red dot could be noticeably faster than fiber optic irons. And you wouldn't have to waste time turning the sight on, unless you plan to sleep with it on.

I'd get a light (anything with a push-button, really) and leave it at that, as far as extras go. Also get some training. From what I hear, there's a whole lot more to using a light on a weapon than one would think. From a tactical/strategic standpoint, I mean.

 

[Bobson]

Might also want to add a puppy to that Christmas list. Man's best intruder alert system. I mean friend.

Sorry. I have puppy fever lol. Hoping to get a pup for Christmas, to grow up with my daughter. Having an intruder alert system is an added bonus.

 

[Sport45]

Red dots require batteries right?

Yes. So does the weapon-mounted light you asked for.

Seriously, you don't need to do anything to the rifle for it to serve your purpose. A shoulder mounted .22 auto will poke plenty of near quarter-inch holes in anybody that continues to advance on your safe area after you've warned them away.

Unless you have training and backup I'd never suggest trying to "clear" your abode of bad guys no matter what weapon you have.

 

[bhhacker]

If batteries are a deal breaker i had read in a forum post before of red dot sights that dont use batteries at all, they use iridium for no light situations, and have fiber optics that absorb as much light as possible for daytime and low light scenarios.

I dont know the name of them or if it is in your budget so if anyone reading this knows, by all means chime in.

 

[henschman]

For use inside the house at night, iron sights are not really ideal, even with fiber optics or tritium. I would definitely want a red dot for that role. No need to worry about sight alignment, parallax/head placement, or any of that... just put the dot on the target and squeeze. For a real solid red dot that isn't too expensive, I would recommend the Bushnell TRS-25: http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Trop...ie=UTF8&qid=1351876211&sr=8-1&keywords=trs-25
I have one on an AR and it does great. They sit nice and low, which would make them perfect for a .22 with a traditional stock (I have to use a 0.83" riser with it on my AR). They have good battery life (something like 4 months constant on). Not Aimpoint good, but still a lot better than most. It has a 3 MOA dot, which is easy to pick up but not so big so as to blot out your Appleseed targets (I am an AS Shoot Boss and State Coordinator BTW, and my AR with the TRS-25 does just fine on inch squares and AQTs). To mount it, you would have to get a picatinny scope mount for the Marlin. My dad has a DIP mount on his 795 (same thing as a 60 just mag fed), and it is great: http://www.diproductsinc.com/Products.aspx?CAT=4803

A .22 can ruin somebody's day for sure, but I would definitely look at getting a more effective HD rifle in the near future. Maybe something "Rifleman's Quarter Mile" capable as well since you're an Appleseeder... a basic AR would fill both roles nicely, and is girl-friendly as well with light recoil and a collapsible stock. A CMP Garand would be OK for defense as well, as so admirably demonstrated by Clint Eastwood.

 

[IdealFugacity]

Thanks, I will look into that for sure! Sounds like a good item. The light isn't 100% necessary because I don't plan on using this to clear my home, its a hunker down and call 911 while pointing it at the door gun, that my girlfriend can use as well.

I am presuming the same equipment (red dot etc) that is useful for a 22 indoors HD situation is also useful for an AR, shotgun, or other rifle if I "upgrade". Another bonus of the 22 is that not only can it ruin somebody's day but we will still have our hearing when it's over...

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[Odd Job]

If hearing is a concern (and I am guessing your missus doesn't like loud noises) then a suppressed pistol calibre carbine might be the way to go. Let her try one and see what happens, you may well find that all the talk of .22LR dries up

 

[IdealFugacity]

Even though my hunting concerns are with PA, my residence is in NJ and suppressed sounds like a big no-no.

Hate to admit it and siderail my own thread but now I'm seriously also consider a semi-auto 20ga with a youth stock and a recoil pad as an HD weapon, hearing be-gone. I want to set up the Marlin 60 anyway, because, well there are 2 of us so we might as well have 2 long guns ready to rock. So keep on with the advice please!

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[lefteyedom]

There are plenty of wiz bang night/low light sights.

But for simple and cheap, pick up a small led flashlight with a focus adjustment and a push button on/off switch. Tape the flashlight parallel to the barrel under the forestock in a manner that the light can be easily turned off and on. If you want to be Tactical get a red lens for it.

Adjust the light for a narrow beam of light at the longest distance inside your house. Then try out the flashlight aiming aid at dusk for that distance. It works better than most would believe.

Then save your money for other weaponry and gear...

 

[IdealFugacity]

That's an interesting and probably cost-effective solution. But the lover of the book "American Rifle" in me grimaces at the idea of using a taped on flashlight as a sighting system. That's also part of what made me want to use the 22 instead of a shotty...all other rifle rounds, excepting the AR-15, seem to be overkill for a HD scenario and not as versatile. I don't have any hunters in my family, so there's a virtual chance every bullet I ever fire in my life will be at paper, soda cans, or squirrel. I can't really justify a "deer rifle" for plinking and home defense as it doesn't seem to fit either role well.

OTOH a couple of 22s (the semi I already have, and the future bolt-action for hunting in PA) and a 20 ga, plus maybe a 9mm pistol, might be just about the perfect arsenal for me.

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[Dr.Rob]

There are several barrel mounts to attach a light to a shotgun that might fit your purpose. Leave off the optics, not needed for room to room distance and adds weight and it's something else that needs batteries. LED flash light with a switch in the base is what you want for a light.. the batteries last longer and they put out a LOT of light. I bought one that has red or white light for less than $30 at home depot. Works great, just happens to be silver instead of flat dark earth/black/olive.

Also see if your rifle will handle CCI Stingers rather than Mini Mags. Get a box of stingers , fire both into clay or soap and compare the results.

 

[nfafan]

Seriously;

"Might also want to add a puppy to that Christmas list. Man's best intruder alert system. I mean friend.

Sorry. I have puppy fever lol. Hoping to get a pup for Christmas, to grow up with my daughter. Having an intruder alert system is an added bonus."

Even a pocket dog makes a great alarm system. We have two, one has the bark of a basset hound in a 10Lb package.

Anyway, a .22LR out of a rifle is down right NASTY. I shredded this pan with HOLLOW POINTS out of a rifle...



Suggest you at least try a box of the Aguila 60Gr SS rounds to see if it works in your gun; that big fat bullet is going to hit hard like a baby .45!

 

[lefteyedom]

Go to http://rimfirecentral.com and take a look at the cool Marlin stuff.

such as


or this one




As for the tape. 100 mph tape as gone to battle in more way than you or I can imagine

 

[Jackal]

If you have to use any gun for "defense", fine aiming is usually not necessary. At defensive range, surely most any person can point shoot a rifle into a torso.

 

[henschman]

Yes, but especially with a small caliber like a .22, shot placement is very important if you want to actually stop the threat before it has a chance to do harm to you. A red dot like the TRS-25 would give the shooter the ability to quickly put well-placed shots on the target. Plus it would work fine for the rifle's other role as an Appleseed LTR.

 

[Ignition Override]

As for the 22LR round, police officer was murdered from 100 yards by a guy with a Ruger 10-22. A single round hit the officer in the temple.

I don't know which tv show had this segment, within the last year or two.

Whenever you manage to save up a bit, you might be able to find a Makarov-caliber (9x18) handgun for about $250, if legal in NJ.
Youtube might have a video testing the round into ballistic gel, and it is said to have an edge over .380, with lower ammo costs.
Two middle-aged friends carry the Polish P-64 in their pockets, and the stiff DA spring can be replaced by a Wolff spring.