Marlin 60 or Ruger 10 22

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Pukindog12

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I am looking into getting an affordable 22 rifle. I have narrowed it down to the Marlin and Ruger. The gun will be utilized for plinking and small game. I would like it to be accurate , reliable, and easy to use. Please, from you rifle aficionados out there, please give me some advice and suggestions on the pros and cons of each gun.

Many thanks and much appreciated!!!
 
Marlin will out shoot the the Ruger. The Ruger you can really customize to your liking. both are great guns
 
I love my 10/22 and I am a fan of Ruger's customer service, but mine did require some tweeking to get it running right. I wouldn't give it up now though.

Having said that, the Marlin M60 is generally less expensive to start and doesn't have plastic parts like Ruger's new cheap triggerguards and barrel bands. Additionally, they are not that expensive when you can find them used. IIRC, there is a deal on the Marlin 795 right now at Dick's sporting goods stores (none near me) where they can be had for $125. If I were looking for a semi-auto .22 for the purposes you describe I'd look pretty hard at one of those.
 
I own both models of 22's and if that is all you are going to do go with the Marlin. It is very accurate as is from the factory. Both rifles are very reliable and great to shoot. I do not recommend the Ruger 10/22 because it is a rifle that has a million after market products that can get you addicted into customizing it and sink a lot of money into it. I am now on my 3rd year of customizing my 10/22 and when I am finally finished it will be well over $1k in it. The other 10/22 I own and shoot now is very accurate to 230 yards but I put a tactical solution barrel on it and a stock which was an additional $300.
 
I just went through this and ended up with a Marlin 60. I am glad I did. Everyone bags on tube magazines, but I like them better. You get 15 round capacity with nothing sticking out of the gun. IMO, tubes are much easier to load than box mags too. You can get pretty good at dropping them down the tube after a couple bricks of ammo, it can be even easier if you use the ammo in plastic trays like CCI Mini Mags. I save the plastic trays and refill them with brick ammo. You just count out how many five round rows you want, and dump them in the palm of your hand. They all are pointing the same direction and the drop right down the mag tube easily.

My 60 is surprisingly accurate. For what I paid, I am very satisfied with the purchase.
 
I own a 10/22 and have shot my friends marlin m60 and would say go for the marlin. If you don't mind the tube magazine, it will shoot better then an out of the box ruger. all you need to get extra for a model 60 is a good scope(or red dot), a Spee-D-Loader and maybe a sling if your varmint hunting. With that said there are a TON of aftermarket parts for the 10/22, and it can be upgraded to out shoot a marlin. If you want to use detachable magazines get the 10/22. The marlin magazine leave much to be desired in capacity(cant talk on reliability as having never shot the 795).
 
I would recommend you consider a good bolt action or lever action. You get accuracy PLUS you can reliably shoot almost any ammo. Semi's are so sensitive to ammo.
 
Coke or Pepsi, vanilla or chocolate, Ford or Chevy? Dr. Pepper, strawberry, or Dodge? It's one of those endless debates. I have a Marlin 60 and 795. I prefer the 60, because of the tube mag and because it feels more like a full-sized rifle. (It's one of the slightly older ones with the 21" barrel.) I have nothing against Ruger -- I own a Mini-14, a Single Six revolver, and a Mark II pistol -- but for a semi-auto rimfire rifle I just really like the feel and handling of the Marlin 60.
 
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marlin 60 or 10/22

Well, I have a 99-M-1, just got some J&P springs to tune it up. Very accurate, dependable, and overall, I like the looks better than the rugers, AND the rem/marlin offerings. REAL walnut also.
 
I've had both a Marlin 60 and a Ruger 10/22 carbine. Even though the stocks measured out at practically the same length the Ruger just felt shorter and squatter. The stock Ruger sights sucked for me and I didn't like loading those little box magazines either. So as you probably guessed I still have the Marlin 60, it has its hiccups every now and then but I believe its due to the Remington bulk box ammo I use, CCI's work much better.
The Marlin 60 has better sights and like was said before, you can get pretty proficient at loading that tube quickly.
Another benefit is if you ever hunt nutrea from a boat out on the swamp, you won't be left with a hard-to-load single shot semi-auto when you dump your only box magazine in the water........not that its ever happened to me :uhoh:
 
I'd go with the Marlin over the Ruger, either the Marlin 795 (box mags) or the Marlin 60 (tube mags).

I went with the 795 when Gander Mountain had it on sale before Christmas a couple years back. It works great out of the box for about $100 after the Marlin $25 rebate, and the only accessories I've added are a web sling I had lying around the house, a set of Tech Sights, and of course extra mags.
 
You can get Marlin 60's with 19-round capacity (tecnically a 17-rd tube mag, 1 in the action and 1 in the chamber). I believe they were only made for awhile.

I don't really like tube mags but what I found out I don't like about them is having to remove the tube. Integral magazines, however, are the kind I most appreciate. Whether loaded by stripper or enbloc or especially through the receiver for tube mags.
 
30 years ago I would have said the 1022,because of the trigger,now, I say Marlin model 60, same reason. The version at wallyworld is as good as any ever made. I don't think you can beat a microgroove barrel for 22lr. Nothing wrong with either magazine. I think you could buy a used mod 60 in any pawn shop in the country for 60 bucks. Of the like 8 MILLION sold, I bet 5 million have never been cleaned. Doesn't seem to affect them at all.
 
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The Ruger is gone but I kept the 60.

The 10/22 was a decent gun but just to much work was needed to get it to do what the Marlin did out of the box.

My buddy has a 10/22 and after two years it still isn't "there".
 
Marlin won!

Yesterday I went out and purchased a Model 60SB stainless with a walnut finished laminated hardwood stock at Wally World. Along with it came a 4x20 scope. Looks like this one - http://www.smsguns.com/marlin_model_60 SS.htm

Took it out shooting with my brother in law, who coincidentally owns a Ruger 10 22 so he brought it along, and I couldn't be happier. I put around 150 rounds down range going from 25 yds to 75 yds. I sighted the cheap 4x20 scope in at 50 yds and I was keeping up with his Ruger with a good 3x9 scope.

For comparison I shot his Ruger also and I didn't care for the trigger or the box magazine compared to the Marlin. (That's not a slight against the Ruger because it is a great weapon but just my personal preference.) His is "out of box" stock with the exception of the scope. I did like his scope so this is a reminder to me to get a better scope.

As far as accuracy goes I'd state they were equal. But FWIW his Ruger has many more rounds through it along with the help of a much better scope.

All in all I am very satisfied with my purchase. I think this rifle will give me many years of unblemished service as long as I do my part. :D And many thanks for the suggestions and invaluable advice. Much appreciated!!! ;)
 
In the state I live, rguns cannot be transported loaded so removeable box magazines are widely prefered. My Marlin is not as accurate as my Ruger but the are both close to 30 years old.
 
The gun you purchased is the exact same gun I got. The groups did tighten up after 500-800 rounds. Mine has a 4X scope on it too. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine. I forgot how much fun a .22 can be! I gave my Winchester model 150 to my boy and needed to buy myself another gun so I could shoot with him. It is funny how kids can remind you of how much fun things were when you were a kid!

That dang Winchester still has a better trigger... I may try to con him back out of it for another gun!
 
I have an older 10/22 with a decent scope on it, Ive never shot it, suppose I never will now, gonna sell it and get me a cheapo marlin , do they still come with a keychain?
 
We just had a 50 yard benchrest shoot for 22's at our club, The Rugers vastly outshot the 2 Marlins there including a couple completely stock Rugers. I have seen it said the Marlins are more accurate out of the box but it has never been proven to me in person. The Ruger will hold it's value better (used are not much cheaper than new these days) and are much easier to lightly modify to your personal tastes.
 
Good choice, the M60 will give you many years of shooting fun. I own several large bore rifles but the M60 gets shot more due to ammo costs recently.
 
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