Marlin 60

[kngflp]

I have been looking for a .22 for plinking and range use. Although I would rather have a clip fed semi auto I told myself if I found a used Marlin 60 I would snatch it up. Today at a Pawn Shop I found 2, one is $59 with a shorter tube, the other one looks older but in better shape and is $69 and has a decent looking tasco scope on it. They are both pretty dirty and the actions arn't all that smooth. The scoped one being smoother. The $59 has a bolt release like an 870 and the $69 didn't. They both look nice, blue and wood, real old school. New at wal-mart they were $112 so I feel like it's a good deal, but what should i check out before I buy?

 

[Bobby Lee]

Forget about the Marlin 60. The Ruger 10-22 is a better choice.

The Marlin may or may not be a bit more accurate than the Ruger but the Marlin is a POS when it comes to reliability and overall quality.

 

[Cazach]

I have had a Marlin for over 20 years and it was flawless. I abused it and it came back for more. I finally broke it after a botched home gunsmithing attempt. Bought a new one (with bolt release) and it is an abosolute tack driver

As long as there is nothing mechanically wrong with it, grab it a shoot the hell out of it.

My .$02

 

[SpookyPistolero]

Ditto to the Marlin being flawless. I have had one in my posession that I 'stole' from my stepfather. I can tell you it most certainly would have seen abuse from he and my stepbrother. To this day it is my most favorite plinker and has been great. A good cleaning is most likely all that will be needed (other than some lube) to slick up that action. Some slurry, in a worst case scenario, would help too.

Mine is reliable and accurate. Plus, the ones you're looking at are half the price of a new 10/22. If you're looking for something to heavily alter/accurize/sporterize/bla bla then the Ruger is the better way to go for sure.

Pick up the one with the scope if it looks to be in better condition. I would just try and check the bore a bit to see if it looks to be in bad shape, and pull out the mag tube piece to see if it functions OK (no dents, etc).

My two cents.

 

[Roadkill]

Years ago I did some inventive trading and bought a new HK .22 with a real nice scope. Cost a lot more than I had a right to spend on it at the time. A while later I'm cleaning it up and a good friend stops by, asked if I would clean up and sight in his .22, had it since he was a kid and his grandson was old enough to start shooting. Wanted to be sure gun was safe, ect,.Brought by a Marlin 60 with a dime sized diameter 3x Japanese scope. Owned it for nearly thirty years, had never cleaned it, and had been in the garage for at least fifteen years. I did my thing, made it look nice, really cleaned and lubed it, took it out in the yard, set up some paper at 75 yds, used the ammo he gave me (Sears Revelation longs, not long rifle) and with no expectations leaned against a tree and popped off three shots. MOA. Did it again. Sub MOA. Again. Sub MOA. I tried some modern winchester long rifles. Five shots, one enlarged ragged hole. Better than I ever could have done with my expensive Heckler Koch whatever with the 3x9 scope. My pal picked up the Marlin, I traded the HK. The first gun I bought each of my sons was a Marlin bolt action, Mike is 26 and still loves it, Dan is 22 and its the only rifle both of them own. They are fine guns. Nothing against the 10-22, I've had two or three. My only .22 rifle is an Anshutz 1451 with a 10x scope, the squirrels around here hate that thing.

rk

 

[RoyG]

Son and I spent the afternoon shooting a brick of 500. I have one from '82 with a 3-9x40 scope on it. I picked it up at a pawn shop last week. This is older model with the metal trigger housing and no bolt release on it. After adjusting the scope I can put most of them in 1.5-2 inch groups at 50 yards. Someone a better shot would be able to group much smaller.

Son was shooting a old Glenfield Model 75. A carbine version of the 60. It has a cheap Tasco scope on it. Once again no problem with grouping 1.5-2 inches.

The older Model 60s hold 17 in the tube. The 75 only holds 9. The newer 60s hold only 14 and have a plastic trigger guard.

My advice... GRAB the 60 and use the 100 bucks you save on a 10/22 and buy ammo... LOTS of ammo...

If you decide you are into modifying you can always get the 10/22.

Check out RimfireCentral

 

[Colt46]

Don't diss the Marlin

I prefer the Ruger. I don't like Marlin's tube magazine, but the ones I've used were accurate, fed flawlessly(unless really, really dirty), and seem to hold up well.

 

[Lonestar.45]

I bought a Marlin 60 in '82, and to this day it's my favorite gun. Shoots all the time if I keep her clean. It's accurate, out to 50yds I can put them into a hole the size of a half dollar or smaller all day long. For the price, I don't think you can go wrong.

I've never owned a 10/22, I hear they're good guns, but you won't find a good one for $59, and I have a hard time believing it would be that much better than my Model 60.

 

[homeka45]

Next one I see in a gunshop will go home with me. I just have a ATD-22 right now but will be getting more semi-auto .22s in the year to come.

 

[scout26]

Another vote for the Marlin (with the scope). I got mine for $89 (NIB) at Gander Mountain and it goes to the range everyweek. Mine's got a $8.00 Tasco 4x scope on it and I can put 14 out of 14 in the 9 ring from 50 yds. My 11 year old daughter loves it, but the stock is a little long for her. ("Dad, is it my turn to shoot yet ???" "Just a sec honey, Daddy's trying to get the scope zeroed." "Dad, if you can't get it zeroed in 70 rounds why don't you let me try." ) I'm buying a another stock to cut down so it fits her better. Only problem I've with it has been after 400-500+ rounds an occasional FTE. Quick scrub of the barrel and no problem. The $60 you save over the 10/22 will be good for enough ammo (paper targets and ballons) for at least 6 trips to the range.

I gotta agree with cazach:

As long as there is nothing mechanically wrong with it, grab it a shoot the hell out of it.

Cause we do.....

 

[kngflp]

The 10/22 does appeal to me and my tinkering/customizing nature, but sometimes its actually nice to have somthing I know I won't be obsessed with pouring tons of money into. I just want somthing to plink with and to keep up my skills with a rifle. I also have the habit of trying to turn all non-shooters into shooters, which turns out to be pretty expensive with everything I shoot. Wal-mart has .22 500 rds for $8.44 which is even cheaper than surplus 7.62x39. Seeing as the cheapest 10/22 I have seen around here is $189 I think I will go with the Marlin. The Pawn shop also has a newer browning buckmark for cheaper than any Ruger .22 I have seen new.
Besides the feeding tube and the bore is there anything else I should check out before purchasing??
Thanks for all the replys.

 

[Rupestris]

I have a Model 60 FS with a Nikon 4X32 Prostaff.
Attached is a couple targets from my sighting in with the new scope. Since then I have managed better groups with my 60's favorite ammo (Federal 810's/CCI Mini Mags).

These were shot with Remington Yellow Jackets ay 50 yards. 4-5mph cross wind. 5 shot groups. 10-20 seconds between shots. Bench with sandbags.

Granted, the trigger on the 60 is crunchy and heavy but it can be cleaned up a bit.

My Model 60 was the first rifle I bought brand new. $119 for the FS model and worth every penny.

 

[El Tejon]

Clean it, at least the receiver. When I sold guns, co-workers would complain about their POS Marlin 60s "jamming."

I told them to bring them to me; I would spend 10 minutes with Q-Tips spooning out 12 years of Winchester Wildcats and Remington Thunderbolts out of the receiver and bolt and after a little lube it would be flawless again.

M60 breaks down fairly simple, couple of tricky pins, but even El Tejon can work on it. El Tejon, gunsmith in training with magic powers.

 

[DarthSane]

My advice is to buy it if it is mechanically sound.
I love my Model 60.
I'd call it accurate as well

Not many things in this world that will swat a fly at 25 yards for under $100.00.
My Marlin 60 will.

 

[rick_reno]

Forget about the Marlin 60. The Ruger 10-22 is a better choice.

I have two M60's - they've both run perfectly over the past 15 years. Maybe the Ruger is a better choice because of the all the after market parts you can purchase for it.

 

[Bopleo]

The Marlin model 60, i wish i still had mine.
This was the first real gun i ever owned, as a kid, it was the greatest gift i ever got as a child.
They are a great little 22 with the only drawback being they are tube fed, other than that they are good shooters and a good starter gun.

 

[P95Carry]

I also recommend the Marlin .... but do agree if full of crud they most certainly will play up ... but cleaning as El T says is no biggie.

Some while back - I posted a simple ''how to strip'' article I put together to help someone ... make a note of it perhaps in case it helps. HERE

There are two Ruger 10/22's at one club that as yet I have to see run flawlessly - probably mag issues. Having shot Rugers as well - I will say this - I am keeping my Marlin 60.

 

[Pa_HighPower'd_BarrelRacer_Chik]

Another Vote for the Marlin. At our local shooting range we fight over 2 guns. One is a Marlin and the other is a discontinued USA Shooting Team Gun. I shoot the Shooting Team Gun because it is light but also because i bought it with my own money. But the Marlin is a nice gun to shoot. If i didn't have my gun i would shoot the Marlin. We shoot peep sights but i have shot the marlin with a scope and did bad but i can't use a scope so it was me. I would suggest the Marlin. They are Amazing Guns..

 

[kngflp]

OK I checked out some other pawnshops. At one they had two 10/22s, one was $169 one was $99. The $99 had a scope on it and had the front sights taken off. They also had a maverick shotgun with an extended mag, it looked like a 590, for $89. I didn't get to see anything up close because they were busy and I was in a hurry. I am real weary of buying a used gun especially one from a pawnshop in a sketchy part of Memphis. What is there to look for on a 10/22 what goes wrong with them?

 

[bbrown609]

My father has had a Marlin 60 for many years and that was what I was first introduced on when I was younger. I bought the same when I went to buy me a .22 rifle. It is a great gun at a great price, and I have never had trouble with mine. The Ruger is also a great gun, but I stayed away from it because I didn't want a metal band around my forend and barrel. I think they now have a model without the strap, so it looks much better but is more expensive.

 

[George Hill]

Fifty and sixy bucks? Grab both of them. One for you, one for your son or nephiew or grandkid or favorite girl... what ever youngster in the family you have around. Then spend some time teaching them.
Pass along the pastime.

 

[Okiecruffler]

Over the years I've bought, cleaned, fixed, and given away at least 2 dozen model 60's. I just finished one and have another stripped for cleaning. Don't think I've ever paid more than 60 bucks for any of them. I've spent hours cleaning some of the bad ones, but all were flawless once I got them clean. Had a 10/22, lots of fun, ended up with over a grand in it. But after all that it still only shot a bit better than my 60 and was picky as could be on ammo.

 

[kngflp]

Thanks for all the replies, I picked up the $99 ruger 10/22. It appears to be an older model (is there any way to date them) It came with a little bushnell 4x32 scope. I was at the range geting the scope dialed in and my best 10 shot group was dime sized, it would have been one ragged whole but I had one flyer. There was a guy up there with a bull barreled hi power scoped 10/22 and I seemed to be shooting better than him. I had never shot with any optics before, I now must scope my Mak 90 and SKS. The gun ran fine, ate all the cheap Remington bulk I fed it w/o a hicup. When I got home I broke it all the way down and cleaned out some really nasty stuff. I had to scrape some of the areas with a knife to get that junk outta there, it was possibly older than me.

I think I will probably end up with a Model 60 pretty soon too, they are just too cool.

I actually looked up the serial #s on Ruger's website and my rifle was manufactuered between '78 and '79. So some of that crud I scraped out today very likely did predate my exsistence.

 

[EVIL5LITER]

I went pawn shop hopping today and ran across what looked to be a brand new M60 for the low low price of $59 dollars. I didn't even try and haggle over the price, I bought it on the spot.

I'm not even sure it has ever been shot, it's that nice.

I think I did alright

 

[RoyG]

59 bucks!!!

I would of ran out of the store with it.