Marlin XL-7 or Mossberg ATR 100

[possom813]

If you could have either one, which one and why?

Info on both, not pertinent to the outcome,

XL-7 is .270 and comes with 2 boxes of ammo for 280

ATR 100 is .30-06 with no ammo for 225

 

[possom813]

Also, just because, I really don't care what I could get for a few more dollars or this, that and the other.

Both of these seem to be almost exactly what I'm looking for other than being stainless. Whichever one I go with is going to end up having a rough life riding in the gunrack of an atv through a lot of mud, muck, rain, snow, ice, heat, high humidity, and all that good stuff.

 

[WalkAbout]

I have the XL-7 in 30.06, and its a shooter for sure. The trigger on it is slicker than eel snot, and it seems better made overall than the mossberg. With any luck it'll kill a deer before the end of the month if I can ever get back out.

b

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Don't have any experience with the Marlin, but we got my dad a Mossburg ATR in .30-06 for his birthday. We put a Bushnell Banner on it and went to sight it in before we gave it to him. Let me tell you, that thing is accurate. We had no trouble getting 1 1/2 inch groups with factory ammo and we didn't have a table or sandbags. We just used a rolled up hunting jacket on the hood of a truck. If we'd had the lead sled, I have no doubts we could have gotten 1" groups.

 

[c01]

Marlin

I have the Marlin in 06 and it is a very nice gun. Light and accurate and if I can steal a phrase,"Slicker then eel snot trigger."

D Avery

 

[possom813]

Alright, went shopping today and ended up finding a pre accutrigger Savage 110 .30-06 with synthetic stock and a simmons scope on it in near perfect condition for 299.

I put it on layaway, I grew up shooting a Savage Mark 2 or 4 or maybe 7(I forget the numbers on it) bolt action .22 pre accutrigger and from a couple of dry fires, the trigger on the .30-06 feels just about right.

I probably paid a little more than I should have for it, but the layaway thing worked out pretty well being right around Christmas and only needing 10% down.

I could have, in all likelihood, walked out the door with it for about 225 if I would have had cash today.

But not too shabby for a weapon that feels right, total cost with tax and all that jazz was 320 something. Now I've got to pay it off and put a better scope on it, probably going with a Nikon 3-9x40.

And yeah, I know I could have bought a brand spanking new one at Walmart for 299 or whatever, but there's not a walmart around here that sells guns anymore, and at gander mtn the same gun with the accutrigger is just under 400.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I'm not a Mossberg hater by any stretch, and own several of their modern (and old) products, but this choice is easy after reading of the catastrophic failures and injuries attributed to the 100ATR and by extension, the 4x4.

 

[lopezni]

how about neither. both are about the worst rifles ever made, just behind the rem 770. Save a few more bucks and buy a Howa ranchland 1500 or weatherby vanguard synthetic.

 

[natman]

how about neither. both are about the worst rifles ever made, just behind the rem 770. Save a few more bucks and buy a Howa ranchland 1500 or weatherby vanguard synthetic.

I don't care for the Mossberg, but it's still better than a Rem 770.

I have to wonder if you have ever actually seen a Marlin XL7? It's far superior to either the Mossberg or the Rem 770.

 

[dubbleA]

Originally Posted by lopezni
how about neither. both are about the worst rifles ever made, just behind the rem 770. Save a few more bucks and buy a Howa ranchland 1500 or weatherby vanguard synthetic

I too wonder about this statement, the Marlin I have looked at and handled is a pretty nice gun for the money and doesnt even come close to the Rem 770.

 

[glockmon]

He wasn't asking about the Howa or Weatherby. I think the topic was Marlin and Mossberg. Good pick on the Savage though.

 

[GooseGestapo]

The Marlin is a clone of the Savage M110 series. Even the new trigger is an adaptation of the Savage accutrigger.

The Savages I've owned (3) are decent actions, though I've discovered that they do have one characteristic I don't like. The actions don't cam the cartridge out of the chamber during extraction. This makes the actions more sensitive to near max pressures giving "sticky" or difficult extraction much sooner than either a Remington M700 or Howa/Vanguard action. I much prefer the latter two.

That said, the rifle I like the most now is a Colt Lt.Rifle. It used the Ultra Light arms adaptation of the Rem. M700 action, but is much lighter and smoother. Unfortunately, it was indeed somewhat "cheaper" than the original ULA, and was not well recieved. Colt/Saco only built 6,000. I picked mine up at a very good price. A bit of bedding work on the action/stock, stoning of the trigger, and painting the stock and now it's a sub-moa working rifle!

For the original poster's purposes; You'll do much better passing on the Mossberg and get the Marlin. I've not been favorably impressed with the Mossbergs I've looked at.

 

[Col. Plink]

Mossberg 100 ATR. Sub-MOA performance, sub-$250 price. looking for one in .308

 

[Maverick223]

Good choice, better than either in the poll IMO.

 

[jmr40]

The Marlin may prove to be one of the best guns made at any price. I think highly of the ones I have handled. The Mossberg offers no advantages over other designs and has a questionable history.

 

[Huntin'Gun]

There have been reports of the Mossberg bolt falling apart and the shooters getting injured. I don't know much about it, but there's some rumors about it going around. Just for that I'd pick the Marlin. For not much more money [if any at all] the TC Venture has a detachable mag, and would be my choice. But of the two listed, it's a Marlin for sure!

 

[Guiding101]

New to this site. Both Marlin and Mossberg have an excellent track record for durability, and in this day and age nearly all bolt guns will shoot more than accurate enough to put a head on the wall and meat on the table. Over the years guiding I always carried a shotgun as a back-up arm. Loaded down with 3" lead #2's, and #1 buck. I had a few issues with the tried and true 870 express. So I switched to the Mossberg 835 and have had absolutely no mechanical errors what so ever to speak of, and that old gun has saved my hide a time or two. In my humble opion, the a Mossberg is the bench mark working mans firearm. Nothing fancy, not pretty, but they fire reliably time and time again.

 

[jmr40]

You obviously don't know the history behind the Mossberg bolt rifles. They were first made about 10 years ago by the Raptor arms company. They were a piece of junk and the company quicky folded. Charter Arms made the gun for a short while and could not improve on the quality and dropped the gun quickly as well.

I'm not sure if they are made in house by Mossberg or if they simply use the Mossberg name, but it is the same design that has failed twice under different names.

There have been several Mossberg rifles where the bolt broke while firing injuring several shooters when it came back into their faces. This may well be an isolated problem that can be easily corrected in a recall, but Mossberg has declined to make the potential problem right.

Even without the possible danger from firing them they offer no advantage over other proven designs that sell for around the same price.

 

[Maverick223]

Even without the possible danger from firing them they offer no advantage over other proven designs that sell for around the same price.

+1, I shot one (was a little afraid to pull the trigger, but others shot it first; heating it up and weakening it further?), so I gave it a shot, FWIW it was a .308. I was thoroughly unimpressed by the action, stock, the feel, or really anything about it. IMO the Savage, Marlin, and Stevens are much better in every respect; heck, I would rather have a H&R Handi, and that is saying a lot.

 

[Col. Plink]

Mine was good, light and lots of recoil in 30'06 but quite accurate for the $ and a $50 scope!