rimfire teardown: 10/22 vs Marlin?

[Bob F.]

OK, gang, I'm in the market for a .22 semi-auto rifle. Don't particularly like the Ruger rotary mag. Can you disassemble the mag to clean it? How about the action? I have a Marlin 995 that I was given because a guy had stripped it, bent the main spring, and lost a couple parts. It's back together and works most of the time. My cousin had a 10/22 that I cleaned w/ lighter fluid and q-tips-that's all I had-because it jammed every other round or so in the cold weather I was hunting in.

I want a gun I can detail strip and not ruin using a little common sense and the manual.

Thanks, and stay safe.
Bob

 

[kahr404life]

You can't clean the magazine:banghead: but the gun is easy. Don't use lighter fluid . Take the gun out of the stock, push out some pins (really easy), and there you go (Clean the Machine ). The directions which come with the gun (yes you have to read them ) should tell you how to do this. The 10/22 is a lot easier then Marlin (any auto model:banghead: ) to clean. Good luck and if the Ruger magazine goes bad throw it away and buy another.

 

[railroader]

I have both a marlin 7000 and the ruger. Both are reliable. Stock the marlin is more accurate but there more goodies available for the 10/22. As for 10/22 mags here is how to service them. http://www.gunsmoke.com/scot/guns/1022/mags.html Mark

 

[esldude]

Ruger is easier to clean.

I don't just not like the rotary mags. I despise them. I haven't seen them function with all that much reliability.
Butler Creek single stack mags work much more reliably for me. Wish I had some in metal, but they work quite well. The main problem with the BC mags is you cannot dissassemble like you can the rotary Ruger mag. BTW, not all BC mags are the long 25 rounders that stick too far below the stock. The ten rounders barely stick out.

 

[kyoung05]

I have owned a Ruger 10/22 and currently own a Marlin 795. I really hated the Ruger in its stock form, and I didn't want to dump a bunch of money into the gun so it would be to my liking. I see some guys basically buying all new parts, only keeping the original reciever and I can't help but think it's madness. I thought the 10/22 was too heavy, not very accurate, and tirgger pull was pretty bad. The Marlin, with its synthetic stock, is much much handier/lighter, trigger is better, but not great, and it seems more accurate to me. Albeit, I am using the Marlin with a bi-pod and variable scope (versus the Weaver K4 that was on the 10/22). I find the Marlin is more enjoyable to shoot, and I like the magazines better. I only wish they were easier to find, as I've never seen them in stores, only on the Marlin website. As for ease of cleaning, I only run a boresnake down the barrel after I'm done shooting so I've never actually disassembled the thing. However, it was my understanding that rimfires don't need much cleaning, so I don't know how often you plan on detail cleaning it anyhow. Anyways, I am now trying to sell my Marlin so I can buy a CZ 452 American, since it is much more accurate, and is more aesthetically appealing to me. There is also something about working a bolt which seems "cooler" to me.

 

[Crosshair]

Just a dumb question, (This seems to be the place to ask it.) but is there anyone else here that owns 22LR guns that WILL NOT function with Federal Brick 22LR. My 10/22 and bolt Marlin 880 will not function with this stuff. It really gums up the works as well.

 

[1911user]

Bob, yes, you can disassemble the factory 10/22 rotary mags. There is an allen head screw in the front and you press it in then turn to unscrew (using an allen wrench). Count how many turns you unscrew it for reassembly. That controls the spring tension on the follower.

I've found the stock 10/22 mag to work very well and won't wear out with the metal feedlips.

My 10/22 (mostly stock) just doesn't jam with normal ammo including the federal or remington bulk packs.

 

[Don't Tread On Me]

I take apart my Ruger rotary mags all the time to clean them. It is no problem.


Also, the Ruger is the easiest firearm to completely detail strip. Doesn't get any simpler.


Thing is, modern Ruger 10/22's are made like sh**. They are very rough inside, and the cycling is inhibited by this. Pull on the charging handle on a new model sometime and you will hear a scraping sandpaper like sound of the rough metal engagements.


People told me it has to "break in". That's BS. 2000 rounds of high-vel wasn't enough to even put a slight polish on anything. Break in is for firearms that were made well, but need a little smoothing out.


I did my own fluff and buff with some fine automotive sandpaper and a diamond stone. I smoothed it out and the action feels like soft butter. Since then I haven't had a single malfuction EVER. While prior to this, I had at least 1 failure to feed or extract per magazine.


My brother in law owns an early 80's model 10/22. After careful inspection, it is clear and evident that "they don't make them like they used to". Even an 80's rifle is significantly better made, with smoother parts, and better casting. (mine was made in 2002)

 

[rbullom]

10/22 is the one to choose. Own 3 of them. Don't clean the rotary clips, just buy new ones. My time isn't worth the $15 you can replace them with for a new one. No other 22 can be modified as much as the Ruger 10/22, (stocks, barrels, etc.). When you modify or customize them they become rim fire tack drivers.

 

[mtnbkr]

You can't clean the magazine

nonsense. I've taken mine apart for cleaning several times.

Dunno about the Marlin, but my 10/22 is easy to dissasemble down to the major components (barrel, bolt, trigger asembly, reveiver). I've taken the trigger assembly apart to replace the hammer, etc.

I don't just not like the rotary mags. I despise them. I haven't seen them function with all that much reliability.

I've found the Ruger magazine to be the most reliable for the 10/22. The only time my gun jams is when I use the BC Hotlips mag (25 round version).

Chris

 

[mtnbkr]

My time isn't worth the $15 you can replace them with for a new one.

If I pay postage, will you send me all your dirty 10/22 rotary mags? I can clean and reassembly a 10/22 mag in about 10 minutes if I'm in a hurry. It's worth my time.

Chris

 

[belton-deer-hunter]

no doubt the 10/22 is a much better gun for the money but a marlin is much cheaper and there is a surplus on them so jsut buy a new one for 89 dollars and go on

 

[New_geezer]

You have to clean Marlins?

 

[hksw]

Huh, its interesting to see a few folks having problems with their stock Ruger mags. I've never had any problems with any of the .22lr mags I have dating all the way back to 1989 or 1990. Never even cleaned (although disassembled to see how it works) the first one that I use the most. The factory mags I use span from the first mentioned above to a couple from a couple 10/22s I bought a couple of months ago.

If the rounds are hanging up and not being pushed to the feed lips, the bolt holding the mag together is probably a little too tight.

Only rotary mag I've had a problem with was a 10/22M mag when I started stooting .17HMR through it. A simple 1/8 turn of the bolt to loosen the mag a little fixed this.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

It puzzles me that people are having problems with the Ruger mags. Maybe the old ones were better.

When I was a kid, I'd go to the range with my dad and brother and shoot the snot out of Dad's 10/22. I think that Dad cleaned it after every 1000 rounds, if he felt like it. Sadly, that gun is long gone.

I bought a new 10/22 a few years ago and it's very reliable. The only mag which gave me any trouble was one left over from when I was a kid. It was dirty and the spring was noticeably weaker than a couple of new mags. I cleaned it and now it works fine.

FWIW, I had a Marlin Model 60 back in the 80s and while accurate, was never anywhere near as reliable as the 10/22. It needed to be cleaned after every 240 rounds or so, or it would start to jam.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Unless you are a qualified gunsmith... you can't really 'take apart' a Marlin 995... I usually just spray the crap out of the innards with a good dose of solvent, work the bolt, rinse and repeat a few times. You have to clean from the muzzle so a brass rod is a good idea.

It's the only complaint I've had about the rifle... it's the only one I can't 'take apart' properly.

I've fired it enough to loosen the pinned barrel, and have had to replace the recoil buffer.

 

[Mumbles_45]

The only semi auto .22s I really have any experience with are the 10/22 and the Marlin Model 60. I love my 10/22, in fact I plan to buy a second one this weekend. I was not a big fan of the model 60 though. Major PITA to clean.

 

[Red_SC]

I forget the exact number, but between my dad and my two younger brothers, I think they have 8 Marlins, and I have a 10-22. In stock form, the Marlins would easily outshoot the Ruger, but after the addition of a Green Mountain barrel (around $100) and a home bedding job, the Ruger is a tack driver now. The mags are a little aggravating to clean, but they don't need it too often. The Ruger itself is very easy to disassemble and reassemble, and modify yourself. The Marlin is hard to modify, few upgrades are available, and it's a pain to get it back together if you take it all apart.

My recommendation? If you want a decent out-of-the-box .22, and you will be content for it to stay that way, go with the Marlin. If you like to tinker, the Ruger was designed with you in mind.

 

[ElKabong]

I just bought a used Marlin 7000T. (the middle gun)
If you don't want to customize, this is a pretty nice rifle factory stock.
Still working on ammo preferences and think I have a minor mag issue, but happy over all.

ElKaong

 

[dfaugh]

You have to clean Marlins?

Err...not very often...My Model 60 has something like 5000 rounds through it, and I've never dissasembled it, just routine cleaning of the bore, etc. Actually shoots better when a little dirty (takes 30-40 rounds after cleaning, to settle in)..And it'll shoot rings around any stock 10/22 I've ever seen.