Snagged myself a different sort of JM Marlin...a Model 60

[earlthegoat2]

There was a thread here a bit back about what is the best semi auto 22 that was not a Ruger 10/22. It was a great read and a lot of good suggestions were included. A few mentioned the Remington 552 of which I have an example of already. Some interesting points in favor of the 552 was the large magazine capacity even though it was tubular.

Of prominent regard though was the Marlin Model 60. Highly praised for its accuracy and low cost as well as its extreme popularity. It's popularity is interesting though. On the used market, I see about 50 Ruger 10/22s for every Model 60 whether it is a Marlin or a Glenfield variety or any of the store branded versions. The last used model 60 I saw was a Glenfield in a pawn shop in Port Huron, MI in 2008. They wanted $75 for it but I was not as enamored with 22s at the time as I am now so I let it pass. The last 10/22 I saw was....well....yesterday.

When the thread popped up a bit back and with the more recent Remington asset sale, I vowed to buy the next Model 60 I saw. As luck would have it, I sold a pre-safety JM Marlin 336 35 Remington earlier in the day so I had a good hunk of cash in my pocket. I paid a visit to my favorite local gun haunt and no crap they had a model 60 on the rack.....next to, count them, 3 10/22s. Haha. I asked to have a look, and it had some honest wear but had been taken care of. $125 OTD and it was mine.

1983 manufacture. I learned there was an old and new style an mine is an old style with 22" barrel, 18 round magazine, and no last shot hold open. It does have a nifty method of manually locking the bolt back for cleaning though. Apparently, new styles have 20" barrels, smaller capacity because of the shorter barrel, and a last shot hold open with a bolt hold open lever.

It never occurred to me that all other Marlins made before the Remington takeover would also be JM marked, not just the lever guns but in the end that really doesnt matter.

And pics. Not that no one knows what these look like.

 

[NMachine]

I sold a pre-safety JM Marlin 336 35 Remington earlier in the day

Why in the world would you do that?

 

[NMachine]

Nice Model 60 though!

 

[earlthegoat2]

Why in the world would you do that?

Because I managed to acquire a 336D 1 of 1001 35 Rem. Davidson’s exclusive made in 2000. Straight grip 18 1/2” ported barrel.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

In my not so humble opinion Marlin the original (JM) Connecticut used the same quality barrels on their Model 60 (G99 Glenfield and other trade brand copies) as they used on their premier Model 39 leveraction. My Model 60 semiautos and my 39A Mountie are equally accurate with scope sights from the bench.

 

[Whiterook808]

My first rifle was a Marlin 99M1 with a nine shot tube magazine. It looks like a M1 carbine. I got it in the late 1960s, so no bolt hold open at all. That makes it a bit of a pain to clean. It's a great little carbine and very accurate. It still gets range time.

Well done! I would have kept the 336, though.

 

[Rubone]

I bought a "Glenfield 60" from an old client of mine ( I do a lot of repair and renovation on her home). She had it in a closet, it had been her dads who passed in the '80s. She had let it out that she had it at some point during one of our visits. I asked if she still had it and she said "sure, you want to buy it". I said I did and she dug it out. Really nice, very little use ever. Most of the issues were from poor storage, no rust but a few minor dings in the stock. I asked her how much and she said she'd take $100 for it. And then she pulled out a Marlin Model 780 bolt gun and said to take it as well. She had no use for them. It was like new. Both date to the early '70s. The 780 is at the top in this shot, the Glenfield below it. These are the vintage 22s (missing the Model 74 Winchester I have yet to pick up in Colorado). I have a couple 10-22s for more 'modern" toys.

 

[sparkyv]

Compared to my Remlin M60 I recently sold, your JM has better quality furniture and the longer tube magazine (higher capacity). Very nice.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I don’t keep too many guns. I sell often to try out new things. Lately I have been trying inexpensive guns since I have been such a gun snob most of my life. Padded my wallet a bit in the process.

Funny thing is I have less desire to sell the cheaper stuff because it’s almost not worth the trouble for so little money.

 

[Gary W. Strange]

I remember when Marlin model 60’s sold for 39.95, at Kmart. I had several over the years. All the boys I grew up with had 22 rifles. During the summer we spent many day at the county dump shooting rats, or what ever. During the fall we worked on the squirrel and rabbit population. Lot of fun memories. Times were different, kids had sense back then and if they didn’t, it would be beat into them. I got away from .22s my self, for quite a few years, but last year after I had surgery in my back and neck, I could not shot a hard kicking, anything. I had to walk a lot while I was recovering. I got bored just walking on the street or a park. I found I could take a 22 rifle, or handgun and spend most of the day walking old logging roads and in the woods. Walking and shooting. It got me back into rimfires. There is nothing more pleasant than taking a nice rimfire anything out and just walking the woods. I have been on the look out for a nice model 60 for awhile, but like you say, they are just not out there. Some of the most accurate 22 rifles I have ever shot were Marlins. It is a true shame, what Remington did to the Marlin name. I hope Marlin can someday come back and be what it once was.

 

[ThomasT]

I have 3 of the Marlin 22 autos. A model 60 that is a transition model that if I have it right was made for three years. Mine has the long mag tube and 22" barrel and last shot bolt hold open. It was made just before they shortened the barrels and mag tubes. Its like all the other Marlins dead nuts reliable and and scary accurate. Plus I have my dads old model 75C. A carbine with 16" barrel and a Glenfield 75C that I bought in the local paper.

Then Glenfield puzzled me for a bit because the stock had be refinished and the squirrels or acorns had been sanded off. I paid $50 dollars for it and it wasn't until I got home with it that I figured out what was going on. Somehow the stock had been broke at the wrist. The repair was so well done that you have to see it just right to spot the crack. I let my bud shoot it and he didn't see the crack either until I pointed it out to him.

Anyway it doesn't seem to hurt the accuracy or function any. We used it to shoot a couple of golf balls until we knocked them so far out in the grass we couldn't see them any more. Its now stored in my truck between the rear seat where its folded up out of sight in a gun case with a walking stick laid over the top of it. I have 50 rounds of ammo in the truck. Its one of the best $50 guns I have ever bought.

 

[entropy]

I have one of them someone gave me for work done, (ironically, on a 10/22) and it just sits in the safe. Never liked them, hate cleaning them. For those who love them, nothing wrong with that, but as for me and mine, make it a 10/22.

 

[WestKentucky]

I need to glance at my model 60s. I know the 3 60s SHOULD all be JM as they are older guns. The 795 was bought 2009ish so I suspect it may be a remlin, perhaps a combination basket case. It’s a heck of a gun though.

 

[crestoncowboy]

I have a friend who bought every westernfield/Glenfield 60 we seen at auction. The marlin branded ones sold higher. I guarantee he has 20 or more. Usually they went for 50 bucks or so. I always put them right there with the 10/22. I prefer a pump or lever.

He bought those and a ton of 5mm remington nobody wanted because they couldn't find ammo back then.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I have one of them someone gave me for work done, (ironically, on a 10/22) and it just sits in the safe. Never liked them, hate cleaning them. For those who love them, nothing wrong with that, but as for me and mine, make it a 10/22.

I have love for the 10/22 as well. Even have a pre warning label finger groove stock example at my parents house.

 

[Old Hat]

I’d like to have a JM 22” with last shot hold, or a squirrel stock.

I have a Remlin 60 that, just the other day, shot a perfect bullseye when I backed off to 50yrds. off a rest. The targets were crosshair style, 1/16” bars...hit dead center after centering at 25yrds scoped. Groups at 25 well within dime size.

I don’t think it loves 40grain solids in low velocity though. Opens up.

I think the Remlin is just as accurate as the JM, though. RIP Remington..... they made very accurate barreled guns too...

 

[Barbaroja]

A glenfield 60 with the squirrel stock is what I learned to shoot with. I’ve got my eye out for one, but the old man does still Have those 2 old 60’s so I’m in no rush. I much prefer the 22” barrel high capacity mag tube.
Great guns.
I have a 10/22 that I use for small game but that’s only until I can get a scope mounted on my Remington model 34.

 

[Elkins45]

I had a Glenfield 60 with the squirrel stock that was a birthday present from my mother when I was in 7th grade. I loved that rifle but some scumbag kicked in the door of my rental house and stole it a few years after she passed away. That was 27 years ago but I still look at every similar gun on the used racks or at gun shows on the minuscule chance it might show up again.

 

[spraay]

I see about 50 Ruger 10/22s for every Model 60 whether it is a Marlin or a Glenfield variety or any of the store branded versions.

I can't imagine ever selling my model 60. It works so well, and so accurate. And I can't imagine you'd get much for one. They're not that expensive to begin with.

 

[JCooperfan1911]

Always thought those were junky rifles. The triggers are hard to work on and generally are very bad from the factory and the gun can easily fire out of battery. Don’t ever use any degreaser near the trigger group as the cheap plastic will turn to goo.

 

[3Crows]

I am not a Model 60 fan. And I have one but the 1022 is my preference. Not sure what Ruger will do with the Model 60. I always liked the MG rifling in the .22 rifles, hope maybe a MG 1022 will be a future offering.

 

[12Bravo20]

I have a Marlin 99M1 with the original rear sight (yes the rear sight can be worth as much as the entire rifle) and a mid 80' Model 70. My dad still has the Model 60 that I used as a kid. I prefer the ergonomics of the Marlins over the Ruger 10/22 personally. I do hope that Ruger keeps the Model 60 around.

 

[ThomasT]

I don't know if it matters to y'all but my model 60 will feed CB 22 longs. Load the magazine and use it like a straight bolt gun. They won't function the action of course but just keep pulling the bolt back to cycle the action and you have a quiet close range squirrel gun with the 22" barrel.

 

[Old Hat]

Mine runs subsonics in the 1050 range if the action is clean and the bolt lubed well with quality oil.

It runs lower velocity better than my 10/22, but maybe the Ruger needs a very good scrub..? Also it’s subjective to how hard you pull the stock to shoulder... The more solid the back stop, the more likely the bolt cycles.

 

[ThomasT]

IIRC you aren't supposed to use hype velocity ammo in a model 60. And just in case Ruger decides not to make them anymore maybe stock up on a few recoil buffers. I had one disinegrate in my 75C.