if you go to a big box store, like an Academy, or wally world or such, you should be able to find one new for about 135, to 150, used will be between 80 and 100.
this rifle has been around for about 73 years now. Started out as the mod 80 and 81, in 1937, they added the dl in 38, came with a fabulous peep site. It was stopped during the war years, and resumed in either 43 or 45, I can't remember. both versions will shoot short, long and long rifles, they will also fire Aguila Super colibris, I would not try the plain colibris myself, but the supers work fine for backyard shooting.
Microgroove rifleing was added in 1953, to all marlin 22's starting that year.
but one thing you can say about the 80/81's, they have changed very little over the years, and their accuracy is nothing short of fantastic. With a few simple mods, like a bic pen/ hard drive door spring, to replace the trigger return spring, and making sure the bbl is freefloated, or a hard pad is added up front under the bbl , and on top of the tip of the stock, these can really rock out on a tight group. Best of all, if you get the tube fed, they can hold somewhere between
22 and 25 shorts at one time, how cool is that? if you get shorts, look for only 1 type; CCI hi speed hollow point shorts. It will be a 1 hole group for you. don't worry if you cannot find a new one; a pawn shopper or gunshop find will be very coolio as well; just make sure, that at the opening of the top of the reciever, where the round will eject, there is a little flat bent , wire thingy, that hangs down, from inside the bbl, and looks like a check mark, you would write down on paper; this is the bullet guide, and without it, the nose of the round will point straight up as you try to feed it, this little wire thingy keeps it bumped downward. Like this;
http://www.e-gunparts.com/productschem.asp?chrMasterModel=082Zz80
Look at this scematic, blow it up to larger size, and look at part 80-12, it should be hanging down inside, on the opening towards the bbl shank, in part number 80-50. if this is not there, do not buy it, it should deff be there
on a new one. Purchase new or used, with confidence, they will work.
the other thing I would check with a used one, take a close look at the muzzle. Because they are so old generally and usually are beaten up pretty good, you wanna check the muzzle for any nicks or dings, that look too close to the lands/grooves.
Here is a look at mine , old school 81 dl, with a peep site, i figure made between 38 and 41.
I redid the stock, in a 5050 balance of minwax, and mineral spirits, very lightly, brushed on,
several coats, very thin, over several days; came out to a nice , light , honey color.
