Q's For MArlin owners

[Sylentsniper]

Anyone here familiar with Marlin's line of .22 rifles. I was wondering if I should go with an auto loading or bolt action? Are these good begginer rifles or do they need some tinkering in order to get optimum performance. I kinda liked this rifle http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firear...on22/981T.aspx . I liked it because it you can load .22 long.short and long rifle cartriges. I think I may end up getting a Marlin rifle for my first firearm but im open for suggestions.
Thanks for reading and for your input,
Noel

[wolfgang2000]

Marlin make fine rifles. I'm left handed, so I'm not a bolt gun fan.

You should get you dad to take you some place where you can actually handle the rifles. See which one feels good to you on your shoulder.

[pickenup]

The rifle you linked to will shoot just fine out of the box. It will not require any tinkering to shoot well, and will last you a long time.

I always advocate getting a bolt action to start with. You can learn good “basics” of shooting with them. Semi-autos “sometimes” tend to teach sloppy shooting habits.
Besides, your ammo will last MUCH longer.

[Joseph Filippi]

Hi Noel,
what do you want to accomplish with the rifle you are going to be shooting ? Your answer would help dictate what type you should purchase, thus the price.

[Sylentsniper]

This would be my firast rifle or firearm, I was thinking about doing some small game hunting (i.e rabbits,squrriels,groundhogs) and some short range target shooting maybe 50-100 yrds. Do you think a 22mag would be better for my aplication? What are the advantages/disadvantaes of a .22mag over a .22lr?

[southernshooter]

I can't vouch for the .22 bolt action but I have shot other bolt actions from Marlin they all were good guns. I don't do much .22 shootin I just got 1 .22 it's a breakdown with iron sights for varmint huntin I usually use mini mags or super colibri's more than enough to stop any small game

[MRMIKE08075]

the MARLIN MODEL 60 semiauto tube fed .22rf rifle is the perfect addition to anyones collection...

while it lacks the abundant after market support and accsesory line-up that is available for the RUGER 10/22 it is a much more accuratte and reliable rifle out of the box / unmodified...

the MARLIN family of .22rf leveraction rifles are also top notch...

there bolt action choices are servicable but plain and reliable entry-mid level guns...

any of these would make a fine choice.

best regards, mike.

[rangerruck]

i am a rabid marlin fan. the 981 is not only an excellent beginner's rifle, but they will shoot great forever. the tube holds....25 shorts! me likey. I actually have a super old mod 81 dl. they were made tube or mag fed. the dl version came with a factory installed peep site, if you can believe. With the peeper, it will shoot sub moa at 50 yds, believe it or not.
i also think there should be a const amend. saying every household in America should have at least 1 mod 60, and one old ones ,with the bunny or yote or squirrel on the stock, if only dreaming...
you will find all the marlin's shoot very well, some will come out now and again, competition accurate, and the 17 hmr's come made with bbls from Green mountain, very nice.
Also , i think that, because of the microgroove, bbls, they do not have to be cleaned as much or scrubbed as hard to get clean, which will make your bbls last much longer. Over cleaning them ruins them faster than anything else.
Also i recently pulled off a coupe'... in 1 week i'm getting a 22 levermatic mod 56, that was made in 55. The levermatics were a very unique design, because of a built in speed cam. You only need to flick down your 2 or 3 fingers in the lever to get it to action the next round. you never have to move your head from your cheekweld. these were also the only models, that were 100 percent steel. No plastic or aluminum parts anywhere.
so i say , that to start get you the 981, and pick up an old mod 60 or a Glenfield with Super Squirrel on the stock, and heat 'em up.

[rangerruck]

another thing,if you get you some super colibris, you can shoot them in your backyard, that long bbl,quiets them down quite a bit.

[lead]

As you can tell, we like Marlins! They are one of the best guns to get for reliable .22 shooting.
You asked about .22mags. For a first gun, stay with .22l.r. You can buy 3 boxes of .22l.r. for the price of one .22mag, and you won't see that much of an improvement in performance.
The rifle you showed in your link is an excellent choice. When you get it, try different brands of ammo in it, Winchester, Remington, CCI, etc. You'll find some do well, some will do excellent.
The bolt action rifle gives you the option of shooting shorts and longs, also standard velocity or high velocity. In a semi-auto, you'll only shoot long rifle ammo, and most suggest to only shoot high velocity.
You've made a good choice, now go out there and enjoy it

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by Sylentsniper

This would be my firast rifle or firearm, I was thinking about doing some small game hunting (i.e rabbits,squrriels,groundhogs) and some short range target shooting maybe 50-100 yrds. Do you think a 22mag would be better for my aplication? What are the advantages/disadvantaes of a .22mag over a .22lr?

The Marlins are excellent and highly accurate rifles for the money, Sniper. Have no fear on that score. As for the .22LR v. the .22 mag, I would definitely advise you to go with the .22LR. For hunting, it is plenty of gun for the usual kind of small game (rabbits, squirrels, etc.) and more importantly, the ammo is cheap. The .22 mag is a fine cartridge and gives you a bit more effective range, but go down to your local ammo supplier and compare the price per box for both the LR and the mag. It will likely shock you. Essentially, with the .22 mag, you are paying a great deal more for relatively little advantage over the LR for most uses.

[southernshooter]

Sylent I want to recomend something I DO love .22 but why not start out with a Ruger MIN14 It is a good starting out gun cheap ammo and plenty of parts to customize them any way you want.

[Marlin T]

Sylent, I have the Marlin model 25N.


I'm not sure if it has the same bolt configuration as the one you were looking at or not. Be advised that the spring steel extractor that clips (snaps) onto the bolt isn't the best design and I'm disappointed with all the work I had to put into mine to make it extract the shells. Now the only shells that this thing likes is the CCIs.

If you want further information, like a pic of what I'm taking about, if you haven't figureed it out yet, just ask.

[Sylentsniper]

If you could please post a picture of your rifle or the components on hich you had to work on in order to funtion properly. I did a little reasearch and found that the Model 25 was discontinued and it is now the 925m. I wonder if this is an improved version of the Model 25? Maybe they made the cycling a bit better.
Thanks for all the hel;p,
NOel

[Xracer]

For a beginner rifle shooter, I would always recommend a .22 rimfire bolt-action rifle for the following reasons.

1) .22 rimfire is cheap to shoot.....thus encouraging lots of shooting which leads to proficiency.

2) It has low recoil.....so you don't build a "flinch" into your aiming and shooting.

3) It's accurate at reasonable distances.

4) The slower bolt action encourages aimed fire rather than the "spray & pray" of a semi-auto.

The Marlin you've chosen is an excellent choice. Later you may go onto bigger & better things, but the Marlin will always be there to hand down to your children and grandchildren to learn on.

[Shooter45]

Whichever .22 rifle you choose will last you a lifetime if properly cared for. But, you should buy the best you can afford. Your local gunshop may have a lawaway plan. If so, look at a Ruger 77/22. Fine bolt action .22 rifle in the $400 range. Savage also makes an accurate bolt action .22 at a much lower price. Also check the used market in your area.

Whatever you decide, good luck on your purchase and don't forget a range report.

BTW. nothing wrong with the Marlin .22 . I have a couple myself.

[Marlin T]

Sorry about the quality of the pics, don't know what happened.


I will say that now the clip has been modified it shoots like a champ as long as it is CCI ammo. I can consistently hit a target the size of a fifty cent piece at a hundred yards no problem.

But there has to be a better design than this one.

[Marlin T]

Where did Sylent go?


When marlin discontinued there 25n line, did they also discontinue this poor set up pictured above?

[Sylentsniper]

Here I am. I had just been on and off the comp for the past few days and havent been able to post. thanks for the pics! I believe I might go with the http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firear...on22/915y.aspx > I like the fact that it is single shot because that way I can concentrate more on my shooting technique. what I am starting to wonder now, is what kind of scope should I get for it. Right now I have a Barska 3-12x44mm AO scope on my pellet gun and I do pretty well with it at 65yrds. would this scope be ok to use on a .22. I wa thinking about doing to longer range shooting with my first .22 (maybe 100-135yrds). Once I again thanks for the info, you guys have been great help.
Keep on shooting,
Noel

[southernshooter]

SYLENT that scope should be fine a .22 ain't got much more recoil than a airgun.

[Marlin T]

SCOPE???? For 130 yards??? No scope is my personal pick.

[Sylentsniper]

Yeah I was thinking about leaving the scope on my pellet gun and Maybe putting an apeture sight on the .22. I wonder if the rifle would accept a peep sight?
Thanks for the help,
Noel



PS: I am used to seeing dime size 5 shot groups at 50yrds with my pellet gun. What kind of Accuracy is expected from the marlin rifles. Is one MOA at 100yrds good or can it be ALOT better. I got a ton of questions in my but don't want to become annoying with all the question asking.lol

[rangerruck]

yes, a 981 will get you moa, when you find the right bullets. Mine can do it with about 10 diff types. the old 81's in dl version had a factory peep site. you can drill the left side of your receiver, in the same spot, and get that site from numrich. also there is an after market fully adjustable peeper, tha fits on your dovetail, and will get you moa , as long as your eyes are up to the task.

[Sylentsniper]

OK I have bee looking at two different brands and I just need your guys consent before I make a decision. Which bbrand would you choose for .22LR.....Marlin or Savage?
thanks for your input,
Noel

[rangerruck]

marlin for these reasons, cheaper more plentiful mags, good service dept., better fit and finish, more models to choose from. accuracy of both are very good.