Originally Posted by 2152hq

MArlin's first tube feed .22 semi auto was the Model 88 (Late 40's to mid 50's).
BUT, this rifle had it's tube magazine in the butt stock,,not under the bbl.
A later Model 98 also used this system but with a cut out on the right side of the stock to ease loading.

The previous Marlin semiauto 22's to that point were clip magazine fed,,Model 50 and the A1.)

The first model semiauto w/a tube feed under the bbl was the Model 99.
This most likely the rifle your G/Father had, or a variation of it. New to the market in 1959.
Re branded as the Model 99-DL in 1960/61.
Just cosmetic changes such as the addition of a gold plated trigger, pistol grip cap and a M/Carlo style stock. The rifle mechanism itself was the same.

There were a number of Model 99 variations added to the line, 99C, 99M1, 989, ect but they all used the same action.

At the same time the Model 99 MArlin was being made,,MArlin also made the Glenfield Model 60.
The exact same rifle, but branded Glenfield. A hardwood stock instead of AmWalnut. These sold at lower prices than the
Marlin marked version.
There were also Box Store marked versions of the Model 99,,all the same rifle with some cosmetic changes in the stock, sights, ect.

In 1983, MArlin decided to drop the Glenfield name and line altogether.
With that the Glenfield Model 60 semiauto 22 rifle went away.

What MArlin did then was to use that Model designation,,,Model 60,,and attach it to the Marlin Model 99.
Then retire the Model 99 designation.
The marketing boys told them that Model 60 had vastly out sold Model 99 over the years. So they stayed with Model 60 and the familiar rifle.

When I worked there in the early 70's,,the Marlin was the '99' and the Glenfield was the '60'. Simple as that.

A first year ('59) production Model 99 MArlin will have a stock with NO montecarlo, NO pistol grip cap, NO sling swivels.
Starting in '60 they added those features and called the rifle the 99-DL. But not all the rifles will carry the 'DL' marking.
A bit later they changed it to MOdel 99-C. That was the common model that was produced into the early 80's.

None were ser#'d till GCA'68 went into effect.
A few were hand stamped ser#'d that came back into the Repair Dept. These were rifles originally made & sold legaly w/o ser# pre GCA.
Then returned on warrenty. A new rifle sent back to the customer.
The older rifle stripped and rebuilt and then resold. To be legal to be resold again since it was post GCA now, a ser# was assigned and hand stamped onto the front left side of the alloy recv'r.
We didn't do an awful lot of thee rebuilds as they decided it wasn't worth the time involved.
Next step they had us just strip them for parts and scrap the rec'vrs. Then finally just cut the entire rifle into 3 or 4 pieces and throw 'em into the scrap/trash.
This was the program for both the 99 semiautos and the bolt action Model 80 22's, none of which were ser#'s before GCA68.


Probably more than you ever wanted to know,,but I hope it helps.