Vintage Marlin!

[JayFramer]

Alright so “vintage” might be a stretch but this is a 1994 Marlin 60 .22 that I bought in like new in box shape recently. Looks like it never had been fired outside the factory (until today!). I put a Simmons scope on it and plan to put studs and a leather sling on soon:

Gorgeous gun! Fired 150 rounds of Aguila .22 through it with only one dud. Everything else worked great and the gun is a joy to shoot. It even still has the factory stickers on the stock:

The stickers are in great shape, just showed up grainy in these pics.

Can’t wait to shoot this sweet early 90s Marlin some more! When seeking this gun out I made absolutely sure to get a REAL Marlin and not a recently produced one (AKA a Remlin). So glad to find one basically brand new but made back when Marlin was Marlin and they actually cared what they were shipping out the door.

Take care gang!

-Jay

 

[Gene L]

Looking good. As for a sling, mounting the front swivel might be problematic so you don't penetrate the tube.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

My kinda "vintage" Marlin Model 80DL. I bought it used 50 plus years ago, it can shoot a lot better than I can.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[Usmc5811]

Can’t go wrong with a 60, I have one around your vintage. I’ll payed $90 for it in a pawn shop in 08. Cleaned it completely and have put I don’t know how many rounds through it since. It’s finally reached the point that it needs a complete tear down and cleaning again as it jams occasionally. That’s getting fixed tomorrow. But I have a ‘54 ballard mountie that is back up to the 60, it never fails to fire and is a little more accurate due to the weight. A buddy of mine has one he has used for 40+ years and his idea of cleaning is some WD-40 sprayed in the chamber and a rag down the barrel. It’s still killing varmints, hangs in the back window of the farm truck now.

 

[MCorps0311]

Looks very nice as is.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Looking good. As for a sling, mounting the front swivel might be problematic so you don't penetrate the tube.

Years ago I put sling studs on 3 GR-8's (Nylon 66 copies) for my kids. They too have a thin wall problems. I used standard studs for wood stocks (wood screw threads). I used a hacksaw to cut the length down to 1/4" length, drilled a 1/8 or 5/64 pilot hole and slathered the stud with 2 part epoxy (Crystal Clear brand). After 30 years of strenuous use, not one stud has pulled out! The hardest part was making the boys wait 24 hours for the epoxy to cure!

These studs, cannot and will not swivel! So make sure they are lined up before the epoxy dries.

Ivan

 

[needsmostuff]

The model 60 family are GREAT guns needing very little TLC or pampering. In stock form they easily the equal to the 10/22.
If your going to keep it and shoot it do yourself a favor and get a new buffer for it. You don't need to, and may never need to put it in , but just be ready. It is a small plastic part that takes a beating and yours is 26 years old.

 

[mauser9]

Bluing looks great too. Sure miss that 783 bolt 22 mag. I had with walnut and gold plated trigger from 72. Got a 925M now and that T-900 trigger is a very crisp pull.

 

[PALADIN85020]

That's a great looking rifle, for sure. Marlin made some fine .22s back in the day.

I have only one Marlin - this 39A made back in 1951. It's been elegantly customized - whether it was a factory special or not, I haven't a clue, but I found it very attractive and couldn't resist it. Shoots like a dream, also.

John

 

[Rule3]

The model 60 family are GREAT guns needing very little TLC or pampering. In stock form they easily the equal to the 10/22.
If your going to keep it and shoot it do yourself a favor and get a new buffer for it. You don't need to, and may never need to put it in , but just be ready. It is a small plastic part that takes a beating and yours is 26 years old.

And for anyone wanting to replace the buffer it can be a PITA if you have never detail stripped the action. This video is the best I found and will save you lots of headaches and searing!.
(no you do not to buy their stuff)


[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o91FqW1Gggc[/ame]

 

[Jebus35745]

Nothing like a Classic .22 rifle to spend quality time with. You found a nice one. Would really like to see the accuracy of it with the ammo it likes. Need a range report, Larry

 

[Echo40]

Anything "JM" marked is vintage as far as I'm concerned.

 

[22lrfan]

I've had a bunch of Marlin 60's over the years but have ended up selling them all. This is a vintage Marlin that you might not have seen. In 1931 Marlin introduced it's first semi-auto .22. It was called the Model 50 and fired from an open bolt. The peep sight version was called the 50E. They made the same gun for Sears and called it the Ranger 34A. In 1936 it was replaced by the Model A-1 that fired from a closed bolt. This one is a Ranger with the factory peep sight.

 

[JayFramer]

Thanks gang! Went out again and put 250 rounds of 38 grn American Eagle copper played hollow points through the gun. ZERO issues! LOVE IT!!!

 

[holo]

Instead of drilling the front get a stud that mount to the tube. I know I have seen this configuration on tube feed rifles.

 

[mrmike7189]

Congrats! My first rifle was a marlin model 60. That thing was a P.I.T.A. to take apart. (so many little fiddly springs and bits. )
Only time I had to take apart was when the plastic recoil buffer shattered into a million pieces. Only issue you ever hear of with that model. Great gun overall. Love old Marlins!
(I still own a Marlin Model 9./ aka /the Camp Carbine.)

 

[JayFramer]

Instead of drilling the front get a stud that mount to the tube. I know I have seen this configuration on tube feed rifles.

I’m going to use the Uncle Mikes front stud that attaches to a short nut that is inletted below the magazine channel in the stock. People say this is the best route as it’s much more secure than a short wood screw and made specifically for forearm installs. I’ve read more than one report about those mag tube mounts shifting and walking over time, or worse, deforming the mag tube causing feed problems (at least on some guns).

I’ve decided to also order an MCARBO spring kit for the trigger assembly to lower the trigger weight a couple pounds, gets great reviews. That and an extended charging handle from DIP solutions as the stock charging handle is tricky to use with my low-mounted scope. Should round out the rifle nicely!

I’ve been very pleased with the inexpensive Simmons 4x32 scope on the rifle. It has 4.5 stars from Amazon and just about the only complaints were for the cheap scope rings that it came with, which I replaced with Redfield rings. Clarity is superb and it’s held zero through the 400 rounds I’ve fired so far. I put witness marks on the 3/8” dovetail and the scope body with a silver sharpie and so far the rings and scope haven’t budged one 1mm. I can highly recommend the Simmons 4x32 scope guys, it’s called the “22 mag” model but that’s just a name as the parallax is set to 50 yards and most use them on .22LRs.

Seems mid priced outfits like Burris, Nikon, and Bushnell have all but made a fixed power, smaller sized rimfire scope extinct. The next option would have been a 4x28 Leupold, a $200 scope. The Simmons is under $50 and so far the excellent reviews are true.

I’ll keep you guys updated on the rifle! I’m really digging it!!

 

[JayFramer]

Sling installed!

How sporty! Was at Wal-Mart today and found some of the machine screw and nut type Uncle Mike’s swivel kit and snagged it, cancelled my Amazon order for same. The studs were a fun install and the sling is comfy. It’s supposedly an Amish “made in Ohio” sling I got off eBay but curiously, there are many identical looking and priced “Amish” slings on eBay but they’re shipped out of CHINA?? Yeah... well regardless of where it’s from it’s nice strong leather and was only $10. And yes, I know I didn’t countersink the white spacers but wanted to leave as much wood in the forend as possible for maximum strength, and I don’t mind the look.

 

[The Norseman]

Good Old Marlin

That is a Nice Rifle. I think you got it set up just right. I am
also glad your are enjoying it, and it's not setting in some Safe.

I like!

My only Marlin below; Model 39 TDS 22lr 16"Bbl Trapper
lever driven bolt action repeater.

 

[JohnHL]

The 60 looks great, Jay and the sling and swivels are a nice addition!

All this Marlin 60 talk had me salivating for a little shooting time.

You've seen my clean, 1988 model 60, but I didn't want to get it dirty, so I dug out my "used and abused" but "blasted and refinished" earlier Marlin 60 (without last shot bolt hold open device) and with its super el cheapo 4X15 scope (which I also completely disassembled and bead blasted despite having ZERO knowledge and experience with working on scopes).

It was a simple scope and seemed to work OK after I got it back together, although the erector tubes were a little sluggish about responding to the turret inputs.

I had done this "refinish" job almost 30 years ago and as I said, everything seemed to work OK at the time.

So a couple of days ago I drag out the old Marlin and I set up a two liter soda bottle at about 60 yards and I take a couple of shots.

Doggone bottle didn't budge!

Drat! The scope has lost its zero or the Marlin has lost its accuracy.

I set up a target at 25 yards to see how much off I was.
Hmm... seems to be just fine after all these years, so I go on down to retrieve the soda bottle.

Two little 22 caliber holes cut right through!

You gotta love that classic "Micro-Groove" accuracy!

John