In his later years, my father had a Marlin model 60 autoloading .22 rifle in the closet. I never saw or heard of him shooting it, but you never know - maybe he did.
http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/ ... ing/60.asp
I used to kind of look down on his Marlin. It wasn't as upgradable as my Ruger 10-22, and I knew for a fact that he hadn't put more than 60 dollars or so into the Marlin, back when he bought it at Wal-Mart.
Then one day when my family and I were visiting my parents on the farm, I decided to use the Marlin model 60 to show some shooting basics to my son, who was ten or so at the time.
Out in the yard, my son took the Marlins accuracy in stride, but I was surprised and impressed. - It was a lot better than any un-altered 10-22 that I had seen. Even with the factory iron sights, I had no trouble popping a grackle that was 50-60 yards away.
Years later my parents passed on, and I ended up with Dad's Marlin. I kept it around but didn't shoot it much until one day when I was taking my Ruger Mk III Hunter pistol to the range to try out a new scope, and I decided to take the rifle along too, just for fun.
I've always prided myself as a handgun shooter and with the 2X Burris scope, the Ruger pistol was doing great, it seemed like I couldn't miss with it. A little later though, it dawned on me that my son, shooting the Marlin model 60 with factory open sights, was doing every bit as good as I was.
I ended up buying a scope for the Marlin a few months ago, a Leupold 2-7x28 that cost four times as much as the rifle did. - But the Marlin showed that the good glass was not wasted on it at the range. It was, and is phenomenally accurate.
Many times over the years, I have thought about buying a heavy-barreled .22lr bolt gun for really serious paper-punching, but now when I think about that, I look at my Dad's old Marlin model 60 and think about how I would feel if the new target gun couldn't out-shoot the Marlin, which I now consider to be a very real possibility.
I guess it's kind of ruined me for the heavy-barreled .22lr bolt gun that I've always dreamed of. - I have had a nice 1" 10x Unertl scope hoarded up for a while in anticipation of that target bolt gun, but today I found myself taking digital pictures of the Unertl, and getting shipping materials together in anticipation of selling the thing.
Now I'm thinking that my Dad's old model 60 with the Leupold scope is all the .22 rifle that I will ever need. - It's funny how my opinion of that rifle has changed, over the years.
I used to scoff at it but looking back now, I realize just how dumb that was.
My Dad's old Marlin model 60
Moderators: Bullseye, Moderators
I have one that I bought way back when I was a kid. I paid $35.99 for it at K-Mart. Used it for many years squirrel hunting and its accuracy never let me down. That micro-grooved barrel would shoot anything accurately. The biggest issue for me was the trigger. One day I decided to tune it up and I even added an overtravel stop. It still shoots like a champ. I've shot it in many light rifle matches. I don't believe I'll ever give that one up.
R,
Bullseye
R,
Bullseye
![Image](https://guntalk-online.com/images/target.gif)
- charlesb
- Master contributor
- Posts: 689
- Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 10:39 pm
- Location: Mountains of West Texas
Here's a picture of mine, I took today.
It's hard to see in the photo, but the front sight came from my Ruger Mk III hunter, it is the same dimension and mounts the same as the original Marlin sight, but has a glow-rod. If I ever go back to open sights on the Ruger, the Marlin sight will go there. - I prefer a black, squared off post sight on a handgun, fairly wide.
Click image to see it larger
![Image](http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/arwatch/Firearms/Marlin%20model%2060/th_IMG_3226_zpsf8fe2ff9.jpg)
The trigger overtravel stop sounds like a good idea, I'll have to try that.
It's hard to see in the photo, but the front sight came from my Ruger Mk III hunter, it is the same dimension and mounts the same as the original Marlin sight, but has a glow-rod. If I ever go back to open sights on the Ruger, the Marlin sight will go there. - I prefer a black, squared off post sight on a handgun, fairly wide.
Click image to see it larger
![Image](http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/arwatch/Firearms/Marlin%20model%2060/th_IMG_3226_zpsf8fe2ff9.jpg)
The trigger overtravel stop sounds like a good idea, I'll have to try that.
Re: My Dad's old Marlin model 60
charlesb wrote:In his later years, my father had a Marlin model 60 autoloading .22 rifle in the closet. I never saw or heard of him shooting it, but you never know - maybe he did.
http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/ ... ing/60.asp
I used to kind of look down on his Marlin. It wasn't as upgradable as my Ruger 10-22, and I knew for a fact that he hadn't put more than 60 dollars or so into the Marlin, back when he bought it at Wal-Mart.
Then one day when my family and I were visiting my parents on the farm, I decided to use the Marlin model 60 to show some shooting basics to my son, who was ten or so at the time.
Out in the yard, my son took the Marlins accuracy in stride, but I was surprised and impressed. - It was a lot better than any un-altered 10-22 that I had seen. Even with the factory iron sights, I had no trouble popping a grackle that was 50-60 yards away.
Years later my parents passed on, and I ended up with Dad's Marlin. I kept it around but didn't shoot it much until one day when I was taking my Ruger Mk III Hunter pistol to the range to try out a new scope, and I decided to take the rifle along too, just for fun.
I've always prided myself as a handgun shooter and with the 2X Burris scope, the Ruger pistol was doing great, it seemed like I couldn't miss with it. A little later though, it dawned on me that my son, shooting the Marlin model 60 with factory open sights, was doing every bit as good as I was.
I ended up buying a scope for the Marlin a few months ago, a Leupold 2-7x28 that cost four times as much as the rifle did. - But the Marlin showed that the good glass was not wasted on it at the range. It was, and is phenomenally accurate.
Many times over the years, I have thought about buying a heavy-barreled .22lr bolt gun for really serious paper-punching, but now when I think about that, I look at my Dad's old Marlin model 60 and think about how I would feel if the new target gun couldn't out-shoot the Marlin, which I now consider to be a very real possibility.
I guess it's kind of ruined me for the heavy-barreled .22lr bolt gun that I've always dreamed of. - I have had a nice 1" 10x Unertl scope hoarded up for a while in anticipation of that target bolt gun, but today I found myself taking digital pictures of the Unertl, and getting shipping materials together in anticipation of selling the thing.
Now I'm thinking that my Dad's old model 60 with the Leupold scope is all the .22 rifle that I will ever need. - It's funny how my opinion of that rifle has changed, over the years.
I used to scoff at it but looking back now, I realize just how dumb that was.
thanks for the nice story, I have my second marlin right now, it is a new marlin model 60, came with a 4x scope (unmarked ) of chinese origin. out go the box, it gave sub 1" at 50 yards and even this old man kept everything on a 6" bull at 100 yards. It cost under $170 at my lgs tax included, in todays money that can't be beat. I am going to find out friday if it is better than my son in laws 10/22 he paid double for it and a little more if we count his scope.
- charlesb
- Master contributor
- Posts: 689
- Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 10:39 pm
- Location: Mountains of West Texas
My Marlin model 60, inherited from my father is a tack-driver. - I think he paid 60 something bucks for it back in the early 80's at Wal-Mart.
It has a Leupold 2-7 rimfire scope on it that cost enough to buy at least three, maybe four of these rifles. Sights on the barrel were removed, with the rear sight slot and front sight screw hole plugged.
![Image](http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/arwatch/Firearms/Marlin%20model%2060/IMG_3745_zps0af9ccd9.jpg)
The rifle is deadly accurate with decent ammo, and OK with the cheap stuff.
Since I scoped this rifle, I haven't been able to justify buying any more .22lr rifles. - This one does anything that I could possibly ask of a 22.
Without the open sights and slicked up with Renaissance Wax, it's a decent looking gun too. I have made several difficult shots with this gun that are legendary within my family. - I feel absolutely confident with this gun.
Normally the scope stays at 4x, but there have been occasions for it to be cranked up or down. In my opinion, this is the best all-around .22 scope to be had. I use Leupold vertically split rings in gloss, they work really well and when you tighten them, it does not rotate the scope.
Maybe one day I'll buy a nice Boyds stock for it - but then again, maybe not. The factory stock looked a lot better after being waxed. It fits me pretty good too, so it might be better not to fix what ain't broke.
Yes, I have owned several 10-22's and no, I do not think that they are better than the Marlin.
I use dry-moly lube internally. It does not combine with combustion products to create mud. Oiling the internal parts to any .22 semi-auto is the best way that I know of to get it to screw up.
It has a Leupold 2-7 rimfire scope on it that cost enough to buy at least three, maybe four of these rifles. Sights on the barrel were removed, with the rear sight slot and front sight screw hole plugged.
![Image](http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff206/arwatch/Firearms/Marlin%20model%2060/IMG_3745_zps0af9ccd9.jpg)
The rifle is deadly accurate with decent ammo, and OK with the cheap stuff.
Since I scoped this rifle, I haven't been able to justify buying any more .22lr rifles. - This one does anything that I could possibly ask of a 22.
Without the open sights and slicked up with Renaissance Wax, it's a decent looking gun too. I have made several difficult shots with this gun that are legendary within my family. - I feel absolutely confident with this gun.
Normally the scope stays at 4x, but there have been occasions for it to be cranked up or down. In my opinion, this is the best all-around .22 scope to be had. I use Leupold vertically split rings in gloss, they work really well and when you tighten them, it does not rotate the scope.
Maybe one day I'll buy a nice Boyds stock for it - but then again, maybe not. The factory stock looked a lot better after being waxed. It fits me pretty good too, so it might be better not to fix what ain't broke.
Yes, I have owned several 10-22's and no, I do not think that they are better than the Marlin.
I use dry-moly lube internally. It does not combine with combustion products to create mud. Oiling the internal parts to any .22 semi-auto is the best way that I know of to get it to screw up.
Re: My Dad's old Marlin model 60
I don't know if I've ever shot a Marlin 60, but there is a good chance that I have. When I was a teenager (a few years ago) I used to go out to the old clay pit on the west side of town with my buddies. We'd always try out each others guns, but I never paid any attention to what make or model they were. At the time I had an old Winchester model 60A and I really appreciated that gun for it's accuracy. Eventually I passed it on to my youngest son.
I truly hope you will continue to enjoy that rifle and maybe some day pass it on to your son.
I truly hope you will continue to enjoy that rifle and maybe some day pass it on to your son.