Marlin 60 or Ruger 10 22

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Pukindog12

New member
I am looking into getting an affordable 22 rifle. I have narrowed it down to the Marlin and Ruger. The gun will be utilized for plinking and small game. I would like it to be accurate , reliable, and easy to use. Please, from you rifle aficionados out there, please give me some advice and suggestions on the pros and cons of each gun.

Many thanks and much appreciated!!! :)
 
If you haven't considered the Remington 597 take a look at it too.

You might also want to check out the site:
rimfirecentral.com

I personally like the Ruger 10/22 but wouldn't give you any grief if you went with the Marlin.
 
It depends.

If you want to take it out of the box and shoot it, the Marlin. It will probably be more accurate.

If you like high capacity magazines and dressing up the rifle with aftermarket doodads, geegaws, and black foldy bits, the 10/22 is a better choice.
 
If you want to take it out of the box and shoot it, the Marlin. It will probably be more accurate.

If you like high capacity magazines and dressing up the rifle with aftermarket doodads, geegaws, and black foldy bits, the 10/22 is a better choice.
Click to expand...
+1. Also...

Marlin generally has a better trigger out of the box, but 10/22 trigger is more easily improved with aftermarket parts (see #2 above).

All Marlin 60s except very early models have a last shot bolt hold-open feature. The 10/22 lacks this, which absolutely bugs the heck out of some folks, since almost all other modern semi-auto firearms do it.

If you look at used rifles, the Marlin is generally cheaper. (FWIW the "Glenfield" Model 60 is the exact same rifle rebadged for sale at discount stores such as Montgomery Ward, and values of Glenfields are often lower because the nameplate is defunct- kinda like Plymouth vs. Dodge.)

Used 10/22s are in high demand because of tinkerers looking for receivers for rebarreling projects, so resale values are high, even if the stock and barrel look awful. (These folks will be throwing these parts away anyway.) This is bad if you're looking for a used rifle, but if you buy a 10/22, you'll get most of your money back if you decide to sell it. :) Another plus is that near-new OEM replacement parts such as stocks, barrels, and sights are cheap and easy to obtain.

10/22 is faster to reload if you have spare magazines handy.

More factory options on 10/22.

10/22 generally functions better when really dirty.

YMMV. ;)
 
Without a doubt the 10/22. They are very accurate, magazine fed, and you have alot of diffrent options on what you want it to look like or how well it shoots. Mine came factory with a tapco stock and with iron sights and green tag ammo at 50yrds it will shoot dime sized groups which is just fine with me.
 
I own both and would choose the ruger. The marlin has a long spring that is too easy to bend during disassembly for cleaning.
 
That could be a hard decision. I own one Model 60 and about three 10/22's. Both the Marlin and the Ruger are good rifles. Just a matter if you want a tube fed rifle (Marlin) or a magazine fed rifle. I would lean towards the 10/22.
 
I use a Ruger 10/22. Never tried a Marlin. Personally, I wouldn't consider the hi-cap magazines for the 10/22 a big selling point. In my experience, they're ugly and cumbersome at best, and unreliable at worst. I even got some of the new Ruger-made 25-round magazines. They fit the gun poorly (wobbling side to side) at were a disappointment.

This isn't a knock against the 10/22. I like mine and like having the option to get aftermarket parts. I'm just saying that for me personally, the magazine difference wouldn't be very important. I suppose removable magazines are nice when doing a lot of shooting, but for hunting, it's easier to "top off" a tube magazine.
 
I've owned a Marlin Glenfield 60 since 1971 and bought a newer model a few years back because it had a shorter barrel. Real bargains and good, reliable rifles. Toyed with the 10/22 over the years and shot quite a few but liked my 60s better. Again, a real bargain and accurate.
 
If you are going to leave them stock, I would get the Marlin. It cost less, better out of the box accuracy and it's balanced better, fells sleaker in my hands.

If I liked to tinker, I would get a 10/22, you can change everthing on it yourself, your wallet is the only limit.

The two things that I real don't like on the 10/22 are, the bolt doesn't lock open when empty, and the hard trigger, but it can be fixed for about $40.

The Marlin trigger isn't much better than the factory 10/22 trigger and has less options.
 
Also consider the Marlin 795, which is essentially the 60 but with a box magazine.

The 795 is also cheaper. I got mine new on sale for just under $100.

Of course, by the time I added swivels, sling, scope, and case the comparative total cost evens out somewhat.
 
I have two 795s and really like them as I like to have a detachable magazine. It's hard to argue that the 10/22 is not the "best" semi-auto .22 LR. Some may like other .22s better but the 10/22 has so much going for it and then there is all the after market stuff.
 
I have both. I've shot thousands of rounds through each of them.

Two 1973 10/22s I bought new for my wife and I (mine is the one with the scope).

100_0351.jpg


And a 1989 Marlin Model 60.

100_0353.jpg


Of the two brands, the 10/22s can be most easily customized and made pretty.

However, the Marlin Model 60 is by far the better shooter out of the box and the one I take small game hunting with.

If you would consider a levergun; the Henry 22lr leverguns are a blast to shoot and also surprisingly accurate.

100_2966.jpg


You can customize it too.

100_0760.jpg
 
Marlin 60

I bought a 10/22 about 8 years ago, and was not too impressed with the accuracy.

The Marlin 60 I bought used a couple months ago is a much nicer rifle. The 10/22 requires monkeying around with for the same kind of accuracy.

Also, the Marlin has a slimmer stock under the barrel which feels more natural in the hand than the chubby Ruger.

ccd60288.jpg
 
How much do you like to reload when you're shooting?

My son and I both have 10/22s. We each have 3 mags (holds 10 each), which means we can shoot 30 shots with real short breaks to change mags. We also have a large capacity mag so that when you have some serious plinking to do, it goes a good spell.

So, if you plan on doing some serious plinking, I would avoid a tube fed gun.

Maybe there's something out there I don't know about though that could solve this issue.

john
 
Is there such a thing as "serious plinking?" :D

10/22s are quicker to reload, for sure, and have hi cap magazines available. But I've not found the 14 round capacity to be a limiting factor for me.
 
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