Plenty of Rugers, no Marlins? (Appleseed Project)

[rolsby]

So the wife and I continue our shopping for rifles for Appleseed.  After going to three different stores in our state, we have found numerous Ruger 10/22s -- wood, synthetic, digital desert, snow woodlandand, picatinny top rail, three short front rails with folding rear stock -- and maybe 2 Marlins (Model 60) both blue-wood.

What's the deal?  Everyone bought their Model 60 20 years ago and haven't needed a new one since (supply/demand)? Is it a distribution problem?

[Jerome from California]

we have found numerous Ruger 10/22s -- wood, synthetic, digital desert, snow woodlandand, picatinny top rail, three short front rails with folding rear stock --

Right there is the reason. The 10/22 is just so much more customizable to the owners needs and whim. That's what makes it the most popular .22 rifle around. The same reason the AR-15 is more popular than the Mini-14.
Speaking of 10/22, check this out. Yes, it a Ruger 10/22.

http://www.eabco.com/m1_carbine_ruger_1022_tribute.htm

[dom1104]

very difficult to do a appleseed with a marlin 60 I hear.

The tube mag is a negative.

[Charlie Foxtrot]

.
http://appleseedproject.blogspot.com/2008/02/liberty-training-rifle.html

Liberty Training Rifle

[Eric R Shelton]

I'm with Jerome.  The HUGE availability of parts for the 10/22, Steel Lips magazines, stocks, barrels, Volquartsen parts...?  I can make a 10/22 into anything I want, easily.  Heck, there are even suppressor solutions for it.  Honest to God, it baffles me why anybody would choose any other .22 auto-loader.

I know the Model 60 is just revered by some, but I'll never understand it.  If I'm going to hamper myself with a tube magazine, I'd rather just be using a Henry lever action.

[97XJ_Sport]

I'm with Jerome.  The HUGE availability of parts for the 10/22, Steel Lips magazines, stocks, barrels, Volquartsen parts...?  I can make a 10/22 into anything I want, easily.  Heck, there are even suppressor solutions for it.  Honest to God, it baffles me why anybody would choose any other .22 auto-loader.

I know the Model 60 is just revered by some, but I'll never understand it.  If I'm going to hamper myself with a tube magazine, I'd rather just be using a Henry lever action.

Exactly. Although I enjoy my Remington 597 quite a bit, I feel its more accurate out of the box than the 10/22 and its a little cheaper. But,there are almost ZERO! upgrades for it other than magazines. I'd really like to swap it for a Henry.

[Jerome from California]

If you don't mind spending more than the cost of the 597 rifle, you might be interested in this. Yes there's a 597 somewhere in there. The cost of being cool is pretty steep though at $195-$245.


http://cbrps.com/Products.html

[cornmastah]

Lol they have some pretty cool-looking products.  Anybody know how much the trigger pull would be affected by getting one of these?  From my experience, anytime you take a rifle and turn it into a bullpup design, the trigger suffers quite a bit.

[97XJ_Sport]

If you don't mind spending more than the cost of the 597 rifle, you might be interested in this. Yes there's a 597 somewhere in there. The cost of being cool is pretty steep though at $195-$245.


http://cbrps.com/Products.html

I don't like it that much!

[dom1104]

Honest to God, it baffles me why anybody would choose any other .22 auto-loader.

I am in this camp as well.

its also very easy to swap out and resell parts you dont need.

Its the 1911 of the .22 autoloader world in respect to parts availability and customization.

[rolsby]

Sorry, I meant Marlin 795.  Yeah, no tube mag.

[Jerome from California]

Sorry, I meant Marlin 795.  Yeah, no tube mag.

Well, probably the same reasons stated earlier. Another one is that there aren't any high capacity magazines available for it. The Micro-groove barrel also limits the bullet choices available to jacketed bullets.
Just the same, there's nothing wrong with the 795 that I'm aware of and it should serve you well in Appleseed or other applications.
The best improvement I can think of is to the sighting system. The receiver has a machined groove that will take a ".22 scope mount". For Appleseed though I prefer an aperture sights just like on a service rifle. Tech-SIGHTS makes one for the Marlin 795 http://www.tech-sights.com/marlin.htm.

[TMUSCLE1]

I love my Marlin 795.  That is my stock with iron sights go to .22lr.

When I get the money the Ruger 10/22 will be my first firearm that I mod.  That's just me though.

[rolsby]

Add this news to the mix...

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/business/north-haven-marlin-firearms-plant

[Jerome from California]

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10208259
Some news sources says that Marlin  is relocating to a new undisclosed location. It doesn't bode well if they are closing next year and they still don't have a new factory. I hope Marlin stays in business. I'm a big Marlin fan (Camp 45, 336, 1894). Still, that's a lot of CT residents who will lose their jobs.

[Aaron L]

That's very sad, I hope all those people are able to find work. I have had a Marlin Model 60 for many years now and have never had a problem with it. Hopefully Marlin will relocate to a more "Gun Friendly" state and provide jobs there. I find it odd that many firearm manufacturers are often in "Non Gun Friendly" states. I'm sure that even though they oppose firearms, they are more than happy to have the revenue generated by firearm sales and jobs created by these manufacturers. I know many of them have been there for a very long time and relocating is not a viable option but I would certainly like to see more firearms manufacturers in more "Gun Friendly" states providing jobs and revenue where it would be better used instead of being used against them. STI International is just 15 minutes down the road from me and as soon as I can afford it, I would love to purchase one of their fine 1911's.

Aaron

[tom]

They are closing the plant and moving it south to more friendly business location according to update yesterday.  Sad for workers in the plant because I doubt the company is doing this as a relocation package.  Fortunate that we are keeping the jobs on shore and that great Marlin levers will continue. 

UPDATE!!!! According to a late Friday post by Dave Petzal, the initial news was not so gloomy as everyone believed at first, including me! It appears Marlin is moving from the North Haven plant to another location. My best guess, based on some preliminary information, is that it will be in a more business- and labor-friendly state, perhaps down in North Carolina where Remington has a facility.

http://www.examiner.com/x-4525-Seattle-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m3d26-Marlin-Firearms-closure-announcement-hits-hard?cid=examiner-email

tom