Monday, February 10, 2014
Gun Opinions...Ruger 10/22 vs. Marlin 60 ?
I have been thinking, off and on, about purchasing a nice .22 as an addition.
Stephen's POST the other day kinda moved it up on the list to "to do" things.
Over the weekend I had a couple conversations with friends in regards to which one would be "better" overall.
The Ruger can be customized with lots of accessories, which I don't really care about.
The Marlin seems to get better reviews on some of the threads I have read.
Overall it seems you can't go wrong with either one and it's a matter of personal like
or personal opinion.
I just figured I would solicit a little more....
Which one,if you just went "out of the box", would you recommend?
Thanks :)
Irish
The Ruger comes in lots of different styles out of the box. You should make sure yours comes with sights. Not all of them do.
ReplyDeleteIt would also be nice if you could find any 22LR ammo to feed it.
--Hale
I own both. Like you mentioned, you can modify (spend money) forever on the 10/22. For better accuracy, out of the box, and a better price, the Marlin wins. If you prefer a magazine fed .22, try the Marlin 795. Same barrel as the 60. Also less expensive than the 10/22. Same accuracy as the 60. 795 comes with 10 round mag. 25's available. My go to .22 is the 795. There are mods out there for the 60 and the 795, just not as many (but just how many identical stocks do you need?).10/22 is loaner or safe queen. YMMV
ReplyDeleteIf you want bone stock, and will never modify it, and can accept the limitations of the tube magazine, then the model 60 is slightly more accurate from the factory. hving said that, both are likely more accurate than you are ever going to be.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to accessorize in any way, the 10-22 wins hands down. You can make an extremely accurate "10-22" without using a single factory Ruger part, if you so desire.
were it me, I'd go with the 10-22. THis leaves you many more options should you find something you want to change later.
i carry the 60 on my tractor an never gets any thing done to it,and yet as dirty as it gets,it still hits out to where i want it too,i have both ,but the ruger stays inside,i have the stainless steel mod.60
ReplyDeletei carry the 60 on my tractor an never gets any thing done to it,and yet as dirty as it gets,it still hits out to where i want it too,i have both ,but the ruger stays inside,i have the stainless steel mod.60
ReplyDeleteYou should also consider the new Ruger American Rimfire. I bought one back in December as a walk-about rifle. Well worth it.
ReplyDeleteI would get the 10/22 without hesitation. However, finding 22LR ammo is another matter.
ReplyDeleteI have both and never had a reliability issue from either. Just find a brand of 22 ammo that works good with both, such in my case Federal Champion gives me the less problems.
ReplyDeleteI have both, now saying that, I just prefer the 10/22. I have quite a few various magazines for the 10/22 which make shooting a lot more fun. I am certainly no Marksman so I can not say anything about accuracy from my standpoint. Western PA is starting to get some 22LR's on the shelf. But maybe the Postal Branch needs them too.....
ReplyDeleteI've been shooting my 10/22 for almost 40 years now and its still a better shooter than I am.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the input so far. I might get a chance to try one of each this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend the Ruger 10-22 in stainless steel , all I have put on mine is a 4-12 X 40 scope ; that's all it needed . It's strange the drought of .22LR in the States , here in England there is plenty in all brands .
ReplyDeleteBought my first 10/22 when the rifle came out. Still love it. It's also easy to modify, or repair if needed. Replacment parts mean that you can reconfigure it if needed, or replace broken parts at the Kitchen table. It's accurate enough for all practical purposes, and it's as reliable as anything. Having said that, you need to try them both on for fit, because depending on your stature and shooting style, one may fit you much more naturally than another. When push comes to shove a rifle that snaps into the proper shooting position (for you) is the one you want.
ReplyDeleteShadow Catcher
Feral,
ReplyDeleteI have a Marlin 60 (blued steel & walnut) that I bought barely used for $69. I love this little rifle. Within its limitations, it does everything I ask of it. At 50 yards, it groups great. At 75, it opens up a bit. At 100 yards bullet drop is about six inches so in order to hit a target, one must use a bit of "Kentucky windage." You're welcome to shoot it any time we can make the logistics work.
If you go with the Marlin, note that upon reassembly after cleaning one must be VERY CAREFUL to not 'kink' the recoil spring. Ask me how I know. Go ahead, I dare you. As such, I keep an extra one on hand, thereby guaranteeing I'll never need it.
And lastly, for anyone out there with a tube-feed .22lr rifle, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you get at least one spee-d-loader. Midway has 'em, so does Cabelas. Do a web search. I got the 15-round variety because (1) my Marlin has a 15-round tube mag and (2) it fits very nicely in my ammo box.
More later . . .
Brad
Marlin has a better trigger out of the box; people sometimes upgrade the Ruger with a trigger that costs more than the gun itself does. Do you really want the capability of a fast follow-up shot? If not, there's plenty of used bolt-action .22's out there for $100. Nothing wrong with being deliberate and not wasting ammo, especially if the reason you're buying the gun in the first place is to use in the survival role.
ReplyDelete10-22, the customize from tame to insane.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=13
Since I've never had a Marlin 60, I can't comment on it at all. I did purchase a Ruger 10/22, and I really like it. I've never had a feed problem with it, but I've only put about 1500 rounds through it. It really shoots true. My only complaint about it was it had a really stiff trigger pull, so I took it to a gunsmith and had it take care of. Just a fantastic little firearm for plinking or varmint hunting.
ReplyDeleteI knew by reading the title, that this thread would be huge. And vary. Bought my son a 10/22 when he was a kid and he loves it. I can't hit a damn thing with it. His 'ole beat up marlin on the other hand is a real shooter (at least for me).
ReplyDeleteFor a semi-auto I like the 10/22 in stainless, I haven't seen a model 60 in stainless. I prefer bolt actions and my favorite is an old Ted Williams (Remington) single shot that requires the bolt to be manually pulled after the shell is loaded.
ReplyDeleteIn the past thirty-eight years I have not been without at least one Ruger 10/22. I've fired thousands of rounds through four and have never had any problems. I've bought them new and they were very accurate "out of the box" (I like the sights). In my opinion they are a great value and very reliable. I do not have any comments for the Marlin as I have never owned one of those.
ReplyDeleteAs I tell my Appleseeders, If you want a rifle to get you 30 years of service, get the Marlin 795. If you want a rifle to pass to your grandchildren, get a Ruger 10/22. Out of the box we find the Marlin more accurate. A tricked out Ruger will out shoot it. $200.00 or $600.00. Neither has wonderful sights. The LTR version of the Marlin 795 has good adjustable peep and post plus a mil type sling without any other additions needed ($300.00). They are available after market options on the Ruger.
ReplyDeleteIve been lookin the options over myself. Ive decided more on the Marlin 60 over the 10/22. Ive always preferred tube fed for 22 mainly because they are easier to load over mags and also you dont have anything hangin under the firearm. Plus here lately the Marlins have been on sale for 159 bucks over almost 300 for a Ruger.
ReplyDeleteI have both a Ruger 10/22 and a Marlin 795. The 795 uses a 10-round box magazine, and they even make a 25-round magazine for it. They are both accurate and fun to shoot. I put Tech Sights peep sites on them. My only complaint is about the 10-22's bolt catch. If I have to manually operate the catch to hold the bolt back, it drives crazy to the point of using lots of "magic" words just getting it to catch. Getting it to release was a bitch, too, until I replaced the mechanism with one that lets me pull the charging handle back and let go of it, like on an M-16.
ReplyDeleteThe Marlin is probably going to be cheaper to buy, but the Ruger is infinitely customizable.
I have both and like both for different reasons. The Ruger comes with a scope mount and the receiver is pre-drilled and tapped. I second the thoughts on the 795 if tube magazines aren't your thing. Pick one. You'll be happy either way.
ReplyDeleteI'll throw in another vote for the Marlin.
ReplyDeleteI have a 60 and a 25N (bolt action 7 round mag) and both are tack drivers, The only way you can make a 10/22 as accurate is to spend money on it.
If you buy a new one, you are probably going to want to do something about the trigger pull, though. Here's a great resource to help with that: http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=217 Trigger mod is a sticky at the top.
Did you look at the smith and Wesson m and p 15-22? It is not too shabby either.
ReplyDeleteSome additional thoughts I should have included yesterday.
ReplyDeleteRuger 10/22 - The wood stock on the carbine is nice but smooth with no checkering. The Deluxe Sporter has cut checkering which is very nice. The 10/22 stocks feel more solid to me than the Marlin, but you can buy a replacement stock from Boyds for the Marlin and still be in it for less than the 10/22. The 10/22 is a more modular design than the Marlin. Barrel detaches from the receiver with two Allen head bolts. The trigger group is easier to detach from the receiver than on the Marlin. Trigger is heavy out of the box (roughly 5-7 pounds) but is predictable. Front sight post is dovetailed and relatively easy to drift and/or replace if you don't like it. Williams makes a fiber optic replacement that gets good reviews. The rear sight is a folding blade that is marginally adjustable for elevation, but a lot of people (me included) just through a scope on it and be done with it. Accuracy depends largely on the ammo. Mine happens to like CCI AR Tactical and CCI Stingers the best of the brands I've run through it so far. The deluxe sporter and target models have sling studs installed at the factory (though I replaced mine to a different style). 10 round flush fit rotary magazine with 25 and 50 round banana mags available. Hold their value pretty well. Pretty much bullet proof in typical Ruger style.
Marlin - Wood stock is okay. Marlin uses pressed checkering as opposed to cut checkering which I am sure contributes to the lower price point. It's a effective enough but not nearly as pretty as the cut checkering. The Marlin trigger is definitely better than the Ruger out of the box; however, the Marlin barreled action is more or less all one integrated unit making alterations and/or repairs/custom work more involved. The tube magazine is nice in that it holds 14 or 15 rounds without having a banana hanging off the bottom of the stock. The downside is slower reloading. The receiver is not pre-drilled and tapped for a Weaver/Picatinny mount like the Ruger; however, it will take a tip off mount. Roughly half the price of the Ruger new, and can be found for less than $100 used if you look in the right places.
One more thing....my Marlin has typically delivered accuracy as good as the Ruger. Neither one seems to be sensitive to feeding issues.
ReplyDeleteGot both always grab the 10-22 when I head out to shoot. More convenient and easy to reload. Also can get 25 round magazines versus 17 in the marlin tube. either one is good though.
ReplyDeleteAlso if you get the 10-22 no magazines with the plastic feed lips. they get old and cause gun to jam. Only buy the metal lipped ones.
ReplyDeleteWhen I taught my boys to shoot, I got them each their own Ruger 1022, and never regreted it. A nice little rifle. Of course, they were $109 apiece back then!
ReplyDeleteI shot a 211 at my last Appleseed with a Marlin 795: between the 10-22 and the Marlin 60, it's the Marlin. It shoots way better than the Ruger out of the box.
ReplyDelete