Some Interesting Facts About The Marlin Model 60 .22 Rifle

[billt]

With the introduction of the Marlin Model 60, 50th Anniversary Edition in 2010, it marks the production of 11,000,000 (read 11 MILLION), Marlin Model 60 rifles, since their introduction back in 1960. If you divide that out, 11,000,000 divided by 50 years is 220,000 rifles a year. 220,000 divided by 365 days a year = 602 rifles a day. That's 602 rifles a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, for over 50 straight years!

Let's look at this in terms of barrel steel. Older versions of the Marlin Model 60 had 22" barrels. The modern versions now have 18" barrels. Let's make it an average of 20" of barrel for every Marlin Model 60 that was ever produced, to establish an average. 11,000,000 X 20" = 220,000,000" inches of barrel steel. 220,000,000" inches divided by 12" to the foot = 18,333,333.33 feet. 18,333,333.33 feet divided into 5280 feet to the mile = 3,472 MILES OF BARREL STEEL! It is 2,432 miles from New York City to San Diego, California. 3,472 - 2,432 = 1,040. It's 1,048 miles from San Diego, California to Amarillo, Texas.

So.......If you laid every barrel, of every Marlin Model 60 ever produced, end to end it would extend from New York City to San Diego, California....Then back again to Amarillo, Texas. At posted Interstate speed limits that would take you approx. 57.5 hours to drive that distance, non stop. I find that all but unbelievable for one single model of .22 rifle.

Actually all of those numbers are 4 years outdated, because they only carry the Model 60's production to the end of 2010. We can add another 4 years production to that, or another 880,000 rifles. And we wonder where all the .22 ammo is??? I'll let someone familiar with the lumber industry try to figure out how many trees had to be felled in order to make all the stocks!

[billt]

These are my 3 Marlin 60's. A 1978 vintage 22" barrel, 18 round magazine with scope. A 50th Anniversary Edition with Walnut stock. And my latest, a Stainless 60 SS with black & grey Laminated stock.

[PegLeg45]

I love mine.......my b-i-l found it in a pawn shop, still in the box, for $75........yep.   

It is more accurate than my son's 10/22 (not bagging on the Ruger, I like them also), and the only factory .22 semi-auto I've seen more accurate is the Nylon 66 (got one of those too).

[vincewarde]

I got one cheap, but I could never get it to feed reliably...... Currently it's in pieces.  Anyone know a good source for parts?

[kmitch200]

Numrich.

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufacturers/MarlinGlenfield-33379/Rifles-37333/60C-39009.htm?results=50

Or:
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufacturers/MarlinGlenfield-33379/Rifles-37333/60DL-39010.htm?results=50

If you need a mag tube, they seem to be out...

[Sponsor]

[kmitch200]

That's 602 rifles a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, for over 50 straight years!

That's a $hitload of guns no matter what type or model!!!!!

[billt]

That's a $hitload of guns no matter what type or model!!!!!

25 guns an hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, for over half a century. As I said, it's damn near unbelievable.

[billt]

I think what has kept the Marlin Model 60, (well over 11 million produced), ahead of the Ruger 10/22, (introduced in 1964, and current running around 5.7 million produced), is the combination of cost vs. accuracy. The Model 60 is substantially cheaper than the Ruger, and it's most always more accurate, as both rifles come from the box.

Ruger's advantage is the seemingly endless supply of aftermarket parts available for it. It is the "350 Chevy" of .22 rifles in that regard. Barrels, triggers, stocks, and on and on are readily available, and easy to install for the "home gunsmith". With that said, it wasn't until the early 90's that these products came available in such quantity, and the 10/22's popularity took off. Volquartsen has built an entire company around the 10/22. Marlin led the way with .22 rifles from the 50's through the late 80's. It's difficult for any manufacturer to make up that kind of ground from a sales standpoint.

I have a Ruger 10/22 I purchased new back in the early 70's, and it's been a excellent performing rifle. Except for a scope, it has remained box stock through the years. All 3 of my Marlin Model 60's will out shoot it with the right ammo. I purposely "over scoped" my first Model 60 with a 6-24X scope for target shooting, and it has out shot several modified Ruger 10/22's over the years.

I think with the addition of the new 25 round magazines from Ruger, it will help the 10/22's popularity even more. Because of worthless, liberal politicians, people will buy anything "Hi-Cap" today. And let's face it, how long does it take to burn through 10 rounds of .22 LR in a semi auto, when you're plinking off a tailgate on a Summer afternoon with friends?

[mooner]

Wow, that is some scope!  Especially on a dainty rifle like the model 60.

I really like both my 60 and my 10-22.  Like others, the 60 is more accurate - at least when feeding it CCI standard velocity.  Just wish I didn't have to ration the good stuff.  I might have to go through the bulk ammo I have to see if there is anything else it likes as much.  I have been holding off because I hate to have all those open boxes around to spill!

[PegLeg45]

Another thing I like about the tube magazine in guns like the Model 60 is that it helps conserve ammo and extend a day at the range somewhat.