Used Marlin Model 60: Worth $100?

[TooMuchGlass]

Hey all,

I'm looking to buy my first rifle, and I'm highly interested in a pawn shop special. The gun cost $100, and they had a cheap 4x scope for $20. I asked the guy if he'd take any less for the both of them, and he said he could do $100 all told. My simple question is: do you think it's worth it?

Here's what I know about the gun:

Marlin Model 60 with a wood stock, 14 (I think) round tubular magazine. It has some cosmetic flaws on the stock, but the barrel looks pretty good. The chamber shows some signs of wear, but all parts seem to be in working order.

The guy told me if I took it to the range and there was a problem I could return it no problem.

It seems like a good deal to me, and I think I'm gonna move forward unless there is something I don't know about that should give me pause. Does it sound like a good deal? What do I need to be paying extra close attention to when reexamining the gun on Monday?

Thanks in advance for any and all commentary!

[archer]

I would go for it, especially with the return promise.

[Herew]

Go for it! I love my model 60! I bought mine used about 8 years ago and have put a few thousand rounds through it with no problem. Check the barrel for any pitting or rust, minor signs aren't a problem as long as you take care of it. Make sure to check the crown for any major damage. The bluing may have come off a little from use but it's nothing to be too concerned about as long as you keep up good cleaning practices.

[TooMuchGlass]

How do I check for pitting or rust? That hole is small, and I don't really know what I'm looking for. . .

[archer]

How do I check for pitting or rust? That hole is small, and I don't really know what I'm looking for. . .

open the chamber, shine a flashlight into the chamber, look down the barrel for pitting or rust.

[d3nni5]

Yup,  i'm w/ Archer....buy it.   If they will take it back if you have a problem, what can you lose?    If the scope isn't on it now, just use the iron sights to make your assessments at the range.   The scope is just another variable to go wrong during your first test drive.  Put the scope on later and zero it in.   If it holds, even better, if not you still got a nice gun at a good price.

There are a lot of Marlin 60's out there, minor problems will be cheaply corrected.

[nelson96]

Your comment about the chamber showing signs of wear is the only thing that would concern me, but his money back guarantee negates that (get it in writing). 

I guarantee that the $20 scope will make your $100 rifle worthless.  Forget the scope, buy the rifle, find a quality scope somewhere else. 

[TooMuchGlass]

Thanks for the input this far everyone, feel free to keep chiming in!

Nelson96- you mentioned that the scope is a bad investment. I believe you, but about how much would I need to spend on a "quality" scope?

[NWPilgrim]

It seems like I bought my Marlin 60 for $100 just a few years ago. I would check for new ones first to see what the prices are in your area now. a used one should e cheaper and a cheap scope really does not add value to it.

[TooMuchGlass]

Pilgrim- I think you're right. Dick's Sporting Goods has them online for 170, and I'm going to see if they have any in stock right now. If I can buy some gift cards at a discounted price and find a coupon, 150 is easily within reach. An old one for $90 doesn't seem like quite the deal it did when a new one is attainable for 150ish.

Thoughts?

[TooMuchGlass]

Went to DSG, no model 60s get stocked there ever. The only semiautomatic they had was a Remington with a synth stock and a 3-9 scope for $220. I'm thinking the pawn shop Model 60 is going to end up being my best bet.

[nelson96]

Nelson96- you mentioned that the scope is a bad investment. I believe you, but about how much would I need to spend on a "quality" scope?

There are endless choices depending on your application.  I could not begin to make a recommendation, and a corresponding budget, without knowing much more.  But, IMO optics are the single most important part of a rifle (depending on its intended use of course) and will typically cost more than the rifle.  I will add that quality scope mounts are very important as well.

I have certainly used inferior optics in the past and was successful in doing so.  My budget (and probably yours) dictated at the time what choices I had.  That said, you get what you pay for when you find one for $20 or less.

[NWPilgrim]

Went to DSG, no model 60s get stocked there ever. The only semiautomatic they had was a Remington with a synth stock and a 3-9 scope for $220. I'm thinking the pawn shop Model 60 is going to end up being my best bet.

It's good to shop around like you did.  I guess the prices have really gone up in just a few years since I bought one.  I checked Marlin's website and they list MSRP at $196.95. So $150 would be a decent price at a retailer. And I would agree if the rifle is in very good condition (clean, not pitted bore, no rust or heavy wear on the outside) then $100 is fair for the rifle with our without the scope. The nice thing about .22LR is you can't wear out the bore by shooting, they last for ever if not damaged by a cleaning rod. 

Look especially at the muzzle crown.  Does the bore end in nice clean sharp circle at the crown (usually either an angled end at muzzle, or rounded inward or recessed)?  Or are there indications a cleaning rod has been dragged repeatedly against the edges of the crown and worn it?  The crown is where the bullet last touches the bore, and if it is uneven by sloppy use fo the cleaning rod then it can significantly affect accuracy.  There are too many well cared for .22LR out therre you will come across to settle for one ause by a cleaning rod.

[iam4liberty]

If I can buy some gift cards at a discounted price and find a coupon, 150 is easily within reach. An old one for $90 doesn't seem like quite the deal it did when a new one is attainable for 150ish.

Thoughts?

If your budget is $150ish, you should definitely look at a Marlin 795.  Very similar to the Marlin 60 but with detachable magazines.  This would make for a better trainer rifle as you can learn mag changes. You can easily add a scope or tech sights to it. It also comes out of the box with sling swivel studs so you can learn proper sling use.  See here for an example of the marlin set up as a trainer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vhLjh8Ig8g and here is a good review by nutnfancy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzUb2_sWorE
 
They have occasionally been $100 on sale at Dick's after a $25 mail in rebate.  But with the demand for semi-autos, the rebate may be a thing of the past.  You should still be able to find them for around $150, however. 

[TooMuchGlass]

Nelson96- I really don't know what exactly I'm going to find myself doing with this gun. As of now my priorities are-
1. Learning the basics
2. Range practice/fun
3. Hunting squirrel, rabbit

I just figured throwing a cheap scope on the gun would get me used to looking through a scope and some magnification would help with seeing a target at say 100 yards. Still, 20 bucks is 20 bucks- if it isn't gonna be helpful to me, I don't want it. Thanks for your advice. 

NWPilgrim- I'll check out the muzzle crown when I see the gun again- thanks for the heads up. There have been a few other .22's I have looked at, but none seem to be quite this good of a deal. Most are 150 bucks and bolt-action. If I found one that was left-handed bolt-action I'd probably spring for it, but otherwise I think this one will do me just fine. Also, thanks for going the extra mile for me and checking out Marlin's website.

Also, I'm curious- does your Mod 60 have the 14 or 18 round magazine? I saw another at a different pawn shop that I'm pretty sure was the 18 rounder and it had a nice looking (to someone who doesn't know crap about them) scope on it, but that thing was like $180. Not unreasonable, but I'm not sure I wanna do it when I could have 2 .22s for that kind of money. But let's face it- you could probably talk me into it.

Liberty-I looked for those, and they didn't have any. Thanks for the heads up though- that definitely looks like a good option.

[Skunkeye]

If you live in the South, anywhere near an Academy sporting goods store, check there for a new one.  They've got the 60 priced at $150, and the 795 is $140.

[TooMuchGlass]

I'm in Eastern NC, so an Academy is no where close, unfortunately.

[nelson96]

Nelson96- I really don't know what exactly I'm going to find myself doing with this gun. As of now my priorities are-
1. Learning the basics
2. Range practice/fun
3. Hunting squirrel, rabbit

Don't sweat it too much or let my snobish opinion get in your way.  I've been burned by off brand and old misstreated scopes, so I am biased. . .  In my experience a cheap scope is hard to dial in and won't hold.  I Use my .22 to do a lot of rabbit and sage rat shooting at occasional distances that stretch the capability of a .22, so clarity is important to me also (usually an atribute in a high-end scope).  I also do the majority of that shooting in the early morning or evening where light is bad and sunlight is often hitting you square in the lens.  Multicoated lenses deal with those situations well, but is also an attribute of a higher-end scope.

[flippydidit]

Sorry for taking so long to weigh in.  Silly time zone difference!

The Marlin 60 is a great rifle!  Unless you have to work on it.  For a $100 it's really hard to go wrong.  I have about 7 different types of the "Marlin 60" (Glenfield's, Marlin's, Montgomery Ward, Coast to Coast).  Many times if there is an issue with the $100 rifles and shotguns, it can cost more than the firearm is worth to repair.  You figure it might need $34 in parts, $11 for shipping of the parts, and $60 in labor, now you're above what you paid for it (an actual repair).  That's for something relatively "minor".

That being said, it's highly unlikely that you'll find a Marlin 60 that needs repaired if it was treated well.  If I were looking at the gun, the first thing I would check are the bore, muzzle and chamber.  In that order.  If the bore is crap, walk away from it.  If the muzzle is tore up, sell it to me.     But unless you have your own lathe to re-crown a muzzle, it's going to cost you too much.  The chamber is the next place to look.  As others have mentioned, you're going to need to look for signs of cleaning rod/brush damage.  You also need to look for firing pin damage.

This is a rimfire weapon.  Meaning, if little Sally or Brian sat around dry-firing it, you could have two problems.  First, there might be a dent that corresponds to where the firing pin strikes the cartridge.  On a Marlin 60, that's going to be at the bottom of the chamber.  The second issue is going to be with a bent or broken firing pin.  The only good way to check that out is to remove the bolt from the receiver and flip it over.  You're looking to see if the firing pin is straight, and if the tip is chipped or deformed.  Generally, if there's not a dent in the chamber, then the firing pin should be fine.

I also have a different take on the $20 scope.  What better use for a $20 scope is there than a $100 .22 rifle?  I'd look at what brand of scope it is, and what condition it's in.  One check that I use (albeit very low tech), is to remove the scope from the rings and shake it next to my ear.  If you hear something moving, it's trash.  As nelson96 mentioned, it's not going to be very useful if you're pushing the limits of a .22lr.  It might fog up, it will suck in low light, and doesn't give you a very wide field of view.  BUT......  For daylight use of a .22 on a range?  Perfect.

[TexDaddy]

Back in October 2012, just a few short months ago I bought a brand new Model 60 at Academy for $149.99. Everything at Dick's seems over priced to me.

[endurance]

I also have a different take on the $20 scope.  What better use for a $20 scope is there than a $100 .22 rifle?  I'd look at what brand of scope it is, and what condition it's in.  One check that I use (albeit very low tech), is to remove the scope from the rings and shake it next to my ear.  If you hear something moving, it's trash.  As nelson96 mentioned, it's not going to be very useful if you're pushing the limits of a .22lr.  It might fog up, it will suck in low light, and doesn't give you a very wide field of view.  BUT......  For daylight use of a .22 on a range?  Perfect.

Agreed.  It's a .22 and while it's possible to hit things at a hundred yards with a .22, if you're mostly plinking and hunting squirrels, most of your shots are going to be inside 40 yards, where a $20-40 scope will be just fine in most cases. 

...and this comes from a guy who has a $600 Nikon sitting on his 700BDL, so I'm not cheap, I'm just practical.

[TooMuchGlass]

Hey guys, I decided to go for it! I got a Marlin Model 60 .22lr rifle and and 4x scope for $100, tax included. I checked the bore, muzzle, and chamber, just like you all suggested, and they seemed to check out to my (albeit untrained) eye. The chamber looks a little beat up, but other than that the bore and muzzle look great to me. So- did I do well? I have a few weeks to try it out and see what I think about it. Please let me know if anything looks suspicious, as I have the chance to return it. I almost didn't buy it because there was a Stevens .22 with a tubular magazine that shot .22 shorts, longs, and LRs for $100 at a different gun shop, but I decided against it because I wasn't sure if that was a good gun or not. It looked to be in about the same shape as the Model 60 I bought. Should I get that one instead?

While you all weigh in, I'm gonna try to figure out how to put pictures on the thread.

[TooMuchGlass]

Ok, so here she is. What do you think?

[NWPilgrim]

Congratulations.  Looks as good as condition as my old Remington Model 12 pump .22LR and it shoots fine. Most .22LR rifles are going to be fine unless they were abused. No obvious signs of that so it probably is a good shooter.  Only one way to find our for sure: go have some fun!

As to the Savage, only you can decide that. In the same condition I would say they are both good buys.  I use my pump Remington to shoot the CB shorts for pest control, but that ammo is more expensive.  If you plan to only shoot .22LR then either one is good.  You can shoot the shorter ammo in the Marlin it just may need to be manually cycled.  The semi is good for quick follow up shots if you are shooting at bunnies or squirrels who dart and weave.

[d3nni5]

Nice,   have fun.  I picked up a 10/22 last month.  First time I've had a 22 since i was a kid.   When I went shooting with it, I felt like I was 13 again, shooting cans in the back yard.   

[nelson96]

Ok, so here she is. What do you think?

First suggestion now that you own it...  Don't point it at people (referring to the pic) 

Have fun with it.

[endurance]

I'd suggest you invest in a good variety of ammo for it.  Some low velocity (read: quiet), some standard velocity (read: accurate) and some high velocity rounds.  See what feeds well, cycles well, and provides the best accuracy for the price.  I generally have to manually cycle CB caps, but they're about as loud as my RWS air rifle (maybe quieter).

After a few bad experiences early on with jams caused by truncated cone bullets, I avoid them entirely now.  I never saw an advantage to them and the absence in reliability put them on my "do not buy" list.

Have fun!

[NWPilgrim]

I have found that in my 10/22 and pistols that anything CCI is on average much more accurate and 100% reliable.  Holds true for a couple of friends' .22LR as well. Even the lowly Blazer ammo is more accurate than any bulk Federal, Winchester or Remington.  You might start with Blazer or MiniMags as a baseline and then compare other brands or types.  Federal Gold Match is pretty good, too.

[TooMuchGlass]

Finding ammo for this thing was tough.
I ended up grabbing a few 50 rd boxes of American Eagle ammo.
There was tons on CCI stuff (Velocitor, etc.) but I figured I'd make sure she shot straight before I bought expensive ammo.

Anyway, I'll be breaking it in this weekend!

[archer]

good luck