Marlin XL7 30-06

[ShootnMathews]

I have several rifles out of the Marlin X7 line and I keep bragging on them and no one seems to pay attention. But, I'm going to do it again. In the same trade that I picked up the savage fcp-sr I also picked up another Marlin. A XL7 30-06. I tried to convince the friend to keep it and get rid of the mossberg 270 and cheap center point scope but He is stuck on it for some reason. He wants a good deer gun for under 300 yards. Anyways back to the Marlin. I typed this up for my two buddies who I am 3 way chatting with. Both have been asking me tons of questions about accurising guns and what to buy, what to do, does it really help and so on. So beat in mind I'm copying and pasting this from them and not typing it for you.
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This is where the rubber meets the road with using quality components (notice I did not say expensive components, I said quality) and putting in the extra effort

I took that 30-06 Marlin and gave it a good look over. The bore looked pretty clean, like less than a box of shells clean but I pulled a bore snake thru it 6 or so times. I sanded out the forearm to float the barrel. I bedded the action this morning. Then I torqued the action in, torqued the scope base on. Mounted and torqued the rings and scope into place. Burris Zee rings (steel) and that Nikon 4-12x40 I just bought for $123. Both are excellent quality at bargain prices. I snappy bore sighted it with a laser at 16 yards. I know from experience it usually takes two to three shots for all that stuff to settle when you assemble one with a torque wrench.

I just took it out and shot it at 100 yards with cheap Rem corelok off the shelf. I made an adjustment between shots one and two. Nothing between 2 and 3 because I wanted it to finish settling. Then made one last adjustment and shot #4. That is a 3/4" dot. I'll shoot it a few times tomorrow and fine tune it. But I just wanted to show you guys that the extra time spent does pay off.

Gun $359 (no cost to me as it was in trade I did, 4 guns for an 95 F150 I had sitting here)
Rings $25
Scope $123
Bedding $5
Less than $520 total cost

You don't need to spend a ton to shoot accurately. Just buy quality and take the time to assemble it properly

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[ShootnMathews]

These Marlins in my opinion are the finest rifles in their price range. It's a solid action with the smoothest bolt I have seen in the under $400 rifle class. Bolt is fluted with a floating head design like savage. Nice, wide, solid recoil lug. Marlins version of the accutrigger that usually adjust to 2 lb easy. The stock is factory pillar bedded and is fairly rigid as far as cheap stocks go. It's a very ergonomic stock also. Very comfortable to shoot. The buttpad is as soft and as good a quality as any premium pad on the aftermarket. The 20" sporter Barrel has a target crown. The rifle comes with a one piece scope rail that has been good quality. All of mine still wear the original rail and their original stocks.

The only two beefs I have are with the fit of the stock. The stock itself is better than average in stiffness and rigidity but every one of these rifles I have picked up has heavy contact at the barrel and forehand end and the recoil lug area is very loose. On all of these rifles I have taken the time to float the barrel and bed the recoil lug and front pillar into one solid bed and the torque everything on the rifle to spec. And with hand loads they shoot lights out for a cheap gun and 20" sporter barrel. Factory loads they are still great 400 yard deer guns.

Sadly Remington bought Marlin and didn't like the idea of another bolt gun so they discontinued these rifles. My local gun shop is still getting a few from warehouses here and there but they'll dry up soon. In my opinion these rifles shoot just as well as the $700 to $1000 rifles out there. And they come with all the premium features at a rock bottom price. They also use the same barrel system as a savage, with the external barrel nut. It uses the savage wrench on the nut and you can use savage prefit barrels on it with one quick modification. The savage prefit barrels bottom out before headspace is set so you have to shave about .02" off the thread tenon of the barrel first. Each one will vary some on how much to take off.

Anyways, I don't sell these or have them as a sponsor or anything. I just like to pass on the word when I find quality products in the working mans budget.

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[Marauder 1]

Marlin makes a great rifle, I have my Dad's ranch gun a early Model 60 .22 and I'll tell ya that thing has been through it and still works flawlessly. When I got her it she was in a serious state of neglect due to my Dad's illness. After striping her down and totally cleaning and then touching up the barrel she looks and works like new.

I've always wanted one of there Lever actions, but they are hard to come by out here. Great post Jared

Seeya
Mark

[ShootnMathews]

I have a Marlin glen field model 60 that was my grandpa's. I got it after he passed and it was in rough shape. Surface rust and it jammed often. I noticed it looked dirty so I got on YouTube and watched some videos on disassemble and then stripped it and cleaned it. Cleaned the barrel too. She shoots great now. No jams anymore and at 50 yards she'll put 3 shots touching with CCI Mini Mags.

There was so much Unburned powder mixed into an oily paste inside the action that I had to scrape it out. I bet I scraped out enough to load a box of shells.

[bearrowland]

That's one fine looking rifle! I've not come across one in person, but the action sure looks similar to the Remington 700. Are they related? Either way, that's a great trade you made and some nice shooting sir!!

[Marauder 1]

I have a Marlin glen field model 60 that was my grandpa's. I got it after he passed and it was in rough shape. Surface rust and it jammed often. I noticed it looked dirty so I got on YouTube and watched some videos on disassemble and then stripped it and cleaned it. Cleaned the barrel too. She shoots great now. No jams anymore and at 50 yards she'll put 3 shots touching with CCI Mini Mags.

There was so much Unburned powder mixed into an oily paste inside the action that I had to scrape it out. I bet I scraped out enough to load a box of shells.

Exactly the same way I found my Dads, Normally he would have never left this rifle in such shape. Being former Military he was a stickler for cleaning all his rifles. Well now my youngest is the proud user of it until he is old enough to own it.
Sorry for HiJacking Your Thread Maybe we should start another one on the 60.

Seeya
Mark

[ShootnMathews]

That's one fine looking rifle! I've not come across one in person, but the action sure looks similar to the Remington 700. Are they related? Either way, that's a great trade you made and some nice shooting sir!!

Barry. Sorry. Somehow I missed this post. Or just forgot to respond. If I had to compare the action to another make I'd have to say it's more like a Savage than a Rem. floating bolt head and all.

Sorry I missed this.

[ShootnMathews]

Was blessed with taking a buck with this rifle yesterday. The 125 Nosler BT did great. I have not put them through a chrono yet but book shows an estimate of 3100-3200 fps. 2" in the wound channel was golf ball sized to then it opened up to 4" wide channel and about 12" deep. The bullet did not exit and the buck went about 60 yards. There was a lot of blood near impact but almost no blood trail. Deer ran straight down a steep hill. Ground around the animal was covered with blood and probably a gallon of blood was Pooled inside the buck.

Posting that for informative reasons incase someone is thinking of using them. Here's the deer

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[Grindl]

That's a good lookin buck . Nice shootin .