.22LR rifles: Comparing the Ruger 10/22 to the Marlin 795

[American Eagle]

Hello, I am new to this particular forum. I recently bought two great .22LR plinkers, a Ruger 10/22 and a Marlin 795, because .22LR is the greatest thing since sliced bread, and one can never have too many .22LR firearms.

So how do these two sweet .22LR rifles stack against one another?

The contestants: Ruger 10/22 RR in stock configuration v. Marlin 795

Reliability and durability: Both rifles have performed flawlessly for me. Both also look and feel well built, and fit and finish on both of mine looks exceptionally good. So based on personal experience I'd have to give the Ruger 10/22 RR a 10/10 and the Marlin 795 a 10/10.

Accuracy: Here is where the Marlin 795 begins to shine. It is fitted with a microgroove bull barrel, which makes this rifle superbly accurate straight out of the box. I am getting less than 1 inch groups at 50 yards with a mediocre scope (and I am a mediocre marksman at best). The Ruger 10/22 RR is just not as accurate out of the box. I temporarily borrowed the scope from the Marlin 795 and installed it on the Ruger 10/22 RR, and took some shots at the same distance. Without a doubt, Marlin wins this one. The Ruger is still very decent as far as accuracy, but the groupings will not match the Marlin 795 unless you sink $200+ into a new barrel and trigger. However, not really an issue if you intend to sink serious money into your 10/22 in the first place.The Marlin 795 gets a 10/10 and the Ruger 10/22 gets an 8/10 here.

Ease of use: I think both rifles suffer somewhat here. Ruger 10/22 RR's rotary magazine can be a little tricky to reload fast, and the same goes for the Marlin 795's magazine. Additionally, the Marlin 795's magazine may have some sharp edges, and is a little stiff when you are trying to release the magazine for reloading. It doesn't help that you have to press the magazine release and pull down on the magazine at the same time (need 2 hands for it). Ruger 10/22 gets a 9/10 and Marlin 795 gets an 8/10 here.

Aftermarket Accessories: The Ruger 10/22 destroys the Marlin 795 in this category. There are so many aftermarket parts available for the Ruger that it is possible to modify it to the point that you have a Ruger 10/22 completely made out of non-Ruger parts. No to mention the awesome availability of high capacity magazines. There is not much you can do here for the Marlin 795. There are some aftermarket stocks available, but not a whole lot of other aftermarket parts. Aftermarket high capacity magazines for this rifle are terribly unreliable. Ruger 10/22 RR gets a 10/10 and Marlin 795 gets a 5/10 here.

Price: The Marlin 795 can be had for as low as $105 (with factory rebate and dealer discount) and the Ruger 10/22 RR typically goes for around $200-$230, so the Marlin 795 gets a 10/10 for affordability and the Ruger 10/22 RR a 7/10.

Final score and observations: Ruger 10/22 RR 44/50 and Marlin 795 gets a 43/50. That being said, I personally believe the Marlin 795 is a better rifle out of the box and offers more bang for your buck. Where the Ruger 10/22 RR surpasses the Marlin 795 is in aftermarket accessories. If you intend to leave either rifle in stock factory configuration, get the Marlin 795. However, if you intend to heavily customize the rifle, get the Ruger 10/22 RR.

Here are both beauties: First the Marlin and then the Ruger

 

[MacTech]

Great write up, I agree with most of your points, I'd add one more category;

Appearance/styling
I'm an old school wood and steel kinda guy, not a fan of polymer furniture, so to me, the Ruger is the better looking gun, I prefer the accuracy of the Marlin, but appearancewise, the Marlin just looks… cheap, it looks like a $100 gun, even though it shoots far better than the price would lead you to believe

Appearance;
Ruger; 8.5
Marlin; 2.5

 

[mac66]

Big Ruger 10/22 fan. I have four. I also have a Marlin 795.

I think the OP should mention some of these things.

Ruger: Bad...No last shot bolt hold open, no auto bolt release. Old models did not have an extended mag release. Bolt release/hold open tab is horrible. Factory sights are marginal. Good... Mag sits flush with the stock. New models have extended mag release.

Marlin: Bad... Mag release is mediocre at best. Factory sights stink. Good...bolt stays open after last shot. Has nice mag release lever. I like the stock. Price. Comes with sling studs.

Summary...back when you could pick up a Ruger 10/22 on sale for less than $150 or used in a pawn shop for $100 or less they were the best thing going. Today, I have to agree with the OP. The Marlin 795 at around $100 is the best bang for the buck for a starter, plinker, budget, beater, trunk/truck rifle. The stock is hollow and can be used to store stuff in. It will actually hold up to 5 magazines + extra ammo. That makes it a potential survival/stash away rifle.

 

[Holo]

Good write up. I have a heavily modified 10/22 that shoots darn well. Sub MOA at 50 yards.

However my buddy has an old marlin that shoots just as well and the thing is stock and about 45 years old.

 

[travisd]

I dont really think the marlin looks or feels cheap. While it has a synthetic stock it feels well made and pretty durable to me. It makes it very light which I like. Irons aren't great but I don't think they're much worse than on any other .22 I've shot. Only fired a couple mags with irons got about 2" groups at 50 yards with some more practice I'm sure I could do better. Only real drawback is I wish they made a hi cap mag that actually worked. Mags are a little tough to load at first but after a little while they get easier. None of my 3 mags were sharp and before long they get a lot easier to insert and take out.

 

[Jaymo]

The Marlin is trimmer and sleeker looking than the 10/22. The Ruger looks downright chunky. The Ruger barrel band looks very cheap.
A wood stock would be great for the Marlin. I could have sworn they used to come with one.
The Ruger gets points for availability of hi-cap mags.
For an accurate squirrel hunting gun, the Marlin 795 or 60 are both great.
The Marlin 795 is better for carrying around the woods all day, due to lighter weight.

I like both. I prefer the accuracy of the Marlin.
I really prefer the accuracy of the old, American made Mossberg .22s, but they're not making them anymore.

I wish Marlin still made the semiauto .22 magnum and the 9mm and .45 acp Camp Carbine.
I bought an early Ruger 10/22 magnum. Wish I'd bought the Marlin .22 mag instead.
Kind of a moot point, since I've never shot the 10/22 mag. It's still brand new, 10 years later.

If the Ruger was still $150, I'd say buy one each of the 10/22 and the 795.
At the current price points, I'd say get a 795 and a 60.

If you buy an 80% receiver casting, and finish it yourself, you can make a 10/22 with a thread-in barrel and improve accuracy over the factory clamp in barrel.

What the Marlin needs is a 100 round drum mag.

 

[mac66]

It's funny that when I bought my 795 I thought it was tiny and much smaller than my 10/22. In fact they are the same over all length with the same length barrel, same length of pull of the stock. I think the difference is that having a single stack mag, the Marlin is narrower. The cube magazine makes the Ruger feel chunky. The Marlin also a half pound lighter than the Ruger.

The 795 is certainly the best deal going right now.

 

[Bivensb]

I bought a Marlin 795 two days ago for $110 at Dick's, and then sent in the $25 rebate... At $85 it's not even a contest, I can buy extra mags, a scope and a case and still be less than a 10/22, and more accurate to boot.

 

[SleazyRider]

I can't say enough about Ruger's flush-fitting clear plastic magazine, however. That, coupled with wooden stock and aftermarket accessories, is the deal breaker for me.

 

[rori]

Not the results I get with my 10/22. Mine which is stock except for a composit stock and a good quality Leupold scope will shoot into 1/2" at fifty yards all day. Thats never more than .5 " and usually less. I've shot the heads off many grouse with it and never used 2 shots. One shot one kill. Some day I'll get 2 of them lined up just right and kill 2 with 1 shot. Frank

 

[leftyz]

I bought a Marlin 795 two days ago for $110 at Dick's, and then sent in the $25 rebate... At $85 it's not even a contest, I can buy extra mags, a scope and a case and still be less than a 10/22, and more accurate to boot.

No one around me has a Marlin 795 in stock at a reasonable price.. Only place that had it wanted $195

 

[451 Detonics]

Ease of disassembly has to go to the Ruger...very important when using a round that is as dirty as the .22 rimfire is. This makes cleaning much easier.

As far as accuracy I just have never seen that the Marlin is any more accurate than the Ruger out of box. If you remove the barrel band (which is largely decorative) the Ruger barrel is basically free floating. You can thin the inside of the band with a sanding drum if you like the look of it on the gun. From what I have seen at my club I would place them just about equal, certainly not enough difference for it to be a deciding factor.

Scope mounts...when is Marlin going to join the 20th century and offer a Weaver rail? Ruger is well ahead in this category. This applies to all 22s that still use a grooved receiver btw.

Magazines...not even looking at aftermarket offerings, the Ruger fits flush and is a much better made magazine.

Auto bolt release...a whooping 8 bucks and 5 minutes to install in the Ruger...not a big deal. Extended mag release, another 8 bucks and 10 more minutes tops. As for locking the bolt back it is just a matter of practice...watch competitive shooters sometime...it is an automatic action that takes almost zero time.

I would say both are just about equal unless you have plans to add accessories then it is Ruger all the way.

 

[slowr1der]

The biggest thing I despise about the Marlin 60's and 795's is the fact that it has the scope rail for .22 rings built onto the top of the receiver. Not to mention they seem to have difficulty cutting them straight lately. This just escalates the problems this style base and rings has with rings sliding around. To me this ruins the whole gun for me, and is a very common issue with this style scope rail and rings.

The 10/22 on the other hand is drilled and tapped so that you can put any base you'd like on it. To me that's a much better design.

If Marlin made this change imo, it would make their .22 rifles great. As it is, I just can't recommend them.

Everyone I know with them also has an issue with them gumming up every few hundred rounds and start jamming constantly. That seems to be less of an issue with the 10/22.


As mentioned the 10/22 is also much easier to disassemble which is a plus.

As for the last shot hold open, and the auto bolt release, to me I don't see the big deal with that, but as said you can install one should it be a big deal to you. You can't dryfire the Marlin with this design, but the 10/22 is safe to dry fire, so that's another plus for the 10/22 not mentioned imo.

IMO the 10/22 while usually not as accurate out of the box, is accurate enough for most people, and a much better rifle in every other way.

 

[travisd]

I've fired about 400 rounds through my 795 in an afternoon and never had any jams. Probably could have left it and would still be shooting great for a lot longer. The only time it jams is after I clean it the first time I shoot again it seems to jam once or twice until it gets a little dirty. I cant really see how the 10/22 is easier to disassemble while never personally having done it I have seen it done and IMO the Marlin looks easier. Seeing as the 795 is cheaper and usually more accurate I cant see what isn't to like about it unless you want to put several hundred more dollars into a rifle to make it look how you want and shoot as good as the marlin. For an out of the box shooter you cant beat the marlin, but I guess I'm a fan of marlins because they're just great

 

[mg.mikael]

I think the OP should mention some of these things.

Ruger: Bad...No last shot bolt hold open, no auto bolt release. Old models did not have an extended mag release. Bolt release/hold open tab is horrible. Factory sights are marginal. Good... Mag sits flush with the stock. New models have extended mag release.

Marlin: Bad... Mag release is mediocre at best. Factory sights stink. Good...bolt stays open after last shot. Has nice mag release lever. I like the stock. Price. Comes with sling studs.

Summary...back when you could pick up a Ruger 10/22 on sale for less than $150 or used in a pawn shop for $100 or less they were the best thing going. Today, I have to agree with the OP. The Marlin 795 at around $100 is the best bang for the buck for a starter, plinker, budget, beater, trunk/truck rifle. The stock is hollow and can be used to store stuff in. It will actually hold up to 5 magazines + extra ammo. That makes it a potential survival/stash away rifle.

Are those tech-sights I see on your Marlin? How are they holding up? Are they worth the high cost, because I've been going back and forth on whether or not I should pay the $69. Because I've read a few horror stories where folks seem to be breaking the screws while tightening the sights.

 

[slowr1der]

So you admit that Marlin produced rifles that had a flaw in the dovetail design causing problems, but then you somehow try to convince us that Ruger has problems too because some aftermarket magazines made by other companies that they have no control over are bad? That makes no sense at all.

I think any scope base that uses the .22 grooved base design is flawed. I don't care if you are using one of those bases on a 10/22, one built onto a CZ, or one built onto a Marlin. They just don't have the strength of a Weaver or Leupold style mount, and when you cut them out of spec like Marlin has a reputation for doing, it really makes a bad design even worse. I much prefer to be able to put any base you'd like to on there.

You guys are all making the Ruger sound like it's shooting 15" groups at 50 yards. It's not. Most all of the ones I've seen are shooting 1.25"-1.5" groups with cheap bulk ammo from Walmart at 50 yards. That while not great isn't too shabby. It seems the Marlins I've seen and shot are shooting on average 1" groups with the same ammo. So yes, I can agree that the Marlin is more accurate in general, but it's not like the Ruger is a long ways behind.

For the comment about having to dump money into these, well those rifles with several hundred dollars in them are in no way comparable to a stock Marlin 795, or 60, accuracy wise, or anything else. They just aren't comparable in any way, and you don't have to dump that money into it to be decently accurate and a reliable .22. You just have the option to if you like changing parts.

That being said, most of the experience I've had with the Marlins have been with the 60's, not the 795's, but the 795 is an even cheaper version.

I think the magazine thing is just a personal preference. I much prefer the flush magazines of the 10/22, and the plenty of good aftermarket 25 round magazines out there. I have absolutely no trouble loading any of them, but if you like the Marlin magazine design better too, that's fine. It's really just a personal preference.

 

[TCB in TN]

Out of the box the marlin is the better shooter, I have owned many of each, and IMHO I it is not even close. But you can make a 10/22 into anything from a race gun, to a tack driving beast, which is cool in a whole host of ways. To me it just depends upon what you want to do with it.

 

[HammerheadSSN663]

Sorry, the new stubby little Ruger 10/22 tactical w/bull barrel and Hogue stock beats em all. Fitted with an micro Aimpoint and 25 round Ruger mag its simply fantastic.

 

[Sam1911]

I will not respond to you

Er...you just did.

<several posts removed>

[MOD TALK -- Note to all participants: This is THE HIGH ROAD. Be civil and polite to each other or you will [strike]be asked to[/strike] leave. Learn to temper your statements so they do not make you look like a bigger jerk than you really are. Or if you really are one, learn to hide it better.

More to the point, if you can have a disagreement as gentlemen who respect one another, please do. Feel free to begin now. If you cannot, I recommend you break contact completely before you are departed from our presence.]

 

[FlyinBryan]

And if you want to buy a rifle just to rip it apart and replace everything more power to you but that makes no sense to me. Why not just buy the gun you want right off the bat so you won't have to buy a bunch of parts only to throw them away?

but what if you want a semiauto 22 rifle that is more accurate than any factory stock rifle?

i couldnt just go and buy the gun i wanted, as it did not exist.

 

[CraigC]

Ease of disassembly? Who buys a rifle for that?

Apparently, according to internet lore, at least half the guys who prefer Marlin leverguns over Winchesters. That is an advantage the Ruger has over Marlins, they are very, very easy to work on.

And if you want to buy a rifle just to rip it apart and replace everything more power to you but that makes no sense to me. Why not just buy the gun you want right off the bat so you won't have to buy a bunch of parts only to throw them away?

Because sometimes the factory doesn't make what you want. I'm one for whom this happens very infrequently. It costs at least 50% more to buy a highly accurate 10/22 as it does to build one. Plus you get to use the parts YOU want to.


Dovetail mounts are a joke. It is increasingly difficult to keep them tight on an aluminum receiver. At least with the all steel CZ's you can use good steel rings and torque them properly. Marlin should've ditched the dovetail mount years ago. Everybody else did.

PS, getting proper steel rings for the CZ is not exactly the easiest thing in the world to do either. There's an entire thread on RFC about getting rings that fit the varying dovetail sizes/dimensions. So no, it's far from the best thing since sliced bread. Give me a Weaver mount every time and I'll be happier for it.

 

[travisd]

You can put a weaver mount on the 795 dovetails. Not exactly sure who made it but there is one

 

[mac66]

mg.mikeal

Yes those are tech sights and I love them. I've not had any problems with installing them. I also have a set on one of my 10/22s. I love both the 10/22 and 795. Why argue which is better, get both!

The typical below group was shot with my 795 w/tech sights off of sandbags at 25 yards and CCI Blazer Ammo. I am not big on spending money on cheap rifles but the Tech Sights make the 795 (and 10/22) a great little rifle.

I shot ten 10 shot groups similar to this one on those 1" square target and was giggling like a little school girl when I got done.

 

[Bonesinium]

And yet again a well thought out, objective look at both rifles turns into a thread where Marlin lovers and Ruger lovers alike start arguing how one is better then the other with less than stellar objectivity. If they even bothered to take a step back from their bias, they would see that their argument is futile as it is quite clear even from their own arguments that both rifles have their benefits and both are better in different categories, as you know, was objectively looked at in the OP and a couple other posts.

 

[berettaprofessor]

Good write up. I have a heavily modified 10/22 that shoots darn well. Sub MOA at 50 yards. However my buddy has an old marlin that shoots just as well and the thing is stock and about 45 years old.

Hilarious comment!

Mac10; "giggling like a little school girl when I got done" ain't gonna help your image at a range at all.....but I might be tempted to do the same thing with groups like that.