Marlin Model 60 Problems Just Don't Stop

[ApacheCoTodd]

Oh.... I see now.
Very confused at the hate for my favorite .22 semi.
We aren't looking at a Marlin Model 60 as I have known them for nearly a half a century. We're looking at something from that ballistic, un-holy abortion of REMLIN.
My decades and BRICKS or ANY .22 tells me that a 60 runs almost forever - then - if it doesn't, you blast it with brake cleaner, REALLY hot water and WD-40 or motor oil, 3-in-One, etc.. and abuse it for 4-6 more years!

Todd.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

I hope Marlin has an authorized repair smith near me. Otherwise this thing goes back for a month, just like the first one. I have no idea how I'm supposed to pack it. I hope they'll accept the box it came in, because I can't just pull rifle-sized UPS-proof boxes out of my ears.

As for the Model 60 shooting hypervelocity rounds, the manual says "no," and based on the gun's failure to stay together while shooting approved ammunition, I am surprised other people have had good luck. Supposedly the MCarbo kit makes it Stinger-proof, but in order to find out, I will have to be able to shoot the gun a few times without having any parts fall off.

I feel like taking the .204 Ruger or the Savage .17 HMR out to get the bad taste out of my mouth.

My bizarre problems with .22 rifles make me appreciate the Smith & Wesson Victory I bought recently. I stuck some neat Tandemkross parts on it, and it hasn't exploded or done any other strange things. I accidentally engage the safety almost every time I get ready to fire, but I don't think I can blame Smith & Wesson for that.

I am sorry I got off on a tangent about the KAT trigger guy. I did not intend to use the forum to attack a vendor, but I felt like I was being pushed.

 

[LoonWulf]

I have no idea how I'm supposed to pack it. I hope they'll accept the box it came in, because I can't just pull rifle-sized UPS-proof boxes out of my ears.

Thats how ive sent guns off to be worked on, tho on expensive ones i uses a locking case and wrap it in brown paper....i make damn sure my names all over that case tho, ive had to call and make them go find it and send it back....not remlin, havent dealt with them yet.

Its frustrating when stuff repeatedly dosent work, I agree go shoot something else, and honestly if they send you another rifle you MAY wanna just get rid of it, its not like there arnt other options out there.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

I wish the dust cover hadn't flown off the A22. I feel sure I did something to screw it up, because it's hard for me to believe they just fly off by themselves. I could have been shooting it all weekend but for that. The Savage manual is a little vague on reinstalling the dust cover, so I may have done it wrong.

 

[Varminterror]

As for the Model 60 shooting hypervelocity rounds, the manual says "no," and based on the gun's failure to stay together while shooting approved ammunition, I am surprised other people have had good luck. Supposedly the MCarbo kit makes it Stinger-proof, but in order to find out, I will have to be able to shoot the gun a few times without having any parts fall off.

I wish the dust cover hadn't flown off the A22.

So you condemn one model for parts falling off while firing, but extol the superiority of another model, and state in the next breath parts fell off of it...?

What fell off of your 60?

I also believe, based on your statements, you really don’t understand what is a rifle receiver. The side plates do not go into the receiver. The Marlin receiver is in fact larger than the 10/22 receiver. Only smaller than the magnum length A22 receiver - it’s smaller than the 10/22 magnum too... because it’s not a magnum receiver.

Unlike the leveractions, not much changed about the 60’s during the Remlin take over. They have always been what they are - low production cost models. My son’s Marlin 60, now 3yrs old post-proof date shoots about a brick per month without a hiccup. It had better wood quality (finish) than my last Marlin built 60, and side by side, the guts are indistinguishable.

If you got a legitimately bad Marlin, then received a legitimately bad replacement, why did you not send it back again?

I typically can’t offer much help when guys say their Marlins won’t run on various ammo. When my shop was open, I’d have them bring the rifle in, worst case I’d have to clean it, maybe clean up the ramp, and lube it. Getting them to run just isn’t so difficult. Wanna rum hyper-velocity, low bullet weight ammo? Buy another spring, order a replacement buffer, clip a few coils, and run. The buffer is only to replace the factory one when it breaks, because 1) inevitably consumable products break, and 2) you WILL forget/neglect to swap the springs back before running standard energy ammo, and will increase wear on the buffer. Wanna run mags? Leave the stock spring alone, order another buffer, and replace it when it breaks.

 

[fpgt72]

They always turn into yelling matches, bottom line both are bottom tier guns...ruger being a little more bottom

I am down to one ruger, because everyone has one....I am up to I think 5-ish 60's, IMHO it is just a better gun....it really is a ford chevy deal....the real shame is they don't make Packard anymore.

 

[Koolmoose]

Years ago A friend gave me a Model 60 because he could never get it running right. Initially I was really frustrated attempting to get it to run right. It languished in the back of the safe for years. I decided to make a challenge project out of it and alot of research (in which I discovered THR, The Firing Line, and Rimfire Central) resulted in a smooth running rifle.

For my gun there were 3 problems:
1. Very dirty.
2. A bent ejector wire that was interfering with the bolt.
3. Too much lubricant. I’m a guy who tends to abide by the philosophy of “if one drop of oil is good then two must be better”. Not so with the 60. It works best with a VERY light amount of lubricant.

It likes CCI high velocity the best. I get about 350 - 500 rounds before FTE’s start to occur. Then a quick cleaning restores functionality. I have two 10-22’s and the 60 is my favorite 22 semi auto.

BTW my friend replaced the 60 with a Nylon 66 and that was a good gun for him.

 

[someguy2800]

That crummy trigger is a real problem. Look how much it costs to fix it. Kills the bargain all by itself.

I'd bet you $100 my trigger is better than yours and it didn't cost me a dime. It was a major pain though taking that fire control group apart and back together though!

 

[Fiv3r]

I have an old Glenfield that I borrowed from my dad 10 years ago and never gave back It had been rusting in his pole barn for years, so I think of it as more of a rescue than soft thievery. My grandfather on my mom's side gave it to him for home defense back when he and my mom were married in the mid 70s.
It also has the higher capacity magazine tube, so that's a bonus.

I took it apart one time to clean it. Bent the spring, cussed myself, bought a new spring, and shot another 1000 rounds out of it.

I bought a 795 for less than $100 with a coupon back around 2009 or so. I wanted a detachable magazine as my daughter was due to be born soon, and since the 60 had a habit of riding around in my truck fully loaded under the seat I was a bit nervous about that. New dads obsess on these things.

The 795 was shorter to stow and i could keep a couple ten rounders in the glove box. Also I could keep one mag with Stingers and the other with standard velocity rounds.

My long winded post is that I haven't had an issue with my Marlins. I keep wanting to pick up a 10/22, but for as infrequently as I shoot .22 it doesn't make a lot of sense unless it's a impulse buy or if I were buying a take down for hiking or something.

 

[kenboyles72]

....
For my gun there were 3 problems:
1. Very dirty.
2. A bent ejector wire that was interfering with the bolt.
3. Too much lubricant. I’m a guy who tends to abide by the philosophy of “if one drop of oil is good then two must be better”. Not so with the 60. It works best with a VERY light amount of lubricant.
....

I bought a M60 ('87 model) a ways back, while it ran good, I thought it could do better. From the sites you listed, as well as a few y-tube vids, I proceeded to tune this rifle. The bolt and FCG wasn't extremely dirty, but the ejector spring (if I recall) needed to be bent a little. After a cleaning and spring work, rifle performed great. As for #3, this is very true, this rifle needs very little lube to function properly. IMO, Lucas Extreme heavy duty gun oil works great on any firearm, it stays put and offers great lubricity. So I just put a very light coat on bolt and a drop on the pins and springs in the FCG. Another thing about Lucas oil, is that it seems to not clog up or catch a lot of dirt like other oils, so complete cleanings are further apart, just mostly clean the bolt face and barrel. From the last complete cleaning, I have ran 1000 rnds (2x 500 rnd bxs) of Rem Thunderbolt's though it and hasn't had a malfunction yet. T

I'd bet you $100 my trigger is better than yours and it didn't cost me a dime. It was a major pain though taking that fire control group apart and back together though!

While I haven't done any extreme work to the trigger, I did a little work to it. It doesn't have a very lite trigger, but it breaks very crisp and consistent.

 

[Swifty Morgan]

People are determined to defend this piece of junk.

The trigger was bad. The stock is a pain to put studs on. The sights are chintzy. The magazine fell off.

This is not a good gun. Put all the lipstick on it you want. It's terrible. It has two good parts: the stock and the barrel. Everything else should be scrapped. The stock only counts as good if you're not trying to install studs.

What more has to go wrong with this thing before people admit it's no good? Maybe it could spontaneously combust.

I believe the Savage's dust cover came off and broke because I installed it wrong. Anyway, I have a new dust cover now, and I didn't have to put the gun in the mail.

 

[Varminterror]

What is difficult about adding studs to the Marlin stock?

 

[cdb1]

People are determined to defend this piece of junk.

Just as you are determined to call it a piece of junk.

 

[fpgt72]

So funny you change model 60 to 10/22 and the reverse happens....but the comments from both sides are very interesting to read.

He is a 10/22 fanboi and nothing will change his mind....IF he actually is not just trolling....perhaps his 10/22 needed a new part again to run and he had read too many of my Ruger posts and he had to unleash this thread for his own sake.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

People are determined to defend this piece of junk.

The trigger was bad. The stock is a pain to put studs on. The sights are chintzy. The magazine fell off.

This is not a good gun. Put all the lipstick on it you want. It's terrible. It has two good parts: the stock and the barrel. Everything else should be scrapped. The stock only counts as good if you're not trying to install studs.

What more has to go wrong with this thing before people admit it's no good? Maybe it could spontaneously combust.

Why do you still own it?
Why does it bother you that others have not had the same issues with their 60's?

 

[fpgt72]

Why do you still own it?
Why does it bother you that others have not had the same issues with their 60's?

He fears this rifle and is doing everything he can to build up in his mind and the mind of others just how great the ruger is....so a quick thread on this is the best way to do that....simple

 

[Swifty Morgan]

Just as you are determined to call it a piece of junk.

Silly. I proved it was a piece of junk. The evidence that it isn't: "My grandpaw and my pappy had Model 60's."

 

[Swifty Morgan]

He fears this rifle and is doing everything he can to build up in his mind and the mind of others just how great the ruger is....so a quick thread on this is the best way to do that....simple

I don't own a Ruger.

 

[Varminterror]

The magazine on your 60 fell off? Pics of that?

And also - what’s difficult about adding swivel studs to the Marlin 60 stock?

 

[cdb1]

Silly. I proved it was a piece of junk. The evidence that it isn't: "My grandpaw and my pappy had Model 60's."

Yours may be but the vast majority aren’t.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I’m amazed that you still have the rifle. You seem to be obsessing over it. If it’s a piece of junk, just get rid of it.
I have never been a big fan of the Marlin Mod 60. I’ve never had trouble with them, just weren’t my cup of tea.
Now I do have a bunch of 10/22s and have always liked them, but I’m no fan boy, I just like 22 lr cal. Rifles. I have a few others.
But I can’t understand when someone dislike a gun to the point of calling it junk, that they would keep it.

 

[easy]

OK steve, how much you want for it?

 

[Varminterror]

Silly. I proved it was a piece of junk. The evidence that it isn't: "My grandpaw and my pappy had Model 60's."

What of your evidence is proof? The ramblings of one online dude? Refuted by comments from a dozen other folks?

You mistakenly called a fire control assembly the receiver, then stated the 60 doesn’t have a receiver, then provided no proof of anything falling off, and showed your irrational bias by stating parts fell off of your favored Savage... The Marlin 60 is LITERALLY the highest selling firearm in American history, and not by a narrow margin. It’s the highest selling 22LR rifle by around 100% over second place. Do you really expect you’re the only one of 11 million customers who “discovered the truth” about the rifle? Or maybe you just don’t accept you got a bad one from the factory, and won’t admit you have an irrational bias because of it?

I really want to see how your magazine fell off. Did the dovetail slide out of the barrel? Was the mag tube not pinned into the hanger? That’s a pretty simple assembly, and as much as it is mechanically locked together, I really struggle to believe it just “fell off.”

And as I have asked twice here - what is difficult about installing swivel studs in the 60 stock? The answer to this very simple question might be indicative to what we should expect as readers of your review. Some people think it’s almost impossible to change their own tire, but for most folks, it’s not difficult. Maybe that’s the real issue here.

 

[Labguy47]

I’ve owned 4 M60s great beginners gun, never had anything go bad other than the push tube. And that’s hardly the manufacturers fault as mine get fed everything and keeps spitting 500 rd boxes at a time down range.
Matter of fact taking one of the ladies I work with to the range this week. First day is always.22lr day.

 

[jmorris]

People are determined to defend this piece of junk.

No offense meant but there are millions of these things out there. Many that have not been turned into slag or melted in fire pits.

Is everyone happy with them? No. Are some people happy with them? Absolutely.

Might be like people that get divorced and marry many vs someone that finds something they can work with.

If you don’t like the thing and it doesn’t like you, don’t walk but run away. If someone else likes it more than you, does that say more about you or them?