The Model 60

[Mike.357]

Quite possibly the most perfect rimfire rifle ever made.

Self contained mag, reliable, accurate, inexpensive. Whats not to like?

I bought one over 30 years ago. I am clueless as to what I actually paid for it. Around 65 dollars more or less maybe. Bought it from a pre cursor to KMart, a store called China Town. Later it became Van Luenens. Sometime later it became KMart. Not that any of that matters. The store had a row of rifles back in sporting goods. I bought the least expensive one they had. Turned out to be a real keeper.

I probably shot several thousand rounds through it before it got stuck in a sack and forgotten about. There were many years where I never fired a round. Then there was a period where I would dig it out of its hiding place and shoot it on the day after Thanksgiving. Certainly there was at least 20 years where it was never shot more than 50 times a year. One box of bewlitts.

About five years ago I dug it out and decided maybe I out to strip it and clean it. I pulled enough lead out of the barrel to choke a small horse.

I still shoot it from time to time.

Took it out of the safe today. Felt like old times. Rolling the stock through my hands. Examining the gouges and scratches on it. Looking at the design on the grip. Noticing how worn it is on the left side, the design almost worn smooth.

Of course I felt the urge to feel it fire again. I took it out into the woods and put a couple hundred rounds through it. Fired like it was brand new, accurate and dependable as always. Not one failure.

For a few minutes I was 19 again.

[JoeJ615]

yeah a Marlin model 60 was my first real gun, lots of good memories of just walking down the railroad tracks hunting cans lol ... they are awesome and very accurate lil guns and i've been thinking of picking up another one, i just bought a marlin xt-22tr yesterday and was eyeballing a used model 60 when i was at the gun shop ... was very tempted, i love my 10/22 with the BX-25 mags but the model 60 is just simple and it works

Edited April 14, 2012 by JoeJ615

[Guest Revelator]

My memories of 19 usually entail a six pack of Zima and attempts at hooking up with a girl named...

But yeah. I've got two 60's, a wood stock and a synthetic. Great shooters.

Edited April 14, 2012 by Revelator

[Moped]

They aren't $65 anymore either!

[seez52]

I Bought it's cousin, a model 10 I think, shorter barrel only a 10 rnd magazine, when I was 16. My dad signed for it, came from the Big K, pre walmart. Cost me $35. I shot the crap out of it. Never cleaned it and it never jambed. I could knock the heads off kitchen matches at about 30'. Always wanted to see if I could get one to lite, but never did. Unfortunately someone relieved of the little jewel some years ago during a home breakin.

Gave my son a 60 a few years ago.

[buck1032]

I too bought one back in the late 80's. Shot a few hundred (2 or 3) rounds through and put it away when I transferred to Hawaii. In 97 I broke it out to take to the range as a relief when I was shooting my 300 Weatherby. About 5 rounds down the tube and it didnt cycle right??? I looked at the reciever and I pulled the trigger and noticed the action was cycling way too far back and impacting the reciever. Hmmm. Took the action out there in the bench and plastic pieces just fell out. The plastice recoil buffer shattered. I was a bit angry and more than a little disappointed. I called Marlin and they gladly offered to send me one if I gave them my credit card #. Well I dont use credit cards so I didnt have a credit card number to give. They were a bit rude when I told them that I didnt us credit cards, they acted like I was a neanderthal or something. The more I thought about it the madder I got. I was about to the point of cutting it up into one inch pieces and mailing it back to them. My buddy who worked in a gun shop in El Cajon cautioned me not to do that, even though it would be cut up I would still be shipping the thing through the mail. So I threw it into the safe and left it there until last year when I replaced the buffer. LOL So yes its a good shooter but that plastic recoil buffer fiasco prevents me from posting glowing reviews.

[mikegideon]

Its tubular mag sister was my favorite .22 when I was a kid. The neighbors had one. I was stuck with a Remmy bolt action.

EDIT: Guess I misread the OP. Yep, the Model 60 was it!

Edited April 14, 2012 by mikegideon

[JGunner]

I Bought it's cousin, a model 10 I think, shorter barrel only a 10 rnd magazine, when I was 16. My dad signed for it, came from the Big K, pre walmart. Cost me $35. I shot the crap out of it. Never cleaned it and it never jambed. I could knock the heads off kitchen matches at about 30'. Always wanted to see if I could get one to lite, but never did. Unfortunately someone relieved of the little jewel some years ago during a home breakin.

Gave my son a 60 a few years ago.

They used a .45 cal 1911 on Mythbusters to light a match to show that it could be done. Took them 9 shots to finally get it, and they were using a vice to hold the gun, and laser to line up the shot.

I also have a Marlin 60w (w is for walmart version). My Grandfather bought it for me several years ago. Its a fun fun gun to shoot.

Edited April 15, 2012 by JGunner

[Erik88]

While it may not have as much "soul" I think the Ruger 10/22 will be to me what the Model 60 is to you guys. I've had my 10/22 since I was around 10 years old. I will never sell it.

[Oh Shoot]

I also have a Marlin 60w (w is for walmart version). My Grandfather bought it for me several years ago. Its a fun fun gun to shoot.

The "w" indicates walnut stock, and also has gold trigger and embedded medallion in stock, yes?

While they may have sold them at Wally's among other places, the "w" does not denote being made for Walmart.

As far as I can tell from Marlin Owners, it's the only walnut stock 60 model they made, except for some of the old Glenfields.

- OS

[JGunner]

The "w" indicates walnut stock, and also has gold trigger and embedded medallion in stock, yes?

While they may have sold them at Wally's among other places, the "w" does not denote being made for Walmart.

As far as I can tell from Marlin Owners, it's the only walnut stock 60 model they made, except for some of the old Glenfields.

- OS

Aha, well I learned something today. It does have the gold trigger, and medallion in the stock. I can't say for sure that its walnut because I would not know the difference in wood types. I'll try to post up a pic tomorrow.

[TN Outlaw]

i have my dads model 60 that was his grandpas, i love the gun

[JAB]

I have a Glenfield 60 that is the identical gun. Mine even has the rabbit on one side of the stock and squirrel on the other, just like most Marlin versions I have seen. It is blued with wood. I don't need another model 60 - or another semiauto .22 rifle, for that matter (as I also have a Winchester 190.) In fact, rounding things out with my Henry lever action I probably don't need another .22 rifle, period. I saw one at Walmart several months back that sure did tempt me to buy another one, though.

It was stainless(?) with wood and had a small, factory scope that pretty well matched the finish on the gun metal (although I suspect the scope was painted and not actually stainless but I can't be sure.) The wood was kind of light and looked good with the stainless. As much as I like blued/wood I am really starting to appreciate the look of stainless/wood on some guns, especially some rifles and that stainless/wood 60 with the matching scope was a real thing of beauty.

Edited April 16, 2012 by JAB

[Motasyco]

My Marlin 60 story is much the same as Mike's. I bought it new around 1980 when I lived in Texas. I don't remember what I paid for it but I'm sure it was well under $100. Used off and on over the years. I've cleaned it a few times. Not as often as it deserved but more often than it seemed to need. It was instrumental in putting an end to the Great Raccoon Rebellion about 10 years ago. My kids learned to shoot with it. Certainly more rounds through it than any other gun I own. I've considered buying a 10/22 because of all the aftermarket goodies but I always come back to the fact that, although the 60 may not be as flashy, it does everything I expect from a stock rimfire and does it very well.

It doesn't make me feel 19 again (darn) but it sure holds a lot of great memories. Thanks for the reminder Mike.