.22 short or long in a Marlin 60?

[brentfoto]

I have a new Marlin 60 and I'm not surprisingly running out of .22lr ammo for it.

Getting additional ammo is a PITA.

Here is what the owner's manual says about shooting other cartridges out of it:

"WARNING: Your rifle is a self-loading .22 caliber designed for .22 Long Rifle High Velocity cartridges only (not Hyper-Velocity). Shorts, Longs, and Shot cartridges can be loaded and fired, but Marlin does not recommend them, as feeding wil not be reliable and damage or injury may result from their use."

Notwithstanding the foregoing WARNING, has anyone here shot SHORT or LONG .22 caliber out of their 60/795 to any great degree?

If so, would appreciate your comments concerning your experience/history with use of either or both of those cartridges in your firearm.

Thanks in advance!

 

[m_liebst]

You can shoot longs and shorts. I've a Ruger 1022 and I've tried both loads. In particular though, the shorts are highly inaccurate beyond 20 yards and tend to foul up your chamber in the section where your .22 long rifle casing would normally sit so be prepared for extra cleaning.

 

[GunXpatriot]

m_liebst is right, the biggest thing is the fouling of the chamber. It will need a nice scrubbing if you shoot a lot of shorts. Besides actual shorts, I've been shooting longs in a Marlin 795. Aguila Super Colibri, CCI Quiet 22, etc and no real problems, just the occasional problem with feeding.

 

[t45]

As others have said, you can shoot shorts in it. Im in the market to get another Mod 60. I had one when I was a kid. I miss that thing.

 

[Doyle]

You "may" be able to shoot shorts. The reason I say may is that in many autos, the recoil springs are too stiff to cycle shorts. Also, the little magazine feed lips may be too long to keep every bullet pointed the right direction as it cycles (resulting in some of them stovepiping).

 

[m_liebst]

Ya won't be able to use shorts in a mag., and feeding the longs from a mag won't chamber correctly. You'll have to single feed for both.

Other than that they're perfectly okay to use.

 

[Dragline45]

If your interested in a rifle that reliably shoots and feeds both, Henry rifles can hold and shoot 15 rounds of .22LR, 17 rounds .22L, and 21 rounds .22S. That's just for the standard model, I'm pretty sure the longer frontier model holds more in the tube.

 

[jmstr]

m_liebst, why would you not be able to put shorts in the magazine? It is tube fed. My tube fed Marlin 39a is rated for short/long/long rifle. Same magazine design.

Now, round lifter I can see being a more significant issue. As would recoil spring weight/strength.

But, it isn't a verticle magazine like the 10/22 or the Marlin 795: it is a tube-fed magazine.

 

[m_liebst]

JMSTR-

I know nothing of the marlin,- all things considered, I was just replying in experience to my 1022. My Ruger doesn't feed the shorts with the rotary clip.

 

[jmstr]

Thanks m_liebst.

I was confused. I couldn't figure out what the difference was for the tube fed.

It is kind of cool. My Glenfield 60 will hold 18+1 rounds of .22LR, and my 39A will hold 19+1. However, with .22shorts, it is something link 22 and 23 rounds, +1.

And it is all california legal, as it is .22 and a tube magazine.

Too bad the point of impact is so different with the 39a when swapping back and forth!

 

[m_liebst]

jmstr:

sounds awsome for tube feeding. Hows the feeding/ chambering performance though? Is it a semi-auto or cocking the lever type of action?
18 + sounds like a whole lot of fun.

Can never have too many .22s

 

[jmstr]

M_liebst,

I've only tried .22lr through both. I just got some .22 short, so I'll be trying a tube full in the lever action 39a, and maybe in the model 60.

I know the model 39a is just a dream to shoot [for me]. The model 60 required some work [bought used] on the lifter, but now feeds reliably.

It IS nice to be able to legally shoot 18 times before reloading. And, with the Spee-D-Loader, I can reload the tube in about 10 seconds. Think a speed-loader [a la revolvers] but for tube fed rifles.

I won't get a chance to try the new ammo out for at least 1 week, and probably 2, so I can't give any reports right now.

Other than to note that shooting anything shorter than a .22lr is going to mean a LOT more scrubbing in the chamber to remove powder ring build up: just like .38special in a .357mag.

Fun rifles though. I am not much of a hunter and I DO like my centerfire rifles, but I have to admit I'd pick my 39a as my only rifle if I were only allowed to have one, and recreational shooting [not self defense] were my only consideration.

I think a .22lr rifle, a 12 gauge shotgun and a centerfire rifle of at least a .357mag stopping power [and preferably 30-30 or more] covers the majority of my needs, but don't tell my wife that, or I'll have to sell half of my rifle!