# Help with Marlin 60 .22, how to keep from jamming??



## deskjockey (Nov 15, 2001)

I have a Marlin model 60 that I got as a kid. It has the 17, or 18 shot tubular style magazine. After it has been cleaned I can't run more than 20 rounds through it before shells start to get pinch in the action. The shells aren't ejecting/clearing the bolt quick enough. It sucks! I would like to enjoy shooting this gun. I also removed the bolt, took a thousandth or two off on a table grinder, and polished it, hoping that it would help to improve the action a little. Didn't change a thing! What ammo would work best in this gun to keep it operating smoothly without having to completely clean it every 30 rounds?
Also, what accuracy could I expect from this gun? How far could I reach out with it, while still maintaining accurate groups?


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## Sarge (Apr 25, 2000)

How far to you disassemble it for cleaning. I cleaned my marlin 22 last summer and for the first time found out how to get the bold and everything completely out. I was elated and when I got it back together, it doesn't want to lock open all the time when the magazine is empty. 

I said all that to say, You might want to clean it more thoroughly or less thoroughly depending on whether full disassembly has been attempted or not. If not, try it, and if so, check for things rubbing to tightly together or appearing to need lube. Finally, the possiblility also exists that the spring loaded magazine is losing some of its tension, and not placing the next shell in the exact right spot. That really sounds like the culprit to me, and you can probably get a replacement tube or just the spring from Marlin.

The fact that it feeds well for a numer of rounds leaves me believing the spring business. 

If I'm all wet, the things I recommended won't hurth anything.

The range is varialble depending on the type of sights. Mine is perfect up to 50 yards, and will hit the target in the middle at 100. I have an old deer scope mounted for lack of anywhere else to use it. I don't think it will punch through much more than paper at that distance though. I'm thinking about 60 yards for a good kill shot on a small animal. Thats with long rifle. I have proof that a long rifle hollow point will kill a woodchuck but he has to let you shoot him in a very vital spot, to do it. I know a lot of guys that will tell you you cant kill a woodchuck with a 22. They aren't far from right.


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## deskjockey (Nov 15, 2001)

I completely disassembled the gun (everything). I removed all the pins, screws, everything! Even disassembled the bolt (even though there's not much to it). I've heard that other people have had problems with this gun firing properly. I guess they found that the problem was the type of ammunition. I don't recall which ammunition they recommended. I plunked a couple woodchucks with my dad's old .22 Short Remington. Of course, I was only about 25 yds. away. How's the accuracy of the Remington .22 Mag??


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## jamie7117 (Aug 15, 2001)

throw it in the garbage and buy a ruger 10/22 or the new t/c.
i had one and it was nothing but trouble, the 10/22's are exceptional and i have heard rave reviews of the t/c.
just a suggestion.


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## Chad (Feb 14, 2000)

About every 2-3 years, I take the stock off and spray a small can of WD-40 into the reciever (with the bolt open). This always works for me. I usually use Remington .22 shells with no or little problems. Take a look in my gun safe and you will only find a Marlin .22, not a Ruger. The Ruger I had was junk, just as Jamie7117 had a bad Marlin, so I got rid of it. I once shot a stray cat at 80 yards with it. The bullet went through the front shoulder, but only put a dent in the old sheel pig coop (empty) behind it. The cat was full of mange. Chad.


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## boltaction (Dec 5, 2001)

deskjockey,
I have a Glenfield Mod 60 which is made by Marlin that is about 20 yrs old. I am assuming that the Marlin is a better grade than the Glenfield but I too have had the same experience as you. I even did a total take down of the gun to clean it. Guess what, 15 to 20 rounds later, ( sometimes less ), the gun jams. I was told by a gunsmith that in the Glenfield it has a nylon part that has to do with the ejection of the shell and that after time it wears out. Don't know if the same is true with the Marlin. Ask a gunsmith to be sure. The best thing to do may be what jamie 7117 said, buy a Ruger. There a little more in price, but your kids will be able to use it long after your gone.


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## Elk Guide (Dec 19, 2000)

hi.....I have owned a marlin model 60 and a glenfield they both were junk even after i changed the springs the ejecter and several other parts and now i own the new T/C 22 and guess what its junk it jams every other shell i have changed ammo i have call thompson and they sent me a new clip and said thats the problem ...guess what it didnt' work so i called again they still said its the clip and sent me another one they don't work and i find it hard to beleave what they wrote about it .....i will never buy another one based only on a story i read about any gun it will take hands on testing from now on.....my suggestion is to buy a 22 mag and buy a good one not a cheap one.....thats my 2 cents.....bye


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## jamie7117 (Aug 15, 2001)

that's good to know i almost was ready to but the t/c. i think i'll stay with a bolt action!


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## Ron L (Nov 12, 2000)

You could always just put it in a box and send the thing to me. I'd be happy to get rid of your headache for you.  

Actually, I have a Marlin 75, which is the same thing as the 60 except that it has a shorter 10 round tube. I've owned that gun for over 20 years now and I can't remember the last time I had the thing jam up on me. That having been said however, a friend (you out there Rupe?) bought the 60 a short while ago and an outing with some cheap Winchester ammo had the thing jamming once or twice per reload. I noticed that the report and recoil seemed much less than my 75 with Yellow Jacket or CCI High Velocity. We finally tried some of my "better" ammo in his gun and we didn't have a problem after that. Seems that his rifle just needed a little extra "oomph" to get it to cycle reliably.

Try another brand of ammo and beware the cheap 22 bricks sold at discount places.


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## el Cazador (Nov 10, 2000)

I vaguely remember reading an article a while back in one of the shooting magazines on the .22LR and how it will ALWAYS have jamming problems. It was some time ago, but the jist of the article stated that no matter the gun (make / model), semi-auto .22LRs WILL jam on you. I'll try and find the article. I have a new Marlin 60 and have noticed the Winchester X2 bullets will jam about 1 in every 20 or so shots. Someone told me these bullets have a wax-coating and that could be the culprit...


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## BEAGLEMAN (Oct 16, 2000)

I have had my Ruger 10/22 for over 20 years and never have had a problem with jamming. I shoot CCI Mini-Mags.
Tom


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## skinne (Dec 20, 2000)

i dont know what shell you are running throught it but i had a model 60 for about 5yrs and the only time it jammed whas when i shot remington shells i beleve they were thunderbolts my cousin has the same problem with his wincester i had no problems while shooting cci's.good luck with your problem


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## Randy Kidd (Apr 21, 2001)

I own a 60 bought it used several years ago. The rifle is very accurate and many a critter has ended up in the freezer from it, About the jamming problem I also had a gunsmith tell me that all .22s will jam, and mine was not the exception, It hates Remington ammo. will jam about every 20 rounds. But CCI mini-mags work great maybe a jam every couple hundred rounds, I can live with that. My brother owns a Ruger and I can shoot circles around him with my Marlin, Something I can rarely do when shooting with him


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## unregistered55 (Mar 12, 2000)

I would have to agree with Jamie. Get rid of the Marlin and get a 10/22. My father give me one as a gift a Christmas year and years ago. It has not had a good cleaning in 5+ years and still fires round after round with no jamming. I have yet to experience a jam to date.

Besides the tubular style magazine on the Model 60 is a pain in the rear. I favor the 10 round clip on the 10/22. To each their own.

-Goosewa


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## Banditto (Jun 9, 2000)

I had a couple model 60's too which all did that same thing after a while. I found that the block assembly that the trigger is connected to would get scored by the shell being loaded and after a while they would be too worn and stop the shell from being loaded.


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## splittoe (Oct 10, 2001)

I used to have a marlin 60 and liked it a alot better than the savage 64 I have now (jams)
I often clean my friends marlin 60 for him (he's my boss ) and I find that If I reassemble without any lubricant it doesn't jam until about 50 rounds at which point I notice some type of moisture in the action which I assume is from the shells themselves (volatilized wax?)
Anyway try to strip it down and dry everything out completely, If that don't work I'll come get it and see what I can do. he he


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## deskjockey (Nov 15, 2001)

Why do ammo manufacturers wax the bullets? Is it to help seal the joint where the bullet and shell connect to make it waterproof? 
I really like my Marlin. It's a solid gun, with the exception of it jamming. Do people have jamming problems like this with other types of semiautos? i.e. mini 14, 30.06's, etc. If not, why do you think the jamming would be specific to the .22? Could it be strictly because of the smaller scale/caliber? Perhaps it has to do with mass production.


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## twoteal (Jul 22, 2001)

The only 22 that doesn't jam is a bolt. I own 8 22 rifles and 3 pistols they all jam from time to time. I have the glenfeild 75, model 60 & 10/22. The one of the three that jams the least is the 10/22, also you can do some really cool stuff to it to make it even better. the wax is used to help the round seat in the forcing cone Ehly match grade ammo has the most wax I've ever seen on any 22 round but it is also best round for the price.


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