Archive for category Rifle Reviews

Every time I head to the range this old fella ends up in a rifle carrying case going along. I just have so much fun with this Marlin that it’s hard for me to leave it behind. This is an update to the report where the Marlin was tested at 7, 15 and 25 yards Marlin25MN Range Report

Me and a couple of friends were planning a day to get out to the rifle range they all were planning on bringing AR15′s, all I could think about was my Marlin 25MN and my 44 Magnum Winchester 94 Trapper. Though I do enjoy shooting and own a AR15, having carried one (M16) for 11 years while on Active Duty for the Marine Corps the magic and excitement has worn off or is not as high as it once was. This was a nice sunny day with about 3 to 5 mph winds. The Marlin 25MN performed very well with Dynapoint 22magnum ammo. The Winchester Lever also performed very well with my handloads.

Here are both rifles on the table.

This is the first 100yard target with the Marlin 25MN

Though I would never try to take any small game at this distance I am happy to see how the Marlin performed. For a rifle that’s over 30 years old its still capable of good groups and providing losts of enjoyment.

Lately I have been very busy and have not had many opportunities to make it to the range. Some of this is a good thing as I am blessed to have a job in this economy. I also have a number of different projects I am trying to complete along with a very long honey due list around the house that has proven to be very time consuming. Though I love my weapons and range times I hate acquiring weapons due to a lost family member. I have recently acquired a number of different weapons because of this and some were in very bad shape as they had been stored for a very long time (12 years) without any attention.

List of Projects
Ruger MkII Target Restoration (Article soon to follow with detailed pictures)
Ruger MKI Restoration (Article soon to follow with detailed pictures)
Remington 550-1 Restoration

And of course last but not least a Marlin 25MN restoration. This happened to be the easiest of them all. For some reason this particular weapon had no rust or damage to the metal or internals. But the stock was not in good shape. Right now the stock is in the process of being restored and unfortunately I did not take a before picture (wasn’t thinking). With a heavy desire to get to the range and very little patience to wait for me to refinish the wood stock, I purchased a synthetic stock from midwayusa.com, I also decided to get a few extra magazines from budsgunshop.com they were in stock and the cheapest priced. The stock was a perfect fit, now all I needed was to find 22magnum ammunition. The Marlin 25MN is a microgroove 22 magnum rifle with a 7 round magazine.

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“My interest in purchasing an AR plinker spiked (no pun intended) during the 2009 SHOT show held in Orlando last January. It was exciting to see new offering by SIG and other manufacturers.”

I was ready to place my SIG order early on, but after several months and no clear release date, I decided to simply add my name to a waiting list. During the interim I’d become less patient and begun looking at alternative AR rimfire rifles that were currently available in the marketplace.

Tactical Solution’s and Spike’s build excellent dedicated AR rimfire rifles and uppers, but I didn’t want to invest that much money into a plinker, nor did the conversion kits interest me. The GSG5 and GSG AK-47 are pretty neat, but for some reason they don’t appeal to me enough to purchase one.

A process of elimination narrowed down my remaining choices to the Colt line (I like the OPS) and S&W M&P. I’ve read enthusiastic reviews about both and they seem to be an immediate hit with shooters who have purchased them. I had the opportunity to handle both manufacturers models at a local gun shop however they’re quiet pricey in our area. Based upon my inspection, reviews and owner feedback in several online forums, I decided the M&P was the most suitable for my plinking needs, and well under my budget, even after accessorizing. My Colt and S&W comparison information (PDF file) can be viewed coltsw

My price comparisons suggest that it’s a good deal less expensive ($150-$175) than the Colt, weighs less, has more functional AR-like controls, the trigger group can be changed if desired, has a removable bolt assembly (for easy cleaning), and is manufactured in the USA by a company that stands behind its product.

So, about two weeks ago I contacted my dealer, Donna at DB Flanagan’s Gun Shop, and requested that she give my spot on the SIG 522 waiting list to a deserving soul. I placed an order for the M&P15-22, which she located very quickly for me. If you’re a SIG fan you may know Donna (MississippiGal) from over at the SIG forum. She’s terrific to work with and very competitive with pricing on many brands.

The M&P arrived last week. When you pick it up it feels solid, but it’s also relatively light given the polymer upper and lower receiver, and quad rail. The quad rail and buffer tube for the adjustable stock are not removable. It’s my understanding that the stock can be replaced with any mil-spec variant.
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