The 50th aniversary Marlin model 60 Deluxe...

[Personal-Trainer]

I had recently shared my experience in purchasing one of these rifles onto another forum board. Being that this particular forum is specifically for MarIin Firearms, I am posting it here as well to share with those that may be interested.

I just purchased a Marlin Model 60 Deluxe (the 50th Anniversary Limited Edition). Though I own other .22 rimfire rifles that I shoot with, including another basic Marlin Model 60, this one I picked up strictly as a collectible. With that said, I'd like to share my experience while purchasing this gun, as well as my impressions of it. I first saw this edition firearm while visiting a Bass Pro Shop in my area (Central New York). It surely looked fancier than any other model 60 that I'd ever seen, so I asked if I could handle it. At first it seemed so awesome for the asking price of $199.94, it only being priced $40 over the standard model 60 (which was in their rack for $159 and some change). Then, upon closer inspection, I noticed how the walnut stock had been improperly machined, causing the feed tube and such to be poorly aligned. My basic model 60 looks and functions just fine, but I thought to myself.... "Man, I sure would not mind having one of these dolled up versions as a collectible". But... with the display having a poorly cut stock, I gladly passed on that specimen. Though the display was not for me, maybe they had others in stock?... Nope, but the sales clerk checked on their order status and found three more were heading their way. My calling them towards the end of the week, proved worthwhile... they got the three others in! The guy was nice enough to let me check all three out. The first and second specimens I inspected were showing easy to spot quality control issues. One had it's front sight base mounted canted to the left, and again, it was something obvious to the eyes. The second showed minor, but obvious fractures in the wood, not caused by breakage, but rather by the wood's natural grain structure. It also had the gold coloring, which is only supposed to be found within some of the gun's markings, smeared on the painted aluminum receiver. I almost did not want to see the third specimen because I was starting to think I was wasting the clerk's time! But... ah, what the heck, let's check it out!
The third was a charm... straight sights, proper placement of the gold coloring, no quality or finish problems with the wood, and the metal well finished. The action and safety seemed to function fine while I tested the controls and dry cycled the weapon.

For $40 over a standard blued model 60, (based on Bass Pro Shops pricing), one gets the following extras:

*An American Walnut Stock
*Checkering at the grip and forearm
*A soft rubber buttpad w/black spacer
*Factory installed swivel studs
*A hooded front sight (hood is removable)
*An adjustable semi-buckhorn folding rear sight
*Marlin's famous "Bulls-eye" trademark imbedded in the stock
*A "50th Anniversary Edition" receiver marking
*Gold plated trigger
*Gold colored filling on select markings on the receiver and barrel
*Exclusive serial numbering, starting with 60DLX for the first 1000, and 60DL for the next 10,000.
*Model 60DLX designation on barrel

I don't know why there were so many quality control issues with the display and the other two guns I inspected. But... whether one is planning to buy one of these for collecting or shooting, I'd suggest a careful inspection before purchasing, and would not recommend purchasing sight unseen. I know that Marlin is going through a transitional period right now, and that may be the reason for these quality control issues. Moral may be low, especially with workers that will be out of a job sometime next year, that's when Marlin in New Haven will no longer be (they're moving to other facilities outside of Conn., supposedly consolidating with Remington's Ilion NY Factory).
With that all being said, if you can find a good representative specimen of one of these 50th Anniversary edition model 60's, you may be very pleasantly surprised at how much nicer it looks over a standard one for only about 40 bucks more!

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Personal-Trainer;

Words to the wise, and very well put. We appreciate the information you have shared here.

[Personal-Trainer]

Why are these ugly polo shirts being posted everywhere on these boards? They are definitely pesky propaganda.

[Bear 45/70]

Why are these ugly polo shirts being posted everywhere on these boards? They are definitely pesky propaganda.

SPAM!

[Personal-Trainer]

The following information was shared online by a former Marlin employee. This person worked at the North Haven plant before it was closed down...

Here is some information & trivia I thought you might find interesting and useful. I knew this was going to be a topic/discussion someday, so here is an explanation of what happened at Marlin with the serial numbers. I was the manufacturing engineer on this project and this rifle was my responsibility to get it into production. 

By error the first 200 rifles have a special serial number due to an oops/mistake in the serial # setting in the laser engraving machine. The first 200 rifles only have 3 numeric digits as follows, 60DLX000 thru 200 as compared to 60DL0201 thru 9999. When I programmed the laser software, I was informed we were only going to make 500-1000 of these rifles and took it for granted that the serial # started with 60DLX. At the 200 mark I noticed on the engineering spec sheet the serial number “was supposed to be 60DL0001” not 60DLX001. Since they wanted to now exceed 1000 rifles, there was not enough room for 9 digits. I had to drop the X out of the serial number to make room for the 4 numeric digits for a total of 8 digits. This change was made at the 201th receiver. The new revised serial # never started at 60DL0000, it started at 60DL0201. 

Marlin originally had plans on only selling 1000, but had great feedback from the sales force that sales would be a big hit, so they extended production to higher numbers. There was no 1000 pre-production run, but as stated before it was in Marlins original plans to only run 1000. 

The first 200 rifles have their own special serial numbers which I believe make them even rarer to own. I guess that’s pretty cool for people who own them. This info provided is merely to help with the understanding and methodology of the serial numbers. 

Another interesting note is that there was only a certain amount of these 50th anniversary rifles actually built at the Marlin plant, I know the first 1000 were built there. I’m uncertain & can’t remember exactly when the cut-off was. Marlin at some point had to start shipping components to Remington for them to build. Again, I don’t want to throw exact numbers out because I can’t remember when they moved the 60/795 assembly line. 

Hope this trivia helps.

Working at Marlin was the best, Have great memories working there and working with such a devoted workforce. I was there almost to the end and it was so sad seeing the plant disassembled. What a shame we all lost our jobs due to another corporate decision. 

[jelrod]

funny thing I am reading this post at this time. I just recently purchased a marlin 60 in June and something seemed odd with the front sight , I kept looking at it and something just didn't look right. so I fired 3 full loadings from it on 2 different occasions. lo and behold the front sight was a little to the left. I called marlin and asked them have they had anymore complaints on this subject and the person I talked to said not really. however, the issued me a service request # and sent UPS over to pick it up without any trouble what so ever. can't wait to get it back. I probably wouldn't have sent it so soon if I hadn't read this post so thanks you guys for this post

[davidnrobyn]

I bought a 50th Anniversary model 60 a few years ago. Saw it at a local Pacific NW retailer for I think $194 or so. When I first saw it, I thought, Wow, that plastic stock sure looks like real walnut. Then I realized, it WAS a real walnut stock. Had to have it--you don't see walnut on 22s much these days, especially at that price. So I put an inexpensive Simmons scope on the thing and took it to the range.
After sighting it in I proceeded to shoot several really small groups with it, including two that were 7/16" at about 55 yds. That's under 7/8 at 100 yards. I couldn't believe it. Semiauto 22s aren't supposed to be that accurate, are they?
I had a Ruger 10-22 that wouldn't come anywhere near that, and I shot a lot of gophers with it. The best I could do with the Ruger was about 1-1/2" at 50 yards.
Oh, the serial number is 2249--interesting for me because that was my house number when I lived in Missoula. I guess it was meant to be
BTW--reading the sad story of Marlin's buyout and move to Illion NY. Weren't the employees given the opportunity to move with the company? Just wondering.

[marlinman93]

No, almost all of Marlin's employees were not offered jobs after the sale and move.

[Skinman1957]

Well, have been a Marlin owner for many, many years. When I first heard that the Model 60 was coming out in the 50th anniversary series; I went to my local gunshop and ordered one straight away. I got lucky; and it will become a rare bird as time goes by. Never fired, still have the box; gun is locked up. My receiver is marked 60DLX046. If the fella who worked at the original Marlin plant is correct in knowledge of the first batch going out wrong; well, my grandkids are going to be lucky one day. By the way; all my other Marlins are JP stamped on the left side of the barrel up by the receivers. Model 883, Model 1894 in .357 and .44. and my Model 39A. All of these guns are kept cleaned and put back in the gun safe. Oh, they would fire just fine, but not risking anything anymore with them as in dents/marks. They still look brand new; even after all these years. And I still have original boxes for all of them. I just hope that Ruger will make a good go with buying Marlin from Remington. Imagine all the years of those folks who originally worked at Marlin; take all those numbers and times that by each of the years each one worked for Marlin......it would be into the thousands in years of combined experience. What gun company can say that today?