Marlin MR-7 30/06
Question:
Anyone have one of these rifles? I’m about to purchase my first hunting rifle and have been seriously reading up on them. This looks like a very good rifle. I need to know if it will serve me for awhile or am I going to feel the need to replace it with something else in a year. I’m looking to hunt deer in PA and possibly make a trip west next year.
Response:
> Anyone have one of these rifles? I’m about to purchase my first > hunting rifle and have been seriously reading up on them. This looks > like a very good rifle. I need to know if it will serve me for awhile > or am I going to feel the need to replace it with something else in a > year. I’m looking to hunt deer in PA and possibly make a trip west > next year.
I just purchased the same 30-06 from Sports Authority for about $427 (tax and everything). I’ve read two (2) articles praising the Marlin for doing this gun right. Marlin clealy "cherry picked" all of the good ideas from Win,Remm and Browing and incorporated them into a fine rifle. There’s nothing phony or out-of-place on this rifle. It has decent walnut, dull satin finish, better than average real checkering, good blue job, nice trigger pull. I looked at four major bolt action rifles (Win 70, Remm. 700, Browning Bolt A, Ruger) and the Marlin was clearly the lowest cost "respectible" bolt action I could find and seemed to be an honest value. The Marlin resembles the Win 70 more than anything else and I bought it over the Winchester purely for asthestic reasons. For me, the rifle felt right. It had a good, solid feel as I brought it up. I haven’t shot it yet, but according to the two independent articles I read, it had average groups around 1 1/2" at 100 yards. I don’t think you’d go wrong with any of the other three bolt action rifles, but you should pick up the MR7 and you’ll see what I mean. By the way, according to one article I read, Marlin sold out of the first year’s production in one month. You may have trouble finding them anywhere. If you buy one, be careful about using Leupold bases. The MR7 uses the same bases as a new Win. 70. On the Leupold’s the ring location for the rear base is offset and the only way to get the scope on (I have a Zeiss 3×9) was to rotate the rear base 180 deg. When you do this, the base covers part of the chamber making it more difficult to drop in a cartridge. Both articles I read used Leupold for the field tests and they had to do the same thing! The only way the Leupold’s really work is if the scope’s 1" tube is long enough. The best solution is to use Weaver rings and mounts (for Win. 70) and make sure you get the tall rings. Medium was okay, but the tall ones were better. These worked perfect. -James Riedl
Response:
great gun. i work for the sports authority and we only recieved two of them. a .270 and a .30-06, the .270 sold quickly and the one we have left get looked at and praised a lot. similarities to other guns include: winchester’s 3 position safety remingtons locking bolt. brownings detachable magazine ruger’s bolt handle. if you have a really big hand you’ll like it. around the grip is thicker than most rifles
