Want an accurate and reliable .22 LR that won't break the bank? Well here it is.

Whether you are looking for a cheaper gun to get your start in shooting or you are an experienced marksman who needs an accurate rifle for the field, everyone want the best bang for their buck(pun intended.) But where does that blury grey line fall between reliability and accuracy on a budget and junk. Personally I believe that line falls somewhere around the Model 60 from Marlin Firearms.

The Model 60 is a simple tube fed simi-automatic 22 caliber rifle with a modest price point between $150-200 new.

As do most who got an early start in firearms, I started with a small, single shot, bolt action 22. rifle. As i got older I reached a level of maturity and experience that my dad decided it was time I progressed to my next gun. Thus I was introduced to the Model 60.

This particular rifle wasn't the newest and hottest 22 on the market as the Model 60 was introduced 50+ years ago. The gun I received was bought new by my dad in the late 80's and had seen its use but that didn't bother me in the slightest. It was and still is one of the most reliable firearms in my collection. After who knows how many thousands of rounds I have never had to replace a single part. It did have a short spell of extraction issues around 2012 but after a good cleaning of the action it ran like the day I got it. Apparently 20 years of shooting and no cleaning will make a gun jam. Who knew?

As far as accuracy goes, the micro-groove rifling used by Marlin is one of the best innovations by the brand. Traditional rifling uses wide lands and deep grooves where the micro-groove rifling uses more lands and grooves but in a more narrow and shallow configuration resulting in less deformation of the lead projectile leading to a straighter flight path.

After many years and many, many more rounds fired across two generations, I believe this rifle is a prime example high quality at a low cost.