Hey guys looking at buying have questions.

If you take care of your rifle as you say you do there is nothing wrong with Blue. A stainless gun will rust so they also need to be taken care of.

And yes XS is Short action and XL is long action. But till Marlin gets there barrels right again I would stay away from the XS line. But the XL line at this point is still a good rifle for the money spent.

It sounds like you'll do just fine with either blued or SS for cleaning. Just be careful with the foam cases, if any moisture gets in there it can cause the gun to corrode. If I store mine in a foam lined case for any length of time, I either put the gun in a sock or at least lay a gun sock under the gun in the case. At least the sock will offer a buffer for any moisture that gets trapped in the case.

@h20pumper yeah I use those little bags to keep moisture out I just can't think of the name.

@greenmachine What is wrong with the XS barrel.

Trigger1018 said:

@h20pumper yeah I use those little bags to keep moisture out I just can't think of the name.

@greenmachine What is wrong with the XS barrel.

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There is nothing wrong with the XS barrels, they have one or two threads missing to identify the different calibers. Although this is an asinine way of IDing barrels, someone at Marlin (before Remington moved the factory) designed it that way. There is no strength lost as the missing threads are no screwed into the action, the barrel nut is screwed onto them. I'd say go with either the XL7 or the XS7, you'll get a really good gun either way.

MarlinXL7 said:

There is nothing wrong with the XS barrels, they have one or two threads missing to identify the different calibers. Although this is an asinine way of IDing barrels, someone at Marlin (before Remington moved the factory) designed it that way. There is no strength lost as the missing threads are no screwed into the action, the barrel nut is screwed onto them. I'd say go with either the XL7 or the XS7, you'll get a really good gun either way.

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Ok thanks my Bday is at the beginning of April so I plan on getting one then I will update when I do.

I picked up an XL7 25-06 3 months ago and have a hand load that puts 3 in a dime size at 100 yds.

(Get the XL7 ;D )

MarlinXL7 said:

There is nothing wrong with the XS barrels, they have one or two threads missing to identify the different calibers. Although this is an asinine way of IDing barrels, someone at Marlin (before Remington moved the factory) designed it that way. There is no strength lost as the missing threads are no screwed into the action, the barrel nut is screwed onto them. I'd say go with either the XL7 or the XS7, you'll get a really good gun either way.

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Someone is drinking the Cool Aid lol.

Again if I were to recommend the purchase of a Marlin Bolt gun it would at this time be only the XL line. Until Marlin gets things right again with the XS. There are a few threads on the issue.

The XL line are fine shooting guns. I have used them in .270 Win and 30-06

GreenMachine said:

Someone is drinking the Cool Aid lol.

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Well, it ain't me... ;D

marlinxl7 is right. the barrel threads is not an issue. it is just misinformed people making false assumptions. both are great guns for a good price. had one in 30-06 and have one in 7mm-08. what is your primary use for the gun? that would be what determines which caliber you need.

I have sold quite a few XS7's in 7mm-08 and 243 calibers and I haven't had 1 customer complain about accuracy, in fact the only feedback I've received back was regarding how accurately they shot. I know that about 9 of these that were sold had REM on the barrels too. So dismiss all this hype concerning the XS7 rifles and the missing thread fiasco that you hear from the Cool-aid drinkers, and don't be afraid to buy one. One of these days the people concerned about the missing thread business will come to their senses and realize that their suspicions, beliefs, conclusions, and opinions were illfounded and without merit or factual backing.

jwilson48 said:

marlinxl7 is right. the barrel threads is not an issue. it is just misinformed people making false assumptions. both are great guns for a good price. had one in 30-06 and have one in 7mm-08. what is your primary use for the gun? that would be what determines which caliber you need.

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While I'm well versed in AR's I'm new to the bolt. I've fired .270,.270wsm,.243,7mm (different makes) right now I'm leaning towards .243. My usage would be target,deer and maybe hog. I'm feeling that because I want something that can take down said targets and I can get practice with and not kill my shoulder. Thoughts?

For Deer and Hog I would lean more towards the .308. They do not kick that bad and ammo is easy to find that will not break the bank. And if you re load the components to do so are also everywhere and not all that expensive.

GreenMachine said:

For Deer and Hog I would lean more towards the .308. They do not kick that bad and ammo is easy to find that will not break the bank. And if you re load the components to do so are also everywhere and not all that expensive.

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+1 I agree, although the 243 is based off the 308, and is pretty common itself and if you do your part with shot placement it will take down anything you need it to.

The 25-06 ( .257 ) is based off of the .308 brass also. Just a shrunk down neck.
It will easily take down any animal up to large deer. Easily. Some even declare great success up to elk.
Your range is easily out to 300 yds.
Light weight varmint rounds are REALLY explosive.

GJinNY said:

The 25-06 ( .257 ) is based off of the .308 brass also. Just a shrunk down neck.
It will easily take down any animal up to large deer. Easily. Some even declare great success up to elk.
Your range is easily out to 300 yds.
Light weight varmint rounds are REALLY explosive.

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No sir. The 25-06 was originally a cartridge called the 25 niedner, made by a man named Adolph O. Niedner in the 1920's, which utilized a necked down 30-06. In 1969 Remington adopted the cartridge and chambered it in their famous model 700 and it was no longer a wild cat, now called the 25-06 Remington.

As far as the killing power of the 25-06. If there was a notch in the stock of my 25-06 for every deer killed by my dad in the 70's up to the late 90's, and all the deer I've killed with it since I started hunting years ago, it would not even have a stock. ;D It's a great cartridge, and with a good shooter behind the trigger who can put the bullet where it needs to go, I see no reason why it could not take down an elk.

186 Tmanbuckhunter said:

No sir. The 25-06 was originally a cartridge called the 25 niedner, made by a man named Adolph O. Niedner in the 1920's, which utilized a necked down 30-06. In 1969 Remington adopted the cartridge and chambered it in their famous model 700 and it was no longer a wild cat, now called the 25-06 Remington.

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I stand corrected.....I guess I remembered just the first part of the development.

GJinNY said:

I stand corrected.....I guess I remembered just the first part of the development.

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Not a problem. The 25-06 is one of those cartridges where when it went mainstream people forgot its roots. There are many stories on the internet of those who think they're right in how the 25-06 came around, so it's no big deal lol. I for one just absolutely love the cartridge. If there wasn't an XL7 in 30-06 in my safe, that 1969 model 700 in 25-06 would still be my go to gun to this very day.

186 Tmanbuckhunter said:

Not a problem. The 25-06 is one of those cartridges where when it went mainstream people forgot its roots. There are many stories on the internet of those who think they're right in how the 25-06 came around, so it's no big deal lol. I for one just absolutely love the cartridge. If there wasn't an XL7 in 30-06 in my safe, that 1969 model 700 in 25-06 would still be my go to gun to this very day.

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Will you stop talking about your .25-06? I wanted one, but all Gander Mtn had were two .30-06s, so I had to get one. :'( You're making me jealous...

MarlinXL7 said:

Will you stop talking about your .25-06? I wanted one, but all Gander Mtn had were two .30-06s, so I had to get one. :'( You're making me jealous...

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What's wrong with 2 XL7's? You can NEVER have too many guns, or even too many guns of the same type. I have 10 mosins.. and while they may vary in type, arsenal, or small stamps or features, they're still the same from the receiver back. ;D