[Golfbuddy45]

In a recent post I asked if Marlin ever made a bull barrel target rifle. An M.O. posted a picture of a Marlin 2000 Target Rifle. In some locations they call in a BIATHLON rifle. I have found some pictures of Marlin 2000 and 2000L (L meaning laminated stock). Any M.O.s out there who have one of these rifles and can share info on shooting and accuracy of this Marlin? Apparently they do become available on the auctions occasionally.

Pictures would be great - here are a couple I found on the web:

GB45

 

[Redmist]

The bottom pic was mine. I sold it a while back after using it for a couple of years of informal rimfire benchrest competition. It made me, and anyone else who shot it look good. Excellent trigger and very accurate. It would regularly put 5 rounds of Wolf target ammo into 3/8" at 50 yds. Too bad they discontinued it, it was a great bargain in a target rifle, and usually gave a couple of local Anschutz shooters a run for their money.

 

[Tomray]

GB,

Since you asked,...............Yes, I own a Marlin 2000L...................Great Target Rifle for the price, too........I shoot mine with Iron sights......... I think thats the way 50 yard Small Bore Target should be shot.

Pictures on request...........

Tom

 

[Golfbuddy45]

Interesting stories. Everything I have read indicates it was a good shooter and with that fully adjustable stock it would fit anyone. I wonder why it was not more popular so that more would have been built? I may keep an eye out for them - not that I need another .22 TACK DRIVER but that is a bit of history there I believe.

GB45

 

[Tomray]

Interesting stories. Everything I have read indicates it was a good shooter and with that fully adjustable stock it would fit anyone. I wonder why it was not more popular so that more would have been built? I may keep an eye out for them - not that I need another .22 TACK DRIVER but that is a bit of history there I believe.

GB45

The reason they were not really popular is they are single shot rifles, and the price was considered to be more than the "Marlin crowd" wanted to pay for a one shooter.............The other crowd, the "Anshutz" crowd would anty up the needed additional $$ for the Anshutz, as they considered it a better, more competitive rifle.

The Marlin 2000L could be modified into a clip fed repeater by the addition of the Biathlon kit.............I did just that, with my 2000L.................but I have the ability to return it to single feed for Small Bore events.

The 2000L's were hand built and fitted. The triggers are some of the best you'll find on ANY comp rifle, and the barrels were hand selected Air Gaged bores with bentz type target chambers........... As good as the 2000L's were, winning in Small Bore Competition is as much about money and equipment as it is skill...............Even a good Model 52C or D Winchester is considered mediocre today.

After production was stopped on the 2000L's , the only Marlin rifle available for similar accuracy was the 880SQ............and that's still the case today.

If you can find a complete 2000L for sale with the original Lyman/Williams or Anshutz sights in good condition, I think you'll be approaching the $600.00 figure, and worth every penny, if you're searching for accuracy.

Tom

 

[Golfbuddy45]

Great info - TOMRAY -

I just had a thought that you may have been asked about many times over the years - - - I can imagine seeing every rifle coming down the line at Marlin and there goes one with gorgeous wood and you said to yourself - "I GOTTA HAVE THAT ONE!!" Were you Marlin folks allowed to pick out guns for your own purchase?
If you could do that how could you NOT want every one ! ! ! or was it a case of "HO HUM , its just another Marlin" - - - - - - - -

GB45

 

[Tomray]

Great info - TOMRAY -

I just had a thought that you may have been asked about many times over the years - - - I can imagine seeing every rifle coming down the line at Marlin and there goes one with gorgeous wood and you said to yourself - "I GOTTA HAVE THAT ONE!!" Were you Marlin folks allowed to pick out guns for your own purchase?
If you could do that how could you NOT want every one ! ! ! or was it a case of "HO HUM , its just another Marlin" - - - - - - - -

GB45

GB45,

Most of the Marlin rifles I have, were all built specifically for me, as were the rifles for most other employees. We really never would pull a rifle off the line, as it was very easy to just have a special one built .

It was pretty neat at first, as a new engineer, to see so many of my favorite rifles in one room, but then it became just another "everyday" rifle thing...............When there is an overwelming number of anything present on a regular basis, it becomes very routine quickly.

The really exciting part was to actually bring out new gaging and tooling that make a noticable improvement in the whole Mfg or Assembly process, or a new release, or model, and watch or work with a professional gunsmith, building the very first one. I would stand and watch, taking notes and catching his comments, looking for ways to improve the rifle, his work cell, tool selection, technique or the Mfg process. I would regularly "check in" with Assembly supervisors and their people on a daily basis to catch and correct problems with all aspects of the Mfg/ Assy process.

Just the interaction with people that built these rifles for decades was priceless to an engineer, particularly if the engineer was a shooter and hunter.

Also gratifying, was taking the first new model rifle to the gallery for functional and accuracy testing, and getting feedback from the shooters and gallery personel. .......Or, overseeing the 1st "build" on a special rifle for the NRA, or a Limited Edition such as the '95 CBA (Cowboy Alaska) one of which, was presented to Sarah Palin, or being asked to create a "new" rifle that was artifically aged, to look as if it had been used as a tool, riding fences for the last 100 years.........I was really pleased with the way that project looked at completion.

If anyone was ever able to mix their hobby into their job,.............. I did............Before remington messed things up, I couldn't wait for monday morning, to get back into it.............I did that for a little over 10 years as a Tool and Gage Engineer and then, as a Manufacturing Engineer..........As the saying goes....."Good Things Seldom Last"..............

Tom

 

[Golfbuddy45]

10-4 TOMRAY - as a manufacturing engineer for IBM for 30 years I felt the same way. After I retired from IBM I became an Environmental Engineer for 10 years and I enjoyed that in having to ensure the plant operations met Federal, State, and local government regulations.

The big difference was my manufacturing operations were Thinkpads and Servers and Point Of Sale Cash Registers and Printers- -you know those cash registers you see at Kroger or Giants or Publix, Harris Teeter, etc. We built those machines. Not quite the same excitement as nice wood stocks or shiny rifle barrels!

GB45

 

[camerjam]

GB,

Since you asked,...............Yes, I own a Marlin 2000L...................Great Target Rifle for the price, too........I shoot mine with Iron sights......... I think thats the way 50 yard Small Bore Target should be shot.

Pictures on request...........

Tom

Tomray
You are absolutely right about everything you said. I spent about 10 years shooting both prone and 3 position smallbore. My 1413 Anschutz and I had a messy divorce that I still cry about at times. Needless to say it was my fault. The thing about smallbore is you have to learn to shoot iron sights to compete with the big boys. You are right about the equipment too, and you need to start with the leader, which is Anschutz. What I will say is that I will bet that the Marlin Biathlon would make a great squirrel rifle with good a scope on it. It would probably be a great starter rifle if a young person wanted to try smallbore rifle.

 

[Tomray]

Tomray
You are absolutely right about everything you said. I spent about 10 years shooting both prone and 3 position smallbore. My 1413 Anschutz and I had a messy divorce that I still cry about at times. Needless to say it was my fault. The thing about smallbore is you have to learn to shoot iron sights to compete with the big boys. You are right about the equipment too, and you need to start with the leader, which is Anschutz. What I will say is that I will bet that the Marlin Biathlon would make a great squirrel rifle with good a scope on it. It would probably be a great starter rifle if a young person wanted to try smallbore rifle.

CJ,

Yup, ......it helps to start with the best equipment you can afford.........The 2000L was designed as a starter rifle for young people trying to test the waters in Small Bore Rifle. Yes, with a scope it would make a great squirrel rifle, but the scope then adds the error of Parallax...........I prefer the iron receiver sights for that reason..........I then know the "miss" was shooter error.

Tom

 

[AINT NO FISH]

Biathalon. Nordic skiing and shooting together, dosen't get much better that that. that is one nice rifle, love to own one.

 

[Big Shrek]

Don't forget the red/white/blue stock...

Unfortunately, when my computer went down a few months ago, I lost all pics that weren't already posted on the internet.
I'm hoping I can recover most of them...it would be nice to show you a pic of an assembled one

 

[Tomray]

Don't forget the red/white/blue stock...

Unfortunately, when my computer went down a few months ago, I lost all pics that weren't already posted on the internet.
I'm hoping I can recover most of them...it would be nice to show you a pic of an assembled one

That stock is for the Model 60 action, for the National Shooting Team rifle..........Nice way to build up a unique model 60.

Tom

 

[Golfbuddy45]

I looked at that page on Numrich and it does say that was for the 2000 and only sold for around $84. Have to assume that price was a long time ago and they show SOLD OUT on those stocks. They show two types of the stock -

PN 1137190 Marlin/Glenfield > Rifles > 2000
Stock, Target, Red/White/Blue Laminated, Aluminum Target Rail, Adj. Buttpad $83.55 SOLD OUT

PN 1137200 Marlin/Glenfield > Rifles > 2000
Stock, Target, Red/White/Blue Laminated, Less Aluminum Target Rail, Adj. Buttpad $77.95 SOLD OUT

They also have the complete schematic diagram and parts list on there:
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Products.aspx?catid=3987

I have heard that some people on RIMFIRE CENTRAL have posted pictures of these before. I will search on there and see if can find some. It would also be interesting to see if anyone did a Mod60 with this stock.

I would be curious to know just how many of these Mod 2000 rifles are out there.

GB45

 

[PaulB]

I have owned a marlin 2000 Biathlon for many many years. I used it for Summer Biathlon. This is a very accurate rifle and with some practice it can be fired quickly and accurately. No it is not an Anshutz, but the price was a lot more reasonable. You only had to hit a 4" target at 50 meters. The 2000 was more than up to the job. One nice trick is to get a five shell, 12 gauge shot gun shell holder (elastic type that goes on the stock) and remove the stiching on between every other holder slot for the shells. This will give you a holder for four clips. In summer biathlon this was not deemed necessary (you did not carry your rifle), but it was nice to have clips at the ready and secure when you came in to the range area. The biathlon rifle actually came with a Bell and Carleson stock I added an Anshutz hand stop and it was great. I also bought a shooting cuff for it, but found it more trouble than it was worth. Overall it was an excellent rifle for the price.

 

[lapjr]

I still own this rifle. When I get a chance I will take some pictures and post. I have both the biathlon rail, single rail conversion, and the iron sights.

 

[Marc440]

Not sure if this will show up on anyone's radar since this thread is from 2011 but I have a like new 2000L that was given to my wife as a present when she retired from NSSF many years ago. I only shot it a few times and even have the optional clip. Does anyone have an idea of what this rifle is worth. I can send pictures if you'd like.

 

[hvacbill]

Marlin 2000

I have a Marlin Biathalon that I have never even fired so I don't know much about it. I guess it was one of those impulse buys while searching the catalog at a local gun store.:congrats:

 

[primerate2]

Improvements to the Test results of the 2000 accuracy

In about 1992 Marlin asked me to try and find a way to improve the accuracy of the 2000 and to do the same on their new MR7 30-06. They sent me one of each. I wasn't able to do much on the MR7 but I accidently found a way to improve the allready accurate 2000. After bedding the rifle I decided to do the same thing the advance marksmanship unit at Ft Benning was doing the the M1 Garand back in 1962. They found that of their many tweaks performen on the M1, putting a down force on the barrel of 30 pounds was the trick. So, I tried doing the same thing on the 2000 and bingo it made a major improvenent. I have a copy of a 5 shot group I shot at 50 yards in a prone position with a sling and iron sights that looks a little bigger that a double in the center of the X ring. I told Marlin about it, all the test I ran was with Eley 10X Match and Eley Benchrest Gold ammunition.

 

[mg66]

I still own my 2000L. Makes for a very accurate squirrel rifle I found be it a little heavy though in this role. The top photo in the original thread is mine. I picked up a biathlon kit for almost nothing from a West Coast dealer that had it lying around and just wanted it gone from inventory Here are some other photos