[h2opumper]

"In 2009, Marlin chose not to sell these to any chain stores going forward. We have chosen not to buy these from a distributor and went with the Remington 770 instead. We have the Remington in the .243, 7mm-08, 270, and 30-06."

This is the response I received from an upper mid-west chain when I contacted their HQ about residual availability of the X series rifles. I wonder where the marketing came into play on this one, could it be the historical experience Remington had with the 788? The X series sitting next to the 770 on the shelf could cripple that model and put a nice dent in the 700. Fortunately, I was able put one in the safe over the weekend from this chain's residual stock, an XL7 in a 30-06 with the JM stamp and a S/N beginning with 9. I only wish I would known more about these rifles when I bought my 270 Ruger Hawkeye; I could have saved alot of money for more guns, but only to spend it again on a bigger safe.

All I ask of Remington is that they take care of Marlin line and give it's buyers the quality they've been accustomed to. Remington has nothing to loose and everything to gain. I'm sure most everyone here has something "Remington" in their arsenal; I do.

 

[grout-scout]

Yep I have a CDL 22-250 and I love it but I will not buy a Remington. I just hear too much bad stuff about them. Could be false, could be true? Not worth the gamble to me. I have thought about buying a Nosler custom but I just can't justify spending the $$$ on a rifle that won't shoot any better than a cheap Marlin. If you really want to see some complaints about Remlin go to the lever action forum/rant section. Those boys are not happy campers!

 

[karatoula]

Grout- Scout, if your thinking about a Nosler custom, you can save a whole lot and buy a Weatherby Vanguard, believe it or not it is the same action, just tweaked.

 

[grout-scout]

Grout- Scout, if your thinking about a Nosler custom, you can save a whole lot and buy a Weatherby Vanguard, believe it or not it is the same action, just tweaked.

Oh not suprised to hear something like that at all. I'll never buy one but I sure thought hard about it though. I suppose this slow economy was my biggest reason of why I didn't get one. That and the fact my Marlins shoot soooo good for so cheap.

 

[muss1980]

What do people not like about Remington? I own 3 and have had no problems with them.

 

[Click Click Boom]

What do people not like about Remington? I own 3 and have had no problems with them.

Pretty much the same issue that Ford people have with Chevy and visa-versa!!!!!

I have 2 Remington shotguns and one custom 700 (older ones!). My main complaint is the same one that I have with Savage, I feel that they are over-priced now, and they wont do the job any better then the Marlin will for a whole lot less!

 

[dmsbandit]

What do people not like about Remington? I own 3 and have had no problems with them.

I own a few remington rifles too. I just can understand why after paying $700 for a 750 semi-auto carbine, that I had to pay a gunsmith $50 to fix the trigger. The sear was not square and cut on an angle. After the 'smith did the work, now it is creep free and breaks at 3.5pounds. Now why couldn't remington do that at the factory?

 

[MarlinXL7]

Pretty much the same issue that Ford people have with Chevy and visa-versa!!!!!

I have 2 Remington shotguns and one custom 700. My main complaint is the same one that I have with Savage, I feel that they are over-priced now, and they wont do the job any better then the Marlin will for a whole lot less!

+1000!!! ;D

 

[woodyed]

I won't buy, sell, or own anything that Remington makes as their reputation and quality has sunk to a new low in the shooting industry. First it was the M700's discharging when the safety was taken off, next it was the M597 rifle + any 17HMR ammo warning not to use, and now its Bushmaster ACR rifles, Versa Max shotguns, and 22 Hornet and 45 GR PSP ammo that warnings have been issued not to use. It's getting increasingly difficult nowdays to not pick up a shooting publication that doesn't contain a Remington product warning in it. It looks like it's a race between Remington and Toyota to see who can produce the most lemons in a years time. I think Toyota is winning but Remington is close behind. Remington had better make some immediate and corrective adjustments in their manufacturing and management ranks if they want to remain in business. I sure hope Remington keeps their hands off the Marlin line as I believe the X7 line of rifles to be the best of the bargain priced rifles on the market today.

 

[GreenMachine]

Sorry to say by the threads I have read it is too late for Marlin as right off the bat Remington is working hard to kill the quality of the Marlin both in bolt rifles and lever actions.

 

[efm77]

"Grout- Scout, if your thinking about a Nosler custom, you can save a whole lot and buy a Weatherby Vanguard, believe it or not it is the same action, just tweaked."

I'm pretty sure it's not the same action. It may have some similar features but it's not the same action and I doubt it's even made by the same company. The receiver is shaped different and I read in an article that the Nosler receiver and bolt are investment cast so that makes me wonder if Ruger does the casting for them. I don't know that for sure but Ruger has one of the largest casting foundries around and casts a lot of parts for other companies. I'm pretty sure the Howa is forged. However, the Weatherby Vanguard is the Howa action with a few tweaks to it.

 

[karatoula]

Not any more, the Vanguard is cast now, they changed from a forged receiver in 2008 , there was an article recently that exposed the Nosler as a tweaked Howa action, I just cant remember what publication it was, if you look closely at the bolt, it is almost exactly like the Vanguard, Howa bolt, just a little different venting is used.

 

[h2opumper]

After continuing to read posts by everyone on the X guns, there should be some very proud Marlin engineers that designed this rifle series.

 

[zachhebbe]

I bought the marlin 270 because of the price I was looking at a remington 700 cdl in 270 but wou;d have been at over $1000 when I got the scope sling everything on it versus just over $500 with my marlin

 

[efm77]

I'd like to know for sure because in the May issue of Guns & Ammo there is an article on the Weatherby Vanguard that says Howa machines the receiver from bar stock and that the bolt is one piece forged. I see the similarities in the bolts between the two but there are a lot of rifles that use a Sako or M-16 style extractor. The receivers don't look the same to me. The Nosler looks like it's shaped different and has more flat sides to it. Of course I guess they could tweak it that way at the Howa factory. I kinda still wonder if Ruger isn't casting the receivers for them but don't know that for sure.

 

[karatoula]

efm77

Here is the answer to your question straight from a Weatherby rep!

Karatoula,

This is a great question and one that I would be happy to answer. The bolt of the Weatherby Vanguard is and always has been a forging. The receiver has recently changed, but all for the better. The receiver is not a forging but an extrusion out of steel barstock. Extruded barstock allow us to machine less material, which maintains more of the strength and rigidity of the product.

All in all, providing for a more durable and better looking receiver

I hope this answers your question, if you have any more feel free to contact me at any time.

Thank you as always for your support!

Keep shootin'!

Aaron Smith.




As for the Nosler, never said it was a Howa, said it was a tweaked Howa action, meanning it is BASED on the Howa action and tweaked. Not that Howa makes the action for Nosler, also the bolt is an exact copy of the Howa bolt, with the venting used to be different.

 

[karatoula]

Double post

 

[efm77]

Interesting. I guess the author of that article didn't have the latest information. Thanks for the update. I'm assuming that an extrustion is similar to investment casting?

 

[karatoula]

efm77
This is the definition of a forging:

What is Forging?
Forging is the process of pressing, hammering, or compressing metal into a desired form. This process creates metal that is exceedingly strong. Unlike castings, metal that is forged is never melted. It is softened so it can be manipulated. The forging of metal results in creating products that are stronger and more resilient than any other process of metalworking.






You are correct in assuming that extrusion is like a casting process, extrusions are forced through a die, forms are used in casting, either way you look at it, forging is the stronger, and also more expensive process, that is why personally I prefer to buy guns that are forged regardless what people say about castings and extrusions, they are not equal to forgings.
As an example, look at all the problems people are having with the extractors breaking, which are MIM castings, they are very cheap, and eventually will break and at the least will weaken over time, forged pieces are likely to last the life of the gun. It's just another shortcut in the manufacturing process where quality takes a backseat and the profit is the bottom line.

 

[efm77]

Yeah I know what forging is and casting as well. Just wasn't sure about extrustion. Thanks for the clarification. I won't get into an argument but have to respectfully disagree with you about castings being inferior to forgings. A forging is strongest in the direction of the grain. Investment castings are stronger in all directions if done properly. Ruger has proven the strength of castings enough over the years that I don't know how people can still think they aren't strong. People always say that a casting has to be made bigger to have the same strength as a forging. I say BS if it's done properly. Look at the Ruger M-77 action. It's no bigger than any other bolt action and the bolt and locking lugs are no bigger than any other bolt action. Yet it has been proven to be one of the strongest actions out there. Bill Ruger said when they were testing the M77 they were shearing the locking lugs and blowing the actions of other rifles long before the pressure got high enough to destroy the M77. He even said they tried a forged bolt to begin with but it wasn't as strong as the cast bolt. They each have their place and we all have our opinions. Also MIM is not the same as investment casting and MIM can be weaker and have defects. Of course I've also seen forgings break too. They all will if there were some kind of defect in them when they were made. To each their own and everyone is entitled to their opinion. Thanks again for the definition.