Ballseye's Gun Shots 58 - Marlin 25MN - 22 WMR

There is a mystery behind my Marlin 25MN, not anything sinister, nor anything really important but a mystery nonetheless. I'll be darned if I will ever be able to solve it and it is of so little consequence to anyone but myself that no other sleuth would take to endeavor it. The mystery is this: Why has it taken until tonight for me to write it up? (And a new mystery is why the pic cam out vertically when it was formatted horizontally - Blogger glitches I suppose!)

I just can't figue it, probably never will. Of course, not that it matters to you but it sure has me scratching my head in wonder. Now you may be wondering why it should be doing this to me. The answer to that is simple - the gun is a great yet inexpensive rifle and is loads of fun to shoot and I love to write about stuff like that and to share my experiences with you. It's what keeps me shooting, what keeps me writing and no doubt what keeps many of you reading this blog. So here it is at long /last, a piece about the Marlin 25MN.

The Marlin 25 MN is a bolt action rifle that feeds .22 WMR from a 7 round box magazine. It comes with, or I should say came with as it is no longer manufactured, an adjustable open notch rear sight, a blade front sight on a ramp, blued steel barrel and receiver, a bent bolt, a wood stock checkered at the fore grip and pistol grip, a set of swivel studs, and a single 7 round magazine. Its weight is right around 6 pounds by my best guess; that is the same as the currently produced Marlin 925M which is quite similar in appearance and probably in design and function from the looks of it. You can see the currently produced 925M here:

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/22WinMagnum/925M.asp

The round fired by the 25MN is the .22WMR, possibly better known as the .22 magnum. It is basically a huge 22 rimfire round when compared to others such as the 22 short, 22 long and 22 long rifle. Its larger size lets you reach out somewhat further with it than would a .22 LR and also packs a bit more wallop than its smaller cousin. That translates into it being a better choice for hunting or so you would think. The truth be told, more rifles in .22LR are probably used for hunting small game than are those chambered for the larger .22 WMR and the reason is probably completely due to economics. Ammo for a gun in .22 WMR is usually much more expensive than comparable ammo for a .22 LR - in fact it usually sells for about 35% more than that for a .22 LR. I suppose most folks do not think the advantage in power is worth the difference in price.

Me, I like the .22LR but I had to have at least one rifle in .22 WMR and the marlin 25MN was a great if inexpensive choice. I don't remember what I pad for it but it was not expensive by any stretch of the imagination. probably under $200. Well now, I just got curious and dug up the receipt from my files. I bought this one on May 29, 2000 (only 19 days short of ten years ago) and the actual full price, including sales tax, was $151.54! It has been well worth every penny of that amount plus the extra ammo I have laid out for ammo as compared to rifle in .22 LR. I am not saying it is better than a .22 LR, what I am saying is that I have enjoyed it very much and think it was a good investment as far as fun and utility guns go. I have bagged a few squirrels with it, and in that department the 3x12 x 40mm scope I had on it until last night almost made it a veritable tack driver. Note I said almost. No complaints as to accuracy though, I can say that without a doubt. It shoots darned good at point of aim I can tell you that.

As for the scope I had on it, there is another mystery. The scope has a sticky black substance all over the outside of the tube, on the scope rings, on the focusing rings, on the windage and elevation knob covers, just everywhere on the outside except on the glass. I cannot recall for sure if this had that rubberized feel on the outside surfaces but I do know for a fact that rubbery stuff was never on the covers of the sight adjustment screws, nor was it on the scope rings which were from another manufacturer and are anodized aluminum. I don't remember it on the tube either but there could have been a rubberized coating on the focusing rings. It is possible that stuff degraded and got on the rest of the scope but it seems evenly distributed as if something got sprayed on the outside of the scope. Funny thing is there is absolutely none on the rifle, not on the metal and not on the wood. I do not know what it is but I do know is is very difficult to remove. I have tried soapy water, Goo Gone, and rubbing alcohol. Only the alcohol seems to dissolve it at all and then it needs a lot of rubbing to get it off. I will try lighter fluid next. I keep wondering if I did something stupid like spraying it down with WD-40 after it got wet - but I try to avoid using that stuff unless it is an emergency and it is all I have. Could have happened after a hunting trip but I doubt it. maybe I certainly never sprayed the scope with anything like Gun Scrubber - wonder if Brendan did - I doubt it though because he probably would have told me. I have no clue what caused it or what it is except that it is sort of gunky, extremely sticky on the scope body and focusing rings and so on, and that it is black as jet. Hopefully I will get it all off successfully - as in removing it does not adversely effect the function of the scope. If not, I will be in the market for a new scope for the Marlin 25MN. Yes, remember that rifle, this was about the rifle until I drifted off on the scope.

Needless to say by now, the rifle seems made to have a scope sitting on it. Yes, it has open iron sights as I said earlier (maybe they are plastic) but they seem pitiful once you see this rifle with a nice looking scope on it. Scope or not, it is still a good shooter - I cannot deny it that accolade. It is just a fine rifle for plinking at cans, punching paper, or knocking a squirrel out of a tree at about 25 to 50 yards distance. If you get the chance to own one, don't pass it up.

All the best,

Glenn B