Return of the Booth Babes: The 2007 SHOT Show
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... and the Poor Man Shall Rejoice
Since the last couple of blogs seem to deal with the impecunious, here is a brand new big-game rifle that just about anyone can afford and is a remarkably good gun to boot. It's called the Marlin XL-7. It's made in .25/06, .270, and .30/06 and costs $326 with a black synthetic stock and $356 with the same stock in camo.
What makes the XL-7 remarkable is the things it does not have, as well as things it has. Here are the latter:
*An excellent trigger, called the Pro-Fire, which is reminiscent of the Savage Accu-Trigger.
*A real, honest-to God recoil pad instead of a slab of rocklike rubberized substance.
*Just the right weight and barrel length, and extremely handsome lines.
Here's what it doesn't have that is universal on cheap guns:
* Mold marks on the stock.
*That most loathsome of mechanical excressences, a detachable magazine. (The magazine is blind and holds 4 rounds.)
*Tool marks on the metal.
The XL-7 is plain, simple, and straightforward. Marlin resisted the urge to equip it with wonderful new features that are needed as much as a big zit right where your collar meets your neck. I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet, but the test group that came with the gun measured .829. I will let you know how my shooting goes.
To see the XL-7 go to marlinfirearms.com and click on bolt-action centerfire rifles.
Well said NHPhilospher.
Posted by: Mike Diehl | January 30, 2008 at 01:48 PM
They are suposed to make one for you south paws too from what i am reading. would be nice with Good glass .What els would anybody need? (besides more guns) It is the most toys not the best right?
Posted by: Jim | January 30, 2008 at 01:59 PM
Worth a look at the least! Might end up with a .25-06 after all. Be nice if they would put one out in .22-250 as well.
As for the accusations made above, so-be-it, curmudgeonly types have notoriously thick skin in most cases anyway; they really don't care what we think of them!
The ever impecunious SA
Posted by: SilverArrow | January 30, 2008 at 02:03 PM
Dave, I have to say, I really HATE that you never answer my questions.
Posted by: Scrap5000 | January 30, 2008 at 02:04 PM
As a resident of the mid- and western part of CT, it makes me proud to say I live about equidistant from the great factories in North Haven and Westfield that make superb affordable rifles.
Perhaps someone should do a study of how these companies can survive in costly New England and pass it out to the pols.
Posted by: Gman | January 30, 2008 at 02:05 PM
Over the years I have acquired some custom rifles along with off-the-rack pieces. Regardless of cost or looks, what makes a rifle valuable is not the fact it is pretty but that it groups well, and even more important has the ability to place that first shot from a cold barrel exactly where it went the last time you sighted it in. Now that's a thing of beauty.
Posted by: John B | January 30, 2008 at 02:13 PM
Jim asks; 'What else would anybody need?'
How about a matched set of full stock Mannlicher Schoenaurs in 9, 8 and 6.5MM MS chamberings (along with a life time supply of ammuntion for same)! I am still calling for a nice carbine in .460 S&W too! And would someone PLEASE bring out a really decent .22 LR bolt action ala the M52 Winchester? Affordable or not I will scrimp up the $$ for that one!
SA
Posted by: SilverArrow | January 30, 2008 at 02:14 PM
DP,
Then I stand corrected but I honestly thought you had said that.
I have a Savage with the 22 inch and have no problems hitting what I shoot at with it. Just thought I had read different from you.
Posted by: Dave in St Pete | January 30, 2008 at 02:16 PM
Well SA.You dont want mutch do ya. Ha Ha Ha LOL. Jim D
Posted by: Jim | January 30, 2008 at 02:22 PM
As Chad Love stated in a few blogs back that he would not mix paint with a Rem 710. I on the other hand am quite happy with mine. Sure I can not upgrade it and it comes in a ugly grey and black color. But it does everything I need it to do. It shoots straight 1 MOA groups at 100 yards and has a 4 pound trigger pull, I can't ask for anything better out in the woods. If it gets a little scraped up from going through the briars and brambles so what. The stock was designed to do that. If I was shooting benchrest with it I probably want something different. But for me it was $325.00 well spent. It has gotten me a deer every time I have taken it out to the woods so it is reliable and has not has a malfunction yet. The scope that came with it is adaquite for the job and if I feel I need something better I can always put something better on it.
Posted by: Thomas | January 30, 2008 at 02:24 PM
Thomas, that is great you dont have to brake the bank buying amo and you can practise at the range winever you have got time. That my friends is what its all about.. I can smell the backstrap frying right now ;-)
Posted by: Jim | January 30, 2008 at 02:34 PM
Silver Arrow,
Go to a gun show and look a Remington 513 MatchMaster or Target Master. Preferably in good shape and not Jury Rigged together. They are heavy, shoot like no ones business and reliable. You can use the peep sights that may or may not come with it or throw a scope on top. I have a WWII surplus Rifle from the DCM (Department of Civilian Marksmanship) (What the CMP used to be called) It still shoots better then I do and has probably had close to 100,000 rounds sent through it.
Posted by: Thomas | January 30, 2008 at 02:37 PM
Judging from the interest in this subject, maybe there are more "poorfolk" than I thought! Or maybe, gun owners are more astute than the general public. I've come to realize that the intelligence and education level of this readership is somewhat higher than average.
Gman:
I've always believed that if you can put out quality products, you will succeed. You can do this even with charging a premium (Weqatherby) or you can do it by appealing to the masses (Marlin, Savage, Ruger?). But you have to start with a quality product.
YooperJack
Posted by: YooperJack | January 30, 2008 at 02:41 PM
Since we have discussed CHEAP RIFLES parts I & II and now III, I suppose the next topic will be CHEAP SHOTS...
Posted by: ishawooa | January 30, 2008 at 02:43 PM
Jim, I just wish it had a softer recoil pad or weighed a little more. 30-06 tends to hurt after 50 rounds or practice. Ha Ha Ouch. I am just glad I did not opt for the .300 Win Mag that they also had right next to the 30-06.
Posted by: Thomas | January 30, 2008 at 02:45 PM
I feel better knowing Dave is a memeber of the elite jackass club,too at least some dgree, and I must say that I am bit of a gun snob, too.
Posted by: Ralph the Rifleman | January 30, 2008 at 02:47 PM
I like the looks of this rifle and its something that can be easily modified in the future. It looks like a Remington and a Ruger got it on. I look forward to getting one in camo in 25-06.
Posted by: Jon | January 30, 2008 at 02:55 PM
When are these rifles going to be available, or are they available now? Sounds like a good candidate for a custom project I'm going to do with a Lilja barrel and McMillan stock. Any ideas anyone?
Posted by: Adam | January 30, 2008 at 02:58 PM
Thomas,Thats good though. Lets you know your living and breathing win you sqeeze one off.Tends to put you in the moment. he he, Jim D
Posted by: Jim | January 30, 2008 at 02:58 PM
Hell, if you're gonna be a snob, be a gun snob. If you were a car snob, you'd buy a BMW. Spend $50K, use it 5 years, trade it and get $8K? Buy a Weatherby, Sako spend $2,500 or a Blaser $5,000, use for the rest of your life. Will gun to favorite grandchild!
Didn't mean to endorse BMW. Easiest luxery car to spell
YooperJack
P.S. Didn't see anything on the Marlin Website about LH model. Where did someone see this. I am interested!
Posted by: YooperJack | January 30, 2008 at 03:00 PM
Nothing like fresh O2 and a good thwak on the sholder to put you in the moment.,Jim
Posted by: Jim | January 30, 2008 at 03:01 PM
Sorry YJ. i was talking about the new Ruger m77 RCM.
Posted by: Jim | January 30, 2008 at 03:03 PM
Jim
New Ruger is on the top of my list!
YJ
Posted by: YooperJack | January 30, 2008 at 03:09 PM
Scrap 500. I am desolate with grief for not answering your question. I do not hate detachable-box magazines. In a military weapon or a pump gun or an auto, they are the only logical way to go. On a bolt-action they increase the weight of the gun, make the stock less rigid, and a great many of them don't work all that well. They break, the feed lips bend, they drop on the ground, etc. For a bolt-action I just don't think it's the way to go.
Posted by: Dave Petzal | January 30, 2008 at 03:33 PM
YJ. yep me too. The new Ruger is up there on my list too. I might though think about geting one of the marlins in a 25-06 if it can be reamed to to the .257-STW. Jim
Posted by: Jim | January 30, 2008 at 03:33 PM