Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Marlin XS7

Found one in 308 with a POS Simmons scope on it for $300. cash. I was going to order one from CDNN but it was easier to buy this over the counter at the local pawn shop. It is in as new condition and will be perfect for running my Savage 22-250, 243 and 308 barrels on. The 308 tube on the Marlin seems to be a heavier contour than the Savage model 10 takeoffs though it looks to be pretty smooth where it counts. Glad I found it as I really didn't want to go the Savage Axis route. The trigger on this rifle is very light, maybe too light for really cold weather but it is supposedly adjustable. Will be shooting it some soon, hope it shoots as good as it's reputation.

Remember that when installing Savage barrels on the Marlin receiver, you should take into account the fact that the Marlin's bolt face is recessed a little deeper than the Savage's. This can cause you to get a false headspace setting if the front on the Marlin bolt touches the back of the Savage barrel before the headspace gauge is properly seated. This is not always an issue, since the difference is measured in 1/1000" increments, but it is something to be aware of.

Just shot it. I took the scope off of it, a Simmons 22 Mag 3x9 with target knobs and AO (Junk), both ring base torx screws were finger tight, the base screws themselves were all one turn loose, there was a lot of what looks like the oil a new rifle comes coated in under the base and in the action. So I pulled the action out of the stock and found gobs of the similar oil and had to remove some of it where it had gone hard between the stock and action. I cleaned the barrel thoroughly though as it was heavily oiled. I then used a knife to remove the two square bumps in the forend and put it back together. After cleaning and properly tightening the base screws I put a 4X leupold on it and bore sighted it. Took it out to my 25 yard range and fired the first shot which hit 3 inches low, guessed at elevation and hit the bullseye. I moved back to the 50 yard range and the first shot hit 1/2 inch high and 1/2 inch to the left so I gave it a little adjustment and moved back to the 100 yard bench.
the next two shots hit a bit over one inch high at 100 and almost touching. This with Federal Blue Box 180 grain factory loads. I almost think this rifle was unfired because there was no brass rubbed off in the bolt face and surely no one would have fired it with the scope being that loose. I think the scope was added at the pawn shop.
Seems like a pretty good buy, bolt works slickly and it shoots great. Light too.

Hey, I have a couple of really nice scopes, twice as valuable as the Simmons if you're looking...

I usually trash anything with the words Simmons or Tasco on it. I have cut the lenses off of them to use as magnifying glasses though. Anymore it's Leupold or high end Bushnells for me. I like the "fast" focus eyepieces for my aging eyes.

Now that I have shot it with the JM marked barrel I might leave it as is for further study and to burn up the rest of the two boxes of factory ammo for the brass to see if I can get some real accuracy out of it. I think there is wisdom in never shooting the donor rifle. I do know about the difference in bolt face depth and will be careful about it when I put one of the three Savage barrels on it. 22-250 is up next, need to thin my bullet collection a bit.

Palidun - purchased a new XS7C in .243W about a year after they came out but before they came under the RemLin umbrella and the way old Marlin plant moved. Fit, finish and accuracy are top notch. It replaced an older Rem BDL circa late 70's. Came with matte blue finish and camo stock - I like it a lot. Especially when compared with the newer RemLin products. A newer M336 showed how far behind the new workers are in producing a quality product. That was a few years ago...hopefully things will change for the better regarding Marlin rifles. Homesteader

This rifle has New Haven Conneticut on the barrel and a JM stamped on the barrel in front of the reciever so I think it is a pre Remington made rifle. Look, fit, feel and workmanship are far ahead of the Remington 700 ADL I bought a year ago.

Worked up a load using Blc-2 powder and 165 gr. Ballistic Tips. 46.0 grains was the most accurate giving me three 3 shot groups under an inch. So soon I will coat the bottom of the action and barrel with satin polyurethane and glue the barrel to the stock with Black silicon at the forend. Next I will paint the rifle to suit me. Hope that load will still be as accurate after but if not I will play with the powder charge a bit more.

I'm a big fan. I've had one in 270 that was a great shooter, now have a 250 AI built on another. Best entry level rifle there is, er was. Too bad. Speaking of Rem, I found those shot well too. Wouldn't hesitate to buy another. Maybe not a lever but the bolt guns are just fine.

You can spot em on gb for 250-275, smoking deal. Even a few stainless ones around.

CDNN has had them advertised for as little as $249.95 and, the last time I looked, still had the XS7s in 243 and 7mm-08 for around $270.

www.cdnnsports.com

Ok bedding finished, turned out good. Need to shoot it some more. This year it will be used as a backup rifle on deer and feral hog hunts so I am thinking about running 150 grain Nosler Partitions around 2800 fps. Just came in from my range. I worked up to 48.0 grains of BLC-2 under the 150 gr. Partition but accuracy seemed better at 47.0 grains. I worked up to 47.0 grains with the Hornady 150 grain SST stopping there because accuracy couldn't be any better. The SST hits one inch higher than the Partition which I sighted in to hit 2 inches high. So other than I have to adjust the seating die individually for each bullet a good pairing has been found.