Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Anyone get a BAD Marlin XL7?

Marlin's "X" bolt guns have gotten some serious publicity because of the kind of accuracy you get for the money. I searched far and wide - every Academy database in Texas - to find the 1 Texas Academy that had a XS7 in 308. Slapped a new Vortex 2.5-7x32 Viper with Talleys on top and made a quite light, good looking rifle.

Problem is, I can't get her to shoot. Only tried 1 ammo so far - off the shelf box of Hornady SST in 150 grain. Grouping in the 3-4 inch range. So far I've checked the following:

- Scope Rings/Bases
- Action Screws
- Crown
- Cleaned the barrel

Anything else I'm missing before I label this one a DUD and send her into Marlin for surgery??

Of all the things you've tried, you've missed the most glaringly obvious thing to try from the beginning...

...........Try other brands of factory ammo in 150 gr, 165 gr and 180 gr to see if the groups tighten up. More than one box should be used with different bullet weights.

After that if they don`t tighten up, the problem is with the rifle or scope somewhere; bedding, loose scope reticle, barrel etc.

You could buy a set headspace go/no-go gauges, and barrel nut wrench to dial in the headspace yourself, but given it's brand new, Factory service may be the best course.

Check out Marlin owner's forum. They have an on-going discussion about XL/XS 7's, with lotsa opinions on this issue.

I've only shot Fed/Rem/Win ammo in the Marlin XL/XS-7s that I shot and all 20+ have shot no worse then 1.5 MOA. These rifles have been in 243, 270, 308, and 30-06, but none in 25-06 or 7mm-08.

If changing ammo doesn't work, try a different scope. Even a new scope could have something loose and it only takes a 1/100" shift at the scope to move the impact points all over the paper at 100 yards.

Jeff

Have you run the barrel in correctly???

A friend of mine who is a top benchrest shooter tells me that more barrels are screwed up due to the fact that they arent run in properly when the gun is new.

Makes a big diffrence.

Also do check that the pressure pads inside the front of the stock havent been removed. Many Marlins shoot well without any alterations, but remove the factory bedding blocks and you are in trouble.
CK

Try blue box plain Jane Federal 150 grain and 165 grain. I read a bunch about these rifles before I bought my grandson's 270 and all reported good results with the cheap Federal ammo. I did, and when zeroing grandsons rifle it worked well - three in one hole at 100 yards, repeated three times! If that doesn't work, the scope is the next likely suspect, although I suspect leaving the speedbumps in the stock barrel channel is for the best also.

My Opinion,

I believe that the design of the gun is sound, but the manufacturing technique's they use today is real crappy.
I would also suspect that the scope is not up to par - but could not prove that without putting it on a second rifle and trying it out myself.

I guess I am getting old and set in my ways, but today's guns just don't compare with what was made 40 years ago.

I have never used one of your scopes before and I am not a big fan of tactical scopes, but if what they say about it is true, it is probably a really good scope.

The .308 rifle likes shooting 150 gr bullets and is a dog with 180 gr bullets.

I too am a firm believer in breaking in the barrel before expecting accuracy. Howa1500Man has the right idea.

I would check the stock for free float and then I would check the crown on the end of the barrel with a magnification loop and then I would check the bore with a bore scope and I might even go as far as to slug the barrel and see what diameter it cleaned up at. There is a lot of things that affects accuracy. (If there was a head space issue, I would think that there would be obvious signs at the bottom of the shell, look just past the extractor grove and see if there is any pressure signs, cracks, black marks etc.

Some people shoots rifles and then doesn't pick up their empties - so it is not always possible to ask these questions because if they don't have the empty shells on hand, there is no way for sure to know if there is any issues.

With a new production rifle like yours, a 1 1/2 inch spread is probably acceptable for factory standards. 3 -4 inches would be like a softball sized pattern on the target. Not good.

Another dumbphuck classic from dumchitbeer.

I haven't heard of anyone getting a bad X gun yet.

Both of my 308s must really be "off"

I think we need a special column here at the fire just for Duquensebeer and Swampy 700 words of wisdom. Heck we could even let Boss Lady post there.

I'm no fan of BossLady but at least he gets it right some of the time and he has alot of cool rifles.

D-beer and Swampy just don't.

+1... Bossy's Swamp Beer 700 Club forum?

Has anyone seen any of the Stainless/synthetic models? Wondering if they are out yet.

Did you give the gun a good cleaning before taking it to the range? My XL7 is a good shooter but when i brought her home she was caked with lubricant from the factory. Took about 20 swipes thru the barrel to get all the gunk out. If you didn't clean it, try that and try new ammo.

yeah, when i went and looked at them i was suprised that one had so much gunk in the bore that i could barely see rifling.

I'm still betting it was 308s hate 180s even though he was shooting 150s

My dad bought one of the youth 7mm-08 xs7 for my little sister and the first 4 shots he shot out of it with 120gr Fusions went 3 in one hole and a 4th about a 1/4" from the other 3. Seriously thinking about buying one for myself.

Hope they make one in 7mm mag soon.