Welcome to 24-HCF!
I have a few Marlin RF bolt guns in 17HMR, 22LR, and 22MRF. I like the 17HMRs and 22MRFs because Marlin includes both a 4-shot and a 7-shot magazine. The 7-shot magazines extend way below the bottom of the stock, making them awkward to carry in 1 hand, but the 4-shot magazine is almost flush with the bottom of the stock, so they are easy to carry in 1 hand.
I have the 917S and 917VS-SF in 17HMR and the 982S in 22MRF. I like these stainless/synthetic rifles because they don't need as much TLC and maintenance as do blued CM rifles. You might consider the new XT-22MR, or the old 925MR, which are the blued CM Marlin 22MRF with a synthetic stock. The Marlin RF bolt guns are more "man sized" than some other brands, so the sythetic stock aren't as thin/narrow as some other brands.
As with most RFs, these rifles are ammo brand and bullet weight particularm, so you may need to try several brands of ammo before you find the best match for your specific rifle. The Marlins that I own have grooved receivers and came with Weaver-style bases that fit the factory d&t holes on the top of the receiver. I have 2-7x, 3-9x, and 4-12x scopes mounted on these rifles, using the factory bases and Warne rings.
JEff
