The Marlin Mountie is my favorite rifle.
I have one that I have used for years and has taken literally thousands of ground squirrels and jackrabbits.
I drove over to Montana and picked up another years ago. This was in anticipation of my oldest girl turning 18. She was/is a shooter and lover her single action pistols and always liked my lever action Marlin. So I found her one. This one was a 1950s era Mountie that spent its life on a ranch. Very well used. much of the bluing is worn down, but still nicely cared for. Just a proper classic Western ranch type rifle.
Here she is with it last month, when she and I went out shooting:
I put a 4x Japanese Weaver on it, and she is flat deadly with that thing.