The first gun I was ever given as a child was a Marlin model 60, now 22 years later, I still have it and shoot it often, I did have to replace the recoil spring, but it was partially my own stupid fault. After a few thousand rounds, I stripped her down to give her a GOOD cleaning, and my friend was she GROSS. Anyways, I read up on it, and darn if it did not happen, I pinched the recoil spring trying to get everything in there. Ohh well, it was a $0.50 part, and ended up using it as a excuse to buy ALOT more from Brownells.
Its a great rifle, but as far as accuracy goes, I have 1 and soon to be 2 10/22 that will run circles around it, BUT the Marlin was under $100 when I got it, the one 10/22 has 10 times that going into it. So its not apples and oranges. However you did hit it on the head when you said Rugers have support, that they do, thus I own 4 I think???
I will agree with the previous post that Marlins are have QC issues. I bought 3 lever actions last year. a 30-30 (SDG) and 2 45-70 1895s (SBL and GBL). The SDG had to go back to get the mag tube fixed since it was just wobbly in the reciever, and shot WAY (like 6 feet) high at 50 yards. Due to this I was very serious when looking at the 1895s, something about a dam near perfect rifle from the factory turned me on, but I found everything from poor to loose fitting stocks, loose forends, screws not tight, etc. It was sad, this being said DO NOT BUY and NEW Marlin WITHOUT physically examining it. Do yourself this favor. Trust me.
Taht being said, I will say, get a 10/22 AND the revolver. I just picked up a 617 last week, and put 100 rounds thru it. Great little pistol, as is the single 6, and SP101 in 22lr I own. But theres something about 10 shot wheels that makes a man smile.
Last, so be it being a bolt action, do not pass up a savage. My Savage 17HMR is a hoot to shoot and EXTREMELY accurate. Never shot their 22s, but if anything like the 17s, you can not go wrong.
