Rex B wrote:I gave $60 for mine around 1980. I may have fired 40 rounds through it since then.
The new ones have a much shorter barrel 18" vs 22"
I'd love to find one of the stainless models in 22".
Haven't kept up with available models through the years, so I don't know if the SS was available in 22, I suspect they were. The mag capacity was reduce to 15 rnd in the 80's and the barrel was shortend to 19" in 2000 to match the mag tube end. I don't know if 3" adds any accuracy, but I doubt if there would be any significant velocity increase. I was impressed with the accuracy even with open sights, I'm going to install the cheapo scope just to see how it shoots. I have an early 60's Marlin 39 Mountie with an old Weaver V1.5-4 that shoots really well.
EDIT: Just found this on WIKI
On Marlin-branded Model 60 rifles, the first two digits of the serial number indicate the year of manufacture. For example, on the rifle shown in the photo above, the serial number starts with 18... The 18 is significant, for subtracting it from 2000 gives the date of manufacture for the rifle, 1982. Likewise, a serial number starting with 17 would be a rifle manufactured in 1983.
This method has not been uniformly followed. It is valid only from 1971 through 1999. Prior to 1971, the first two digits indicated the year of manufacture. For example, a rifle with a serial number starting with 70... would have been made in 1970. Starting in 2000, this same old method has returned; the first two digits once more indicate the year of manufacture directly, with no subtraction required
