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One of the most desired and best-loved designs that Marlin ever came out with was the Model 70. This handy little 22 with its detachable box magazine had something for everyone--including those in need of a backpack gun.
View attachment 5027
Basic design
Taking the tried and true Model 60 design as a starting point, Marlin engineers borrowed the receiver and action from that little 22 plinker and substituted a detachable box magazine for the under barrel tubular one of the 60. This cut the magazine capacity down a good bit (from 18 to 7), but made loading and reloading --especially if you had multiple magazines-- much faster. Since their introduction in the 1980s, this series has been a crowd pleaser.
Model 70 (HC)
View attachment 5031
Introduced in 1988 and no longer in production, the 70HC is a pretty conventional little 22LR rifle. With a Monte Carlo-style walnut finished hardwood stock, the 18-inch blued barrel is fixed to the receiver and uses Micro-Groove rifling. The 70HC, along with all of the other model 70 variants have a cross-bolt safety, a manual bolt hold-open, a ramp front sight, and an adjustable rear sight with the receiver grooved for a tip-off scope mount. The 'HC'stood for high capacity and used either the standard Marlin 7-shot, 10-shot, or 12-shot detachable box magazines. Used models of these guns and the Glenfield Model 70 run about $100 in shootable condition.
Today this gun is usually encountered as the Model 795 which is the same firearm but with a black fiberglass-reinforced synthetic with molded-in checkering and swivel stud made by Remington Arms of Mayfield, Kentucky. These updated guns typically retail at your big box stores (Academy, Gander Mountain, Bass Pro etc.) for around $199.
Model 70P
The Papoose! This gun is a classic of Marlin's modern designs. In 1986, they took the basic Model 70 rifle and chopped the stock down to allow easy access to the barrel. The reason you wanted this access is so that you could quickly remove the barrel from the receiver through the use of a tool on a knurled takedown nut. This allowed the Papoose to come apart in three pieces (action/stock, barrel, magazine) for storage in a supplied bag. With an overall length shorter than a yardstick, the gun came apart in a 16.25-inch barrel and a 20-inch main part. The total kit weighed in at 3.25 pounds.
View attachment 5032
With such a slim profile, the Papoose could be carried in a backpack or stored under a boat seat, airplane survival kit, or trunk until needed. This is probably one of the most beloved Marlin design of the past thirty years and Model 70Ps often go for $175 and up, even with the old walnut stock and blued barrels.
Model 70PSS
View attachment 5028
Entering into a more durable gun type, the 70P was given a stainless finish and a black synthetic stock. This gun is still in production and usually runs $229 or so-- if you can find them. Used versions are only slightly cheaper which is a testament to the series popularity.
View attachment 5029
These guns make great platforms for the use of either screw on suppressors if they are threaded or an integral suppressor barrel for those who like quiet time.
View attachment 5030
Overall, it's hard to go wrong with the handy Model 70.
View attachment 5027
Basic design
Taking the tried and true Model 60 design as a starting point, Marlin engineers borrowed the receiver and action from that little 22 plinker and substituted a detachable box magazine for the under barrel tubular one of the 60. This cut the magazine capacity down a good bit (from 18 to 7), but made loading and reloading --especially if you had multiple magazines-- much faster. Since their introduction in the 1980s, this series has been a crowd pleaser.
Model 70 (HC)
View attachment 5031
Introduced in 1988 and no longer in production, the 70HC is a pretty conventional little 22LR rifle. With a Monte Carlo-style walnut finished hardwood stock, the 18-inch blued barrel is fixed to the receiver and uses Micro-Groove rifling. The 70HC, along with all of the other model 70 variants have a cross-bolt safety, a manual bolt hold-open, a ramp front sight, and an adjustable rear sight with the receiver grooved for a tip-off scope mount. The 'HC'stood for high capacity and used either the standard Marlin 7-shot, 10-shot, or 12-shot detachable box magazines. Used models of these guns and the Glenfield Model 70 run about $100 in shootable condition.
Today this gun is usually encountered as the Model 795 which is the same firearm but with a black fiberglass-reinforced synthetic with molded-in checkering and swivel stud made by Remington Arms of Mayfield, Kentucky. These updated guns typically retail at your big box stores (Academy, Gander Mountain, Bass Pro etc.) for around $199.
Model 70P
The Papoose! This gun is a classic of Marlin's modern designs. In 1986, they took the basic Model 70 rifle and chopped the stock down to allow easy access to the barrel. The reason you wanted this access is so that you could quickly remove the barrel from the receiver through the use of a tool on a knurled takedown nut. This allowed the Papoose to come apart in three pieces (action/stock, barrel, magazine) for storage in a supplied bag. With an overall length shorter than a yardstick, the gun came apart in a 16.25-inch barrel and a 20-inch main part. The total kit weighed in at 3.25 pounds.
View attachment 5032
With such a slim profile, the Papoose could be carried in a backpack or stored under a boat seat, airplane survival kit, or trunk until needed. This is probably one of the most beloved Marlin design of the past thirty years and Model 70Ps often go for $175 and up, even with the old walnut stock and blued barrels.
Model 70PSS
View attachment 5028
Entering into a more durable gun type, the 70P was given a stainless finish and a black synthetic stock. This gun is still in production and usually runs $229 or so-- if you can find them. Used versions are only slightly cheaper which is a testament to the series popularity.
View attachment 5029
These guns make great platforms for the use of either screw on suppressors if they are threaded or an integral suppressor barrel for those who like quiet time.
View attachment 5030
Overall, it's hard to go wrong with the handy Model 70.
