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For a brief period in time, Marlin made a handy .22LR bolt action rifle that with a 7-shot detachable box mag that made a great little field gun. At the same time, they made a tack-driving benchrest rifle with a heavy target barrel. Well, someone at some point had the brilliant crackle of imagination to brainstorm what happened if they put the better of each one together.

The 880 series

An evolution of the company’s Model 780 rifle, this 5.75-pound field, and tin can special used a very basic 22-inch Micro Groove barrel fitted to a plain walnut stock. Using the long-standard 7-shot single stack mag that is still seen today on the XT-22 series rifles, these guns were the centerpiece of Marlin’s bolt-action rimfire offerings when they were introduced in 1989. These guns sold for a bargain $149 range and were carried in big boxes extensively.

While accurate for what they were, they just weren’t tack drivers. In 1994, an improved variant, the 880SS, made extensive use of stainless steel internal receiver parts to include the breech bolt, cartridge lifter and trigger package

The 2000 series

Marlin firearms decided to punch out of their comfort level in the 1990s with a bolt-action single shot heavy target rifle. Designed to compete with entry-level Remington Model 40 and Anschutz target rifles, the new Marlin gun, the 2000 was unlike anything ever made by the company. Designed with a 22-inch heavy barrel with a recessed match-style crown and matched chamber, the rifle was embedded in a distinctive blue ISU standard stock of a fiberglass/Kevlar (Carbelite) combination with a high comb, stippled forearm, and pistol grip.

The stock had an adjustable butt plate for length of pull. A hooded Lyman front sight with seven inserts and companion target peep rear sight came standard. When they were introduced in 1991, they MSRP’d for just under $400, about half as much as the competition. Long discontinued as a production rifle, these run anywhere from $225-$350 today– if you can find them.

Accuracy of this series is superb. In a February 1996 Gun Tests article, they wrote the following, “The best the Marlin could do at 50 yards was 0.6-inch groups, which we shot with Eley Tenex. Three other ammo lots, CCI Green Tag Competition, Dynamit Nobel’s RWS R50, and Lapua Dominator, averaged 0.7-inch groups. The 2000 didn’t like Federal’s Gold Medal Match rimfire ammo, shooting 0.9-inch groups.”

If a 0.9-inch group at half a football field is the worst it could do, that’s not bad.

With that being said, let’s bring on the…880SQ!

Read the rest in my column at Marlin Forum