When Marlin went big bore: The Original Super Goose
For just a brief but glorious time, Marlin gave the masses of water fowlers what could be considered one of the most popular bolt-action large caliber shotguns of its day– the 34-inch barreled Model 5510. And yes, the “10” is the size of the gauge.
Today the Marlin Firearms Company is best known for its line of rimfire plinkers and lever-action hunting rifles, but they also made shotguns for nearly a solid century. Between 1903-1954 they produced no less than sixteen different models of slide-action pump guns, usually in 12-gauge.
The Model 55 was first introduced in 1954 by Marlin, and was a novel bolt-action design for the company. Using a one-piece uncheckered American walnut stock with a pistol grip and butt pad, it looked more like a rifle than a shotgun. It used a two-round detachable box magazine that would hold standard sized 2 3/4-inch shells; it was marketed in both 12-gauge and 16-gauge with a 28″ barrel and 20-gauge with a 26″ barrel. The barrel had basic brass bead front sight and a rear U-grove notch. Options included an end of barrel choke that was adjusted by the turn of a wrist. Overall length was 46-48″ depending on the caliber and weight was less than 8-pounds.
With nearly 120,000 of these shotguns made from 1954-65, they were an instant hit; selling for about $30 (which is about $225 in today’s folding money), they were affordable, accurate and reliable. Regular Marlin models were the M55 and the Glenfield Model 55G (and later as the Model 50) which were sold by mass marketers like Sears and Western Auto.
Well in 1976 the company decided to bring in the heavy artillery and produced (as far as I can tell) its only 10-gauge shotgun.
The Original Super Goose
And man is this thing long…