Can any of you comment on the barrels that came with the rifles. On the bottom of the barrel are they stamped as a Remington barrel? I have read that some are made by the parent company and they are a much lower quality,
Kevin
I bought a 25-06 Marlin XL7 shortly after they appeared in Houston, Tx market....so made in Marlin Conneticutt plant. Several months ago I bought a Marlin XS Varmint heavy barrel in .308 Win made in the new Kentucky plant. Happier with my first Marlin than my second one. The Marlin varmit heavy barrel had disappointed me on its accuracy. Was not as accurate as my first Marlin. Much more copper fouling in the Kentucky Marlin rifle too and there was something about the lands and rifleings near muzzle I did not like. Gave the rifle to a gent I use for gunsmithing and asked him to recrown the barrel.....truthfully, I tried something on factory crown that needed correcting. When I gave rifle to gent for recrowning, explained my problem and mentioned I suspected the rifleings/lands had a problem. Anyway, gent with rifle discovered his crowning tool not right for my Marlin heavy barrel and took rifle to another gunsmith ( a close friend of his and they help each other) to have him do the work. Other gunsmith checked bore with his borescope and recommended about an inch of the barrel from the muzzle be removed, that the rifleings and lands had a problem. This was something I suspected, since in a bright light and peering down the muzzle just right, I had noticed, but was not sure.
Since my barrel was something new for the XL/XS series, being a Varmit heavy barrel and rifle made in Kentucky plant, I have to question their quality control when it comes to bores. Rest of rifle is OK, absolutely no problems and externally can't tell any difference between my first Marlin from Ct and one from Ky.
