Marlin 27s 25-20 pump rifles

wachtelhund1 · February 21, 2020, 03:06 PM

I'm posting this because another member recently posted, "Remington Model 25 dilemma". I didn't want to hijack his post so I started this one.

I have two Marlin 27s rifles in 25-20, both were purchased as incomplete guns and restored. The first was purchased for $60.00, just the barrel and side plate which the barrel was screwed into. These are very sleek rifles, the action being only 7/8" thick. Another $200.00 in parts restored it to firing condition. I shortened the barrel to 20" and had it relined. New stocks and rust blued it. It has a mounted Burris mini 4x scope. It is always in my truck and has killed 6 or 7 coyotes over the last six years. Opportunity kills. I shoot 75 grain jacketed bullet and cast bullets with it. I have 1,500 jacketed bullets for it.

The second was purchased for less than $200.00, another $100.00 worth of parts restored it. It has the original 24" rusted and pitted barrel, but is shootable. I shoot only cast bullets out of it and have three different bullet molds. With cast bullets, I can load a 25-20 round for .07 cents.

During the .22lr shortage years, I was firing these rifles instead of 22lr rimfires. I fired over 4,000 rounds during those year and up to now. I know because I'm on my 4th package of gas checks, 1,000 GCs per package.

Second Marlin 27s after restoration.

30Cal · February 22, 2020, 11:30 AM

That's sweet. I love the 25-20. I've had great luck with pretty much every bullet I've tried through it (Win M92).

Jim Watson · February 22, 2020, 11:37 AM

That's just neat.
Early days of CAS, the carbine string was usually five or six shots. We had a guy who was rattlesnake fast with a M27s pump. I don't recall whether it was .25-20 or .32-20. Then they increased the string to ten and his fast little Marlin was obsolete.

wachtelhund1 · February 22, 2020, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Watson

That's just neat.
Early days of CAS, the carbine string was usually five or six shots. We had a guy who was rattlesnake fast with a M27s pump. I don't recall whether it was .25-20 or .32-20. Then they increased the string to ten and his fast little Marlin was obsolete.

Obsolete, only because the magazine held only six shots. The stroke on the slide is only 2" in length.

langenc · March 12, 2020, 09:20 PM

Is there a good source of new sights for one of these guns. Mine shoots pretty well but front sight, especially, needs replacing. It is something that has been cobbled on.

joe45c · March 13, 2020, 08:52 PM

wachtelhund1, do you have any problems finding brass for your .25-20? I have a 1892 win. in .25-20. lots of fund but am starting to run low on brass. seems like i only get about 8 or 10 reloads out of them before the case splits.

**Mike Irwin** · March 14, 2020, 09:47 AM

I want a 27s (or a Remington 25) not in .25-20, but in .32-20 to go with my two .32-20 revolvers.

One of these days...

Drm50 · March 14, 2020, 12:11 PM

I’m into 25/20 & 32/20. I have several Win and Marlin levers and have had Sav & Win bolt actions. Both the Rem and Marlin pumps have eluded me. I have never run across one in good condition at a reasonable price. I once had a mint 27 in 25rf, the closest I got.

joe45c · March 14, 2020, 01:49 PM

So drm50 do you have any problems finding .25-20 brass?

wachtelhund1 · March 14, 2020, 11:56 PM

joe45,
We have Fleet Farm, it's a chain store home, garden and farm. About 6 or 8 years ago they started selling reloading equipment and supplies. I was walking through there when they started selling reloading supplies and looked down at the brass. I couldn't believe my eyes, they had 25-20 brass, Winchester bags of 50 for $15.95 a bag. I couldn't help it, got a cart and bought all they had - 18 bags. They never had any more after that initial order. I'm down to about 3 or 4 bags.

I've got about 200 86gr JSPs and 300 75gr JSPs bullets that are extra to my needs.

joe45c · March 15, 2020, 07:30 AM

wachtelhund, that was a good score. I would have bought i could have too. I find brass sometimes on the net. Also in the past bought factory loaded remington rounds. But it's expensive. I guess after a few reloads it pays for itself. I have maybe 100 cs that have only been loaded once. And another 50 that are on their 5th loading. So what i have should last me a while. I don't shoot my win. 1892 but maybe 2 or 3 times a year.

wachtelhund1 · March 15, 2020, 10:41 AM

joe45c,
I have two 27S rifles and shoot both 4 or 5 times a year. I have a rifle range in my yard. The one with the Burris scope stays in my truck all the time. I shoot about a dozen or more porcupines each year along the road sides and an occasional coyote. In the past, I drove the back roads looking specifically for porcies and would shoot more. But old age is slowing me down. I don't think I get much more than five reloading from a case. The brass is so thin they split after a few reloadings. I'm thinking of relining the barrel on my second 27S.

joe45c · March 15, 2020, 12:25 PM

I've noticed that too that the brass splits easier than any other caliber i have. .32-20 holds up real well for me compared to .25-20.

February 21, 2020, 03:06 PM	#1
wachtelhund1 Senior Member Join Date: January 4, 2007 Location: pelican lake, WI Posts: 414	Marlin 27s 25-20 pump rifles I'm posting this because another member recently posted, "Remington Model 25 dilemma". I didn't want to hijack his post so I started this one. I have two Marlin 27s rifles in 25-20, both were purchased as incomplete guns and restored. The first was purchased for $60.00, just the barrel and side plate which the barrel was screwed into. These are very sleek rifles, the action being only 7/8" thick. Another $200.00 in parts restored it to firing condition. I shortened the barrel to 20" and had it relined. New stocks and rust blued it. It has a mounted Burris mini 4x scope. It is always in my truck and has killed 6 or 7 coyotes over the last six years. Opportunity kills. I shoot 75 grain jacketed bullet and cast bullets with it. I have 1,500 jacketed bullets for it. The second was purchased for less than $200.00, another $100.00 worth of parts restored it. It has the original 24" rusted and pitted barrel, but is shootable. I shoot only cast bullets out of it and have three different bullet molds. With cast bullets, I can load a 25-20 round for .07 cents. During the .22lr shortage years, I was firing these rifles instead of 22lr rimfires. I fired over 4,000 rounds during those year and up to now. I know because I'm on my 4th package of gas checks, 1,000 GCs per package. Second Marlin 27s after restoration. Last edited by wachtelhund1; February 21, 2020 at 04:50 PM.

March 14, 2020, 09:47 AM	#7
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	I want a 27s (or a Remington 25) not in .25-20, but in .32-20 to go with my two .32-20 revolvers. One of these days... __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

February 22, 2020, 11:30 AM	#2
30Cal Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2002 Posts: 1,264	That's sweet. I love the 25-20. I've had great luck with pretty much every bullet I've tried through it (Win M92).

February 22, 2020, 11:37 AM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,542	That's just neat. Early days of CAS, the carbine string was usually five or six shots. We had a guy who was rattlesnake fast with a M27s pump. I don't recall whether it was .25-20 or .32-20. Then they increased the string to ten and his fast little Marlin was obsolete.

March 12, 2020, 09:20 PM	#5
langenc Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2007 Location: Montmorency Co, MI Posts: 1,551	Is there a good source of new sights for one of these guns. Mine shoots pretty well but front sight, especially, needs replacing. It is something that has been cobbled on.

March 13, 2020, 08:52 PM	#6
joe45c Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2012 Location: peru ny Posts: 218	wachtelhund1, do you have any problems finding brass for your .25-20? I have a 1892 win. in .25-20. lots of fund but am starting to run low on brass. seems like i only get about 8 or 10 reloads out of them before the case splits.

March 14, 2020, 12:11 PM	#8
Drm50 Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2014 Posts: 1,381	I’m into 25/20 & 32/20. I have several Win and Marlin levers and have had Sav & Win bolt actions. Both the Rem and Marlin pumps have eluded me. I have never run across one in good condition at a reasonable price. I once had a mint 27 in 25rf, the closest I got.

March 14, 2020, 01:49 PM	#9
joe45c Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2012 Location: peru ny Posts: 218	So drm50 do you have any problems finding .25-20 brass?

March 14, 2020, 11:56 PM	#10
wachtelhund1 Senior Member Join Date: January 4, 2007 Location: pelican lake, WI Posts: 414	joe45, We have Fleet Farm, it's a chain store home, garden and farm. About 6 or 8 years ago they started selling reloading equipment and supplies. I was walking through there when they started selling reloading supplies and looked down at the brass. I couldn't believe my eyes, they had 25-20 brass, Winchester bags of 50 for $15.95 a bag. I couldn't help it, got a cart and bought all they had - 18 bags. They never had any more after that initial order. I'm down to about 3 or 4 bags. I've got about 200 86gr JSPs and 300 75gr JSPs bullets that are extra to my needs.

March 15, 2020, 07:30 AM	#11
joe45c Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2012 Location: peru ny Posts: 218	wachtelhund, that was a good score. I would have bought i could have too. I find brass sometimes on the net. Also in the past bought factory loaded remington rounds. But it's expensive. I guess after a few reloads it pays for itself. I have maybe 100 cs that have only been loaded once. And another 50 that are on their 5th loading. So what i have should last me a while. I don't shoot my win. 1892 but maybe 2 or 3 times a year.

March 15, 2020, 10:41 AM	#12
wachtelhund1 Senior Member Join Date: January 4, 2007 Location: pelican lake, WI Posts: 414	joe45c, I have two 27S rifles and shoot both 4 or 5 times a year. I have a rifle range in my yard. The one with the Burris scope stays in my truck all the time. I shoot about a dozen or more porcupines each year along the road sides and an occasional coyote. In the past, I drove the back roads looking specifically for porcies and would shoot more. But old age is slowing me down. I don't think I get much more than five reloading from a case. The brass is so thin they split after a few reloadings. I'm thinking of relining the barrel on my second 27S.

March 15, 2020, 12:25 PM	#13
joe45c Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2012 Location: peru ny Posts: 218	I've noticed that too that the brass splits easier than any other caliber i have. .32-20 holds up real well for me compared to .25-20.