Marathon Sportsman Bush & Field

     Notes: This rifle and the company that produced it remained from 1984-88.  It was produced primarily in kit form, and barrels and bolts could be interchanged to allow the rifle to fire different calibers of ammunition.  It is basically a modified Mauser action of the Spanish Santa Barbara type, using a walnut stock with a low Monte Carlo comb and a heavy squared fore-end.  The pistol grip wrist and fore-end are finely checkered, and the butt has a thick rubber recoil pad.  The trigger may be adjusted four ways with screws.  It is drilled and tapped for a scope mount as well as having iron sights.  It was a rather heavy rifle, but this contributes to its stability.

Marlin 15

     Notes: This is a magazine-fed bolt-action rifle with a simple hardwood stock and little or no refinements.  The basic Model 15 is a simple bolt-action rimfire rifle with a medium-quality birch stock that has a pistol grip wrist, a half-length fore-end, and a plastic trigger guard.  Sights consist of a spring-leaf and elevator rear sight and a simple blade front sight.  The Model 15 was superseded by the Model 25, which has an improved safety catch similar to that found on the Model 880.

     The Model 15Y (also known as the Little Buckaroo) is a youth model which is the same except for the 16.25-inch barrel and short butt.  The Model 15Y was replaced in production by the Model 15YN, with an improved safety catch. 

     The Model 25M is also similar to the Model 15, but fires .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire.  Like the others, it was replaced in production by a version with a modified safety, called the Model 25MN.  The Model 25MB, also known as the Midget Magnum, has a 16.25” barrel, and is a takedown rifle. 

Marlin 17

     Notes: Introduced in 2002, the Model 17 was designed specifically for the new .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire round.  It is basically a modification of the Model 15, with a similar action, modified for the needs of the .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire chambering.  There are two versions of the Model 17: the standard Model 17V, using a heavy match barrel, and the Model 17VS, which is basically the same weapon but has a stainless steel barrel, receiver, bolt, firing pin, safety, trigger, and trigger guard.  It is identical to the Model 17V for game purposes.  Stocks in both cases are made from hardwood with a coating of Mar-Shield varnish.  The Model 17 has no iron sights; it is designed exclusively for use with a telescopic sight.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This Model 17 does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Marlin 80

     Notes: The Model 80 is a pre-World War 2 bolt-action rimfire rifle, introduced in 1935.  It is a “takedown rifle;” it is designed to be assembled and disassembled easily.  It has a straight-comb butt with a pistol grip wrist; a pair of finger grooves were cut into the fore-end until 1937, when Marlin eliminated the grooves.  Most Model 80s has steel trigger guards, but a few Model 80s built in 1939 has trigger guards made of Tenite plastic.  The Model 80 used a 24-inch barrel, with a spring-leaf and elevator rear sight and a blade front sight. 

     Production of the Model 80 stopped in late 1939, replaced in production by the improved Model 80B.  The Model 80B used a stock made from better-quality wood, the Tenite plastic trigger guard, and a radial safety catch on the stock behind the bolt handle. The Model 80BE is virtually identical to the Model 80B, but used a simplified set of sights consisting of an adjustable aperture rear sight and a hooded bead front sight.  The Model 80C had a widened semi-beavertail fore-end.  The Model 80B was produced only in 1940; the Model 80BE from 1940-41, and the Model 80C in 1941 and then again from 1945-71.  Post-war Model 80Cs used walnut Monte Carlo-type stocks starting in 1957 as well as a trigger guard with a more attractive design.  All are identical to the Model 80 for game purposes.

     The Model 81 of 1939 is basically a Model 80, but had a tubular magazine.  This was superseded in 1940 by the Model 81B with the improved-wood stock, Tenite trigger guard, and the radial safety catch behind the bolt handle.  The Model 81BE is a Model 81B with the aperture and bead sights.  The Model 81C is a Model 81B with a widened semi-beavertail fore-end.  The post-war Model 81C used a Monte Carlo-type stock starting in 1957 and the better trigger guard of the Model post-war Model 80C.  All are identical to the Model 81 for game purposes.

Marlin 512 Slugmaster

     Notes: This weapon is based on the Marlin 55 Goose Gun.  Though some argument could be made for placing it in the shotgun category – it fires shotgun slugs – I think it is better placed here with the rifles, since the barrel is rifled, the Slugmaster is unsuited for firing shot or most other types of special shotgun rounds, and in fact, firing shot rounds through the Slugmaster’s barrel will ruin the rifling.  As with the Goose Gun, the Slugmaster is designed for 12 gauge 3-inch rounds, but the barrel is considerably shorter than that of the Goose Gun, at only 21 inches.  The same two-round magazine is used for the Slugmaster as is used for the Goose Gun, and the action is virtually identical (except for the chamber loaded indicator).  The Slugmaster has rifle-style iron sights, as well as drilling and tapping for a telescopic sight mount.  The stock is of beechwood from Maine and has a walnut finish, and the butt has a thick recoil pad. 

     In 1997, the Model 512DL was introduced; it is a Model 512 with a black high-impact stock instead of a wooden stock.  In 1998, the Model 512P was brought out; it is a model 512DL with compensator ports near the muzzle to help suppress barrel climb.  The front sight bead of the Model 512P was also replaced with a bright orange glass fiber bead.  The Model 512DL was not produced after 2000.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Models 512DL and 512P do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Marlin 780

     Notes: This is an improved Model 80, with a better stock, matte-finished receiver to reduce glare, and a larger trigger guard for use with a gloved trigger.  The Model 781 is similar, but uses a tubular underbarrel magazine.  The Model 782 fires magnum ammunition; the Model 783 is the magnum equivalent of the Model 781. 

     In 1989, the successor to the Model 780 series, the Model 880, was introduced.  The Model 880 is virtually identical to the Model 780, but has a black high-impact plastic stock.  The Model 880SS, introduced in 1994 version is somewhat heavier, has a black high-impact plastic stock, and has a stainless steel barrel and receiver.  (Other metal parts are nickel-plated.)  The Model 880SS has a protected front sight post with a bright orange inlay for visibility.  In 1996, another version, the Model 880SQ (Squirrel) was introduced; this weapon has all-blued metal parts, no iron sights, and dovetails for the mounting of a telescopic sight.  The barrel is also a heavy match barrel, and the Model 880SQ is heavier as a result.  The Model 880SQ stopped being produced in 1999.

     At the same time as the Model 880, the Model 881 was introduced.  It is basically a Model 880 which is fed by a tubular magazine below the barrel.  Iron sights are supplied, as are dovetails for telescopic sight mounts.  The stock is of wood.  The Model 881 remained in production until 1999.  The Model 882 is a Model 880 chambered for .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire; the barrel, bolt, and trigger of stainless steel, while the other metal parts are nickel-plated (including the magazine).  A variant of the Model 882 is the Model 882SQ; this has a heavy match rifle, no iron sights, and a black high-impact plastic stock.  The metal parts are matte blued.  Production of the Model 882SQ stopped in 1998.  The Model 882SQ was replaced by the Model 882SSV, which is basically a Model 882 with a heavy stainless steel match barrel.  (It is identical to the Model 882SQ for game purposes.)  The Model 883 is a Model 882 which is fed by a tubular underbarrel magazine instead of from a detachable magazine.  There are variants of the Model 883 which have nickel-plated metal, stainless steel parts, and stocks of different woods.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Model 880SS is very rare in the Twilight 2000 timeline.  The Model 880SQ does not exist, nor does the Model 882SSV.

Marlin MR-7

     Notes: This is the first Marlin bolt-action rifle designed for centerfire rifle cartridges, surprisingly not introduced until 1996.  It is an unremarkable design, with a stock of fine American walnut which is finished with Mar-Shield varnish, but little other refinements.  The MR-7 was removed from the market in 2000.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Mossberg 4x4

    Notes: The 4x4 (I have yet to determine why Mossberg calls this rifle the “4x4”) is one of Mossberg’s newest rifles; it has just recently (as I write this in early August 2007) appeared on Mossberg’s website for sale.  It is one of those rifles called a “tackdriver” in shooting slang – a civilian rifle which is made so well that it has sniper rifle-like accuracy, capable of sub-MOA accuracy at long ranges.

     Based on the Model 100 ATR action, the 4x4, the 4x4 improves on the Model 100 ATR, using an action and receiver machined from solid bar stock.  Though the bolt has only two locking lugs, they are huge, and the 4x4 has a plunger-type ejector.  Barrels are 24-inches (except for a couple of versions which use a 22-inch barrel), and are button-rifled, free-floating, heavy profile, and with a target crown.  No iron sights are provided, but the 4x4 does have a Weaver sight rail.  Stocks may be wood or synthetic; both have a semi-Monte Carlo profile and a thick gel-type recoil pad.  The wood stocks may be laminated or un-laminated walnut; the synthetic stocks are made from strong polymer and use a skeletonized profile with internal aluminum reinforcement.  Synthetic stocks are invariably matte black, while the walnut stocks have a very attractive grain and can be a rich brown or a light gray.  The 4x4 is also noted for its relatively short length of pull (but not too short), which makes it suitable for shooters of almost all statures and also makes scope use easier.  Feed is from detachable polymer magazines, which may also be loaded from the top of the rifle through the action.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The 4x4 does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Mossberg 100 ATR

     Notes: Introduced in mid-2006, the Model 100 ATR (All-Terrain Rifle) is the first new bolt action rifle that Mossberg has introduced in about two decades.  It appears similar to most modern bolt-action rifles: a synthetic stock (in black, wood brown, or a Mossy Oak camouflage pattern), a semi-heavy barrel, and what looks like a fairly conventional action, with the bolt handle turned down part of the way and then projecting outwards, to clear scopes.

     Upon closer inspection, however, several differences become apparent.  Molded directly into the stock itself are the trigger guard and sling swivels (they are integral to the stock); in addition, checkering for the pistol grip wrist and fore-end are molded into the stock (though the checkering is not deep enough, in the opinion of many firearms experts).  It has no floorplate for the internal magazine; though this decreases the possibility of dirt entering the action, it also means that to unload the Model 100 ATR, each round must be cycled and ejected through the action.  The 22-inch barrel is free-floating a just little heavier than the typical sporting rifle barrel, and it is made of a high grade of chrome-moly steel.  (Almost half the barrel is also unsupported by the stock.)  The barrel has a target crown, and the butt has a thick recoil pad.  Metalwork is finished in matte-black blueing.  The Model 100 ATR has no iron sights of any kind, though it is drilled and tapped for scope bases as well as mounts like Weaver-type rails or MIL-STD-1913 rails.  The bolt rides on a receiver rail attached to the right side of the receiver; this bolt is also contained within a special bolt sleeve that contains an anti-bind feature as well as keeping the bolt in alignment if the rifle is abused.  The Model 100 ATR uses an ejector/plunger extractor combination.  At the rear of the bolt on the left is a shroud which contains a port for the escape of gasses in the case of cartridge or primer failure.

     The 100 ATR Bantam is a variant of the standard 100 ATR; it differs primarily in the very limited amount of chamberings and the short 20-inch barrel.  Versions with with wood stocks are called Bantams; versions with synthetic stocks are called Super Bantams.

     One of the newest version of the Model 100 ATR is the Night Train; the original Night Train was introduced in early 2008. The Night Train blurs the line between a civilian hunting weapon and a sniper rifle, having features that would appeal to and be useful by hunters, police snipers, and military snipers.  As the name would indicate, the Night Train is made4 completely from black synthetic or metal parts finished in a deep, matte black.  The Night Train is chambered only for 7.62mm NATO and uses an internal top-loading magazine.  Atop the rifle is a MIL-STD-1913 rail; no iron sights are mounted, but they can be had upon request, and the Night Train is sold by Mossberg complete with a Barska 6-24x60 scope. The Night Train also comes with a Harris folding bipod that is adjustable for height and cant.  The 22-inch barrel is match-quality and is tipped with a target crown.  The stock has a ventilated rubber recoil pad.

     The Night Train is definitely a quality weapon, but the Night Train II goes a few steps further.  The Night Train II is equipped with the fast LBA (Lightning Bolt Action) system for smooth operation.  The barrel is essentially the same, but is tipped with a large muzzle brake.  The stock has a raised neoprene cheekpiece that can take one of several interchangeable foam inserts (or no inserts at all).  The stock and metalwork may be black like the original Night Train, or one of three digital camo patterns.

     Interestingly, the owner’s manual says that the Model 100 ATR’s bolt and sleeve should not be disassembled by the user; in fact, the manual says that the only stripping that should be done by the user is to remove the bolt/bolt sleeve and the barrel (which is connected to the action) from the rifle.  The safety is standard for this type of rifle, with a red dot being uncovered if the rifle is set to fire.  The bolt can be cycled with the safety on, allowing the user to safely unload the rifle or clear dud cartridges.  The Model 100 ATR comes in long and short-action models; most calibers are short-action, with the .270 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield chambering currently comprising the long-action calibers available.  Some Mossberg employees have hinted at more calibers being available in the future, but at present this is just a rumor.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Model 100 ATR is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Mossberg 142A Sporting Carbine

     Notes: This is a modification of earlier pre-World War 2 single-shot Mossberg designs, modified to fire from a short-barreled bolt-action rimfire rifle fed from a detachable box magazine.  The fore-end of the rifle was hinged and could be pulled down to provide a handgrip. The Mossberg 142A used a Monte Carlo-type stock.  The barrel length was 18 inches, and the sights a simple aperture rear sight with a bead front sight.  The Model 142A was built from 1949-57; rifles built before 1954 used a T-shaped bolt handle, while after that, the handle used a conventional ball.  The Model 142K, built from 1953-57, had a spring-leaf and elevator rear sight.

     The Model 140K (despite the nomenclature) came later, and was built from 1955-58.  This version had a barrel 24.5 inches long, a spring-leaf and elevator rear sight and a post sight at the muzzle; in addition, the fore-end had a Schnabel tip.  The Model 140B was basically the same, but used a simple peep rear sight and a hooded ramp-type sight at the muzzle.

     The M-144. built from 1949-54, was designed as a target-shooting version of the Model 142A.  The Model 144 uses a T-shaped bolt handle, a 26-inch match-quality barrel, and a micrometer-adjustable aperture optical sight at the rear along with a hooded ramped blade at the front.  The stock used a straight comb, and the fore-end was deep and had a hand-stop.  Modifications of the Model 144 included the Model 144LS, with a ball-type bolt handle, a Lyman-made rear optical sight, and a Lyman-made front globe sight.  It was replaced by the Model 144LS-A, which had sights made by Mossberg, and finally by the Model 144LS-B, which used different Mossberg-made sights and a 27-inch barrel.  All of these stopped production in 1985.

     The Model 146, built from 1949-54, was a takedown version of the Model 142A, but also had a straight bolt handle, a Schnabel tip on the fore-end, a 26-inch barrel, and was fed by a tubular magazine instead of a box.  The Model 146A was the same, but the iron sights were mounted in dovetails.

Mossberg 340 Series

     Notes: This series was intended as a replacement for the Model 142 series.  The Model 340 series, like the Model 142 series, had many components in common with the semiautomatic Mossberg rimfire rifles of the period – in fact, this required that the bolt handle be placed much further forward than is usual for bolt-action rifles in order to keep the magazine in the same place.  The trigger mechanism was also much better than that of the Model 142 series (and most rimfire rifles of the period).

     The base model 340B was built from 1958-60, and used a Monte Carlo-type stock and cheekpiece.  The butt was of plastic, with a thin white spacer.  The barrel was 18 inches, with a spring-leaf and elevator rear sight.  The Model 340B-A was identical except for the simple peep-type rear sight which was dovetailed into the rifle.  The Model 340K is also virtually identical, but uses simple, non-adjustable open sights; the Model 340K-A is the same as the Model 340K, but the rear sight is dovetailed into the rifle.  The Model 340M was similar to the Model 340B, but used a full-length Mannlicher-type stock and a barrel length of 18.5 inches.

     The Model 341 was built from 1972 onward, and was a semi-deluxe version with a 24-inch barrel, a walnut Monte Carlo-style stock with impressed checkering on the pistol grip wrist and fore-end, a spring-leaf and elevator rear sight, and a ramp front sight.

     Produced concurrently with the Model 340 series, the Model 342K was a version of the Model 340B with a mostly-plain stock (though a low cheekpiece was retained), a front section of the fore-end which could be pivoted downward to form a sort of foregrip, and simple open iron sights.  The Model 342K-A was identical except for the dovetailed rear sight.  Though slightly lighter than the Model 340B, it shoots identically for game purposes.

     The Model 344 was built for a short time in 1985, and was the last magazine-fed rimfire rifle Mossberg built.  It used a 24-inch barrel, and for game purposes shoots the same as the Model 341.  The Model 344K was the same except for its 18.5-inch barrel.  For game purposes, it shoots like the Model 340M, though there are weight differences.

     The Model 346B was also built concurrently with the Model 340B, but was fed by an underbarrel tubular magazine.  It used the same Monte Carlo-type stock as the Model 340B, but had a 24-inch barrel and a peep-type rear sight.  The Model 346B-A was the same except for the rear sight being dovetailed into the receiver.  The Model 346K is also identical, except for the spring-leaf and elevator rear sight.  As might be guessed, the Model 346K-A is the Model 346K with the rear sight dovetailed in.  All are identical to the Model 346B for game purposes.