*****AS CONTINUED FROM PART 1*****
MKII F/G vs. Marlin 25/925 sporter barrel showdown - Part 1
Savage MKII F / G VS. Marlin 25 (925) SPORTER BARREL SHOWDOWN PART 2
Moving on to the bolt, both have the locking lugs (square) at the base of the bolt handle and engages the receiver to the rear to lock into place. The Savage’s extractors seem of better quality and more positive extraction than the Marlin 25 or 925 – advantage Savage. Other differences are the MKII's firing pin is at the 12:00 position, the Marlin 25's is at 2:00. The Marlin 25's also has a notch out of it in the 12:00 position, of which a "latch" on the top of the receiver fits into this notch, I can only assume to help lock in the bolt better - advantage Marlin 25. On the contrary, the new 925's don't have this. There are also differences on how they ride in the receiver and where the bolt rotates, where the triggers engage, where the release mechanisms are, etc. and although not the best of pictures, can be seen below. MKII top and left, Marlin 25 bottom and right.
The bolt handle angle on the MKII sets the knob in a position outward and slightly swept back that’s “easier to find” than the Marlin , and an angle that would make it easier to install a tactical type knob if you wish – my opinion, advantage Savage. The Marlin’s (both 25 and 925) bolt handle is more tucked in toward the stock and straight down, harder to “find”, BUT does have one slight advantage over the Savage in the point of it will not get caught on clothes, brush, etc. and open unintentionally. It seems that the amount of “throw” in the Marlin’s bolt is substantially less than the Savage’s bolt. So once you “find” the knob, it takes less action / movement to cycle the next round in the Marlin – advantage Marlin for quicker follow up shots. Also one of the 925 models “upgrades” to the bolt handle form the 25 model is that on the downward arc, there is a flat spot grouond on the upsided rounded edge to allow more for clearance for a telescopic optic. There is no need for the flat spot with the Savage’s handle angle. Top 2 is MKII, bottom 2 mdl 25 / 925.
Safeties – MKII’s move forward to fire. 925 move forward to fire. The 25 move BACKWARD to fire. The MKII’s seem to stick out alittle more for a better “finding” of it, however easier to get unintentionally placed into fire. The 25 and 925’s are smaller and harder to “find” than the MKII, but also less prone to unintentionally being placed on fire. To me it also seems the Marlin’s safety was more “solid” – in the safeties dept, advantage Marlin. It is also noticeable in the above pictures how much the safety knobs pertrude. below side views of the safety area, MKII on top, Marlin 25 bottom. Note the different safety positions when in "Firing" mode...
Magazines – as mentioned at the top of the post, the MKII F and G come with 10 round mags, the Marlin 925 and the mdl 25 both have 7 round magazines. The 25’s magazine has a “button” on the rear of it, once pressed with the thumb and the front of the magazine held with the index finger, and releases it from the magazine well. The newer versioned 925 has a latch at the rear of the magazine well (as does the MKII) for single finger removal, press the latch the magazine falls out. As most things these days, the older model 25 magazine seems better built / constructed than the newer 925 or MKII’s magazines. The bottom metals surrounding the mag well are similar in the MKII and the older Marlin 25, but changed slightly in the 925. See below, MKII top, Marlin 25 bottom. You can also see the lack of the magazine release on the mdl 25 at the rear of the magazine well.
The magazines in the new 925's are much not as big as the 25's, comparably smaller than the MKII's, and of about the same quality as the MKII's
*****CONTINUED IN PART 3*****
MKII F/G vs. Marlin 25/925 sporter barrel - showdown Part 3
MKII F/G vs. Marlin 25/925 sporter barrel showdown - Part 1
Savage MKII F / G VS. Marlin 25 (925) SPORTER BARREL SHOWDOWN PART 2
Moving on to the bolt, both have the locking lugs (square) at the base of the bolt handle and engages the receiver to the rear to lock into place. The Savage’s extractors seem of better quality and more positive extraction than the Marlin 25 or 925 – advantage Savage. Other differences are the MKII's firing pin is at the 12:00 position, the Marlin 25's is at 2:00. The Marlin 25's also has a notch out of it in the 12:00 position, of which a "latch" on the top of the receiver fits into this notch, I can only assume to help lock in the bolt better - advantage Marlin 25. On the contrary, the new 925's don't have this. There are also differences on how they ride in the receiver and where the bolt rotates, where the triggers engage, where the release mechanisms are, etc. and although not the best of pictures, can be seen below. MKII top and left, Marlin 25 bottom and right.
The bolt handle angle on the MKII sets the knob in a position outward and slightly swept back that’s “easier to find” than the Marlin , and an angle that would make it easier to install a tactical type knob if you wish – my opinion, advantage Savage. The Marlin’s (both 25 and 925) bolt handle is more tucked in toward the stock and straight down, harder to “find”, BUT does have one slight advantage over the Savage in the point of it will not get caught on clothes, brush, etc. and open unintentionally. It seems that the amount of “throw” in the Marlin’s bolt is substantially less than the Savage’s bolt. So once you “find” the knob, it takes less action / movement to cycle the next round in the Marlin – advantage Marlin for quicker follow up shots. Also one of the 925 models “upgrades” to the bolt handle form the 25 model is that on the downward arc, there is a flat spot grouond on the upsided rounded edge to allow more for clearance for a telescopic optic. There is no need for the flat spot with the Savage’s handle angle. Top 2 is MKII, bottom 2 mdl 25 / 925.
Safeties – MKII’s move forward to fire. 925 move forward to fire. The 25 move BACKWARD to fire. The MKII’s seem to stick out alittle more for a better “finding” of it, however easier to get unintentionally placed into fire. The 25 and 925’s are smaller and harder to “find” than the MKII, but also less prone to unintentionally being placed on fire. To me it also seems the Marlin’s safety was more “solid” – in the safeties dept, advantage Marlin. It is also noticeable in the above pictures how much the safety knobs pertrude. below side views of the safety area, MKII on top, Marlin 25 bottom. Note the different safety positions when in "Firing" mode...
Magazines – as mentioned at the top of the post, the MKII F and G come with 10 round mags, the Marlin 925 and the mdl 25 both have 7 round magazines. The 25’s magazine has a “button” on the rear of it, once pressed with the thumb and the front of the magazine held with the index finger, and releases it from the magazine well. The newer versioned 925 has a latch at the rear of the magazine well (as does the MKII) for single finger removal, press the latch the magazine falls out. As most things these days, the older model 25 magazine seems better built / constructed than the newer 925 or MKII’s magazines. The bottom metals surrounding the mag well are similar in the MKII and the older Marlin 25, but changed slightly in the 925. See below, MKII top, Marlin 25 bottom. You can also see the lack of the magazine release on the mdl 25 at the rear of the magazine well.
The magazines in the new 925's are much not as big as the 25's, comparably smaller than the MKII's, and of about the same quality as the MKII's
*****CONTINUED IN PART 3*****
MKII F/G vs. Marlin 25/925 sporter barrel - showdown Part 3
