The Glenfield Model 20 was made by Marlin Firearms as an inexpensive entry level .22. Marlin produced the Glenfield line of rifles as a less expensive version of their popular rifles. In addition to the Glenfield line, Marlin produced store brand guns under other names such as Montgomery Wards's Western Field, Sear's J.C. Higgins, J.C. Penney's Foremost, Western Auto's Revelation, etc. All of these gun are generally identical to the Marlin branded guns with the exception of finish and appearance. Some guns had lower quality stocks, were absent white line spacers, etc. The Marlin made Glenfield Model 20 is a pretty plain looking gun with the exception of a pressed in groundhog or woodchuck on the grip of the stock. While I doubt that the Marlin Glenfield Model 20's stock is actually walnut, it does have a nice dark walnut appearance.
The Marlin Glenfield Model 20 states that it handles .22 short, long, and long rifle. However, I have never ran anything through the magazine except .22 LR so I am uncertain if the others will feed through the magazine. The detachable magazine holds 7 rounds of .22 LR ammunition. Typical of many magazines it begins to be difficult to load after the first 4 or 5 rounds. My only serious complaint about the Marlin Glenfield Model 20 is that the magazine is difficult to insert into the gun. While it may be just specific to my gun (it is about 30 years old after all) the magazine must be jiggled into place. The mechanical workings of the rifle are simple and straight forward. The bolt works smoothly and the trigger is pretty good considering the inexpensive nature of this inexpensive .22 rifle. Though the sights are a bit rough they are perfectly useable for tearing up cans and obtaining squirrels, rabbits, and other small game for the pot. The Marlin Glenfield Model 20 is grooved to accept a scope. A large thumb operated safety is located just behind the bolt handle.
The Marlin Glenfield Model 20 is not picky about ammunition. All of the various (and usually cheap!) .22 ammo that I have run through it shoots reasonably well and cycles fine.
According to information that I found on the internet it appears that the Marlin Glenfield Model 20 in my collection was made in the late 1970s. I am uncertain if all the specifics of my gun listed above were produced throughout the entire model's run, but the standard mechanisms were probably unchanged. In any case a Marlin Glenfield Model 20 can be purchased for well under a hundred dollars. Check the bore to assure it has been reasonably well cared for and you should have a great and useful gun for hunting or plinking.
My dad got me one for Christmas in 1975. We moved to the woods of Western NC in Feb. 1976 and I took off to them with a vengance. My Model 20 saw plenty of action hunting, plinking and sinking cat food cans as they attacked "midway attoll" from upstream in the creek. I must have shot at least 5,000 rounds thru it. hundreds of squirrels. Just today I cleaned it up thoroughly and put a BSA 3x9 40mm scope on it for my son to use as small bore practice rifle until i can save up enough to by a savage .22lr with the "wonder" trigger everybody else uses. with the scope, i can put 3 shots in a dime at 50ft small bore competition range. its still a dang good rifle, just looks cheaper than it shoots. long barrel. i do need to free float the stock after all these years. there are four stripes in the wood stock where the barrel has rubbed and heated all these years. 30 minutes with a dowel rod wrapped in sandpaper and it will be free floated target rifle.
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ReplyDeleteI have one that was my father-in-law's many years ago. It must be a very early model as it a pre-serial number example. After many years I dug it out, cleaned it up and took it to the range. At 40 yds (the distance of my indoor range) this gun still shoots great ! It was so good with the iron sights I just purchased a Nikon scope for it, that probably cost 3 times what this rifle cost new ! My old eyes will have trouble with the open sights much beyond 40 or 50 yds. and this rifle is so much fun to shoot I figured why not. And with 500 rounds of 22s costing less than 25 bucks what's not to like !
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