Marlin XL7
Marlin has introduced a new line of bolt action rifles this year, the XL7. It comes in two models, the XL7 and XL7C (Relatree Camo).
XL7C
It is available in 25-06, 270 and 30-06.
Specs:
Capacity: 4+1
Barrel: 22″
Weight : 6 1/2 lbs.
The XL7 has been built for those who demand premium features at a fair price. Noteworthy features include our NEW adjustable Pro-Fireâ„¢ trigger system, Soft-Techâ„¢ recoil pad, fluted bolt for speed and smoothness, a pillar bedded stock for accuracy and recessed “target style” muzzle crown Price right, the XL7 is a rifle that you can be proud of at a price you can afford.
More at Marlin
GunBlast has written a review:
I like accurate rifles. I especially like accurate rifles that are a real bargain in today’s market. I usually do not list prices in a review, as our articles stay up on Gunblast in the Archive section forever, and we are constantly getting new readers who find our site. In this case, however, I will make an exception, as this new XL7 carries a list price, as of this writing, of only $326 US. This price, combined with the accuracy, comfort, and handling of the rifle, along with that excellent trigger, makes this new Marlin XL7 one of the best bargains available in a quality rifle. In addition to that, it is made in the United States by American skilled workers. Considering reliability, accuracy, and price, the Marlin XL7 is hard to beat, and I highly recommend it.
More here.
If marlin (remington) were trully innovative they would have developed the “sure fire” long before the accu trigger. This gun is a clone, nothing more, and out of principle I will never buy one.
I really like the accu trigger, I think the more guns with it (or with a clone) the better!
Unfortunately with the consolidation of the gun industry innovation is likely to decrease.
Hi i know this is about the new rifel and im interested i just dont know what caliber to go with. Right now im thinking about the 270. i want a gun with longe range capabilitys and knockdown power. The 30 06 just seems like its overkill for me and the 25 06 seems a little on the light side. I hunt in the eastern woods and i have a 35 rem to do the brush job i just want a distance shooter as well. Any advice? thanks
John
I would go with the .270 win. This caliber is good enough for anything from coyotes up elk with a big enough bullet and shot placement it can be done.
Just purchased the Model XL7 in .270. What an excellent rifle. The action is as smooth as silk and shoots the same. Would recommend this rifle to any big game hunter.
I’ve had an XL7 in 30-06 for a couple of monthes and it is a very clean little rifle. I bought it because I like the 30-06 and sold my last one a bit ago and finally felt the need to replace it when I saw a picture of the XL7.
I’ve been experimenting with Barnes TSX ansd TSXT bullets in 130 and 168 grain weights. I’ve found one load that is sub MOA but feel I have not yet reached the rifle’s potential. For the price, I’m very impressed. I hope they soon make a short action in 243.—-PJ
I bought the XL7 in .270 and am super pleased with the way it performs. Sweet trigger, 1″ groups using 130gr Federal Nosler Ballistic Tips. I can’t wait to take it deer hunting in a few weeks. Besides this I’m taking it to South Africa on a plains game hunt in 3 months, I’m wondering if anyone has any tips on other ammo that I can use. My largest animal will be the Kudu and I’m thinking about trying the 150gr Nosler Partitions and 140gr Accubonds, both from Federal. Has anyone shot these rounds through their Marlin XL7 and does anyone have any other suggestions for rounds they would recommend for my hunt? Thanks in advance.
I bought the 30.06 and love it. I want the 25.06 but was wondering how much the 22 inch barrel effects the 25.06 effectiveness downrange. Should I opt for a 24 or 26 inch barrel in another rifle?
Tony, have you found a 25.06? I read a few posts that said Marlin was having problems with this caliber and only 100 of them have been made and released and they don’t intend to send out anymore until the problem is fixed which was going to be at the end of this year or early next year? Sorry but I can’t help you with the accuracy downrange but you may not have the option to pick one up for sometime (if that makes a difference to you).
Thanks Joe. I do have another option with the 25.06. I may opt for the 270 since I like the 30.06 so much. Good shooters for the money. Thanks for the info.
i bought the XL7 in a 30 06 i put a bushnell 3×9x50 on it all together about 550 bucks im very pleased with the gun the 30 06 was a over kill on the nock down power….i like the adjustable trigger….this gun is very sweet and would put it up ageist and high price gun. shooting the 150 grain shell it will go as far as any 270.350 yards plus
Jamie,
What 150 grain ammo are you shooting? Have you compared any different ammo? I shot the Federal 150 grain Nosler partion and got really good groups. I put a Leupold 3 X 7 (walmart version) on it and I have around $450 in the gun and scope. I would also put it up against most guns.
i have a 30-06 with a 3×9x40, and i a supper pleased with the rifle. all in all i put just under 415.00 into it with a box of amo. the frist 20 rounds were sweet and let me sight in my rifle and thighten up the screws. so far i am acc.. with the rifle up to 220yd.. but the rifle can go beyond that.. and tips on geting better??
justin, practice practice practice!
I believe I saw this same rifle at my local store for 295 so after reading all your postings I would have to say I BETTER GO BUY IT NOW!! Thanks
I bought this rifle in 30-06 at Academy here in Houston,Texas for $267 dollars! I bought a Nikon Prostaff 3-9×40 scope for it for $156 dollars! The guys at the store put the scope on and bore sighted it for me. I havent had a chance to sight it in yet. I think I’m in love again!!! With all the great thing you guys are saying about this rifle I cant wait to get her to the range!! The sales associate there talked me into getting this particular model. I guess he was dead-on, huh! In my opinion 30-06 is the perfect caliber, because you get longer distance, big game stopping power, and above average accuracy. If you up the grain you can reach even further, and stop bigger game like bear and elk. Thanks for websites like these!!
Bought the 270 in Camo and the pic looked more tan but turns out more green but really looks great. Going to take it to Texas this week hunting. Can’t wait to sight it in and hunt with it. $310 at Walmart. Put a 3 x 9 x 40 Leupold Rifleman scope on it. I like the Nosler bullets Joe M. mentioned above and look forward to shooting it. Will let you know.
The 30.06 shoots good with both 150 and 180 Core Lokts.
I recently puchased the 30-06 for $279 at academy here in Houston but the are getting hard to find. My father has already had one and we’re shooting 1″ groups at 200 yrds. with 165gr. Hornady hand loads. The one I puchased has a silver M on the cap of the grip which I have not seen on any others. I was wondering if any one else has one like this?
Joe, I got one of these guns yesterday, and have not had a chance to shoot it yet. My .30-06 also has the silver M on the grip. I dont think there’s any difference. I bought mine at academy in east texas also, also for $279. I cant wait to shoot it. Also,does anyone know which bullet weight shoots the best in the .30-06? I bought 180gr. and 165 gr. bullets, or are the 150gr. or 130gr. more accurate in it?
Hey Guys,
What is the recoil like on the 30.06 in comparison to the .270? I’m leaning towards picking up the 30.06 but don’t want something that is going to knock me out of the tree like some 30.06 rifles. Any advice?
The .30-06 will kick harder, but the xl7 has an excellent recoil pad that dampens it a good bit. Also, 40% of felt recoil is noise from the gun blast, so get a good pair of mickey mouse shooting muffs. I think the .30-06 is the better caliber, but there are very few things that can be killed with a .30-06 that cannot be killed with a .270, so I guess it just depends on what you’r hunting. As for deer, the .270 is plenty of medicine, but if you plan to hunt much larger game, say African or bear, go with the .30-06.
I just purchased this gun today at Cabela’s for $300. After reading this and several other sites it seems I made a good choice. I plan on picking up a scope tomorrow and sighting it in tomorrow as well.
Does anyone know what model of leupold bases the XL7 takes? I heard you can either buy the standard ones or the model 70 winchester.
My new XL7 from Cabela’s came with bases. Sorry but I threw away the plastic that had the part #.
I got mine for $250 at my local gun shop. I happened to walk in the door while the owner was walking through and he shouted 8% off on all in stock guns. I shopped until I dropped and was willing to spend more. I was extremely hesitant to buy the Marlin XL7 because of the low price but I just liked the gun and it had a nice stiff glass fiber reinforced synthetic stock and a great trigger. I was about to buy the Tikka T3 but it just did not feel right when I held it up and laid my cheek on it. I kept thinking that I could not get a good gun for such a low cost but I am a very happy camper and I am glad I went with the Marlin. It looks really sharp with a nice thin coat of oil on it and a good looking scope. It consistently shoots .8 to 1.4 groups at 100 yards with all kinds of ammo. That is possibly an average of .2 inches over the best of the most accurate production rifles like the Vangaurds and Tikkas that guarantee under 1 inch but in reality how much difference does .2 inches make. This is not a match rifle anyway but it is certainly a good quality hunting rifle that will last for many years to come. Oh yeah and it has the best factory warranty in the business of five years.
I heard the 25.06’s are out and the short action calibers in 243, 308 and 7mm08 are out also. Anyone have a 25.06 or the short caliber’s? Also, I saw where you can get the XL7’s with a wooden stock as well.
I’m planning on getting a new rifle this year that I won’t mind taking into the woods in bad weather (rain,sleet,snow), because my grandfather’s sporterized 1903a3 is more of a collector piece than a woods gun. The price and good reviews are a plus for this rifle, but has anybody had or heard of any malfunctions or weather related problems? I’d hate to spend even a couple hundred bucks on a gun that doesn’t work in the conditions I bought for in the first place! Any feedback is appreciated, thanks.
Dave,
I to have a sporterized 1903 and I am in the process of returning it to its original condition. I can tell you that the XL-7 is an excellent rifle. So much so that I bought one in .270 and one in 30-06. I have had no issues with it in the woods.
The .270 is giving me groups of 1.3 at 300 yards. I have tried different powders and bullets and settled on Hornady 140gr SST with 53.8 grains of IMR 4831 powder. Do not hesitate buy the gun and have fun.
I do have a question. I am trying to mount a 6 X 12 Leopold scope with a 1” tube on the 30-06. The problem is that the scope is sitting too high and it is a few clicks away from bottoming out the elevation. Has anyone else had this problem? If so what make of rings did you use? Any help would be great.
Coach P
I bought the 30-06 Marlin XL7 and it is a godsend. I fell in love with it the very first time I shot it. The bolt is a smooth, strong machanical wonder. Thanks to the hair trigger on it, I never miss a shot. I highly recommend this rifle to all game hunters or even marksmen.
My grandpa bought me (18) and my brother (15) the xl7 .270 for this past Christmas. It is my first actual gun and it is definitely the reason for my uprised interest in hunting and just shooting in general. this gun has more than enough power for what we use it for. The first time my brother went hunting (hog) with this amazing gun he was using a reduced load. 115 grain core lockts. and he shot a hog and it dropped but when he went to go up to it he noticed there were 2 more hogs that he dropped. they were all shoulder shots too. I have no idea how this happened but it is one of those stories that will be passed on haha. 3 hogs with 1 shot, I was jealous. but this rifle is amazing and even with reduced load’s its powerful enough for anything, well almost. If you are on the fence about this gun let me give you some advice. GET IT !!!
I had an Accuracy problem with my 06,1rst 2 shots ok .79 warm barrel it went high to the right at least 2 to 3 inches. I floated the barrel, and then had to shim the rear of the stock on the right side about a 32nd. This put the barrel dead center. I have only test fired one load so far that is a 150 gr. sierra bt. federal brass, 200 cci primer, 59 grains of h4350 powder. Consistent 3 shot groups now of .39. at 100yrds. still tuning, but very happy so far for any amount of money.
Hi guys i’m from namibia which is in the south west part of africa,short history on buying a firearm here,buy do aplication for a licence wait anywhere between 3 and 7 months then you get the gun,believe me it aint fair!back to the story i bought a XL7 aswell in 30-06 ,did alot of recearsh before hand and jup the gun feels damn good when your holding it,good solid action,has a quality feel about it and just seems like a very good buy for the price,I bought a 25-06 Ruger M77 Mark 2 target a couple of months ago paid alot more for it,it shoots good groopings and is an good gun for hunting springbok at up to 300 yds I just hope the marlin is’nt more accurate for half the price,and looking at the gun it just might be!
Marnus, welcome to the The Firearm Blog. I think you may be the fist Namibian. There are a few South Africans.
Thanks steve ,here getting advice on guns is difficult and the blog is excellennt helped me make the decision on the XL7,thanks !
hey
im am 17 years old and my dad wants me to bye a centerfire rifle he has got his 270 wich is a great gun on the deer is tasmaina but we are planing a trip 2 vic next year after red and we was looking around the gun stors and found the XL7 it pulled up great felt like a ripper of a gun …. i dont no what sort of scope , scope mounts and bullets i should use can some 1 help me
Hi Damien,270 ,great all round caliber ,research so far has made me believe the marlin is an excellent gun for its price,as for deer hunting I would believe the accuracy of the gun is good enough have heard some guys claim sub 1 MOA groupings at 100 or just over,most days that sort of gun is more accurate that i am,so i would say not a bad choice,as for ammuniton I dont own a 270 so I cant say,but as i usually do test,test ,test ,you will find the ammo that soots you as for deer I would go 130 grain as you have enough stopping power and your trajectory stays flat,but test a few different loads ,get one that groups in your gun and that you feel comfrotable with!good Luck!
Coach P: The scope I mounted is a Bushnell Fullfield II 3-9×40, and the rings are med height Weaver. I didn’t have to move it much to get it sighted in so I didn’t run into any adjustment range problems. What’s the reason for turning your 03 back to a military rifle?
Damien: For the .270, bullet weights of 140 and 150 will hold more energy downrange and generally be effected less in the wind, and all major ammo manufacturers sell ammo in one or both of these weights. For scopes, Leupold are hands down the best for durability and clarity, and their Rifleman and VX-1 lines are economic as well as reliable. Burris and Nikon are also really good and offer affordable models as well. Regardless of scope brand, get medium height rings for a 40mm front objective and high rings for larger size objectives. The scope base included is made by Weaver so scope rings by Weaver are the best bet. Good luck
In addition, the XL7 I bought has a walnut stock, and a really good looking one at that! If any of you don’t want a synthetic stocked one the walnut is high quality and there’s a wood laminate version as well. They are about $100 more than the synthetic stock version though. Either way, if you want one get one, my salesman here tells me ordering new ones takes a while as Marlin is tapped out in their production.
Dave,
I bought a M1 garand and am looking at a 30 cal carbine. I guess I am going through a nostalgic stage in my life.
Coach P, that’s understandable- they usually take some attention to detail in sportizing them, so I figured it was to use it in service rifle competition. Have fun building the military rifle collection!
Also, the scope I mounted is a Burris, not Bushnell, and since my last post I have taken off the Weaver base and rings and put on Leupold Standard base and rings. The base is a two piece, with a separate front and rear base, so the area above the receiver is more open and easier accessed. It is more clean looking, and in my opinion a more solid mounting set up than Weaver style bases and rings. For those who are interested, the cost for the switch was $58 through Midway USA with parts and tax, and use Winchester Model 70 Long Action post-’64 bases with a reversible rear base (so scopes like my Burris with shorter mounting tolerances can fit).
Hi folks im new to this sight been reading alot about the XL7 wanted to know about them in the 25-06 read a couple places they had problems an d some concerns as to barrel length,also have they come out in short action yet.I am from ohio and my local dealer does not stock the XL7 because of some kind of deal W/ the stephens rifles for about the same price they can order me one any thoughts on the subject appreciated.
Dave,
what model of the Leupold bases did you use? i can’t find one specifically for the XL7
Hi,
I have been reading a lot of reviews about the XL7 and can’t seem to find anything wrong with it. I am just getting into hunting, I have a .22, but this would be my first higher caliber rifle. What would anyone reccomen about the .270 vs. the 30.06? Or should I go with something different until I’m more experienced? Thanks.
Glad to see there are so many other Happy Shooters out their. I bought an XS7 in .308 for my grandson at Academy and put a Pentax Game Seeker 3-9X50 scope on it for another $130. They mounted it for me for free and it was less than $500 out the door with tax.
When I got it home, I fine tuned the bore sighting Academy did with a laser projectile at night out a little over 100 yards.
A few days later we took it out to a field and the first three shots were only 1/2 inch left of the X and all three touched each other. Needless to say, no more sighting needed!!!
My 13 YO Grandson shot his first big game rifle that day with it and was on the paper only two and three inches to the left of the X. He remarked that he did not think the rifle kicked bad at all and is ready and eager to to out and practive some more with it. I think I will retire my Rem 700 and buy an XL7 pretty soon in .270 or another XS7 in .243. The factory trigger set was perfect out of the box at about 3.5#.
Hope everyone else enjoys their bargain rifle as much as we do, good luck and happy/safe hunting!
Ben, I might recommend either the .270 or .30-06 in the XL7. The .30-06 is going to roar and kick more than any of the others, but there are so many different loads out there for it. You can go from the Remington 55gr accelerator load all the way up to 220gr hunting loads for heavy brush hunting. You can buy standard 150, 165 and 180 Remington Core Locks for less than $20 a box at Wally or Academy. The .270 is also awesome and common with decent prices on ammo.
The short bolt XS7 I just bought in .308 is also an awesome and inexpensive round. These are very inexpensive, since the 7.62X51 Nato rounds are .308 rifle loads and can be purchased in large bulk, saving a bundle if you want to do a lot of target shooting. Out to 300 yards a .308 can get the job done on most large game, such as hogs and white tail.
I just submitted another post on my grandson and his first experience with the .308 XS7. Hope that helps. Don’t scrimp on the scope, there are a lot of decent scopes out there under $200. One of the best for the money is the Nikon ProStaff for around $150. I am fairly impressed with the Pentax Gameseeker, so far. Can’t tell the difference between it and my Nikon, both much better than Tasco, or the lower priced Bushnells and BSAs.
Good luck shopping, have fun!!
Just got an XL7 in .30-06 with a 2-10x Simmons scope, carrying case and some ammo for $350, everything still in the box.
Why .30-06?
When I shoot something, I want to know it`s going down and staying down. Damned boars…
WiLL- I used Winchester M70 Long action post ‘64 bases. You won’t find any specificaLLy for the MarLin cuz they use the Win hoLe spacing anyway. ALso, DONT use the express modeL 70 bases, they are different from standard M70 ones.
Ben- If you onLy pLan on hunting deer and game simiLar in weight and size, the 270 wiLL easiLy get the job done with Less recoiL, and buLLet weights of 140 and 150 grain are best. If there’s a chance you wiLL hunt Larger/tougher game Like eLk,caribou, or bears, the 30-06 is Larger with heavier buLLet weights of 180gn or more and wouLd be a better choice. It wiLL however recoiL harder, so if Larger game isn’t on the menu the 270 is best. If so the 180gn 30-06 buLLet weight is the best aLL-round choice for one weight to choose. Have fun, Dave
Thanks a lot for all the response everybody. I think I probably will go with the XL7 when I have enough extra cash. I definitely want the walnut stock. And since I probably will only hunt deer, at least for a while, I will go with the .270. But you never know, I might change my mind. Thanks again.
hey.guy’s…new to this site need some advise going to purchase either a xl7 or xs7…is the short action alot faster?
bobby, well slighly faster, but the real saving is weight and total length. Really it comes down to the cartridge you want to shoot.
finally got my first look at these gun’s today..(xl7 & xs7) and went with the .270 got great deal at ACADEMY…..both the XL7 & XS7 was only $289.00 here in ft.smith,arkansas…….cant wait to get my leupold mounted & sited!
I bought the XL7 30-06 in May 2009. It’s my first rifle. I read a number of reviews before deciding to buy this gun. I’ve been to the range 3 times this summer to practice and to get a good feel for the gun. It is now zeroed in wonderfully at 100 yards. I am typically seeing quarter-sized patterns on my targets shooting a Remmington 150 grain soft point. Really seems to be a fantastic rifle in every regard from the manufacturing to the performance. It is also very easy to breakdown for cleaning, and the trigger pull is very easy to adjust. I am very impressed with this rifle and look forward to taking into the field for whitetails this fall – and to the mountains next year for elk. This rifle is a really great value and the reviews are true. Marlin did a fantastic job in producing this rifle.
Hey everyone, Ive been in the market for a new good enexpensive rifle. For a while i didnt think those two words could go together in the same sentence but it can. I was shooting a british .303 for a while but finally decided to retire it. Ive decided to go with the xl7 30-06 and i love it. The action and lightweight is just awesome. Ive already decided on the Alpen 4-16×50 scope to mount atop this gem. The only thing im wandering is being here in California we have to use lead free ammo for any kind of big game hunting. I was wandering if anyone has shot any of this ammo and which would be a good weight, so on and so fourth to use for this rifle. Any comments or advice would be much appreciated….thanks again and happy shooting
Hey guys can any of more experienced shooters recommend the best type of ammo for my .270 xl7.I need a round that will hold up for longer distances (200-400 yards) i have done added a real nice leupold scope,any advise would be appreciated.You can either contact me here or at bobbyr1121 [a t] live dot com
Bobby- A polymer tipped 140 or 150 grain bullet will have the best ballistic coefficient for your .270, and retain the most energy for longer ranges. It will also help with being less effected by wind. Hornady makes great ammo that is accurate and also quite affordable- the 140gn SST load is $25.50 at Midway USA, and probably close to that in a gun store. Federal and Winchester make tipped 140 and 150gn ammo but they are a bit more expensive at $40-$50. Zero it 2in high at 100yds and it will be 1in high at 200, 5in low at 300, 17in low at 400, and 36in low at 500. With a 10mph crosswind it will drift 1in at 100yds, 3in at 200, 6in at 300, 10in at 400, and 16in at 500. Most rounds produced of the same weight are around the same velocity by most manufactures, so this trajectory should be about the same for similar 140gn poly tipped loads from others. Good luck with the bucks, Dave.
KevinC- Black Hills, Cor Bon, and Federal make loads with the Barnes TSX bullet that is all copper in 165gn and 180gn, and Federal has one with the Barnes MRX in 180gn. They are all quite pricey, at $42 being the least expensive. These are all good manufactures, so any one of these should give you good results. That’s too bad you have to use the most expensive type of ammo available. Good luck.
I just purchased the xl7 in 30-06 today took me for ever to decide beween the marlin and the savage but reading your post I think i made a good choice havent fired it yet got the leuphold 3×9x40 on it all for 349.00 at a local dealer here in virginia cant wait to try it
this is the best gun i have ever seen.i got the 270. bolt action and shoot 130 grains out of it.i got a 3 by 9 busshnel scope on it and im shooting a group the size of a nickel.i love your wepons.
Hey guys I’m a new hunter and recently bought the Marlin .270. After reading these reviews I’m pretty excited about taking it out soon. It came with a scope already mounted, I’m taking it to the range later today. What are some tips for sighting in that you can give me? Thanks for the help?
I finally got to shoot my xl7 30-06 he other day. I haft to say it is one of the best shooting rifles I have fired. I was shooting mainly the 150 grain remington core loct bullet was getting half inch groups with it. I would recomend this weapon to anyone you may pay more for a better looking rifle but your not going to get one that shoots any better. I only wish they put a removable clip in for loading.. but I could find at least one thing i dont like about any weapon so way to go marlin for building a great shooting afordable rifle.
I have Marlin 795 22cal and I love it so much that I’ve decided to get something bigger for my target shooting. I just can’t decide between 270 vs 30.06. I need something that will be good for both 100 and 200 yards. It looks like the price for ammo is about the same for both…(If I’m not mistaken).
Thanks in advance
All depends on how much shooting and what you will be shooting to harvest. You may want to look at the Ballistic tables on this site:
http://www.shootingtimes.com/ballistics/ballistic-tables/
The .06 has a very wide variety of ammo for many uses and is commonly available. The .270 aint too shaby either, both have been around a very long time. I am considering a .270 my self and am debating between the Marlin and the Weatherby Vanguard. I have a Marlin XS7 in .308 and really like it, but the .270 cries for a 24″ barrel to gain the most from it’s long range capabilities. I have an .06 Reminginton 700 BDL with a 24″ barrel and really like shooting it, especially since I installed a Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad on it. I appreciated the fact the Marlin came with a decent pad on it already. If you think bear, elk or moose are in your future targets, the .30 caliper has a heaver range of bullet available but will kick a little harder than the lighter .270 rounds. If you know someone with both rifles, you may ask to shoot each, in the weight of bullet you would considering hunting with, to determine which is most comfortable for you to shoot. Either round will take down most game in North America, with an appropriately placed shot. Comfort and confidence are big factors in shooting, especially in the few moments when we get a trophy in our sights.
Hope this helps,
Happy and Safe Hunting,
Mike B.
I’m planning on using Marlin XL7 for target shooting only (200 yards). Personally, I don’t see myself hunting but like everything in life…that might change as well…so I’m trying to get best rifle for target shooting.
So I’m trying to decide between 270 vs 30.06…
I recently purchased 25-06 and to date am impressed with its capabilities. I am grouping in bout a qourter shooting 120 grain winchester ammo. deffinatly cant complain about the price or performance with the xl7, was a recent owner of rem 700 and tney are very comparable. with the exception I had close to 500 more in the 700 after adding adjustable trigger. All and all marlin did a fantastic job!