Marlin Model 101

About the Marlin Model 101

The Marlin Model 101 is a single-shot, bolt-action .22 rimfire rifle produced by Marlin Firearms from the late 1940s into the 1970s as an inexpensive youth and beginner's plinking rifle. Chambered for interchangeable .22 Short, .22 Long, and .22 Long Rifle cartridges, it feeds one round at a time through a simple bolt loaded by hand, with a manually cocked striker for maximum safety awareness during training. Fitted with a Micro-Groove rifled barrel, adjustable open sights, and a hardwood Monte Carlo stock, the Model 101 was prized for its accuracy and near-indestructible simplicity, making it a common first rifle for generations of American shooters.

For decades the Model 101 and its Marlin single-shot .22 kin were the archetypal 'first rifle' sold through hardware stores and mail-order catalogs, teaching countless American children marksmanship and safe gun handling one hand-loaded round at a time.

Marlin Model 101 specifications

Later production variants included a distinctive ring-shaped bolt handle; the receiver was grooved for tip-off scope mounts.