Looking for some info, is Rimfire Central Dead??

First off, what's going on over at Rimfire Central? It used to be a very busy forum, but I posted this question and looked around last evening and there seems to be very few new threads.

Anyway, I just acquired this rifle and I'm looking for some more info on it. As you can see, the barrel is marked "RANGER Model 36". What is odd is that it differs quite a bit from all the pictures I could find of other Ranger model 36's. In particular, the rear of the bolt is shaped differently, and the large knurled stock screw is ahead of the magazine instead of behind it. Oddly enough, the closest thing I could find to it was actually a semi-auto (model 34?) Of the same vintage. The way I understand it, these were made for Sears by Marlin, and it's essentially a Marlin Model 80.

I also believe the front sight has been changed at some point, and it looks like the sling swivels have been removed and filled in as well for some reason.

I'm guessing this is a very early version of this model, and Marlin made some changes sometime later during it's production life, but that's really just a guess. Any information would be greatly appreciated!Attachment 278579Attachment 278580Attachment 278581Attachment 278582Attachment 278583

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While I cannot speak for folks at Rimfire Central, I can say there has been someone to always have some idea of what I needed. I have a small collection of odd ball .22's that I am always asking questions about and getting help. My only Marlin is a Model B that needs an extractor and ejector.

Ken

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Originally Posted by three50seven

First off, what's going on over at Rimfire Central? It used to be a very busy forum, but I posted this question and looked around last evening and there seems to be very few new threads.

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They had several mods that worked very hard trying to be as rude as possible a couple of years back. Lots of folks left including myself. Not sure if that related or not.

I assumed it was something along those lines. It's too bad, it was a vast forum with lots of very knowledgeable people.

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I'm on RFC almost every day, it is far from dead, as active as any other forum I frequent. And the moderators aren't rude at all.
Some sections, like the CZ one, are much busier than others.

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Originally Posted by M-Tecs

They had several mods that worked very hard trying to be as rude as possible a couple of years back. Lots of folks left including myself. Not sure if that related or not.

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Same with me.

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Originally Posted by M-Tecs

They had several mods that worked very hard trying to be as rude as possible a couple of years back. Lots of folks left including myself. Not sure if that related or not.

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I saw that, too. Some of the posters were a bit rough around the edges also. Dunning-Kruger types.

I used to lurk, but the site isn't even on my "Favorites menu" anymore.

Dunning-Kruger types-had to look that up. Polite term for some things that can't be said here.

I posted for some help on my Anschutz trigger adjustment here and over on their forum yesterday just to see if, and how, I would get a response to my question. Never had a response to my question over there but right away I had someone respond here wanting to help. I figured out what the issue was on my own after a good night sleep. It normally takes a good couple of days for a person to post a response on rimfire central, if they even do at all, and a lot of times it’s a snarky response. Should be a fun little rifle OP! Sears, Montgomery Wards, and Coast to Coast were most of my firearms growing up. I just picked up a speedmaster 552 and a Anschutz woodchucker a couple of days ago and just went through and cleaned them up. The sear on the woodchucker was screwed all the way out and the screws on the trigger housing were loose so the bolt would cycle and fire. I adjusted the trigger correctly this morning and all is well. It was missing a magazine so I am on a hunt for a magazine that won’t brake the bank.

You mean like, "You don't know what you don't know?"

More like you don’t know what you don’t know but are absolutely sure you do! I had to read up on it a while back, was after my college years. Interesting theory that we see in play every day, too.

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Originally Posted by Tripplebeards

Same with me.

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that's why i left

There are some real snobs on the Shotgun Forum.

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Originally Posted by Jack Russel

There are some real snobs on the Shotgun Forum.

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Yeah, I dropped out of that one, some years ago...... :roll:

gave up on RFC after over a decade + 4,000 plus posts, i no longer will post there - since the site revision a few years back many knowledgeable users have either passed on or stopped posting also - i do look in on occasion + have no regrets about my decision -

Good to see it has the mag. An acquaintance bought a Marlin a made Ranger a while back that was missing the mag. He thought he got a real deal till he priced a mag at the gun show. It took a Model 80 mag, they wanted $75.

I too dropped hanging out there, I think the price of 22 ammo and the fact just about all the gun makers of quality 22's seem to have gone away may have helped as well. The 10-22 was the flagship model with many posts and hopefully still a great new gun to buy; both mine are old early models. Was a great site back when...

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Originally Posted by schutzen-jager

gave up on RFC after over a decade + 4,000 plus posts, i no longer will post there - since the site revision a few years back many knowledgeable users have either passed on or stopped posting also - i do look in on occasion + have no regrets about my decision -

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Same, once the knowledgeable users leave there's no point. Same thing happened at Benchrest Central. Benchrest Central's Gunsmithing Corner had the world best riflesmiths posting their methods until they were harassed to the point they stopped posting and left. These builders were both world record holders and builders of the equipment that won word records yet people that had very limited knowledge harangued them unmercifully. The on that comes to mind is Chad Dixon of Long Rifles Inc. He posted the methods he used to build at the time world record holding 1,000 rifle. Since it wasn't built on a South Bend Heavy Ten lathe between center the "claim" was he didn't know what he was doing.

Once the subject matter experts leave it's just a matter of time before the site becomes pointless.

Heaven protect us from the "experts". I haven't been on RFC in many years and am on the way out of shotgun forum. Lots of snobs who think if you own anything but a Perazzi or Kreighoff you are low class and not worthy of having an opinion.

Sorry to see forums die

Don’t know about RFC but I have a Glenfield Model 25 from the mid-60’s that is in many ways similar to the OP’s Ranger.
The magazine looks identical, having a release push tab on the bottom back of each mag. No knurled takedown knob on mine. Back end of my bolt is rounded and my rifle has the grooves for a scope mount on receiver. I purchased three extra mags way back, seems they were $3.00 each.

over the years the Ranger marking was used by Montgomery Wards + others - it was found on both Marlin + Savage .22's going back to the late 20's -

Numrich Arms has a good schematic for the Marlin-Glenfield model “25 bolt action” and a not so good parts drawing for the Marlin model 80. I had to search through the drop down box in upper left corner of their site:
Category > Gun Magazines > Magazines > Marlin-Glenfield > Model 25 Bolt Action.
Interestingly they show reproduction magazines available for $55.23.
I doubt dad spent more than $30.00 for my model 25 new, including the attached Glenfield 4X scope.

just looked into RFC this morning, the topics that i used to post in - military trainers, Remington, Marlin, + legislation - quality has deteriorated greatly loaded with misinformation, opinions claimed as undocumented facts, + etc. - seems like only 2 or 3 older knowledgeable posters are stall participating - really a shame -

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Originally Posted by schutzen-jager

just looked into RFC this morning, the topics that i used to post in - military trainers, Remington, Marlin, + legislation - quality has deteriorated greatly loaded with misinformation, opinions claimed as undocumented facts, + etc. - seems like only 2 or 3 older knowledgeable posters are stall participating - really a shame -

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Ya, happening on most of the websites anymore including this 1.

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Originally Posted by Forrest r

Ya, happening on most of the websites anymore including this 1.

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:goodpost:[smilie=1:

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Originally Posted by gewehrfreund

:goodpost:[smilie=1:

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jmho - this is still the best + well run !

I still visit daily. Only a couple areas that are of interest or if I'm looking for something. Definitely some keyboard types there. But, I do find some good information. And a few good posts on my current rifles.

I am a member there and have made only a couple of posts. I have always had a love of 22 Rimfire. I have some interest in collecting 22 cartridges and boxes and I think there is decent amount of collectors over there. I haven't visited in 6 months.

I'm a member there with very few posts. I'm only interested in the old Mossbergs & 5-teen Remingtons. They have a few members that I consider experts on the Mossbergs & 2 in particular are very generous (if they have a part someone needs, they gift that part). One member in particular can repair old magazines. He repaired a magazine part for me @ no charge & sent it back to me with valuable installment information.

I just skip over the other stuff (I'm old & can't get interested in buying a 10-22, throwing away everything except the receiver & spending big bucks on something that looks like Flash Gordon dreamed up with a piece of glass on top that would be the envy of an star gazer).