This rifle was voted the deserved title of “Best Value” based upon a combination of features and MSRP. Marlin is a very old company that has largely worked in the lever action market. For over a century American gun nuts have bought half a dozen Winchester lever guns to brag about and one Marlin to take hunting. The X7 is a bolt action rifle that is meant to continue this tradition. This gun is not going to break your bank account, but beware because it will fill your freezer.
The X7 comes with pillar bedding and an adjustable trigger to improve accuracy. The rifle’s stock is black synthetic with a cheek piece and a fairly nice recoil pad. The magazine is of the traditional fixed type and capacity is four plus one. Right now the X7 is only available in six calibers, all pretty standard fodder, and that is in line with the rifle’s overall concept. The X7 also comes with a one-piece scope base thrown in for free, so you don’t have to go hunting around sporting goods stores. The Marlin lever guns were always what you pulled out of the rack when you were headed somewhere you didn’t want to take your Winchester and now you can pull the X7 out of the rack when you don’t want to risk your thousand dollar bolt gun.
Any of the areas the X7 lost points in were due to sacrifices that should be expected with a rifle in this particular price class. The X7 has a two-position safety which, although probably not a problem for most folks, cost it a point in the comparison. The lack of a free scope mount that might be hard to locate cost two points in the scope mounting category and the rifle’s fit/finish is only average. A point was also deducted for accuracy because, while the Marlin should shoot just fine, it may not deliver the accuracy that other rifles in the comparison (which have been in production longer) will deliver. With its features and very low MSRP this rifle is going to become a kind of guilty pleasure for the bolt action crowd.