Marlin's "Garden Gun" - Model 25MG - Brief Article

Guns Magazine, March, 2000 by Clair Rees

Rimfire shot cartridges have been around for decades. They're fine for shooting snakes or mice-sized critters at close range, but deliver lousy patterns from a rifled barrel. At 10 feet (not yards), most .22 rifles throw a 7" or 8" shot pattern with several flyers. At twice that range, .22 LR shot loads aren't very effective particularly from a rifled bore.

Most manufacturers have long since discontinued the smoothbore Gallery Special models. Specifically designed for shotshells, these smoothbore .22s produced surprisingly good patterns out to 15 or 20 yards. Marlin has resurrected rimfire shotguns with its new Model 25MG "Garden Gun."

This bolt-action seven-shot repeater chambers potent .22 WMR shotshells made exclusively by CCI. Its 22" barrel has no pattern-destroying lands or grooves. This gun is specifically designed for shotshell use. It can also fire standard .22 Magnum bulleted ammo, but don't expect stellar accuracy.

What you can expect is deadly performance on small pests at reasonable range. Standard .22 LR shot cartridges are loaded with just 1/15 oz. of size 12 "dust" pellets. CCI'S .22 Magnum shotshells carry nearly twice as much (a full 1/8 oz.) of slightly larger number 11 shot.

At first glance, the Model 25MG looks a lot like Marlin's Model 882 or Model 25N repeater. External give-aways include the straight-combed hardwood stock (the Model 882 Magnum sports a raised Monte Carlo-style comb). The Model 25MG also lacks sling swivel studs and an adjustable rear sight. Its plain blued barrel is unadorned except for a fluorescent orange front bead. My gun weighs 5 3/4 lbs. and measures 41" in overall length. Marlin doesn't offer a suggested retail price, but the gun should sell for somewhere around $180.

How does Marlin's Garden Gun perform? How do those .22 Magnum shotshells pattern through the smoothbore tube? At 50 feet (17 yards), most of the pellets could be contained in a 12" circle. Distribution was surprisingly even, with 28 pellets striking the 6" center of the spread.

I wish I'd had this "Garden Gun" a few years back, when a pair of hyperactive gophers took up residence in my large front lawn. The .22 Magnum shotgun is quiet enough to avoid annoying the neighbors, and there's no danger of ricochets or damage downrange. This gun is aptly named. It should also be great for teaching beginners to hit flying targets. I broke several tossed water balloons with Marlin's new smoothbore. It was a lot of fun.