Marlin Model 57 Levermatic
Marlin Firearms · Rifle · Discontinued · 1959
Also known as: Marlin 57, Model 57 Levermatic
Overview
The Marlin Model 57 Levermatic is an American .22 rimfire lever-action rifle produced from 1959 to 1965. Its defining feature is the Levermatic action, a short-throw lever mechanism using a cam-and-roller accelerator that requires less than 1.5 inches of lever travel, allowing exceptionally fast follow-up shots. Chambered for .22 Short, Long, and Long Rifle, it fed from a full-length tubular magazine holding up to 18 Long Rifle cartridges and wore a 22-inch barrel with a Monte Carlo pistol-grip stock. The tubular-magazine Model 57 proved more popular than the earlier box-magazine Model 56, and 34,628 were built.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 2950 g (104.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1041 mm (40.98") |
| Barrel Length | 559 mm (22.01") |
| Action Type | Lever Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 18 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Tubular |
| Muzzle Velocity | 330 m/s (1083 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 141 J (104 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 406 mm (15.98") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 Long Rifle · primary — also known as .22 LR, 22 LR, 5.6x15mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Tubular Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Short Throw Lever, Tubular Magazine, Monte Carlo Stock, Pistol Grip, Open Sights
Variants
- Marlin Model 57M Levermatic - Magnum Chambering
Service history
Operators
- Civilian sport and small-game shooters
Production
Estimated total produced: 34,628 · Production years: 1959-1965
34,628 Model 57 rifles produced; the .22 WMR Model 57M added a further 66,889 units.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Ewald Nichol and Tom Robinson
Discontinued: 1965
Notes
The Levermatic mechanism was developed by Marlin engineers Ewald Nichol and Tom Robinson, drawing on the earlier Kessler Lever-Matic concept. The follow-on Model 57M, chambered in .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire, outsold the Model 57 with 66,889 units.
Background
Marlin marketed the Levermatic as the fastest lever gun made, its ultra-short throw letting a shooter cycle the action almost without shifting the rifle off the shoulder.