Choosing the Right Magazine Spring for Your Marlin Rimfire Rifle: A Complete Reliability Guide

If your Marlin rimfire box magazine is skipping the last round or failing to lock the bolt back empty, a fatigued spring is the most likely cause — but ARM doesn't sell magazine springs as a standalone part. We build complete factory-pattern magazines with the spring, follower, and feed lips matched together. This guide covers how to tell a spring is worn, then how to get the correct complete replacement instead of chasing a generic part that isn't sold separately for this rifle.

Detachable box magazines only — a quick scope note

This guide covers ARM's detachable box magazines for Marlin bolt-action and semi-auto .22LR and .22 WMR/.17 HMR rifles — models like the 795, 995, 880, 925, XT-22, and the classic 780/25/20/80 pattern. If your rifle is a tube-fed Marlin like the Model 60, it's out of scope entirely: tube-fed, no detachable magazine to buy, and no spring diagnosis applies here.

Why the spring is usually the first thing to go

The magazine spring is the one component under constant load every time a round sits in the magazine, which is why it's the first part to fatigue. Rimfire box magazine springs are shorter and use heavier wire than a comparable centerfire spring because they generate the same upward force over a much shorter working stroke. Steel under sustained compression relaxes gradually — a spring that's a noticeable amount shorter than a known-good one has already lost meaningful working travel, even if it still looks intact.

Signs your Marlin rimfire magazine spring is worn

• Feeding is fine for the first several rounds, then hesitates or skips on the last one or two
• The bolt doesn't lock back on an empty magazine (semi-auto models)
• The follower feels sluggish returning to the top when you press it down with your thumb and release it
• Rounds sit nose-down or crooked at the top of the stack instead of level under the feed lips

The fastest bench test: press the top round (or the follower, if empty) down with your thumb and let go. It should snap back crisply. A slow, lagging return is your answer.

Not every Marlin model shares the same magazine

A follower or magazine that looks right for one Marlin model can be built to a slightly different geometry for another — a magazine correctly sized for a 795/995/880/925/XT-22 (.22LR) will not fit or feed a .22 WMR/.17 HMR model like the 882/982/25M, and a classic 780/25/20/80 bolt gun uses yet another pattern (the #71903). Confirm the exact model stamped on your barrel against the product page before ordering a replacement, the same rule that applies to every magazine on this site.

Cleaning first, replacing second

Rimfire ammunition leaves more residue than centerfire — unburned powder, lead, and bullet lubricant build up fastest at the follower and feed lips. A dirty magazine can mimic every symptom of a worn spring. Strip the magazine, wipe the follower and feed lip channel with a dry cloth, and re-test before assuming the spring has failed. If a clean magazine still shows the signs above, the spring has taken a permanent set.

Replacing a worn magazine

Because ARM ships the spring, follower, and feed lips as one complete factory-pattern magazine, there's no separate spring kit to source or install. Order the correct replacement for your exact model and caliber, and you get a matched, ready-to-load part rather than a mismatched spring dropped into an old body.

Which magazine do you need?

• 795, 995, 880, 925, XT-22 (.22LR, 7-round): 71900 or 71901 (nickel)
• Same rifles, 10-round: 10-round black oxide or nickel
• 780, 80, 20, 25 (classic bolt-action, .22LR): 7-round #71903, or extended-capacity 10-round / 15-round
• 882, 982, 782, 25M, 925M, 980, XT-22WMR, XT-17HMR (.22 WMR/.17 HMR): Marlin .22 Mag Magazines collection
• Not sure which model you have? Marlin Magazine Guide

Frequently asked questions

Does ARM sell a replacement spring for Marlin rimfire magazines?

No — we manufacture complete factory-pattern magazines with the spring, follower, and feed lips built and matched together, not standalone springs. If your spring is worn, the replacement is the full magazine.

How do I know if my Marlin box magazine spring is worn?

Watch for hesitation on the last round or two, a bolt that won't lock back empty on a semi-auto, or a follower that returns slowly when pressed and released. Clean the magazine first, since debris can mimic the same symptoms.

Can I use a 780/25/20/80 magazine spring in a 795 magazine?

No. These are different magazine patterns (#71903 vs. 71900/71901) built for different rifle generations, and ARM ships each as one matched, complete part — there's no interchangeable spring to swap between them.

Will a .22 WMR magazine spring fit a .22LR magazine?

No. .22 WMR and .17 HMR magazines are built around a longer, thicker cartridge and use a different spring, follower, and feed lip geometry than .22LR magazines.

Does the Marlin Model 60 use one of these magazines?

No. The Model 60 is tube-fed and has no detachable magazine at all, so it's outside the scope of this guide.

Run the thumb test, clean the magazine before you assume a failure, and if the spring's still weak, order the complete factory-pattern replacement for your exact model.

Buying for a shop, a range, or more than one rifle? See our wholesale purchasing terms for volume pricing.