Marlin vs Remington: Which Replacement Magazine Do You Need?

If your rifle says Marlin on the barrel, you need a rimfire magazine matched by caliber and model — .22 LR, .22 WMR, or .17 HMR. If it says Remington 783, you need a centerfire magazine matched by action length — short action, long action, or magnum. The two brands aren't interchangeable in any configuration, and getting the caliber or action length wrong is the single most common reason a "replacement" magazine doesn't fit. Here's how to tell which system your rifle belongs to and pick the right magazine the first time.

Two Different Rifles, Two Different Magazine Systems

Marlin's rimfire rifles — the bolt-action and semi-automatic .22s — use small, caliber-specific box magazines sized around rimfire cartridges. Capacity runs from 4 rounds up to 15 rounds depending on the model and caliber. Remington's Model 783 is a centerfire bolt-action built across several action lengths, so its magazines are sized around the cartridge's overall length rather than caliber alone, and they hold 3 to 8 rounds. There's no crossover between the two systems: a Marlin rimfire magazine will not fit a Remington 783, and a Remington 783 magazine will not fit a Marlin rimfire rifle.

Marlin: Match by Caliber First, Then Model

Marlin rimfire magazines split into two families that are never interchangeable with each other:

• .22 LR — fits the 780/25/20/80 bolt-action family (71903 pattern, 7/10/15-round) and the 25N/70/795/880/925/989/7000-series bolt-action and semi-auto models (71900/71901 pattern, 7/10-round).
• .22 WMR / .17 HMR — fits the 25MN, 882, 917V, 925M, 982, and related bolt-action models (4/7/10-round), plus a dedicated 7-round magazine built only for the semi-automatic 922M.

A .22 WMR/.17 HMR magazine will not fit a .22 LR rifle, and vice versa — the cartridges are different sizes, and the magazines are built around them. See the Marlin Rifle Magazine Guide for the full model-by-model fitment chart, including rebadged Glenfield, JC Higgins, and Western Auto rifles that take the same Marlin-pattern magazine.

Remington 783: Match by Action Length and Caliber

The Remington 783 is one rifle name covering several different magazine wells:

• Short action — .308 Winchester, .243 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor (4-round, or 8-round in the extended 783 XT); .223 Remington (5-round dedicated magazine); .22-250 Remington (4-round dedicated magazine).
• Long action — .30-06 Springfield, .270 Winchester, .25-06 Remington, .35 Whelen (4-round). Not compatible with short-action calibers like .308 Winchester or 7mm-08 Remington.
• Magnum long action — 7mm Rem Mag, .300 Win Mag (3-round).
• .450 Bushmaster — its own dedicated 3-round magazine.

These action lengths are not interchangeable with each other even though every one of them says "783" on the receiver. A short-action .308 magazine will not seat in a long-action .30-06 rifle, and a magnum magazine is longer still. See the Remington 783 Magazine Guide for the complete caliber-to-magazine chart.

Why Rob Haversat's Shop Builds Both

American Rifle Magazines manufactures for both platforms because both are widely owned, both have real replacement demand, and both deserve a US-made, factory-pattern option instead of an imported universal clip. Every magazine — Marlin or Remington — is built in Naugatuck, Connecticut, from US steel and US components, to the same feed geometry Marlin and Remington used originally. That's true whether you're replacing a worn 71900 on a 25N or a short-action magazine on a 783 in 6.5 Creedmoor.

Common Mistakes When Shopping for Either Brand

The most common mistake isn't confusing Marlin with Remington — most shooters know which brand they own. It's assuming that within a brand, all magazines are the same. A Marlin owner might see "7-round .22 magazine" and buy the 71903 pattern for a Model 780 when their rifle is actually a 795, which uses the 71900/71901 pattern instead. The capacities match, the caliber matches, but the magazine well geometry doesn't, and it won't seat. On the Remington side, the mistake usually happens with action length: a .308 short-action magazine and a .30-06 long-action magazine can look similar in photos, but the long-action body is measurably longer to accommodate the bigger cartridge, and it will not drop into a short-action well.

The fix for both is the same: don't shop by capacity or caliber name alone. Confirm the exact model number or caliber stamp on your rifle, then cross-reference it against the fitment chart for your brand before adding anything to your cart.

Confirm Your Rifle Before You Order

Because neither brand's magazines cross over, and because both brands have internal variations that look similar but aren't, the fastest way to avoid ordering the wrong one is to check the model number on the left side of the barrel first. For a Marlin, that model number tells you which caliber family and capacity pattern you need. For a Remington 783, the caliber stamp tells you the action length. Cross-reference either against the Marlin Rifle Magazine Guide or the Remington 783 Magazine Guide before you buy.

Capacity and State Law

If you're considering an extended-capacity option — the Marlin 556-XT10/XT15 or the Remington 783 XT-8 — check magazine capacity laws by state first. Several states cap rifle magazine capacity, and American Rifle Magazines does not ship restricted capacities into those states.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will any Marlin magazine fit a Remington 783, or vice versa?

No. The two platforms use entirely different magazine wells, cartridge sizes, and feed geometry. There is no cross-compatible magazine between the two brands.

I have a Marlin — how do I know if I need .22 LR or .22 WMR/.17 HMR?

Check the caliber stamped on your barrel. .22 LR and .22 WMR/.17 HMR magazines are not interchangeable even though the rifles can look similar.

I have a Remington 783 — how do I know if it's short action or long action?

Check the caliber stamp on the barrel and match it against the Remington 783 Magazine Guide. Short action covers .308 Win, .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, .223 Rem, and .22-250 Rem; long action covers .30-06, .270 Win, .25-06 Rem, and .35 Whelen; magnum covers 7mm Rem Mag and .300 Win Mag.

Are these factory-original magazines or aftermarket copies?

Every American Rifle Magazines product is a US-made, factory-pattern replacement manufactured to the original Marlin or Remington specification — not an imported universal clip.

I own both a Marlin and a Remington 783 — can I keep one spare magazine on hand for both?

No. Because the two systems don't share any parts, you'll need a spare specific to each rifle. Keeping at least one correctly matched spare per rifle is still worth doing, especially if you hunt or compete regularly.

What if my rifle is a store-brand version, like Glenfield or JC Higgins?

Those are Marlin-built rifles sold under a different name. They take the equivalent Marlin-pattern magazine — see the rebadge fitment table in the Marlin Rifle Magazine Guide to match yours.

Shop by Rifle Brand

Start with the guide for your rifle: the Marlin Rifle Magazine Guide or the Remington 783 Magazine Guide. Then shop the full lineup in Marlin 22 Cal. Magazines or Remington 783 Magazines. Outfitting a shop or FFL with both platforms? See our wholesale rifle magazine purchasing terms. Every magazine on both pages is built in-house, kept in stock, and ships from Connecticut, so you're not waiting on an overseas backorder to get your rifle range-ready again.