Marlin introduced the Glenfield series of rifles in the early 1960s. The Glenfield line provided the same core quality and reliability as Marlin’s name-brand lineup, but with a few cost-saving measures to make them less expensive to purchase. Sold through the big department stores of the day, including JC Penny, Kmart and Sears, they were prized by sportsmen who were looking for a trustworthy hunting companion at a fair price. Although they would be discontinued two decades later, these plain-but-capable rifles are fondly remembered by those who used them.
When Ruger acquired Marlin in 2020, Glenfield Firearms was part of the package. By October of 2025, the company was ready to re-introduce this brand with its take on the Glenfield Model A bolt-action rifle. Like the originals, it follows the same budget-conscious philosophy.
How did Ruger go about cutting costs for the Glenfield line without sacrificing quality? The Model A is based on the first-generation Ruger American rifle. It uses the same action, trigger and standard synthetic stock configuration. It does not sport the enhancements found in the Generation II models, but it is a rugged, time-tested design that has been in production since 2012. Ruger is utilizing the same tooling and streamlined manufacturing processes it has had in place for well over a decade, translating into savings passed on to the customer.
Another cost-reduction measure applied to this platform is simplicity in place of variety. As of this writing, there is essentially just one Model A with a single feature set, a basic finish for the steel components and just one flat-colored splatter stock. The only diversity of any substance in the lineup is in the chambering options and the necessary variations in the magazines and magazine wells to accommodate them. Nevertheless, there is a solid selection of popular chamberings. The half-dozen bottleneck cartridge chamberings include hunting favorites like the .30-’06 Sprg. and .243 Win. as well as 6.5 Creedmoor. The collection also has three straight-walled-cartridge models, including the 350 Legend, 400 Legend and .450 Bushmaster.
The barrel and action are constructed from a carbon-steel alloy and treated with a matte-black finish. The 20-inch barrel features a standard sporter-weight contour and a muzzle threaded at 5/8x24 tpi to support sound suppressors and other muzzle accessories. A thread protector is provided. The receiver is fitted with a one-piece aluminum Picatinny optics rail at the factory, saving customers the time and trouble of installing a rail post-purchase.
The one-piece bolt is of the three-lug variety, while the unadorned bolt handle provides a 70-degree throw for plenty of clearance with a magnified riflescope. At the rear of the bolt assembly, a silver-colored extension of the cocking piece serves as a firing-pin-status indicator. Behind this indicator is a tang-mounted, two-position safety slider. This slider is pressed forward, exposing a bright-red letter F to fire the rifle and pulled back into the safe position.
The single-stage trigger sports a passive blade safety. It is adjustable for a pull weight of 3 to 5 pounds. The gun I worked with arrived with a trigger that broke cleanly with 3 pounds, 6 ounces of pressure right out of the box, so I saw no need to adjust it.
The Glenfield line ships with a weather-resistant, synthetic stock that has an integral trigger guard and a textured, Moss Green Splatter coating. This non-slip stock finish provides plenty of purchase without being too abrasive for bare hands. Other features include Ruger’s patented Power Bedding block system, a pair of sling swivel studs, a 13.75-inch length-of-pull and a soft rubber recoil pad. The flush-fit polymer magazine has a convenient front-mounted release lever and holds three rounds of ammunition. Unloaded, this rifle tipped the scales at just more than 6.25 pounds.
At the range, the Glenfield A’s controls operated cleanly, the magazine was easy to work and all the ammunition tested cycled smoothly without any hitches, sticky brass or malfunctions throughout the course of testing. Quite frankly, I’ve evaluated rifles that cost significantly more that did not cycle quite as smoothly as this one. The rifle I tested was chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. This caliber’s more moderate levels of felt recoil, combined with the stock’s texturing and the effective soft rubber recoil pad, made for a comfortable and controllable shooting experience.
It’s interesting to note that by today’s standards, this is considered a “no-frills” rifle. A clean, adjustable, single-stage trigger; a threaded muzzle; a textured, lightweight stock and a one-piece optics rail are standard fare now—but not too long ago, all these features were items that would have been considered upgrades.
In short, the Glenfield Model A bolt-action rifle does not look, feel or operate like a “budget” firearm. Much like Henry Ford’s early Model T automobile, you can have any receiver color you want, as long as it’s black. However, simplicity is not the enemy of usefulness, reliability or comfortable shooting. This rifle series has the features it needs in just the right places to provide an enjoyable hunting experience for first-timers and budget-conscious shooters, as the suggested retail price is $529, with real-world prices running about $100 less.
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