The Marlin 39 Club

CB,

I asked them this morning interestingly - they were cool either way. Don't get me wrong, I'm not clamoring to jettison it - I was just taken aback by the value of it. Factor in my limited use and it makes sense to allow someone else to enjoy it.

Lo and behold - this gun is technically not legal in NJ given the capacity of the mag. I'm not up on the NJ statutes - which are draconian and contradictory - but I don't know if there are any grandfather clauses that allow me to keep it.

Given that - I'm leaning towards offering it to a better caretaker.

I don't make this decision lightly...

I believe that .22 tube fed rifles are not covered under the law.
Most states exempted .22 lever rifles.

Maltise

Here's a site with 39-A disassembly instructions.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=357328

I can caution you that reinstalling the fore end cap is a bad situation.
The screws often just don't want to line up properly and it's common to see 39-A's with the screws cross threaded.
For that reason, I don't recommend disassembling the fore end and fore end cap unless you absolutely have to.

The rest of the rifle, magazine tube and action, comes apart with little trouble, EXCEPT for the hammer and main spring. Again, unless you have to, leave the hammer and mainspring in place.

When reassembling the magazine tube make sure it seats into the receiver. To do this, just insert the tube into the rifle until it stops, then push on the tube as you rotate it until it slips into place.
You'll know the tube is seated when the small notch in the tube lines up with the hole in the magazine tube ferrule on the barrel.

Here's a pic of mine - needs to be cleaned up, but barely used.

model 39 question

Found an M series straight stock (1954) with what appears to be 4 factory holes drilled and tapped for a scope. Looks like a factory job. Could that be correct?
Firearm is about 95%, a few dings in stock
Please advise if some had the factory scope holes
Thankyou all
ti

"As far as I know" (note the qualifier) Marlin only drilled two holes in the top of the receiver for scope mounts.

The only four hole scope mounts I've seen were the old pre-war barrel mounts where four holes were drilled in the left side of the barrel.

I don't know when Marlin started drilling the 39-A as standard.

This 1954 edition (M) has four holes on the left side of the barrel and only one hole on the top of the receiver. The four holes were most truly done professionally. The screws have never been removed nor are they buggered up. Seems to me I read in one of the posts on this site some many months ago the the barrel being drilled was a factory option, prior to the receiver having the standard 3 hole configuration..
Any other ideas?
Thanks for your earlier response.

I am not sure if I am answering my own question or not, so I am posting this as a point of interest for those that may be interested.
I thought I had remembered at some point in time, the factory, that being Marlin had drilled and taped Weaver style N mounts for the barrell.

Sears sold firearms (Marlin 39A), and for two years, see Brophy's book page 290. The two years were 1954 (mine) and 1955.

What do you think??

Thanks Dfariswheel for you response.

Tim

I finally got to join the 39a club. I stopped by the LGS and saw a 1977 39a on the rack. Probably paid to much, but I've been looking for one for over a year. I'm now $450 lighter and still happy! Metal condition is 99% and looks gorgeous. Wood has a hole were someone messed up trying to drill for a sling stud. I'll have the local furniture restoration guy fix that after I enjoy it for a few weeks.

I stopped by the range on the way home and fired a few rounds off. Man it's worth it. Fired 50 rounds at 50 yards and the 10/22 is going bye bye. It might be the nicest trigger I have on any rifle.

That"extra" hole is probably where the Marlin Bullseye should be. They do fall out every now and then. You can replace them. Do a search here.

chuckles said:

That"extra" hole is probably where the Marlin Bullseye should be. They do fall out every now and then. You can replace them. Do a search here.

Click to expand...

I bought a Mountie a few weeks ago that was missing the bulls eye. I picked some up from Midway, USA.

Welcome Kynwatch!

I think trading green paper for a fine rifle is always a good deal. Finding one for less may have taken months or years and if you put any value in enjoyment you got a bargain.

The value of the grin factor memories of a day in the field shooting dirt clods, pine cones, cans... will far outweigh a few bucks you might have had to pay. I'm betting also you wouldn't part with it for $450...

The question I asked myself once I got my first 39 was, why did I wait so long! Of course that lead to getting more... a TDS, a couple of Mounties, three 39 LTD's and a 1897 Cowboy...

I'd estimate my 39's have made more trips with me into the woods than all my other long guns combined. The reason, they're just plain fun rifles to pack around and shoot. I LOVE it when the calendar hits September and I can hit the woods with my 39 looking for Grouse. There just aren't many things in this world that are more fun, plus if you are successful, you eat good too.

I'm quite ashamed to admit, but thats what the hole is! I'd completely forgotten about the bullseye. Ordered one from Midway USA. So now that is taken care of I'm very pleased with the price.

greevestim

We're starting to narrow it down.
My 1950 also has only one hole in the top of the receiver, and that's the screw that retains the upper bullet guide inside.

So, we know that as of 1954, Marlin was not drilling receivers for scopes.

As I recall, (again the qualifier) Marlin would drill and tap the side of the barrel as a factory option. I don't think they ever did it as a standard modification.

Of course, a lot of rifles were drilled by local gunsmiths, and from the look of some of the drilling jobs, a lot were botched up by garage gun owners.

FWIW, greevestim.

I also have a 1955 "M" straight stock 20" barrel with 4 holes on left side if barrel and 1 hole on top of receiver. The 4 holes are nice and clean. Looks factory for sure. I recall reading about the Sears rifles around the time I picked it up.

Mine came in rough condition and it's now my favorite gun.

Thanks fastfreddie for answering my email post and dfariswheel also, I never mentioned a receiver, only the 4 holes in barrell. However thanks to you two and a little research on my own, I think we are more or less satisfied.

By the way in my travels of late into the frozen wasteland of the north, found in a box store (gander mtn) two really choice 39 mounties in like or almost like new conditon, which had been traded by unworthy grandson including a real nice 1897, a few fancied up 39's, and a 39 shortie (16in). He traded 9 total. Bet old grandpap rolled over in the frozen grave.

Merry Christmas

In light of the recent political posturing by our President, I will not be selling my Marlin 39A. Simply doesn't make any sense, and it's far too valuable to let go.

When you pry it from my cold dead hands

Yeah, I know...

Nobody is trying to ban my model 39s.

The political situation seems to have some folks downright scared. It's all over the gun forums.

I don't know where that's all going to go, but I just wanted to say that my model 39s mean more to me than my AR15 does.

I think I can imagine life without my "Evil black Rifle", But life without a model 39 sounds like insufferable hell.

I think I'll pull them out of the safe and fondle them a little, just because I can.


Merry Christmas, guys.

Couldn't agree more, Nemo.

Not sure if this one has been posted here or not.



That's me on the right.

Dude on the left is Ken, a friend of mine.

He wasn't too impressed when I told him the rifle I was loaning him to hunt squirrels with was 60 years old.

He looked at my model 39, then back at the one he was holding, and said "Seriously? It's 60 years old?"

I think he believed I had handed him a junker and kept the nice one for myself.

Well...

After a few hours of stomping around and taking some squirrels out of some tree tops ken was asking "Where can I get one of these?" and asking me how much I payed for it.

Fella's;

I think the concern over the model 39's and possible proposed legislation concerns the tubular magazine capacity of the 39's, and many other .22's for that matter. In the now dead AWB, the issue was not a factor. However, trying to predict what the politicians will do in the coming year is futile IMHO. Only thing we can do is wait & see.

900F

THe sad thing is I think us 39 owners (and all .22lr shooters) are going to have to wait a bit for the shelves of 22lr to be restocked.