Marlin 39A - Strange S/N

[kcspotter]

I have a Marlin 39A with a serial number of D140xx. The lists I have seen say that 39A’s were produced from 1948 to 1968. Those produced in 1948 have a letter prefix of “E”. On another list I found “D” and it indicated that it was manufactured in 1947. Is this the correct year of manufacture? If not, does anyone have an idea when this was manufactured? Also, when where the first 39A’s manufactured?
Thanks, Ken.

 

[Jim Watson]

Blue Book says the 39A came out in 1939 but looks a lot like a 39.
It says they were getting more "modern" in style in 1945.
You would probably need the Brophy book for such minutae.

I doubt the factory was paying a lot of attention to model designation and minor details as they got back into civilian production after WW II.
I bet you have a 1947 gun. Which makes it a lot more valuable than a 1948, eh?

 

[JohnBT]

Reading between the lines in the Blue Book, the B prefix was used from '40-'45and E was used for '48, so maybe they used C for '46 and D for '47.


Blue Book summary:

39A -

- 1st Model - case colored frame, no prefix. 1939 only.

- 2nd Model - case colored frame, B prefix. 1940 to '45.

- 3rd Model 1st Variation - blued receiver, new ramp front sight, hard rubber buttplate, Ballard rifling. '46-'50.

- 3rd Model 2nd Variation - similar to 1st Var. except flutes in the comb, white spacer next to buttplate, and pistol grip cap with white spacer and brass insert. '51 to '53.

- 3rd Model 3rd Variation - similar to 2nd Var. except has Microgroove rifling and no pistol grip cap.

 

[kcspotter]

Thanks Guys. I really appreciate it. It appears to be a 3rd Model 1st Variation. It has a blued receiver, a ramp front sight, a hard rubber buttplate without a white spacer and ballard rifling.

The page I found a reference to prefix "D" is:
http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/How_do_you_find_the_age_of_a_Marlin_39-A_using_the_serial_number

Thanks again, Ken.