Marlin Golden 39M

[Hugger-4641]

I'm having trouble viewing the pictures full size. From what I can tell it looks like it needs some help.

Here's a couple of the worst shots in full size:

 

[BWS]

Condition aside....

Those last pics are astounding Hugger.

And will second MachIV recommended touch up guns. Also called jamb guns(car door jamb). Perfect size for shooting not only metal parts,but is the ticket for stocks as well.

Good luck with your project,and thanks for sharing.... great pics!

 

[ClemY]

I've concluded that this one is gonna have to be sand blasted regardless how I finish it .
Here's the barrel after two solid hours of 240grit, 400grit, and steel wool.

View attachment 1121594

Found a Boyd's stock for a 39A and the owner liked it better than the straight stock that came on the 39m, so I'm gonna do a little modification so the lever will fit in this stock.
The forearm is cleaning up nice. Almost got all the dents and rust stains out of it. I think with a little more sanding I may be able to actually match the stain on the stock:
View attachment 1121595

I have a 39A with the pistol grip stock and a 39M with the straight stock. I prefer the pistol grip, but converting a straight grip gun to pistol grip is not going to be easy. Not only is it the lever, it is also the receiver.

 

[Hugger-4641]

Getting a couple hrs here and there to work on it.
Overnite soak in metal rescue helped a lot, still a lot of work to do before it's ready for bluing.
Couldn't get the screws loose on front sight, even after heating with a small torch. Now that its soaked in rust remover, gonna try again.

 

[SwampWolf]

My guess is that a "Micro-Groove" bore is less forgiving when extreme corrosion is present than more conventional rifling is. Looking forward to watching the rifle's progress.

 

[BreechFace]

I have an 1897 & a model '97 which were the predecessor of the 39a, also have a 1957 made 39a that looks like it was made yesterday - I got it during the Obama years in trade for 500 cci minimags that I bought long before anyone heard the name Obama . good trade for me and the guy I got it from cared nothing for that rifle.

You traded 500 mini mags for a 39a? What was the guy thinking? That like $65 at most.

 

[Obturation]

You traded 500 mini mags for a 39a? What was the guy thinking? That like $65 at most.

It was right after sandy hook, 22 was expensive and impossible to find. Luckily I was well stocked. Wish I'd get a deal like that again!!!

 

[Hugger-4641]

My guess is that a "Micro-Groove" bore is less forgiving when extreme corrosion is present than more conventional rifling is. Looking forward to watching the rifle's progress.

The bore is actually in good shape somehow. The exterior metal was awfull, gonna be slow progress getting it ready for bluing.
Working on the stock and forearm at the moment, should have them done this week.

 

[dh1633pm]

Excellent work.

 

[MachIVshooter]

The bore is actually in good shape somehow. The exterior metal was awfull

That's how it tends tends to go with fire and smoke damage in my experience. The oxidizing vapors just don't really reach parts that are covered or relatively shielded.

One of the lathes I acquired was in a building that caught fire. The flames didn't reach the machine, but all exposed blued or natural finish carbon steel was badly rusted. Inside the spindle bore? Pristine.

 

[Hugger-4641]

Well, I think I'm as happy as I'm gonna be with the stock and forearm. The forearm is original, but was stained very dark at some point in its past and would not lighten up any more without a detrimental amount of sanding. So I had to get creative with the stock to try and match it. Using a combination of selective sanding between applications of walnut and red mahogany stain, I think this is about as good as I can do. Also had to modify it slightly to accept the lever. That was fairly easy, just had to use an endmill and elongate the slot where the receiver bolts thru the stock.
The metal parts are almost ready to start bluing.

 

[MacAR]

Also had to modify it slightly to accept the lever. That was fairly easy, just had to use an endmill and elongate the slot where the receiver bolts thru the stock.

A clever idea, and one I'd not thought off. Looks pretty darn good, too! Are you having the metal hot blued or something else?

Mac

 

[Hugger-4641]

A clever idea, and one I'd not thought off. Looks pretty darn good, too! Are you having the metal hot blued or something else?

Mac

Well, I use cold blue liquid, but I do heat the metal in oven to about 170. This way I can rinse with hot water and it evaporates quickly so I can apply successive coats in short amount of time until I'm happy with the color.

 

[MacAR]

Well, I use cold blue liquid, but I do heat the metal in oven to about 170. This way I can rinse with hot water and it evaporates quickly so I can apply successive coats in short amount of time until I'm happy with the color.

Gotcha. I do the same thing, works pretty well. I like oxpho blue from Brownells the best. I learned the other day that if you apply it with a piece of 0000 steel wool, rather than a cloth, you get a deep blue in fewer coats. Worked well for my Star BM I did.

Mac

 

[Hugger-4641]

Well, here's a possible preview and another opportunity for opinions. I've done some good bluing jobs in the past, but I've never been challenged like this. The pitting is so bad on barrel and reciever, bluing was not looking good and not matching the lever and mag tube no matter what I do. Cycle after cycle of 400grit, 1000 grit, 0, 00, and 0000 steel wool was not giving a good enough surface for bluing. So after talking with the owner, I'm experimenting a bit. I had some Tool Black left over from past machine projects, so I put that on top of the bluing. It can be removed if I choose, but I'm thinking this is the best it will get without some deep deep grinding to remove the pitting. If I do that, all stenciled text on barrel will be gone. We knew from the start this was not going end in a pristine look, but it is functional now. I'm still working dents out of the mag tube, but here's a fit up preview. What do you all think, could you live with a pitted finish like this knowing the history?

 

[BreechFace]

I think I would be trying out something like Durafill and then Duracote over the top.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I'd still moly resin it in SOCOM black or Grey black flat. Won't fill the pits, but the matte finish won't make them such eyesores.

 

[silicosys4]

I wonder if you could take a brass rod a hundredth or two under the mag tube diameter, secure the mag tube, and hammer the rod through to push the dents up

 

[Hugger-4641]

I wonder if you could take a brass rod a hundredth or two under the mag tube diameter, secure the mag tube, and hammer the rod through to push the dents up

Exactly what I did, except it takes a little heat from small butane torch to let the dents push out and I used successive drill bits to push thru instead of brass.

 

[Hugger-4641]

Well, I guess this wraps this project up for now. I got it functioning well. Asside from the other work already mentioned, I had to replace cartridge guide spring and cartridge stop spring and it is clicking them off fine now.

The owner wants to let his son shoot it for a while and prefers to keep the battle scared finish on the metal for now and let his boy wear it off. I used Tool Black over the bluing and sprayed a clear coat over that to help protect it in the interim, so it may last a couple years depending on how much he shoots and how he cares for it.

Sorry the video is at night, but I've been having to work on it late evenings after work. I'm hitting a dryer door at 100yds, but was really just verifying the feed and ejection.

 

[MacAR]

Well done! It turned out very well it seems, and I'm sure it shoots just as good as it looks.

Mac

 

[Hugger-4641]

Well done! It turned out very well it seems, and I'm sure it shoots just as good as it looks.

Mac

Thanks! Yes it does shoot well, especially for what its been thru.
I wasn't even thinking about group size, but I was shooting thunderduds and hitting the dryer door every round. The very last round in the video was a ftf that didn't fully eject, but the pin strike was deep. I tried it twice more after the video and it still failed, it was just a dud. I ended up shooting 50rds with no other problems.
The owner's son is 12 and his dad is going to take him squirrel hunting with it next weekend. If he gets a squirrel with it , that would be more than worth the work put into it.

 

[MacAR]

If he gets a squirrel with it , that would be more than worth the work put into it.

Absolutely! My 39a has accounted for many over the years. It's in pretty good shape, and wears a very old Tasco 4x fine crosshair scope. Very deadly at squirrel and varmint ranges. Mine seems to like minimags pretty good, and cci sv groups very good as well. Just not as much thump as the minis.

Mac

 

[Picher]

Thought I'd share this for the sake of record if nothing else, but input is welcomed.
So, I have this co-worker, great guy, and his only living relative, his 40ish year old brother, recently passed, and left him this rifle. I don't have the full story on how it ended up in this condition, but I know it went thru a flood and a house fire at one point.
So I agreed to restore it, as best I can, to a functional and somewhat attractive condition. It has no stock, pitted badly, outer magazine tube is pretty damaged and bent, I think I can salvage the forearm. I thought it might be good to document the progress here, so these are some "before" pics of what I'm dealing with:
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View attachment 1121236
View attachment 1121237

She sure ain't cherry!

 

[Hugger-4641]

She shure ain't cherry!

I'm just glad it didn't end up in a scrap pile!
It was so bad that many people would have thrown it away. It's never gonna be perfect again, but it has a new life now and I hope that boy puts it to use.