Marlin Original Golden 39A

[John Jarosz]

Hello,
My father-in-law purchased this rifle in the late 70's. He never fired it. Now I have it and I'm wondering if an unfired gun this old has any special value because it's unfired? It does look brand new. I'm checking on this aspect of it before I take it out to the range. Thanks for your help.
John

 

[wally]

Unless the original box, manual, etc. are as shipped from the factory and in good shape I'd say shoot it and enjoy. There is some extra value to the old ones as lots of folks think "they don't make them like they used to", which is true, but not usually significant with the exception of QA/QC issues when companies get bought and sold and plants move.

 

[red rick]

Welcome to THR .
It would definitely bring more money unfired and looking like new . That is a very sought after and desirable rifle you just inherited . Unfired and in LN condition I think you could get $500 or more for it , depending on the area you live in .

 

[jmorris]

That's what I figure will happen to the guns that for whatever reason I have squirreled away.

I guess it's as good a reason as any to get them out and at least go shoot them once before I die.

 

[John Jarosz]

Wow. I would not have guessed the $500 range for this gun. No box or IB, but I do have the leather strap that came with it. It does look brandy new. I also have a scope mount bar he bought at the same time.. It does look nice, I ALMOST think it would be a mistake to fire it. I'm in central Iowa.

 

[silicosys4]

$500 is a little light for a like new vintage 39a even without a box. I'd guess more into the $600-$700 range based on what I see them going for at auction.
Those are highly sought after guns and you rarely see an older one in like new condition.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/627196688

Edit: rifle sold for just over $700

 

[red rick]

Wow. I would not have guessed the $500 range for this gun. No box or IB, but I do have the leather strap that came with it. It does look brandy new. I also have a scope mount bar he bought at the same time.. It does look nice, I ALMOST think it would be a mistake to fire it. I'm in central Iowa.

If you are young , you can look at it as an investment . If you keep it like new , 30 years latter it is going to be worth a lot more than $500 dollars . Or you can shoot it and enjoy it and 30 years latter it will probably still bring more than $500 dollars if in good condition .

 

[Dog Soldier]

My old 1950s Marlin 39M has raised 2 kids to enjoy firearms. It served me well during our Years in the Big Horn Mtns. It is saddle worn and battle scared. But $1,000 dollars would not buy that rifle.

 

[John Jarosz]

Hmm. That post of the gun at auction shows a serial number and says it dates to 1977. My gun's serial is 21263358. Is there info on how the Marlin SN's work? I thought my father-in-law bought this in the late 70's but this comparison of SN's indicates that mine is even earlier depending on how many guns were made. There's a note on the envelope with the scope bar saying he bought THAT in 1979. So it looks like I'm guessing on the age of the gun. I know he bought it after 1972 because that's when I was married to his daughter (still am). I guess I need more education. Thanks
John

 

[red rick]

About 10 years ago , I saw a older nerdy looking man walk into the LGS with one in mint condition , that he said was his fathers gun and wanted to sell it . I told him if the store didn't give him what he wanted for it that I would give him $300 dollars for it ( that was all I had on me ) . He told me he sold it to them for $200 dollars . I guess he was just scared to sell it to a stranger . I was sick when he told me that .

 

[George Dickel]

Last year I bought a 39A made in 1979. The metal is 98% or better, the wood is in good condition but shows some discoloration on the stock near the wrist. I gave $500 for it and felt I got a reasonable deal. On gunbroker.com rifles made prior to the crossbolt safety bring prices in that range and better. It may be unfired but proving it is another thing. If you are a shooter, keep it and shoot it. They are fun rifles.

 

[CB900F]

John Jarosz;

There is a thread on this forum entitled The Model 39 Club (or something very close to that), and it runs for thousands of posts. Pretty much any information known about a model 39 is somewhere in that thread. Several contributors to it are obviously experts on the guns.

900F

 

[John Jarosz]

CB 900F:
Thanks very much. I have some reading to do.
John

 

[Coyote3855]

I have a several Marlin rifles, but am not an expert on serial numbers. According to this link, the "21" prefix indicates a 1979 production date, which agrees with the receipt date for the scope mount.

file:///Users/bella/Downloads/Marlin%20Serial%20Number%20and%20Date%20codes%20Ver.12%209-12.pdf

 

[BrocLuno]

Not trying to take this thread sideways, but what does your wife say? It seems it was her dad ... Sometimes women are sentimental about family stuff. If she does not want it sold, then shoot it. If she wants it gone, don't and pocket the extra ...

 

[John Jarosz]

She doesn't care about it one way or the other. It was an odd buy for him, and then he never used it.

 

[Bushpilot]

+1 Red Rick and George Shoot it, enjoy it and take care of it and it will retain it's value well. You're certainly not likely to EVER wear it out. The whole "unfired" thing is pretty hard to prove and get a premium for, especially without the box and papers. And, it's value "supposedly unfired" with no box and papers vs hardly fired is going to be about the same anyway. Hang onto it, enjoy it, clean old 39s are something special. It's one of those cases where they really don't make them quite like they used to.

Proud member of the 39 club....
* Pre-war, case hardened 39a
* Pre-cross bolt 39M

 

[John Jarosz]

Yes, I'm leaning toward shooting it. I've always wanted a lever action. A larger caliber would have been nice, but the ammo is certainly cheap.

 

[HOWARD J]

I never purchased one but I own two of them
My brother gave me one( under severe protest) in the 50's
It has about 10,000 rds thru it
the other came from a friend that passed away
(his wife gave it to me with 9 other guns)
Both guns had extractors not working.
After heavy cleaning on the breech-both guns are working fine,
I would never give them up.
I don't see the 39A on Marlin's site anymore.

 

[chicharrones]

Yes, I'm leaning toward shooting it. I've always wanted a lever action. A larger caliber would have been nice, but the ammo is certainly cheap.

If you've always wanted a lever action, you can't do much better for a rimfire version than the Marlin 39 you now have. It excels at plinking cans and is a great field gun as well.

Just be sure to crank that lever with confidence to eject and feed ammo properly. Hesitation usually ends up with feed troubles.

Also, look into how the ejector is held down for cleaning the bore. Be sure to release that ejector after cleaning, otherwise you will have an instant ammo jam. Ask me how I know.

 

[chicharrones]

I don't see the 39A on Marlin's site anymore.

I just looked. That is sad.

 

[wally]

I think you will be impressed by it. Last time mine was out we hung a bunch of old XT keyboards from strings off tree branches, When we got bored with punching out the keys, we started shooting the strings to drop the keyboards to the ground -- wasn't that hard to do at all!