New Marlin 39a's any good?

[KodeFore]

I am interested in the Marlin 39, I would like to know more. They seem expensive especially compared to henry lever guns. They are heavy, ( Does that help accuracy?)

Is the appeal to these guns just that they are the longest continually produced in the usa?

I want the gun for informal target practice and maybe a survival gun.

I paroused the marlin 39a club and I am a little concerned about some reliability isssues with the new ones?

Thanks for the help.

 

[arnie08515]

I'm in the same boat. I just bought a Henry 001 and frankly its a great little gun. You really don't see many complaints about FTF or FTE for the Henry's product. So far, my Henry was well worth it.

My dealer does not stock Marlins 39a and I couldn't find a used one. I'd too would like to buy a new 39a but honestly when you read the posts on this site I had second thoughts.

 

[dfariswheel]

The appeal of the Marlin is that its still built from solid forged and milled steel and American Walnut.
No aluminum, no Zamac, no plastic, no hardwood, and no MIM.

The Henry is made from stamped, zinc, (Zamac) and MIM parts with a fake sheet metal cover to cover the action.

The Marlin is world famous for accuracy, and will last at least 2 or 3 lifetimes if you take any care of it at all.
If the newer rifles bother you, shop around for an older one in good shape.

As for bad reports of the new ones, name ANY firearm and people will tell you all about the trouble they had. The people who don't have trouble don't usually make much noise.

 

[ArmedBear]

There is one reliability issue that the new ones seem to have, which is occasional FTEs. You can fix it with a few minutes and a pair of needlenose pliers.

I posted complete instructions, with photos, on THR, for how to take care of it. Several people have reported success.

I don't know about a survival gun. The 39A is too pretty. Mine came with nice walnut, and it has cut checkering and nice bluing as well.

 

[CajunBass]

I've never shot one, but the new 39a's I've seen recently have been as nice, or nicer than my 30 year old one.

 

[tango2echo]

The new ones look and shoot great, but not $500+ great. Buy a Henry for half that and then order yourself about 2500 rds of good ammo for it.

t2e

 

[ArmedBear]

The new ones look and shoot great, but not $500+ great.

It's not about looks alone. It's about how they're made (and that they're takedowns).

I forgot to mention: I have a limited-run 39 from 1973 and a 2007 production 39A and the build quality hasn't changed at all. The ones I see that are 100 years old look about the same, also.

 

[CZguy]

The new ones look and shoot great, but not $500+ great.

The difference is with the 39a someday your Grandson will say "look at this rifle, five different members of my family have shot the heck out of it and it's still going strong............and can you believe Grandpa only paid $550.00 for it."

 

[Badlander]

Like CZ says buy the Marlin and your great grand Kids will thank you.

And you will be glad you did

 

[SGW42]

Think mine is 2007 manufacture. Has been perfect. Looks beautiful.

 

[KodeFore]

I almost bought a used one once from a gun show for around 475, ( the show ended before I got back from the atm ) I am tempted to get once of the new ones but some how it does not seem right to buy a new gun you have work on out of the box. All the same I am still strongly tempted. My first choice for the survival thing is the little 70pss, I have its grandad the 70p, its brother the Mod 70, older cousin 60 I figure if I get the 39 and the 925 I will have one of every model they make, though the cost of the 39 alone would probably = the cost of the rest combined. I plan on doing some more looking tommorow.