So just how accurate is a Marlin 39A?

[Bushpilot]

There is a pristine, pre-safety Marlin 39A Golden at the local shop for $400. I have always heard they were great shooters but never had one. I've had/have plenty of other good quality rimfires including several CZ's, A-bolt, Rem 541, 77/22 as well as others and just wonder how it would stack up accuracy wise aginst these bolt action rifles? I've always thought they were neat little rifles but I really don't want to spend the money right now if I'm likely to be disapointed and find the Marlin 39 accuracy to be be mostly hype.

 

[Baba Louie]

Mine is minute of squirrel or bunny at 50ish yards 1st shot accurate. When I do my part. Never was one for shooting groups. (I suck at that)

It's not a target rifle. Just a pretty accurate lever action .22 that's been around a while. Old school. Does the job but isn't tactical, just practical.

Find the Marlin 39 club thread that Nema started. Spend an hour or three there reading. A lot of love and good advice within. (link below)

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=261635

 

[Furncliff]

The price of $400 for the model and condition you quoted is a don't screw around, go buy the rifle price. Mine is accurate but not CZ/Brno accurate. But now that you mention it I have not shot any target ammo (Wolf MT or SK Standard +) that I use in my CZ/Brno's, so I'll have to try that. Have not shot it with a scope, there is a Skinner peep on it. Also, it's meant to be an offhand utility rifle.

The only thing I don't like is the action is a little crunchy. I've had my smith massage it, but it's not really very smooth. Might just be my individual gun, mine is a 70 something and was in pitiful shape when I got it. There are reasons that there are lots of 39 lovers out there, at that price you need to try it out.

 

[Jim Watson]

I doubt it will shoot with your bolt actions, but it is a well built rifle and a lot of fun to shoot.
There was a guy on the Shiloh board who reported a .87" 8 shot group at 50 yards. With black powder.

 

[SwampWolf]

I bought mine new in 1997 and the accuracy has been decent (damning with faint praise, I suppose ) with a Williams receiver sight installed. However, the trigger pull leaves a lot to be desired-heavy and creepy. That said, I like the rifle a lot and would never get rid of it. I like to take it with me on squirrel hunts and for the occasional woodchuck.

 

[chicharrones]

My 39AS I bought new in 1994 has a Williams rear aperture and the best I can do with it at 50 yards is 1.5" to 2" groups shooting from sandbags. Depending on the ammo, of course.

Shooting paper is not as satisfying with a Marlin 39 as it would be with other guns. Shooting plinking targets while standing and working the lever fast is the best way to have fun with a lever action .22, IMO.

Not me - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxlTDv3hVG8

 

[Bushpilot]

Thanks everyone for the input. I think I'll go back to the gun shop first thing tomorrow and see if it's still there. Several people have told me in the past that a 39 would shoot as well as a good bolt action and while that may not be quite the case, based on the responses here, they certainly seem like fun and interesting rifles regardless. At least now I'll have more realistic expectations.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Mine is freakishly accurate to the point of having been so boring with the crap Bushnell scope, that I took it off to get more outa the shooting. I don't have any .22 bolts that really out shoot it by much and I've got some wonderful bolt .22s.

 

[rcmodel]

I had an old 50's-60's one come through here for cleaning a while back that a target shooter had put a set of Redfield Olympic aperatur sights on.
Along with a 1907 military leather sling.

It would put CCI Greem-Tag all in one ragged hole at 50 yards off a bench.

rc

 

[MrBorland]

I have a 60s 39A and a new-ish (2006) one, and I shoot them as well as my bolt CZ452s.

They may get a rep for not being a target rifle because 1) CZ 452s aren't really formal target rifles, either, and 2) lever guns are a little awkward to shoot from a bench. Nonetheless, I'm equally impressed with my CZs and 39As.

Like any .22, much depends on finding the ammo it likes. Condition plays a big part, too.

Just my $0.02.

 

[WaywardSon]

I have only put a couple of hundred rounds through mine, so still figuring out what it likes as far as ammo goes. At 25 yds. using a Williams peep & shooting at a 2" bull with a 6 o'clock hold (bead covers the bull at that distance)...I am getting 1/2" to 3/4" five shot groups. Sometimes a little better, but considering the sight picture and my aging eyes (63) it is hard for me to hold any closer than that. I think with any kind of scope it would make one ragged hole at that distance.

I have Marlin lever guns in several calibers...they will shoot surprisingly well.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Great price for that. My dad's Marlin is capable of 5 shot 1inch groups at 100 yards, but it's no target rifle. You need good ammo and a scope and and good skills to get that at 100 yards but it is do-able.

 

[tubeshooter]

I bought mine new in 2006. I will echo what most people have already said; pretty accurate, but it's probably not too hard to find a bolt gun that will do better groups.

In other words - not target grade accuracy. But still very good.

I also should note that I have only used open sights (stock, then Williams 5D, then Skinner) so I can't speak to what mine will do at 100 yards with a scope.

It's possible - you could even say probable - that I have not seen my gun's true accuracy potential. But I haven't looked very hard. For the kind of plinking I do, it has been perfectly fine.



It is the materials, craftsmanship and history that I am most proud of in owning this rifle. Not necessarily the groups.