The Marlin 39 Club

[skeeter1]

I loved it shot the heck out of it and only sold it to get my first handgun, a Colt Dimondback, so you can;t fault me "that" much!

Can't fault you at all for that trade. Colt Diamondback is one of my favorite revolvers. One of my reasons for hanging onto the 39 (other than it's a great rifle) is that it's the first one that my late dad helped me pick out for myself. The only way the 39 is going away is when I'm pushing up daisies.

 

[Shrinkmd]

Best trigger?

I know there is an upgraded trigger for the marlin centerfire rifles, but what do people recommend for tuning the 39A trigger?

Also, a pity you can't dryfire a .22lr (although I've read/been told that a ruger 10/22 doesn't matter, but not to dryfire a 22lr revolver or the marlin 39a)

Any advice?

 

[Sniper X]

linky to the up-graded trigger for the Marlins!! Actually if it would get rid of my pretty gold trigger on my 1968 336RC forget it! I think the trigger is GREAT on this thing! Just curious though!!

 

[SwampWolf]

Hey, Sniper X: Did you warn the seller of that Marlin to keep his hands up and to not call the police until after you left the scene of the "highway robbery"? Great deal!

 

[Sniper X]

I know! I felt like I should have been wearing a mask when I bought that one! I am still all giddy about getting a 336RC from 68 that is as new condition, especially for 250 out the door!

 

[kola]

Hey all...new to the site,,just bought me a Marlin 39a...sweeeeeeeet rifle

she cost me 500 clams and I put a bushnell 1.5-4.5 scope on her.

..can't wait to shoot er'

I could have bought alot of other guns for cheaper but I wanted this baby bad...there is something to be said about tradition and quality.

I bought some remington cyclone 22lf high speed hollowpoints for starters...any suggestion on good/bad ammo for this beauty?

..I also have a Marlin 336W 30-30..now big brother has a little sister..

peace courage and fight for freedom!!!

Kola

 

[Sniper X]

I could have bought alot of other guns for cheaper but I wanted this baby bad...there is something to be said about tradition and quality.

Kola, in here you are prechin to th Chior my freind! No justification here for buying a Marlin!!!!!

 

[Brassman]

Kola

My experience is that the 39A will literally eat anything you feed it. My normal ammo is the Remington Gold Bullet from Wal-Mart which cost about $10 for 550 rounds. I also shoot in the backyard with CB Longs. If you shoot very many CB's at a time, you should run a boresnake through the barrell or rod with a brass brush. CB's will make a mess of your barrel in just a few rounds. You'll love that rifle, maybe even more than the 336. It's a little heavy and a little long, but that's what makes the 39A so accuarate and fun to shoot. Like I said, it'll eat anything you feed it and not cost an arm and leg while doing it. Happy shooting. Oh, and welcome to the club too.

 

[batex]

Had to jump in here and add my .02. I found this nice 39A in a local pawn shop last week for $200 out the door. The bluing shows very little wear, it's from 1979 so before the crossbolt safety, and check out the wood! If you can believe it, this wood was covered over with a thick paint like varnish. I took a chance, stripped it, and followed recommendations of an article I found to refinish it. I was astounded! Makes me wonder about it's history if someone covered up this sort of wood with a paint. In short, I've become a big Marlin fan lately. So much so that I bought a nice 336 CS in 35 Rem also for $200. Love this thread. Thanks for listening!

 

[Brassman]

baytex

Beautiful wood! Why would anyone want to put paint on that? You did a really nice job. Your price was less than half of what I paid for mine about a year ago, of course mine is new and doesn't have the character that yours has. I wouldn't want to let it go, but I would like to find an older one to work on. I think the older woods work up to look better than the newer stuff. Again, really nice work!

 

[skeeter1]

Baytex--

That chunk of walnut on that 39 is probably nicer than on my fairly expensive trapgun. How someone could paint that is beyond me. Great restoration job!

 

[kola]

wow..that imitation black walnut laminate almost looks real..



JUST KIDDING!!! LOL
you got a deal!

Kola

 

[AStone]

...check out the wood!

Wow. After a long day that is still hours from over, I needed that pic.
Jolted my nervous system. I'm good for another few hours of work, now.

I bought a nice 336 CS in 35 Rem also for $200.

Have you dropped in over here yet?

Come on over.

Nem (surviving one of those weeks from hell, but not especially enjoying it ...)

 

[Sniper X]

Baytex, that is beautiful. I am glad someone like you got it and did the right thing by refinishing it! That rifle was destined to be yours! Great job, now don;t ever sell it!

And, let me put in my suggestion, another Marlin but 336RC or C in 30-30 for your other needs. The 30-30 still to this day I think if you looked at the stats the 30-30 has taken more game world wide than any three calibers combined.

 

[MP-43]

Excellent! A discussion devoted to my favorite .22! I've enjoyed reading the last six pages and thought it was time to jump in.

I've been shooting since I was a kid, but last year was the first time I owned or fired a 39. It's hard to imagine going to the range without one now. In the last year I have been fortunate enough to find two mounties ('56 and '69) and a standard 39A ('61). I love the handling qualities of the mounties, but the longer barrel really keeps the noise down when shooting CBs.

Here are some pics of the '56 mountie--the prettiest of the bunch. BTW--when I first got her, the area where the tang fits into the stock had what looked like dried brown glue filling in the the gap between the stock and the tang. I took off the stock and cleaned it out--real crusty stuff. Since then I have seen two other Marlins of similar vintage with the same treatment; it's a small point, but it still made me ill to think I might have fubar'd the factory treatment, if that's what it was. Live and learn!

 

[Sniper X]

Nice collection of 39s there! I love the Mountie but am lookig for a 39A rifle as soon as I can find one. I especially love the older ones from the 50s and 60s. My 336RC is from 1968 and like new.

 

[Shrinkmd]

I'm really thinking about refinishing my stock, but I'm concerned about all the metal/wood surfaces and not wanting to round edges or cause any mismatch when its reassembled. I have done several stocks now, so it wouldn't be my first time, but the shape of the stock seems challenging.

Also, any favorite stain/filler recommendations? I wonder if the Brownells Herter's French Red would be the ticket? http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=7605&title=STOCK+FILLER
Has anyone used that one? And what finish over it? I have used wiping varnishes so far, finished with 0000 wool and wax to get to a satin finish.

 

[TideMan]

New Member

Hello. I own 22 firearms but the 39D I received for my 14th birthday in '71 is still the classiest. - TJ

 

[batex]

Shrinkmd,
Yes, I used Herter's French Red stain/filler in the pictured of the stock I posted above. I applied this after sanding. final finish was with several coats of Tru Oil, then when dried, poslished with birchwoodcasey Stock Sheen and finally a coat or two of their wax. The french red filler really made the stock look nice.

I really wish I had taken pictures of the stock before when it was covered with the paint/varnish. I was really just expecting to find plain walnut or mabe even birch. I'm still in awe of the wood on this gun.

 

[ScotZ]

I have a 39A Golden Mountie..........I am told it was made in 1953. The action is as crisp today as it was when I bought it in the early 80's. Glad I found this thread. Of all my guns. I love this one the best.

 

[pgbenak]

Marlin Mod 39D

I have had a Marlin 39D since the early 70s, and would like to know where I can find a sevice/owners manual for this. Thanks!

 

[edwardyoung]

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/customersupport/manuals.aspx

Marlin Main Switchboard: (203) 239-5621
Marlin Gun Service (800) 544-8892

 

[yodar]

Reply about bulged bbl.

SOMETIME during the life of the gun apparently I had a squib followed by a fired round. I could feel the bulge with my cleaning rod.

For year I had presumed it was a spot of corrosion caused by poor gun care (Preposterous! because I am OC about cleaning even with non-corrossive ammo)

But that's the operating hypothesis I retained for decades till I showed the gun to a friend who "felt" the bulge and pointed it out to me on the outside, barely perceptible unless you looked for it.

Henceforth, If I ever hear a off-sounding bullet discharge, I take the gun down and inspect

yodar

 

[Brassman]

This may sound dumb, but has anyone ever used Johnson's Floor Wax on a stock? I did. I refinished a Remington Model 33 single shot bolt stock and the last 5 coats were this Johnson Wax that my wife has had on the panty shelf for years. It really set the wood off! The rifle was my father's and my brother and I took it to the range about a year ago. I let him take it home to take back to my mother and I haven't seen it since, at my house or hers. Well anyway, before I let him take it, it really looked top notch.

 

[yodar]

Carnauba

Your proposal is excellent!

I prefer a satin finish and get it from a bottled antique wood finish product labeled for wood and leather made with beeswax, carnauba, a dash of turps and citrus oil. I have used it successfully for some time.

It works excellently on wood, leather, and shoes!

You can make yer own with 50:50 linseed oil turps, melted beeswax and carnauba.

You'll feel like a sorcerer mixing it up ;>)

I just go to the antique mall and buy the stuff.
yodar