The Marlin 39 Club

[Burke]

I just pulled my 1966 Mountie from the closet, where it has been for about 25 years. I want to fix it up with a peep sight for my grandson.

There have been discussions here about the best kind of peeps, but I wonder what the consensus is.

Any views are appreciated.

 

[bsaride]

I like a receiver sight the best, don't like the tang sights
(alot of shooters put their thumb alongside the stock).
Did this with my 1927 M39 as it wasn't D&T for rear sight
(Win 96 sight). With Lyman 17 (vintage) up front.

 

[JustsayMo]

Burke; check out Skinner Sights. www.skinnersights.com I've been happy with mine. I had a williams on for a while but its for sale now.

 

[Burke]

Mo,

Did you use the front sight too, or just the rear one?

 

[JustsayMo]

Burke, my stock front sight worked well on my 39. On my 1895 I needed the front sight though.

I also had Tim make me a smaller aperture than the standard. If I recall correctly it's around .070". It sharpens up the sight picture but is still big enough to use hunting.

 

[AStone]

A rimfire scope adorns the top of mine.
I suspect it'll stay that way.

(With .30 cal, I'll take power
anywhere in a 6" block at 100.
With .22, I want micro-precision.)

If I was going to put peeps on, though,
it'd be the Skinners. I've not even seen
a set, let alone shot through them.

But from what I've read,
tempered by intuition,
they'd be my first choice.

 

[Txhillbilly]

Here's my Annie Oakley

I need to take some better shots of the whole thing but here are some close ups.

 

[Fast Frank]

Man, that Annie Oakley rifle is NICE!

Hang on to that one!

 

[Torghn]

Is there a scope mount for a 39a that will still let you use the iron sights?

 

[AStone]

I agree with Frank, Txhillbilly: fine, fine looking rifle.
Probably the only one in the club house here.
(good job on the photos, too. except for one, very clean images.)

Torghn, short answer: yes. I'll let others make recommendations.

However, the one thing I know about scope mounts that ride high enough for iron sight use is that, well, they ride high.

For me, using a scope that's mounted that high isn't comfortable. It requires an unnatural sighting posture.
(Not to mention that it carries "funny".)

For me, I'll take either a low mounted scope or irons, but not both.

YMMV

 

[Burke]

Mo,

Did you get the regular 39 sight or the low-profile one? Looking at the Skinner site, he states that the Marlin sight works fine with the low-profile one, but doesn't say that about the regular sight.

 

[Smaug]

I've got a Marlin 39M at the moment that I talked my brother into buying.

The first time I ever shot a gun was my great uncle's Marlin 39A. (pre golden) What a sweet gun. I hope Marlin doesn't lower the quality control.

My first 22 rifle was a 10/22, which was a Jam-O-Matic. It finally worked well enough after it was sent back to Ruger twice. Finally, I sold it and found a nice used 77/22.

To be honest, I like my brother's 39M better. I wish it had the pistol grip, but that's the only thing "wrong" with it.

I didn't think lever actions were supposed to be as accurate as bolts, but I think this one will do just as well as my 77/22.

 

[Burke]

I'm ordering a Skinner sight and am going to try some .22 mini mags.

What distances do you hunters zero you stuff in to? And what do you hold over or under at various distances, if you don't mind my asking?

 

[JustsayMo]

Burke, as far as I know I have the regular ramp/sight height. The Skinner rear only required a turn or two to get it zero'd with the Federal Bulk ammo that I shoot most often.

For sight in I typically sight in at 25 yards so the bullets print just on top of the bead. At 50 yards the bullets print just under to top edge of the bead. Inside of 10 yards it prints just a little low. At 100 yards I cover the target with the bead.

The game I hunt most with a 22 is Grouse which is legal and fun here in WA. The shots are usually inside of 25 yards and typically closer. They are not challenging game but they are excellent table fare and their feathers make good fly tying materials. If conditions are right I'll take a shot out to 50 yards plus or minus a few with iron sights and that is usually only on vermin, starlings and such.

 

[cpirtle]

I'm probably going to soon be a member of the 39a club as there's one at a local shop I'm going to buy tomorrow.

This one is case hardened, round barrel with no checkering on the stock. Case hardening has lightened but is still there and the blue is 98% but slightly lightened. Overall gun is in great shape.

The tag said the serial number is B4242 (which i did not verify), can anyone give me an approximate date of mfg? I've been having a hard time finding a good reference for it.

I think I can get it for about $375 + tax and based on my reading it seems like a fair enough price..

 

[AStone]

...there's one at a local shop I'm going to buy tomorrow.

Cpirtle, welcome in advance to the club.

However, may I strongly recommend that you call them and
ask them to hold it until tomorrow, and to call you with
right of first purchase if someone else comes in today?

Used 39A's don't last long at any price, let alone $375
for one in as good condition as that one sounds like it is ( ).
Anybody who understands what it is will scarf it right up.

(Hey, I'm already on the phone calling every pawn shop I can find in NE Ohio ... )

 

[76shuvlinoff]

hmmmm NE Ohio... I can be there by morning... LOL!

 

[cpirtle]

I decided not to wait for you all to reply and went back to have them put it on hold for me after work. I still forgot to verify the serial number but the gun is definitely an older one. Case hardened frame, blued slide and blue trigger (when were they switched to gold?).

The takedown screw is a little buggered so I'll probably find a replacement but the gun is rock solid. I'll downgrade the finish to 95% after looking again but it's still in great condition for what I plan to make a shooter.

I'll probably put it in layaway tomorrow since I'll be on the motorcycle but will pick it up the next time I drive my truck to work.

Any thoughts on how old this one is?

 

[AStone]

I decided not to wait for you all to reply and went back to have them put it on hold for me after work.

Excellent!

I'm looking forward to reading more about this one.

Get'cher digital camera warmed up.

 

[Mal H]

cpirtle - The Bnnnn serial number indicates it was born in 1945 (or close to 1945, the Blue Book isn't specific enough on years before 1948).

 

[AStone]

Wow. That's cool.

 

[manderson]

Well, I am joining the club. I've always wanted a 39A, and finally picked one up which I will have before the Labor Day weekend. Serial number is an "AC" which puts it at 1967 manufacture. Hope that was a good year (considering all the hype about pre-64 Winchester). It looks like it's never been fired. I'll post some pics next week.

Nice club you have here. It's going to take a while to read through all 1646 posts!

 

[jkingrph]

I have a Marbles tang sight on my wife's little 1897 cowboy. My old 39a has a Lyman receiver sight. The Lyman is more precise in making adjustments, but the Marbles is more fun to shoot with.

 

[cpirtle]

The Bnnnn serial number indicates it was born in 1945

Sweet.

I should get it out of layaway Monday or Tuesday. I ended up getting it for $379, best I could do but I'm happy. Every time I see the gun I am more impressed with the condition.

 

[hwilkins]

New 39 owner; same FTF as Nematocyst

I have wanted a 39 for a while (and have owned a 1895 Cowboy 45-70 for about 2 years). I finally placed the order (at Wallyworld of all places), and was told that their supplier for Marlin had orders 5+ months old, and not to hold my breath. Imagine my surprise when 3 weeks later I got "the call"...

I got to take it to the range for the first time today (er, yesterday now). It shoots great, it feeds great, it feels great... but about 10% of the rounds fail-to-fire. These FTFs look like light-strikes to me. Almost all of them fired on the second load/try, but none of them fired on a second fire just pulling the hammer back and pulling the trigger again. Sadness...

I searched the web for FTF-issues, and found this thread among others...

My ammo was Federal copper-clad HPs and Remington Golden copper-plated HPs (both 550 bulk pak - it's what was on-hand and what feeds well in the 10/22 hi-cap mags). These rounds all fired just fine in my wife's Henry Golden Boy - no FTFs at all, and more sadness from me

I do not see any burrs, but have not disassembled the rifle yet.

I did clean the rifle before firing, using Break Free Power Blast to clean out the packing grease, then a light coat of CLP (maybe I gave it too much CLP?)...

I checked the take-down screw, and it seems snug. The action is stiff but smooth. The trigger is heavy but consistent.

I PM's Nematocyst, and will try some of the ammo his 'smith suggestred when I can get it...


Another note: I put a 6.5-20x50 scope on the included Marlin base. I cranked the windage all the way left and it was still shooting right. When lloking at the rifle from the front or back, it really looks like the scope is off-center toward the front, like the scope base or screw-taps are crooked... more testing here to come.


Thank you all for the great resource here, and the clearly great community this "club" represents. I just finsihed reading ~1650 posts, and am truly impressed!

Hopefully you can help me get rid of my FTFs, and maybe we can finally get rid of Nematocysts's... I look forward to the challenge!

Regards,
Bobby Wilklins