The Marlin 39 Club

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Pete, How do you keep running into these 39's for sale? Does Tennessee have a glut of 39's? Send some this way. I haven't seen a 39 used or new in a store for years. They don't seem to stick around at guns shows either.

Thanks again for the sling.
 
Mo - We have an abundance of critters in these here parts - especially squirrels; this is Davy Crockett's territory, and the "go to the woods and git some eats" was invented around these here hills... plenty of shooters and shootn irons - I just wish I could afford some of the offers.

Pete
 
I grew up in the western part of Tennessee. Spent a lot of time there hunting squirrels as a kid. Loved eating them.

I'll bet if I'd had a 39 then, I'd have eaten even more.
 
With a good shooting iron, a man could not go hungry - then and now. Mostly in the Carolinas, The Virginias, Kentucky and Tennessee - for hunting, fishing and trapping, well, not so much trapping these days, that is the area most loved by the self-sufficient. Y'all come, you hear?

Pete
 
WOW!!

Just picked up my 1948 Marlin 39A (Serial number starts with E) It is in great shape and can't wait to go to the range. I live in CA and firing a gun is a social taboo. It is very difficult to find a location that is close and legal. Have a few up grades on order through a gun smith to really make the 39 whistle..

I'll post a few shots when I get the new site installed.

Jake
 
Where in CA?

Here in Orange County there are several indoor ranges and
severl outdoor ranges within two hour drive.
 
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What do you look for to check wear???

I am interested in getting a 39a.

But one time I got burned buying a motorcycle...the guy had been riding it in salt water in Mexico, and it cost me ~$500 to fix up the rear axle...I didn't know where to look when I bought it...

So, where do I look for serious wear and abuse on these Marlin 39a beauties?

Thanks,
love22s
 
where do I look for serious wear and abuse on these Marlin 39a beauties

Biggest problem I have seen is people tightening the screw (on the outside) that holds the spring steel magazine cut-off: it can bind the cut-off and affect feeding, especially shorts and longs. It should only be adjusted with the gun taken apart so you can be sure the flat spring has not shifted. That might be why I got such a good deal on my Mountie. :)

My cousin has a 39A that belonged to his maternal grandfather and could not recall any problems.

(Of course if you short stroke the action (don't cycle the lever all the way back), you can have ejection/feeding errors but that's operator error with any action.)

Anyone out there know of Marlin 39 problems?

82 pages and still going strong!
 
I have a pair

Of 39D's and love the red ryder feel. I would never part with them. Man I wish they would make a short one again. I miss my M and TDS.

Oh and bring back the 1894M .22mag. I have owned 2 in my life but had to sell both.
 
problems i have found

i now have four 39As ... one i bought, if you check back on previous post, to refresh over the winter .. it had a broken firing pin, verry poor blueing, and a missing inner feed tube .. after all repairs and cost i have $229 in it (1955 mfg date) ...it is a 20" carbine and the best shooter of the bunch ...although they all shoot very good ... one other had a firing pin that had to be adjusted because it was not striking with enough force, the hammer screw on this one was coming loose (1954 mfg date), so i used blue locktight and seems to work fine now, so far .... i have read every post in this club and have come away with the feeling that if you are a little handy combined with the fact these guns are built like tanks, all will be well .... i would like to know if others are having the problem with the hammer pivot screw loosening ....
 
About a thousand rounds through mine and all of my problems have been user-related. :eek:

(Read the user manual and secure that ejector down before smashing the heck out of it with a cleaning rod.)

Assuming the store is okay with it and maybe you have some spare change in your pocket you can pop the gun open right there and take a look inside to make sure all the parts move okay, all the springs are there, and inspect the bolt (firing pin sits right on top of it and should move freely. Aside from that, I'd check the mag tube to see if it's okay, and the sights setup (seems like they like to lose sight hoods).

The only major points of "wear" I see externally are rub marks on the lever where it pivots and the side of the hammer, and these are normal.
 
bsaride,

I live in Temecula, CA and know of a good Range in Orange County. I am also looking into an outdoor range off the 215 in Perris.
I bought a Colt 1911 about 6 months ago, and have acquired a Browning 22 target pistol, a 12 gauge Shotgun, and lastly my favorite a 1948 Marlin 39. Before 6 months ago my last firearm was a BB Gun . I was 10 years old and living in the AZ desert (Small mining town) with summers full of riding through brush with a BB slung around my back riding through the desert looking for stuff to shoot. Today you got to go to a 'Range', pay to get in, worry that they teeny boppers next to you don't shoot you out of ignorance. CA is a Wacky place, for such a forward thinking ‘perception’ that this state sets the tone for the rest of the county politicians seem to trample on the rights of law abiding citizens believing it will diminish crime. So, I am looking for a range that doesn't require getting stuck in traffic on a long journey to shoot some cans.

I just want to be that kid that got to ride his bike in the desert and shoot stuff. (just want to move out of the BB and into a .22)
 
Thanks for the inputs

Thanks guys for the inputs on the wear and potential failure spots...I'll look for them (if the store will let me...but I'm guessing they will).

What I find amazing is how popular these guns are...I was at a local store yesterday, and I could buy a Marlin lever action 30-30 for $420 NEW...but I see the new 39a is going for well over $500.

I wonder if I can get a conversion kit for the 30-30:)

love22s
 
Done good as far as I can tell. Now take number one off your signature.
Still have to get used to all them new guns you guys are buyin, my 39
is from 1927, lol.
 
Congratulations Dr. - I was thinking on jumping into the fray for that jewel, but my budget is rather tight right now - I think you did good - Welcome to the club.

Pete
 
Marlin 39A

Just got back from our local swap meet with a 39A made in 1978. (Thanks for the link.) Some of the bluing is worn and there are a few minor dings in the wood but it looks like honest use, not abuse. I'm one of those people who think honest wear is no detriment to the gun.

The bore is shiny, the rifling is sharp, the action feels tight and there is no play where the pieces separate. The trigger isn't light but it is crisp with no creep.

I've wanted a lever action 22 for a long time and Marlin certainly has the reputation. The $200 price seemed reasonable, especially for the northern Virginia area. With luck, I'll get a chance to try it tomorrow. (Not that I'm EAGER or anything.)

This is the first 39A I've seen at our swap meets and I've been attending them for years. In fact, I seldom see used 39A's around here. Glad to be able to join the club, finally.

Jeff
 
At $200 if she runs you done reeeaal good. I fixed up my Dad's 1952 model with approx $50. It was missing parts. I really didn't need to spend that much just got caught up in (Since I'm already in there...) and it runs like butter. I like it over my 79.
 
39A range report

I got to the range briefly this morning with the 39A I got yesterday and am now officially thrilled. It was below freezing and breezy and my back was acting up but I had to try it out. At 25 yards with the factory buckhorn sights it was easy keeping 2 inch groups offhand. There were a couple of 4 shot groups that were touching. (Sometimes I'm lucky.) I'm no rifle shooter so this is really good for me. Obviously, the gun is a heck of a lot more accurate than my shooting. When the weather improves I'm going to really wring it out at 50 and 100 yards from a bench to see what it can do. DANG! I'm excited. 100 rounds, no FTEs, no FTFs and this was with cheap bulk Federal ammo from Wal-Mart. :)

I'll have to get used to the trigger. 95 percent of my rifle shooting is with muzzloaders and I'm spoiled with their double-set triggers. Also, the 39A feels almost weightless compared to the ML rifles. Oh darn! I guess I'll just have to practise a lot to get used to it. :D

I really like the lever action. It's the first one I've used since my Red Ryder BB gun and that was almost 50 years ago. :eek: That smooth cycling of the lever, the positive ejection and the solid feel as a new cartridge is chambered is very appealing. I also enjoy the pace: 19 rounds without reloading, which is convenient, but working the lever is a tactile pleasure in itself so I'm in no hurry to spray the target. (I still use manual typewriters for first and second drafts. They offer the same pleasure in using a well-designed mechanical device.)

Thanks to Nematocyst for getting the club going and to dfariswheel and all the others for the excellent technical advice. I'm still reading through the eighty-plus pages of posts and learn a bit with every page. What a group!!

Regards, Jeff
 
Been enjoying this for a while. Finally got my computer back so I'm trying some pictures.
First gun I bought myself was a Golden 39A,about 1960. Had to sell it.
In the last few years I've added these.
A 39A made 1954 and a Mountie made 1964. They are beautiful to look at and to shoot. Real american workmanship.
 
Trying again. The single shot is a Marlin 100 Tom Mix Special
 

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