When I was a senior in high school I was in a local pawn shop just looking around. Just like any teen that is raised in the field and woods hunting critters, I always had my eyes out for guns. I wasn't a gun nut and only owned a couple because that's all I needed to harvest. Anyway, I happen to notice this lever action on the wall and asked about it. Finding out it was a .22, I thought how cool it would be to hunt squirrel's with a lever action.... how cowboy, I thought then. When the fella told me it was $150, I thought WOW, thats a pretty penny for a Marlin .22 (I was use to the Marlin semi's at the time going for next to nothing). However, I had to have it just because it was cool. The rifle was in outstanding shape and I'm guessing a late 70's model. I could not believe how accurate this thing was. Never missed a squirrel with it and just loved the feel and balance. A few years later I had to sell the beauty to make rent. I have regretted it ever since. I hate to say it, but I really think the wife & son could've handled one winter in the cold so I could have kept her....don't you?
I never new that day in the pawn shop just how much of an impression that .22 would have on me. Now here I am, 20 years later searching for a Marlin 39a and probably going to spend 4 to five times the amount I had before. I may be searching for a while because I'm scared to purchase a brand new one because of the horrors I've been reading. It's a shame that such a beautiful thing has ended up where they are today. Hopefully you will see me posting pictures of my new love very soon. Wish me luck.
Can a non Marlin 39a owner in search of his lost love join the club?
God Bless,
Ken