got the bug for a 39-A

[brucew44guns]

What would you guys tell someone looking for a Marlin 39-A? I need one real bad, do I get a new one with un-needed safety?, hammer that rebounds? or do I go for broke and find a nice older one?. How far back in years do you go to the real McCoy? instead of the lawyer version? What's a real nice one going to cost? The disease is working tonight.

[rjohns94]

personally, I would get one of the older ones. Stinkycat did one and it looks wonderful!! he recently posted a picture of it on a thread in the political section. He also did a much older thread on it when he completed it. I suspect you could do a search and see his pictures to feed the bug a bit.

[GEOFF]

That's and UNDERSTANDABLE disease!!

If I was going to go for a newer one, I'd probably try to get the Cowboy version, the octagon 24" barrel with the squared lever. One of the guys I shoot silhouette with has one for sale. These have a straight grip stock on them. If you want the shorter barrel, get the 1897T. I believe these guns were only made from about 1998 to 2002. I got an 1897T for my daughter when she was born in 2002.

BUT, probably my favorite 39a is the 1954 vintage one that I have. There is just something cool about older guns, no lawyerization etc...... I'd check out the for sale ads here and at Marlin Owners, also Marlin-Collectors. So what it boils down to, I've got 3.

1)1897T
2)New 39a just before Remington bought Marlin
3)1954 39a

I'd prefer the older one but the brand new one is just awesome too.

My dream .22 lever is the ORIGINAL Marlin 39 from before WW2. SOME DAY!!!!!

Geoff

[kimwcook]

So Geoff, what's your buddy want for his 39? And, does he have any pic's he or you can post?

[Ysabel Kid]

Bruce -

Definitely an older one! You'll really be happy you scratched that itch!

[Old Savage]

I have every confidence you could deal with the safety - I actually like it. But then - I like machinery. The last of the Pre Rem 39s were marked ORIGINAL GOLDEN 39A in gold letters. Pretty darn original!

[2ndovc]

I bought one about a year ago. Don't know why I waited so long.

I like the older ones too. Those big fat stocks fit me just right.




GO git one!!!


jb

[ceb]

I see the older guns now and then, they would be my choice. However I wouldn't turn my nose up at a new one either, particurly if I could find a 1897T or one of the takedown models they used to sell with the case, can't remember now what they called it.

I have three now myself, a '63 model 39A, a '57 Mountie, and a '66 Carbine version. I love them all.

[salvo]

brucew44guns I am finally replacing a 39A that was my Granddads, his son,my uncle, asked me about it around 5 years ago and wondered if he could have it for his grand-kids to learn on and I gave it to him. I have missed that old .22. I just found a 1982 model (No safety) here on the classifieds that looks just like my old one. It is on the way to me as we speak and the wait is killing me!
Keep your eyes open and grab one, you wont be sorry.

Stinkycats 39 is beautiful!
viewtopic.php?t=10450

[kimwcook]

Salvo, now you owe me a keyboard. I looked back at stinkycats 39 and smoked my keyboard.

Has anyone heard from him lately? I don't recall any posts of his lately. I'd like to know what he ended up spending in just raw materials, bbl., wood, etc...

[salvo]

That has got to be the nicest 39 I have seen, Stinkycat sure has some talent! Hope he is still around.

[Rusty]

I have a M39AS and I don't think the safety is an issue at all. When a rifle shoots as good as these do little else maters.

[rjohns94]

StinkyCat has a thread going right now in the political section and it shows the 39 again. it is a beauty.

I just bought an 1897 from 1901 so I will soon be in the market to sell my 39TDS - 16 inch, takedown, comes in the pouch, rubber butt plate. It also has a lyman rear peep and the scope mount.

[Lefty Dude]

The 39A are nice, I am glad I held out and found a very nice 1897TD made in 1904-05. Mine is all original, 24" tapered octagon barrel, CC receiver hammer & lever.
The 1897 were made till about 1922, I do not know when the 39 series first year was produced.

They are getting hard to come by, but they are out there.

[jdad]

Yeah, those Marlin rimfire levers are just pieces of junk! I don't know why anyone would want one.

Click on the thumbnails.

[6pt-sika]

As far as "actual" 39A's go I've never owned one !

I do however have a 1897CB and a 1897T that are fine little rifles . And even though they're called 1897's they are 39A's in another configuration.

I recently got in a deal for an original Marlin 1897 of 1906 vintage that has been fitted with an older 39A barrel and forend . Not exactly sure what I'm gonna do with this one . But I'm sure before it's all said and done I'll probably redo the whole darn thing .

Now if I were looking for something in the Marlin 22 line I think I would be more drawn to the Model 1892 and 92 . Although I would probably be more intrested in the 32 caliber's in those two models over the 22's . Sure it's hard to find 32 rimfire ammo any longer and when you do it isn't cheap . But when you change the firing pin so you can shoot the 32 Short Colt or 32 Long Colt . Well lets just say I prefer that ! Might explain why I have a nice old round barreled Marlin 1892 in 32 caliber of 1900 vintage and another Marlin 92 in 32 caliber octagon barrel of about 1916 vintage .

Now back to the original question !

I would like at some point to get a nice 39A and 39M both pre 1955 . With a little luck a nice 1963 vintage 39A Carbine and if really really lucky a nice 39A-DL . With those four I'd have all the 39A's I'd ever need !

[GEOFF]

Jdad,

Man, what a BEAUTIFUL collection!!! I knew you had a bunch of Marlin .22's but didn't know THAT many!!

No wonder you don't ever see any old Marlin lever .22's in the whole NORTHWEST!!! You and Vall have them all!

Geoff

[salvo]

6pt-sika what is the significance of a pre 1955 39A? Just curious

[GEOFF]

Probably Ballard rifling pre 55. (before the microgroove rifling)

Along same lines though, why the 1963 carbine??

Geoff

[salvo]

I was a little apprehensive as far as the Micro-groove is concerned, I was raised on a 1949 336A and it still shoots great! But I must say my 1969 336 Texan with micro-groove shoots as good or better, I think in a .22 micro groove just might be better?

[6pt-sika]

Probably Ballard rifling pre 55. (before the microgroove rifling)

Along same lines though, why the 1963 carbine??

Geoff

The reason for the pre 55 is because I like the rifles alot that were made then ! Have 3 or 4 336's from then and they're all very slick ! Most likely from wear but thats alright !

1963 was supposedly the first year of the Marlin 39 Carbine according to Brophy's book !

And if I picked a year for the 39A-DL I would go with 1961 because thats the year I appearred on the face of the earth

[GEOFF]

6pt,

I knew you would have well thought out reasons! And you are right, my 1948 336 I don't think has been shot much but like you say it is EXCEPTIONALLY smooth.

Good reasons, and I agree with the above about microgroove .22's working really well.

Geoff

[6pt-sika]

I was a little apprehensive as far as the Micro-groove is concerned, I was raised on a 1949 336A and it still shoots great! But I must say my 1969 336 Texan with micro-groove shoots as good or better, I think in a .22 micro groove just might be better?

Like you I used to not think so highly of the micro groove rifling !

And especially when I got into cast bullets !

But after a few PM's from Ranch Dog I won't say I changed my mind but he had me thinking enogh to at least give it a try !

Now after a couple years of fooling with cast and micro I couldn't be happier !

I used SIX micro groove rifles with cast bullets this past hunting season to take deer ! And another was used in 2007 !

I have gotten so involved in the cast micro thing in 444's that I now own no less then then EIGHT 444 Marlin's that are all micro and I shoot nothing but cast in any of them !

Also doing the cast thing in micro barreled Marlin's in 356 WIN , 375 WIN , 30-30 , 35 REM , 45-70 and 44 MAG ! And I gotta tell you they all are doing a great job so far !

The only fault I have found to date is with my preferred alloy . Air cooled wheel weights are not hard enough to push at velocities for the heavier bullets in the 45-70 and 444 so these have to be water quenched I think to make the outer part hard enough to hold the rifling and not strip out !

I've gotten great results with the 444 with air cooled bullets up to about 315 grains with no problem ! However when you get 325 grains and up the game changes . Also in my micro 45-70 the 425 grainers when I pushed them as fast as I wanted stripped out ! They were okay if I backed them down , but the velocity was not what I wanted so in the Micro 45-70's I am thinking water quenched in anything over 375 grains when using "just" wheelweights !

I know I do alot of things with this stuff that most folks could care less about and isn't really necessary ! However I do enjoy messing with this type thing !
But then I enjoy shooting and hunting with the Hornady Leverevolution ammo sometimes as well !

Lets just say I like the ENTIRE spectrum

[jdad]

Marlin made outstanding 22 barrels. I can't comment about the current crop, from the last 15-20 years, but I have seen a Master class shooter take an old Model 57 (microgrooved), with crappy Remington Golden Bullets, and shoot a perfect 40x40. GB's probably have the worst QC, so the barrel quality did come into play.

I have shot both early Ballard and later Microgrooved 39A's and found that both were just as accurate once you found the most accurate ammo for each. I do think that the general poor quality of the newer triggers and "twang" of the rebounding hammer affects accuracy more than the barrels.