Marlin 39 in .22 mag? and does someone still make blank fill

[Lastmohecken]

I found a used Marlin 39 leveraction, probably 15yrs old or so, in .22 mag for sale. It's a straight grip model. It's fairly expensive, on par with the Winchester model 94 22mags in price.

I am considering buying it, but I was wondering:
1. Does anyone here have one and how well does it shoot?
2. Does it feed shells smoothly? Any know problems with the .22 mag version. I don't know why they are so rare, compared to the standard .22 long rifle version.
3. And does anyone still make and sell the filler blanks to eliminate that %^&* crossbolt safety?

I have a Winchester 9422 mag with a William's receiver sight, which I don't want to change, and thought maybe I would scope the Marlin, so I would have the option of using a scoped .22 mag leveraction, without putting a scope on my Winchester.

[6pt-sika]

The only 22 MAG in a traditional style lever that Marlin made was the Model 1894M the 39 or 39A actions are not the correct size for the 22 MAG or so Marlin always claimed .

I had a Marlin 1894M for awhile nice enough gun for what it was . On an 1894 size frame but loaded in the tube like a 39A . Thing shot pretty well for a 22 MAG .

[6pt-sika]

The 1894M I had was $375 on sale used about 10 years ago . I kept it four years I believe and sold it on Gunbroker for about twice the price . I think now $750-1000 is about right depending on condition of course .

[gamekeeper]

The only 22 MAG in a traditional style lever that Marlin made was the Model 1894M the 39 or 39A actions are not the correct size for the 22 MAG or so Marlin always claimed .

.

That is exactly what I've always thought but often wondered why Marlin didn't make the 39 action a little larger for the magnum cartridge.

[Pete44ru]

I found a used Marlin 39 leveraction, probably 15yrs old or so, in .22 mag for sale. It's a straight grip model. It's fairly expensive, on par with the Winchester model 94 22mags in price.

I am considering buying it, but I was wondering:
1. Does anyone here have one and how well does it shoot?
2. Does it feed shells smoothly? Any know problems with the .22 mag version. I don't know why they are so rare, compared to the standard .22 long rifle version.
3. And does anyone still make and sell the filler blanks to eliminate that %^&* crossbolt safety?

I have a Winchester 9422 mag with a William's receiver sight, which I don't want to change, and thought maybe I would scope the Marlin, so I would have the option of using a scoped .22 mag leveraction, without putting a scope on my Winchester.

Marlin chambered the Model 39a in .22LR only, never in .22 Mag.

I've often thought about how to do it, and would be interested in seeing one converted to .22Mag.


.

[Blaine]

My 9422, and 9422M "appear" to be the same size and weight, so I alway wondered why Marlin didn't make a Mag on the 39 frame.

[marlinman93]

A 39a is just not sized to handle a longer .22 Mag cartridge. The action may be able to handle it, but probably as a single shot, as modifying the carrier to function through the cycling would take a pretty advanced gunsmith. Not sure if it's even possible then.
Considering the problems Marlin had to overcome bolts breaking when hi speed .22's became popular back in the 1920's, I wonder if the breech bolt would handle the .22 Mag, and not become an issue of cracking again? Being improved to handle high speed .22LR may not prove to be enough to also handle .22 Mag?

[jdad]

My guess was that it had to do with the breech bolt more than anything else. It was also probably less expensive to retool the 1894 action than modifying a 39a would have been.

[J Miller]

My 9422, and 9422M "appear" to be the same size and weight, so I alway wondered why Marlin didn't make a Mag on the 39 frame.

Blaine,

Years ago when the 9422 was introduced it was said in the articles that Winchester designed it around the .22 Mag first, then detuned it to feed the S.L.&LR.

I've lost the magazine that article was in so I can't tell you where it came from.

Joe

[Lastmohecken]

My bad, you guys are right, it's an 1894 not the 39, I didn't look at it, with my glasses on and didn't realize that it was a 1894, I just assumed it was a 39.
That makes perfect sense, because when I cycled the action it was smoother then the typical 39 and I noticed the carrier was different looking.

[claybob86]

I had no idea such a thing existed. Now I want one!