Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Marlin Model 39

Found out the gas port was implemented in the 80's
Sure sounds like a good feature in case of a blown rim.
OK, so now I NEED a mid 80's Mountie, no saifty button, with gas port! (grin!)
Virgil B.

Did not know about the gas port, haven't examined a 39 in decades. But what is really needed is a kink in the firing pin at the gas port and/or especially a flange on its rear end to deflect gas and brass coming back when a case bursts.

WaaaaaHooooo!
Found my Marlin Mountie yesterday!
Shop in Salem Or. had one, 'bout an hours drive from me.
Pre-saifty button, but no gas port. prolly 85% condition.
$335. out the door.
first 5 shot group with open sights was just over 5/8" at 30 yards. Didn't think I could see open sights this well. I did have a "fire sight" front put on. It sure shows up good.
Thanks to all for the help!
Virgil B.

Darn rifle is shooting so good, I hate to fix what ain't broke, but would like advice on a peep sight.
Have receiver sights on several lever guns, and tang peeps on a cupple more.
What is available, and what works good on a Marlin 39 ? Have seen Marbles tang advertised in Midway, but is the Lyman tang availble for the 39? (less $$$) Thanks!
Virgil B.

I have a Williams Fool Proof on mine and can shoot it about as well as a scoped rifle.

In general, Marbles are a bit better than Lymans, and older are better than newer. But those are broad generalities.

The best of this sort of sight is found at
www.montanavintagearms.com Expect to pay for what you get. But you will never be disappointed.

Brent

Trade you for a S&W 617 . . . . . .

BMT

BMT,
You're more than welcome to come "wring out" my "new to me" Marlin!(mfg 1968-69)
Glad the guys "twisted my arm" enough to finally buy one! It's a great shooter!
Virgil B.

I've got a Marlin 39A I bought new in 1970. First real gun purchase I made with my own money. I sold it in 1975 to a very good friend of mine for what it cost me ($85.00). Bought a Ruger Single six with the proceeds. I made my now standard deal with Him - you cannot sell this rifle to anyone else, shoot it all you want, but if you do want to sell it comes back to me, at the same price I sold it to you. Boy, that worked well. Thirty years later I called Rick up and he sold My Marlin back to me - same price. When I striped it down to clean I found the remains of the the old Gunslick lube I had put it the action when I sold it to him... He had never really shot it - maybe a box of two of ammo. That's a buddy! It's a great story!

My Marlin sports the full length 24" barrel. In my youth I thought it was too long. Now I think it is perfect. I've got a Williams reciever sight on it and it shoots like I've always remembered. The Marlin 39 is THE classic .22. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Hik

I owned both the regular 39A and, eventually, the "39A Mountie" rifles back in the 1950's... foolishly traded the regular 39A in on the 39A "Mountie".

The original 39A was a very accurate rifle. About every Saturday during decent weather when I was in high school, I use to hunt varmints along a deserted western Ohio railroad track.

After a long, hot walk along the railroad tracks shooting at crows and groundhogs. I use to climb the farm fence and shoot the best apple off the top of one of the apple trees in a farmer's apple orchard.

That old 39A could shoot the apple's stem in half at 30 feet or more... from the ground to the top of one of the apple tree. The ripest apples were always at the top of the tree. I guess they got more sun or somethin'... but that's where I always found the best apples.

I had many a fine, juicy red apple that way... catching the apple before it hit the gound as it fell from the top of the tree, wiping it off on my shirt and having a juicy treat or two before starting back down the railroad tracks toward the car a couple of miles away.

After I got out of college and was about go into the Army at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, I traded the old 39A for a new 39A "Mountie" and took the new rifle to Oklahoma where I used it to shoot running jackrabbits out in the fields and rolling prairie of Oklahoma just south of Lawton, Oklahoma... near Ft. Sill.

I'd "burn up" a "brick" (500 rounds) of Remington .22 rimfire hollow-points I bought at the base PX just about every weekend walking the prairie and shooting "jacks" on the run.

I didn't think about it 'til much later, but I was LUCKY I didn't get bitten by a rattle snake as I walked many a hot mile out there on the treeless Oklahoma prairie... 'cause they were fairly plentiful according to those who supposedly knew... but I never saw even one... nor did I hear any of 'em "rattling".

The "Mountie" was never as accurate or quite as "smooth" as the older 39A... but it was a nice little rifle.