Home Forums Lever Action Central Rimfire Levers '74 39A Marlin

I made a little run to a few LGS's after getting caught up around the house with yard work. Did not have anything special to look for as things have been not turning up much at the shops. Pawn shops seem better here lately. The second shop had a 39A Marlin on the used rack. It turned out to be a well cared for rifle and I had some money I made detailing a Harley and a few items I sold I was not going to use. It had a 4x Bushnell scope on it that was bad but I didn't want that scope any way. Took the scope off and canned it because it rattled inside and shot it with the open sights and had to drop the rear two notches and was right on. May leave this one open sights as I have peep and scoped ones to shoot also. Here is a few pics with the scope still on it.

Oh dang,you did good.$300 is a steal.I have one just like it.Best shooting 22 I've ever owned.

Lucky dog!

Hope the BATF don't find out cause that's theft any way you look at it.


Oh,,,, and thanks for taking that hideous scope off.

That pawn shop looks like a great place to buy guns. The price and description is wrong. Hopefully you frequent that store, there should be many more...

That barrel looks like 24" to me, not 20" as per the tag.

All to the better, IMO.

Paul

The barrel is 24". They had it wrong on the tag. A friend of mine said they had more than the barrel length wrong.

I'd whack it to 20". Just so's it matches the tag.....

Blasphemy!

Marlin carbines are a dime a dozen, at least in comparison to those with 24" barrels.

The OP got a steal with this one.

Paul

I'll take a dozen. Where do I send the funds?......

I just picked up one of these today. 1952 39A with a period 2x Weaver. Excellent condition for the age. I need to replace the missing bullseye, but it is a sweet gun that will one day belong to my oldest son. Got a nice price, although nowhere near the steal that the OP got on his.

[quote=Paul39]

Marlin carbines are a dime a dozen, at least in comparison to those with 24" barrels.

The 24" barrel far out numbers the 39A's in the 20" that come up for sale. If there is a Mountie at a show for sale people will be on it fast. They also seem to always be a higher price than a 24" rifle. The Mountie has the "cowboy look" that appeal to almost every one. I like them to. I have lost out on a few Mounties by making the second pass through a show only to find some one else grabbed it up. Sorry to say the carbines are not a dime a dozen even in my area where prices are a whole lot better than other areas of the country. In the last 10 yrs. of hitting the shows regular and LGS I have saw maybe a dozen 20" for sale.

Pics of my new 1952 39A

Very nice '52 39A. Marlin guys like to find those older Ballard barrel guns.

same around here too. i did pick up a early 60's golden mounty just a couple months back for a song ...... but it did have a few issues. the original butt stock had been broken and there was a new replacement on it. also the bluing showed some wear and freckling but for a shooter grade gun under 300.00 i wasn't going to pass it up. i will keep an eye out for a more period correct mounty stock over time and if i fine one i'll slap it on and make it look whole again. i have two mounties but not one 24" rifle model. will have to fix that one day down the road.

I like those older 39's.

Years ago, I bought a Volquartsen 10-22, tricked out for .22 Shorts. I thought that would be the deal with its big SS tube.

Well, guess what. My 39 Marlin shot those shorts more accurately than the tricked out Volquartsen. It didn't take long for me to sell the barrel, aluminum bolt, tricked out rotary mag and replace all those parts with std. .22LR stuff and a Gander Mt. bbl.

My 39 has seen a lot of configurations, various scopes, sort of an ongoing project gun. I fitted a Fajen stock many years ago and checkered it. Currently it wears a tang sight and higher front as a companion piece to a similar .45-70 Cowboy Marlin.

I did a trigger job, installing a trigger stop set screw. It's about as close to a match trigger as I've seen on a 39.

DF

Dirtfarmer, You done a fantastic job on your 39. That is one to be proud of and it looks like a great shooter. Thanks for the pictures.

Thanks, Johnny.

The trigger stop isn't that hard to do and it does make a difference.

DF

DF, now I don't usually like modifications on guns, especially nice older Marlins, but I believe the trigger stop will only help your gun. Nice job on that beauty.

Mark

I don't mind a carefully done, subtle modification if it helps and this one surely does.

Like you, I hate to see "bubba smithing" on an otherwise fine piece.

DF

Sweet deal on that 39! - wouldn't mind sharing where that shop is would you and nice job DF!! The 39s are fantastic shooters!!

PennDog