Which Marlin does a fan of older guns get if they want to enjoy the workmanship and shoot it a lot.

Specifically, what years (serial numbers) would I be looking for that combine high quality work with modern metallurgy?

Anything til the safety or rebounding hammer showed up. My first gun was a 39a rifle made in 77. My dad bought it for me in 83. I lusted after a Mountie until I could save up the money for one. At one time I had a half dozen of them. I sold all but the 24" my dad gave me and a pristine Mountie made in the mid sixties.

I got a Mountie in 1954. It has probably had upwards of 10,000 rounds through it and I can't remember a single failure. So, the older the better.

What he said.

I bought mine, new in 1974. I still have it, and use it to squirrel hunt with, til this very day. My son has his grandfather's 39, circa 1955. He squirrel hunts with his also.


maddog

My own choice was a 1971 '39D because I wanted the shorter barrel to match a 336.

I bought my 39A in 1963. It was my first gun. I put so many rounds through it that when I got a �69 vintage a few years ago, the 39A couldn�t keep up with it in accuracy. I had the 39A rebarreled and now both are very nicely accurate.

bought mine (mowed yards for the money) in 1966....I think it was 75$...that's a lot of yards! Just as good today as it was then...it is the straight grip "mountie" model...

one horn nailed it - ANY 39/39a made prior to the intro of either the rebounding hammer and/or safety is good, but the earlier the better.

My most accurate & reliable have been a "C" SN prefix 1946 model & an "M" SN prefix 1955 model.

.

Just bought a 1973 39D in as new condition. Don't think it was ever used. Just like the one pictured except without the white spacers that were present in the 71' and 72' Model 39D's. Beautiful little gun.

just grabbed a 1978 39m. only took like 28 years to get around to it.

My Marlin 39 is one of my favorite Lever 22 i believe my rifles was made in the 70 or early 80's , i wouldn't waste my money on one with the cross bolt safety.

B--that sure is a beauty!

How accurate are these rifles?

My '83 39A with 2-7x Weaver RF scope will shoot 10 rounds of CCI SV 40 gr into a group a little bigger than a dime at 50 yards.

My 39A was made in 1971. With proper ammo, it will also shoot dime sized groups at 50 yards.

To me the best ones were made in the 1950s and 60s... Received my first 39A Golden 24" barrel for Christmas 1964. Sold it when I went to college in 1970. Have had one more 39A, three Mounties and a TD but the one I have really wanted is a 60s vintage Carbine...straight stock, 20" tapered barrel and 2/3s magazine.

A few weeks ago a nice one came up on GunBroker. Overall very good but someone had added sling swivels but that was fine with me as I wanted them....so I won. Just picked the gun up Sunday and have to say it won't be going anywhere...the balance is just perfect. No scope for this one but may have to get a higher front sight if I put a peep sight on...

Bob

If you miss, it's your fault.

1955 Marlin 56, the best of the best.

Fireball.....dammit if that gun never gets off of the couch I think that you should give it to someone that will use it

I have an idea of who would like it

Everytime I see that rifle I start looking for one and of course never find it!!

Sorry OP I digress - I am partial to the pre-A's and am just about ready to put one back together that was pretty abused...it looks mighty fine now I'll get pics up as soon as I get it put back together.

PennDog

Finally got it together - sorry for the low quality pics!!





Now to see if it shoots

PennDog

Penn, beautiful Marlin..

Thanks Wyocoyotehunter! Am looking forward to seeing how it shoots!

PennDog

IIRC I was getting between $3-$5 per lawn back then. Needed a union, some little bastardo was doing them for $3 so I had to adjust a few.