Thinking about a Marlin 39A

[dad]

Thinking about getting a new production 39A. I'm kind of apprehensive after reading Marlin forums and rimfire central. I would like to hear from people that have bought them within the last two years. I had one in the early 80'S and 2" at fifty yards was all I could get with a scope. I was hopeing for 1 inch at 50yds. How are the new ones doing since Remington took over.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

I was thinking of a new 39A a while back, but the retailer also had an old 1897 on the rack and I couldn't resist. I ended up getting the 1897 for about the same money they wanted for the new 39A. I'm sure the 39 fans will come along and jump in shortly. Many covet the earlier versions but I don't recall the specifics of when and why they make the distinctions.

The modern 39A seems like a solid gun as still produced by Marlin. I personally dislike the fat forend wood and so went with the 1897. Plus the 39 is soooo 20th century.

Welcome to the forum.

[Ysabel Kid]

Welcome aboard! My 39A is from the 70's, and I love it. Accurate and fun! Can't speak to the new ones, but I can speak to Marlin's customer service - it is top notch!

[Chuck 100 yd]

I bought a new one about 2 years ago and it is just super. I drilled and taped it for a Williams FP and it shoots Federal blue box into 1" at 50yd with the peep sight no problem. I have shot other ammo in it and other than some federal match grade (read very spendy) it likes the Fed. blue box stuff the best.

[dad]

I recently bought a new 336A and just love the rifle and the fat forearm It feels like I'm holding on to something! My son got my 336C and shot his first dear with it 4 years ago. I bought a bolt Savage model 14 great gun in 308 so I had something to shoot. I realy missed my lever action though. So bought my Marlin 336A for something differant. Now I'm thinking the 39A to match but I'm reading about a lot of problems with FTE. Thank you for the welcome!

[Doc Hudson]

I had one in the early 80'S and 2" at fifty yards was all I could get with a scope. I was hopeing for 1 inch at 50yds. How are the new ones doing since Remington took over.

You clearly were not using the right ammunition.

As I'm sure you know, .22's can be even more ammo sensitive than other calibers.

My mid-70's vintage Golden Model 39-A will do substantially better than 1" at 25 yards with quite a few different brands and an inch or less at 50 yards with a few different brands.

I remember once buying a brick of el cheapo Armscorp .22 LR Standard Velocity Solids. Those suckers would not cycle my Iver Johnson TP-22 unless they'd set on the dash board in the hot sun for half an hour or so, but at 50 yards, I could put an entire magazine full of shots into a circle the size of a quarter (25-cent piece). And that was using a $10.00 Tasco Scope!

I can't speak for new production Model 39's but unless quality control has totally gone to hell, you'd be hard pressed to find a better .22 rifle anywhere.

[jdad]

Problems are hit or miss, on the new production models. Pre 1988 rifles do not have the safety or rebounding hammer....irritating "sproing" and accuracy/functioning problems.

My general 39A rule of thumb is that if the serial number is under the lever it's usually quality.

[LeverBob]

Can't live without a 39A...mines a 1950 model & I just love the fat forearm. It is the most accurate .22 I've ever shot. Loves CCI ammo. Couldn't be happier...

LB

[El Chivo]

mine is about 3 years old, had some problems, but it is accurate.

When I got it it shot way to the right, and you could see the barrel was joined to the receiver a little crooked. They fixed that. I have had a fair amount of jamming problems with some types of ammo. Having good luck with Remington subsonic right now.

Trigger is very nice out of the box and I have shot quite a lot of good silhouette rounds with it, including 10 turkeys (twice!). Sorry I don't shoot for groups off the bench these days.

[gundownunder]

The new ones aren't a patch on the old ones, probably due to a lack of competition in the market place.
Everyone that I know of that's bought one in the last couple of years has had problems. On mine and many others that I have heard about the extractor has needed to be modified or replaced. Mine needed to have the rear sight leaf replaced because the tongue that sits in the elevator slots snapped off, and I'm told this is a common fault. There is a split in the wood on my stock which didn't open up till after I had had the gun for about a year, but its a fault in the wood that looks like it should have been visible to blind Freddy when the stocks were "quality inspected". Last time I was at my local gun store he told me that he has recently had a couple come back with some kind of a problem in the rebounding hammer spring.
At my local gun club we have a club gun that every man and his dog uses. It is a 39A made in 1957 and I'd swap my new one for that one any day, as they are equal to each other in accuracy and nothing ever goes wrong with that old clunker as long as we give it a bit of a clean and a drop of oil every now and again.

[71fan]

I bought a '48 vintage one about 2 years ago, with a Redfield Series 80 receiver sight, for $325. As with most rifles I buy, I can't justify buying new production when the older, higher quality and nostalgia can be had for the same price.

Mine shoots into an inch at 50 yards with Walmart Remington 550s.
(see my Avatar - that's it)

I'd recommend the same for you - go to the used gun racks.

[salvo]

When I was on the look out for a 39A, I wanted a used one that did not have the rebounding hammer & safety. One popped up here on the classifieds and I could not be happier! 1982 model that is very accurate and trouble free.
If I remember correctly 86er had one for sale recently on the classifieds?


25 yds.

[jnyork]

+1 for getting an older model. Vastly superior IMHO.

[dad]

Used ones in my area are hard to come by.

[J Miller]

You guys realize that the recommendation to Dad to buy older pre rebounders is causing Marlin to loose sales don't you?
You do know that your doing so is directly influencing Marlin to discontinue production?
That your hurting Marlin to the point they might go out of business like Winchester did.

You know all this don't you?

Yep, and I speak tongue in cheek cos I'm right there with you. If the companies can't keep their quality up, screw 'em.
I'd love to have a Marlin 39A, but I will not buy one with a rebounding hammer action. Period, end of comments.

Joe

[Pete44ru]

[Used ones in my area are hard to come by.]

Buying a used one from our (leverguns.com) Classifieds Section makes one easy to come by, dad.

All you need to do, besides sending the seller a money order, is to find a friendly FFL/dealer near your residence who will accept shipment of one, and transfer it to you.

In addition, you can buy from any one of our members in confidence - as, I've NEVER met, dealt with, or seen/heard of anyone a member here who wasn't a complete & honest gentleman, and a pleasure to do business with.

.

[Lefty Dude]

I was thinking of a new 39A a while back, but the retailer also had an old 1897 on the rack and I couldn't resist. I ended up getting the 1897 for about the same money they wanted for the new 39A. I'm sure the 39 fans will come along and jump in shortly. Many covet the earlier versions but I don't recall the specifics of when and why they make the distinctions.

The modern 39A seems like a solid gun as still produced by Marlin. I personally dislike the fat forend wood and so went with the 1897. Plus the 39 is soooo 20th century.

Welcome to the forum.

I am with ya on the 97.

I was looking to find a nice 39A or 39, and stumbled on my 97 by accident. This is one classy piece for sure. Shoots Federal 714 standard velocity's very well.
I am so pleased I bought a 97, mine was made in 1905 and is about a 90% condition. All parts are original, and the action is as smooth as glass.

[LeverBob]

You guys realize that the recommendation to Dad to buy older pre rebounders is causing Marlin to loose sales don't you?
You do know that your doing so is directly influencing Marlin to discontinue production?
That your hurting Marlin to the point they might go out of business like Winchester did.

You know all this don't you?

Yep, and I speak tongue in cheek cos I'm right there with you. If the companies can't keep their quality up, screw 'em.
I'd love to have a Marlin 39A, but I will not buy one with a rebounding hammer action. Period, end of comments.

Joe

I couldn't agree more...while the new guns are good ones, I am so glad I paid what I paid for my 1950 G model. The rifle shoots like a house-a-fire with issue sights. Upgraded sights in the works. Hoping for 1/4to 1/2" 50yrds.

It's ugly & banged up with a couple of ink stains in the buttstock (?), I don't care. It is as smooth & glassy as a babies backside.

LB

[dad]

I've never bought a gun on line. Who pays the transferr fees and shipping and insurance. Does the seller pay for the transferr fees at his end and I would pay the shipping and insurance and transferr fees at my end also?

[Tycer]

I've never bought a gun on line. Who pays the transferr fees and shipping and insurance. Does the seller pay for the transferr fees at his end and I would pay the shipping and insurance and transferr fees at my end also?

The seller charges you the sale price plus shipping (~$15-$20) and sends it to a dealer near you. I use a pawnshop and they charge me $20 to do the transfer. Some places charge $40.

Here's a 1973 to watch:

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.a ... =145157875

IMO he charges too much for shipping, but just keep that in mind when bidding. Know your top price and do not go above that price. Another gun will come along shortly.

[Hobie]

Get a good used one.

[dad]

Thanks for the info, I will have to start checking for a dealer incase I find one for the transfer.

[71fan]

There is a spot on the Gunbroker site ("For Buyers" I think) that says something like "Find a dealer" adn you type in your zip code.

There are many of us that do a lot of business on Gunbroker. It's a safe method for buying used, as long as you do your homework, ask questions of the seller, and look carefully at the pictures.

The shipping price for the previously listed rifle really isn't too bad. I can't ship my rifles for any less than that, by the time I pay for the box and packaging materials, insurance, etc. That's actually a very nice rifle.

Good luck.

[dad]

I was in town today and stopped by a pawn shop and they do do transfers for 20.00 and that the paperwork everything.

[Hillbilly]

Mine's a 1968 version.... if I go easy on the coffee... 30 shots into a quarter sized group at 35 yards. Find one ....you will like it.

Marlin%2039%20Target%2063209.jpg

[Pete44ru]

[Who pays the transferr fees and shipping and insurance. Does the seller pay for the transferr fees at his end and I would pay the shipping and insurance and transferr fees at my end also?]

Basically, the buyer pays for everything, including (free) shipping ( or "shipping included") by paying the seller in advance for the firearm, etc.

You then also pay your FFL whatever they charge for a transfer "in" ($20 in your case, zero in mine)

I use a US Postal Money Order, since it helps protect both parties from fraud, because most people don't want to run afoul of Postal Inspectors (Feds) investigating a fraud complaint.

.

[2ndovc]

I have two 39a's.
One is my Sister's, a 1970 Centenial model and a 1957 vintage I bought about a year and a half ago.

The 1970 model is a beauty and very accurate but has to be cleaned every 100 rounds or so. Otherwise
it will jam up.

My '57 has the been there, done that look but will go 1000 rounds before it needs a good cleaning.
It has become one of those guns I will never part with. By the time my boys get it I'm hoping
the reciever will be worn clean

jb

[dad]

I got a guy looking at my bolt action this weekend. If I sell it I will start looking hard locally to see what I can find.