Marlin 39A, are they really that accurate?

[bikemutt]

I finally found a Marlin 39AS rifle I could justify, put a cheap scope on it and got it to the range today. The rifle was made in 1991.

Once sighted in I was simply floored by the rifle's accuracy, consistent 1/2" groups at 100 yards with CCI standard velocity 40 gr.

I figured it would just be a cool rifle to own and shoot but had modest expectations about accuracy.

Are these known to be very accurate rifles or did I just luck into a good one?

 

[rcmodel]

A little of both.

They are known to be accurate.

But not 1/2" at 100 accurate.

You got more lucky with the rifle loving the ammo you happened to be using then the rifle being that accurate with any & all ammo.

rc

 

[back40]

i've never put an optic on mine. it's a 20" bbl mountie from '57. it does have a receiver mounted aperture sight, and is quite accurate even with bulk remington ammo. i haven't had it out in a while and was actually considering selling it. maybe i'll get it out to the range soon and see what it can do from the bench. i don't have the heart to scope it though

 

[bikemutt]

A little of both.

They are known to be accurate.

But not 1/2" at 100 accurate.

You got more lucky with the rifle loving the ammo you happened to be using then the rifle being that accurate with any & all ammo.

rc

The fellow I was shooting next to, who has forgotten more about rifle shooting than I will live long enough to learn , said the same thing as rcmodel pretty much.

His parting words of wisdom were for me to go buy more of THAT ammo, not something like it, THAT ammo. When you've discovered what the rifle likes for lunch, don't mess with it.

 

[Saleen322]

A little of both.

They are known to be accurate.

But not 1/2" at 100 accurate.

You got more lucky with the rifle loving the ammo you happened to be using then the rifle being that accurate with any & all ammo.

rc

True 'dat. This one shoots ok, but no 1/2" @ 100 yards good. A lot of match rifles won't do that.

 

[CB900F]

Bikemutt;

RC nailed it. That's outstanding accuracy, the only thing you can hope for is that it's repeatable. In other words, was that an instance of: "What went right!?" Where the stars aligned, the variables all broke your way, and ya held yer tongue just right, or, can you and the gun do it all the time? But, by all means, get the lot # for that ammo & go buy as much of it as you can lay hands on.

900F

 

[PapaG]

In my 60 plus years of shooting I have had more than a few 1/2" groups....very few of them repeatable. When I hear, or am told of something like this I often offer $50 to see it done. I am not doubting it, I would pay to see it done on demand. No offense intended. It just would be worth half a C to see it done.

 

[bayjoe]

They are an excellent rifle. Very accurate and have class to boot.

 

[bikemutt]

Alright, one data point does not a trend make. I'll take it back out again to see if its repeatable.

Tell you what though, it was scary accurate today.

 

[Ron James]

I picked up my Model 39 ( 1951 Vintage ) in 1968 When I was a Reserve advisor in Chicago. Took it out to a range and fired it at a 50 yard target. When I examined the target there was only one hole less than a half inch wide. I thought I have missed with most of my shots. Nope, all 6 shots went into that one small hole. I have never tried it at a hundred yard, I don't considered a .22 long rifle a hundred yard rifle ( that's just me ). but I do know , regardless of the ammo used, it is has always been a " minute of ground squirrel head ", accurate, even beyond 50 yards. My youngest son,who is now keeping it for me [ Ha, I'll never get my hands on it again ] loves to take if out to the boondocks with his son.

 

[johnmcl]

A few years back we used to run Model 39A postal matches here on THR. Nemocyst I believe was the MD. Both in the results there and the occasional target published in the Model 39A Club thread (which is massive), one would find superb 1.5 to 1.0 MOA targets at 25 and 50 yards.

With a 0.5 MOA group at twice the distance you should buy that exact ammo by the truckload.

 

[chicharrones]

I can honestly say that my early '90s Marlin 39 with its heavy, draggy trigger can't even do 1/2" at 50 yards let alone dream of it at 100 yards. 1.5" at 50 is about the best it can repeatedly do. A group under 1" at 50 yards happens once in a great while, but it takes a lot to come together to make that happen. That's with a 4x scope or with the Williams rear aperture. Perhaps with a trigger job it could improve.

I have always had the most fun with my 39 doing fast lever cranking plinking than paper punching. I have other guns that can out shoot that Marlin at the bench shooting at paper, but they're not as fun at plinking.

 

[PapaG]

What were your optics? My Anschutz with 2X and Eley Club might get 1" every now and then and my CZ455 with a 24X does it but 1/2" is outstanding. My AR got me one 5/8" and a couple of 3/4" groups. My 1945 cut rifled 39 is, on a good day, 1 1/2" at 50. Better keep yours and have it bronzed.

 

[bikemutt]

The optic was a refurbished Simmons Whitetail Classic 1.5-5x20. I liked the scope more in the store than I did at the range.

In any event, we used the berm behind the targets to speed up getting on the paper as there as lot of clay targets on the ground and it's pretty easy to see where POI is. Once we were consistently breaking clays, we moved back to paper.

At first I could not find the paper so I sat there scratching my head. I told my friend something was wrong so he tried; same result. Then a light bulb came on; the berm is 50 yards behind the target line, duh

So, we dialed down, got back on the paper and let the fun begin. He and I were audibly laughing at the rifle's accuracy. He advised my to go sell the bolt Savage that was only holding 2" or so groups earlier and buy ammo for the Marlin with the proceeds

I really don't like the Simmons scope and have replaced it this morning with a 6X Weaver Classic. I'll see about getting back out there to learn if yesterday was more about luck than equipment.

 

[teetertotter]

My 5 year old 39a, 2.8oz trigger pull, with a Simmons 6-20X44 target dot, using Aquila Match Rifle, off sandbags, at 109 meters, three 5 shot groups, on a calm afternoon, can produce 1.52 - 1.77 inch groups at our club range. I have 2 boxes of Eley Sport I plan to try this month. I have not done any testing in some time. I wonder what SK+ or Wolf Match will do?

Accuracy claims are somewhat funny to read once in a while.

 

[rcmodel]

2.8oz trigger pull

Say what???

2 lb, 8oz maybe.

But certainly not 2.8 oz.

rc

 

[matrem]

My brother has a 39A that's a great shooter.
Nowhere near 1.52-1.77 though.
40 oz. is likely what teeter meant, but 1225 grains kinda makes a trigger pull sound heavy enough, even though it isn't.

 

[lastofthebreed]

39A accuracy

Mine will do about an inch at 50 yards, but not anywhere near 1 inch at 100. The 39A is accurate and yours is a keeper for sure.

 

[teetertotter]

Sorry, typo error......2lb 8oz trigger.
Accuracy lies in the type ammo your barrel prefers and the shooter.
SV performs the best in my 39a barrel...match/target grade, mid priced. Any higher velocity, inconsistent .......long story short.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Super accurate.. long and heavy barrel in relation to bore diameter. Long lasting, well made rifles.

 

[grimjaw]

A friend of mine and I have a little competition on rare range days. Shooting at spent shotgun shells at a range of about 25 yards, I use a BRNO model 1 with a Weaver 4X and he uses a Marlin 39A with an extremely cheap no-name scope that looks thinner than his rifle barrel. It's usually a tie.

 

[243winxb]

Mine would not hold 0 from one squirrel season to the next.

 

[saltydog452]

Could the presence, or absence, of the Marlin 'MicroGroove' barrel be a player in this discussion?

salty

 

[CB900F]

Salty;

Probably not. I don't know the exact date that Marlin went to the "Micro-grrove" barrels, but I do believe that is was in the mid-fifties. 1954 perhaps?

900F

 

[az_imuth]

CB900F is correct, it was phased in during 1954, and my guess would be early that year since only a small number of ballard rifles were built. I have one of theBallard-barreled '54 39A's and a couple of more recent micro-groove models. If there's a difference between the two styles of rifling, then it can't be much. Besides, if micro-groove were that fantastic I'd think every target rifle in the world would be emulating it.