Marlin 39A cut the barrel????

[Brian Williams]

I have a decent marlin 39a with the 20" barrel.
I am thinking about having the barrel and mag tube cut down to 16" to match the length of the stock /action when taken down.
Also thinking about having the barrel threaded at the same time.
This would make it similar to a 39TDS take down.
Edit, it might be a 24"
Re-edit, it is a 39M with a 20" barrel

 

[tubeshooter]

I am reminded of Nematocyst/AStone. He was going to cut his barrel, but I don't believe he ever did.


My only advice is to consider cutting at 17 inches, just so that if it doesn't shoot well you could have one last chance to cut it again and hopefully "correct" things.

 

[starnbar]

Me if it shoots fine leave it alone you want a shorter barrel buy another 39, a used one is not that expensive then you have the best of both.

 

[tubeshooter]

With the current lever situation, especially for older Marlins, I would wager that the OP would spend nearly double what the first 39A ever cost him if he could find one.


Also probably somewhat harder to come across in Cambodia, I would imagine.

 

[chicharrones]

Cutting a 24” barrel to 16.5” would be a no brainer for me, but trimming a 20 incher?

Let’s just say that I’d like my 24 incher better if it were already 20 inches.

However, if you do cut yours back keep us in the loop about it. I’ve been wanting to shorten my 39AS for quite some time.

 

[tubeshooter]

I also said the same to myself. A 24" barrel feels downright lanky since I have been dealing with shorter here lately, but I don't think I would mind 20" very much.


I also would love to hear about the results if the OP goes through with it.

 

[Bill M.]

No!

 

[doubleh]

I wouldn't but it belongs to you so do whatever you want to it.

 

[JCooperfan1911]

Do it.

Threaded for a suppressor would be awesome. Have you considered having the receiver tapped and drilled for a picadilly scope rail?

 

[.45Coltguy]

I'd say no only because I cannot see me having my 39A cut down at all.

 

[chicharrones]

How awesome would a Marlin 39 like this be? It doesn’t have be “scouted”, but it could be.

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/o...om-guns-backpacker-lite-scout-marlin-39a/amp/



I’ve been in love with this concept for years. I’m just too cheap to do it for real.

 

[Brian Williams]

Do it.
Threaded for a suppressor would be awesome. Have you considered having the receiver tapped and drilled for a picadilly scope rail?

Marlins come drilled and tapped for both a receiver sight and for a scope mount, it is easy to put a rail on the receiver.
It already has a Lyman receiver sight with a Merit adjustable peep disc.

 

[tubeshooter]

How awesome would a Marlin 39 like this be? It doesn’t have be “scouted”, but it could be.

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/o...om-guns-backpacker-lite-scout-marlin-39a/amp/

View attachment 1157909

I’ve been in love with this concept for years. I’m just too cheap to do it for real.

That's actually pretty cool - thanks!

But the funny thing is... if you're actually interested in ranges that merit the scope, then you probably wouldn't have cut the barrel to begin with!

On the other hand - I have a really hard time with open sights past the 50-yard line nowadays, especially with short barrels. The scope would help quite a bit here.


Looks pretty handy either way. I have a couple of Henry levers with the large loop, which has grown on me a little. Easily swapped out in any case if you prefer otherwise.

 

[tubeshooter]

Marlins come drilled and tapped for both a receiver sight and for a scope mount, it is easy to put a rail on the receiver.
[...]

They did for a long time, until they weren't. They stopped at a point; maybe in the '90s?

I know because I specifically had to pay to have my 2006 model D&T'd for a Williams 5D (since replaced with a brass Skinner).

 

[chicharrones]

That's actually pretty cool - thanks!

But the funny thing is... if you're actually interested in ranges that merit the scope, then you probably wouldn't have cut the barrel to begin with!

On the other hand - I have a really hard time with open sights past the 50-yard line nowadays, especially with short barrels. The scope would help quite a bit here.


Looks pretty handy either way. I have a couple of Henry levers with the large loop, which has grown on me a little. Easily swapped out in any case if you prefer otherwise.

I installed a Williams 5D rear aperture on my 1994 39AS some years ago. An aperture sight is a wonderful thing on a 24” barrel.

But my particular 39 has never been good at punching small groups. Even when I mounted a 4x scope on it for 50 yard trials.

So, if I shortened mine up, I’d probably put a red dot on it and love the gun for the short range, stand on my hind legs, quick shooter that it is.

 

[starnbar]

With the current lever situation, especially for older Marlins, I would wager that the OP would spend nearly double what the first 39A ever cost him if he could find one.


Also probably somewhat harder to come across in Cambodia, I would imagine.

Unless he is a gov official or in their military civilian ownership prohibited in Cambodia

 

[BreechFace]

I would do it, but I suppress everything I can.

And the comments about why cut it down if one is scoping it and needing the range. The difference in useable range between 16”, 20”, and 24” on 22LR is negligible.

A nice LER scout setup like @chicharrones wouod be sweet and handle/balance well.

I’m not a big proponent of the scout concept but on a lever they just look right when the right height rings are used like what was shown above.

Talk with @MachIVshooter @ ECCO Machine he does great work and is familiar with doing such work on lever guns.

 

[TonyAngel]

If you're sure about the person that's gonna be doing the work, I'd say go for it.

I had my marlin 30/30 trapperized a while back and never regretted it, but I'm a short guy and shortening the rifle made a considerable difference to me. If you're on the bigger/taller side, it may not make as much of a difference to you.

I also have a little rossi in .357 with a 16.5ish barrel and I find it very handy and slick handling.

 

[kidneyboy]

They built 2.2 million of them. It's not a rare piece. Cut it and thread it.

 

[ThomasT]

I have a 39A made in 1988 IIRC with 24" barrel and there is no way I would ever cut it down. It shoots so well and is so accurate its is almost criminal not to scope it. Best $200 rifle I ever bought. I even killed a deer with it with the 11th shot fired out of it. If I wanted shorter I would look at a Henry or Rossi lever action an go from there. But I'm not sure what the OP can get in Cambodia. A new gun my not be an option. I just got a Henry 22 mag with 20" barrel and love shooting the gun. I don't regret at all buying that gun in that caliber.

 

[Varminterror]

if you're actually interested in ranges that merit the scope, then you probably wouldn't have cut the barrel to begin with!

In fairness, we’re talking 22LR here. Adding barrel length really doesn’t add anything to ballistic performance, and equally, cutting barrel down doesn’t do anything to penalize that performance either. It’s just as easy to shoot 350yrds with my 10” barreled 22’s as it is with my 21” 22’s.

 

[Varminterror]

Rather than cutting the original barrel, I might look around for another barrel, so the original could be reinstalled if I ever wanted to offload the 39M in the future.

 

[Jim Watson]

I wouldn’t unless making room for a silencer.
I had a Mountie and it was about right.

 

[tubeshooter]

In fairness, we’re talking 22LR here. Adding barrel length really doesn’t add anything to ballistic performance, and equally, cutting barrel down doesn’t do anything to penalize that performance either. It’s just as easy to shoot 350yrds with my 10” barreled 22’s as it is with my 21” 22’s.

Fair enough, sir.
I am talking in terms of iron sights and my own personally imposed limits.
They may not apply to many.

If it is further than my eyes can reliably hit a soda can, it is more than I would do for hunting. And I am notoriously hard on myself. Ten-inch gongs need not apply.


But duly noted. Theoretically you can hit with any length and it's the shooter, not the gun. A snub should be as good as a 6" barrel in the woods if you do your part.

 

[chicharrones]

Rather than cutting the original barrel, I might look around for another barrel, so the original could be reinstalled if I ever wanted to offload the 39M in the future.

And another mag tube assembly, if you go the extra barrel route.