The Marlin 39 Club

[CB900F]

Fella's;

I thought the 39D had a pistol grip stock? It would appear to be a Marlin 39M to me. In other words, a Mountie.

900F

 

[johnmcl]

Corrected, its a 39M. I mistyped.

 

[chicharrones]

Hi all,

Well, a pristine 1966 vintage Marlin 39M came home with me from a friend's collection. There's not a mark on her, and the bore is bright and shiny. A quick field level dis-assembly shows that she's been used, but gently and always treated well.

Despite all my other shooting venues and all the fun I have with those guns, none resonate with me as these Marlin 39s do.

Here's a couple of perspectives on the new rifle in the box:

Very, very nice! Congrats.

 

[JustsayMo]

Great score JohnMCL. Looking forward to the range report. Knowing how well you shoot, I expect it will be impressive.

 

[JustsayMo]

Does everyone have enough 22lr ammo to resurrect Jag's 3x5 card Marlin 39 Challenge?

The calendar shows Spring is just ahead and if I recall correctly that means warmer weather.... It would be a good excuse to grab the 39 and head to the range...

 

[OldBrownDog]

Does everyone have enough 22lr ammo to resurrect Jag's 3x5 card Marlin 39 Challenge?

I don't know what that is, but I'm willing to find out.

 

[JustsayMo]

I don't know what that is, but I'm willing to find out.

Back in 2007 our brother Jaguar put on the first Marlin 39 Club match. It was great fun and we've done variations of that match a few times since.

It has been a while and ammo seems to be a little more available these days. Maybe it is time to try it again.

 

[johnmcl]

Mo,

Great to hear from you again. The Mountie was an unexpected find. I couldn't be happier to have it in the safe.

I think we could give the 3x5 match a try again. As I remember, is three rounds into an index card with the best group winning. I'm of the opinion that most of us could scrape up three rounds.

Let's do it.

 

[S.B.]

Would these get me in?

Steve

 

[Fast Frank]

Mo, I will shoot the index card match for sure....

 

[CB900F]

S.B.

You're here, you're in! Welcome to the club.

900F

 

[johnmcl]

Mo,

Here's the initial try out, 10 shots at 25 yards. I'm pretty darn happy here.

 

[JustsayMo]

John, I would be happy with that too.

Speaking of shootin... Got too busy to get a match going so how about we just do a quick and informal shoot here in the club using Jag's format.

25 yards, any and all Marlin 39 and 1897 variation, any position allowed from bench rested to horseback, Any ammo, three shots. Target is a plain 3x5 index card, NO aiming dot, you must shoot it plain (tougher). Scoring the longest distance, measured outside to outside of the group. Tie Breaker is the most centered shots.

Shortest distance wins.

Bonus side match: Offhand -John Wayne Style (credit Shaky Jake) 10 shots at 25 yards. Scoring, most shots on paper, the bullet hole must be clearly on the paper. Tie breaker is group size measured outside to outside.

Targets must be posted or mailed to me by Easter.

 

[Fast Frank]

Speaking of shootin...How about we just do a quick and informal shoot here in the club using Jag's format.

I'm in.

I hope to make it out to the rifle range this weekend.

Come on guys! let's go shooting!

 

[Normandy]

I lucked out at "The Show of Shows" in Louisville, KY, and picked up an F code (1948) that looks almost brand new. Original sights on it, excellent condition, Ballard rifling.

Hoping to take it to the range next week, to see how it stands up against my other 39A that has Williams peep sight. Can't think of a more fun challenge, to see which of my two Marlins shoots best for me. I also scored 300 rounds of CCI Mini-Mags at the show, so one sleeve of them will provide the fun.

 

[CB900F]

Normandy;
900F

I wouldn't bother buying a lottery ticket iff'n I were you. You've gone an' done used up all yer good luck for a while. Mebbe even a while-and-a-half!

900F

 

[Fast Frank]

Well, I didn't get to perforate any index cards, but I did shoot my 39 over the weekend.

A friend of mine has a little piece of property way out in the country, and we went out there for the afternoon. There were three people and about about a dozen guns there.

I took my Model 39, and my model 60.



I also carried along my Ruger target pistol.



All three worked perfectly. They got passed around and several hundred rounds went downrange.

Everybody raved about the 39.

It seems that folks found it easier to hit with that the model 60. Imagine that!

 

[mainecoon]

Having only shot 10/22s, I am interested to get a 39 or 39A. Are they more fun than a 10/22? My experience with lever guns is limited to Daisy BB guns.

 

[Fast Frank]

Are they more fun than a 10/22?

That's a hard question to answer.

"Fun" is subjective. It means different things to different people.

If your idea of fun is rapid firing and burning ammo like fireworks, then the 10-22 is probably more your style.

The Marlin 39 is a very high quality rifle made with walnut stocks, and lots of beautiful blued steel. There is not a single piece of plastic, no pot metal, no paint, and nothing fake on the whole rifle.

When I pick one up, I immediately smile at the craftsmanship and obvious love that went into it's construction.

And while the little Marlin isn't a bench rest or target rifle, There's something about it that makes it more than willing to put a bullet hole right there where I want it when fired from a "Field" position.

For a lot of us, (Me included) the rifle brings us back to our youth, and many fond memories of people and places and hunts of long ago.

Is the Marlin 39 fun?

Absolutely.

Not fun like a roller coaster ride, but fun like spending time with your best friend.

 

[Fast Frank]

I could see that there wasn't going to be any chance at shooting the contest.

It just wasn't going to happen, and that's a sad, sad thing.

O.K., then time to man up and JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I dug around in my range bag, and sure enough there was an index card left over from some 39 shoot in the past.

I opened the safe, and dug out my 1952 open sighted Marlin 39A.

I also found some CCI CB caps.

Here's three shots. Fired "John Wayne" unsupported, at an estimated 15 yards.









Looks like an inch and one-eighth to me.

Not the best group ever posted here, but it's the only group posted so far...

Anybody else shooting?

 

[felixmophandle]

The Marlin 39A in my safe was bought for my father by my grandfather in the early 50's. I got a chance to compare a more recent version next to my dads. Apples and oranges. The craftsmanship in the early rifle was much better all the way around, I can still put a 4" group .22 caliber holes in a paper plate at 100 yards by using the thicker part of my duplex reticle (like a post). Only family heirloom I have,...Larry

 

[Fast Frank]

BUMP!

Contest ends sunday. You guys aren't gonna just give me the win, are you?

Somebody needs to shoot this contest.

 

[JustsayMo]

John Wayne, er I mean Frank, it might just be me and you, and at least we got to shoot our 39's. Hopefully the weather is good enough for everyone to get out and send some lead down range, contest or not.

I'll post my targets ASAP, but since I have a few days left... I may give it another go.

Nice shooting pard.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

It's still snowing here in Outer Montana.

900F

 

[Fast Frank]

BUMP!

Just a couple more days!