The Marlin 39 Club

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My son owns that truck and I can't tell you much about it other than it's a Toyota, not a Tacoma though...something earlier.

DJR
 
We had this discussion a few pages back.

It seems like the guys that like model 39s are also into small 4WD pickups.

Maybe it's the whole "Sensible, reliable, economical, does more than it looks like it ought to" thing.

Here's mine climbing up the side of Barnwell Mountain.

f1a5bae5.jpg

Made it to the top without a scratch.
 
1951 39a

Hi I'm a new member.

I got my first 39A in 61, a U serial number Golden 39A. I just ran across a 1951, an H serial number, for a good price and notice it has a smaller diameter muzzle ergo a tapered barrel. It appears to be micro groove on looking down the bore. I also notice small differences such as the ejector. Both are beautiful guns. Any information on these years.

Thanks,

RCGivens
 
Are you kidding? That might be the best cell phone photo I've ever seen!
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Rocco, Mal took the words right from my typing fingers.

Cell phone pics [strike]often[/strike] usually really stink.

But that one - intended or not - is an impressionist masterpiece.
Monet and Renoir would be impressed
(because they were impressionists. ;) ).

I wouldn't sell it to Marlin for less than $1000. Seriously.

Number, welcome in. Now we've got some real history in the club.
<Gasp> What's it like to shoot that pair?
It's gotta be like history in your hands.

Nem
 
IIRC 39,s became 39-A in 1939, Micro-Groove in 1954, but I am no Marlin expert, just have a few and like em.

IIRC, so don't bet on this, but the gun was first the model 1891 became the model 1897 in 1897, then in 1922 it became the model 39, to 39-A in 1939, and is the oldest production sporting rifle in existence with some changes along the way but basically the same gun.

The question I have wondered was why the rifle was not called the model 1922 or 22 in 1922, because it is a .22, and then to the model 39 in 1939. Does anyone have any idea?
 
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One of my favorite Marlin history pages is Glen Fryxell's "The Story of Marlin and the Lever Gun". I'm bad with remembering details of history, so I refer to it often to refresh my memory.

Here's a snippet from his section on the 39:

Marlin had a stroke of genius in 1891 when they applied this solid top/side ejection to a smaller framed .22 rimfire levergun, that they named the Model 1891. This would be the beginnings of the beloved Marlin 39A, giving rise to what, more or less, amounts to the longest continuously manufactured rifle in the world (production was briefly suspended from 1917-1922 for the War effort). When it was re-introduced in 1922, this beautiful little rifle was renamed the Model 39. Almost 3 million have been made to date. The Marlin 39A has been called "the Cadillac of the .22s", and I couldn't agree more.
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The author doesn't address when the 39 went micro-groove.

Another decent short history of the 39 series is on Wikipedia. Here are the first two paragraphs; there is more.

The Golden Model 39A started life as the Marlin Model 1891, the first lever action rifle ever chambered in .22LR. The tubular magazine was changed to front-loading with the Model 1892, due to the difficulties of receiver feeding the small rimfire round[1]. The 1892 gave way to the takedown Model 1897[2], which became the Model 39 in 1921 and Model 39-A in 1937[3]. The Golden Mountie Model 39A was introduced in 1954.[4] The 39 was produced until 1983 when the current Golden 39A was introduced. Changes between models were so minimal the rifle is considered to have been continually produced to the same basic specifications for over 100 years. The Model 39-A did not have a cross hammer safety, whereas the current Golden Model 39A has had one since introduction in 1983. The Golden 39A is still considered one of the finest examples of a lever .22 rifle, and one of the most accurate .22 rifles ever produced. It is also the best-selling lever rimfire in U.S. history.[5] Additionally "mountie" versions have been produced at various points in the rifle's life which featured a shorter 20" barrel and a straight stock. These rifles have been alternately called Model 39M or 1897 Mountie.

Marlin uses their proprietary Micro-Groove rifling in the Model 39A. This uses many small lands and grooves rather than 2, 4, or 6 deeper grooves used in the majority of rifles. This arguably adds to the accuracy of the rifle and indeed the 39A's reputation would seem to bear this out.
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I also just found this 39 history page by LeeRoy Wisner (see bottom left for his name). Interestingly, even though his is the most technical page, addressing differences in firing pins and bolts, for example, he doesn't appear to address when micro-groove appeared in 39s, either.
 
Acording to Marlin my rifle was produced in 1972 but mine is still marked original golden 39a. The serial number starts with 72. :confused:

Never mind I read the quote wrong the 39a dates back to 1937. I thought for a second the quote said the 39a didnt start until 82.
 
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Nem said:
The author doesn't address when the 39 went micro-groove.
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You know I love a challenge! ;)

From the same link above (Glen Fryxell's levergun history), we find:
After Micro-Groove rifling had proven itself in Marlin's line of .22 rimfire rifles, it was added to the centerfire line in the mid-1950s.
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I've got to assume the 39A, being the flagship of the .22 line, has to be included in those that got the Micro-Groove rifling. Now we just have to determine what year it was added to the .22 line.

From an obscure site (Marlin's own website :) ) we find:
... to the 1953 introduction of the Micro-Groove® rifling system for improved accuracy ...
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It can be concluded that Micro-Groove rifling was added to the 39A in 1953.
 
You know I love a challenge!
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This kinda stuff is fun huh?


According to the Blue Book of Gun Values on the 39-A

3rd model 3rd variation- similar to 3rd model 2nd variation except has micro-groove rifling and no pistol grip cap Mfg. 1954-57

Golden 39-A, with golden trigger and sling swivels, 1957 -87

---------------------------------

I thought the "Golden" with the plated trigger was earlier too, about the same time frame as the micro-groove.
Also thought the "pistol grip cap" was on later 39's too.
There appearers to be some discrepancy in Wikipedia and others also, as to when models were changed, but whats a year or two? and does it really matter if it was 1921 or 22 , 1937 or 39 when changes were made?
 
Bump. Just because I can.

I'm just itching to get out to the range Monday for the Valentine's Day Massacree.

I've got a pretty wide assortment of ammo (No Green Tag) and I have a pretty good idea what I'm going to use in both rifles.

I just hope the weather does me right. (They are predicting 30 percent for Monday)

And on another note...

I sure wish I could find a place where there's some trees or a little creek where I could take the grandkids shooting.

The oldest girl commented that I seem to have fun when I go shooting.

When I asked her if she wanted to come along, she got shy and said no.

It's a crying shame. The Sam Houston National Forest is less than a half hour up the road, and you KNOW that somewhere up there is an ideal spot for a grandkid to pull the trigger on a model 39.

Unfortunately, it looks like there's no shooting except during specified hunting seasons and there are multiple licenses and hunting passes to buy.

They have most of it (It's something like two thousand acres total) blocked off because of some Sierra Club malarkey involving a Wood Pecker. :cuss:

How in the world could they get so confused as to believe some stupid woodpecker is more important than Grandkids and Model 39s?
 
Aw, now, Frank, give the poor woodpeckers a break.

Woodie is a good bird. He just needs some space.

Want to shoot that 39 outside with the kids/grandkids?

Bro, I keep tellin' ya: go west, young man.

Leave Houston behind. Move to Nevada or eastern Oregon.

;)
 
Seems strange that a Texan would have a hard time finding a place to shoot. I've never been in the Houston area though, probably like here in Washington west of the mountains. I joined the local range a couple of years ago just so I wouldn't have to drive too far out of town. Costs me $60/year and it's a combination lock on the gate. Anytime there is not a silouette match going on I'm free to use it. Most of the time I have it to myself.

Did you see the picture that Flintnapper posted (post #886)? That looks like the perfect place to take grandkids and model 39s.

Good luck with the 3X5s on Monday. I'll be out too. We had a chinook wind come through and clear out the snow and, if we don't get any more, conditions might come together for me up here. Probably have to deal with the wind but you can't have everything.

DJR
 
Yeah, I was pretty jealous of Flintknapper's place. We don't have BLM land like the Western States do & other government land is pretty limited. If you know someone with private land like Flintknapper you're in fat city & start buying him lots of his favorite beer. If not you find yourself surreptitiously filming yourself shooting rocks at a bullseye target range. No offense Frank, for me it's shooting sticks & debris on the berm...I wish I had some rocks to shoot at.

I look forward to my trips to Colorado where I can shoot what I want when I want to my heart's content. The main reason I'm in Houston is there are good jobs here.
 
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Even in states with lots of public land shooting opportunities are being quashed. Some of the fault lies with us leaving a mess. I'm not aware of public ground near where I live that is open to shooting anymore. Its all been closed to shooting and hefty fines are given to who don't abide. I've heard a lot of reasons including fighting terrorism by not allowing them to practice :confused::uhoh::cuss: ... and public safety.

I've been luckier than most as I belong to a club with a decent range (when it isn't flooded..) and my family has property suitable for shooting and hunting. Some of my favorite days are spent with my 39A Mountie plinking and hunting Grouse. I believe that riflemanship needs more than range practice. A rifleman needs venues to hone skills in areas for which our firearms were designed to be used -- unmarked ranges, hillsides, varying light and weather conditions. It is there we can test ourselves and our equipment. It is exactly those experiences that made me realize how practical and effective lever rifles are.
 
1954 39A Mountie

Took the new Mountie to the range today and I was very impressed. I was shooting 22 lr's. Started with Federals with not a single ftf. Then I switched to Remingtons and I was getting ~ 6 ftf out of every 14. Unfortunately, all I had left were the Remingtons. They were a 550 bulk pack from Wallyworld. Has anyone else had the same problem?:cuss:
 
Welcome, Wattsbarbound.

I haven't found a bullet yet that my 39 won't shoot. It doesn't seem to care about who made it, what type of shape the nose has, or what it's coated with. Some bullets give better accuracy than others, but it will feed and fire anything I stick in it.

Yours should too.

I HAVE seen bad batches of bullets. Every now and then I see boxes of bullets that just don't seem to work so well for whatever reason. Most likely, that's what's going on here.

Another thing that sometimes happens to .22 bullets is WD40.

A very small amount of WD40 sprayed on your bullets will creep into the inside where the powder is and "Kill" the bullets.

I don't know exactly why or how this happens, but trust me, it will.

The thing to do at this point is buy a box of Mini Mags or some other brand and go shoot it again.

And while you are doing that...

Come join us in the postal match!>>> http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=333022
 
I was just at G.M. and I found a 39A Mountie in the used rack. A few nicks in the stock, bore looks great and the bluing is pretty good. It has a (P ser. no.) which makes it 1957 date of manufacture. Hood is MIA and the bullseye is loose. It has $325 on it. I only went down there to pick up some gun oil so I pulled the bullseye out of it and put it on layaway.
 
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