Aha!

The name, Marlin Firearms Corporation tells us a lot. If the top tang is stamped Model '97, it is a gun made up from leftover parts in the early- to mid-1920s, probably shortly after the second bankruptcy. If it were a Model 39, it would say so. In either case, we now know it was assembled in the '20s, (possibly later, but unlikely). Unfortunately, there are no records to prove its provenance. Sometimes odd serial numbers show up during this period.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318