A couple of years ago I was able to pick up a really nice old Marlin 39A that came with Lyman Peep Sights. It is a very accurate shooter. This week end I was able to pick up a Golden Mountie that is close to 90% finish wise, with original box. Also someone had done a very fine job of checkering - which is not original from what little research I have done. Here are a couple of so-so pictures.

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Patriots Forever!!

When I was a kid back around 1960ish I bought a new Golden 39A. I wish I would have kept it, as it was a sweetheart.

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NRA Endowment Member

I bought a $250 39A in 2012 or so, had a weaver rail drilled/tapped onto it (hence the low price). I slapped an aimpoint micro on there, both the girlfriend at the time and I absolutely loved it. Eventually went out the door to be replaced by a CZ bolt gun of some flavor (also a great gun) but I do miss it. Not enough to pay the current prices mind you, but still miss it.

e: found the pic

Well I'm looking forward to shooting it. I had to laugh though - I told my SIL that I had a new 22 rifle we could shoot and he said he would help and go buy some cheap 22 ammo.
Obviously he doesn't keep up with ammo prices because when I told him it was going at .40 cents a round these days I think he choked

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Patriots Forever!!

UGH that's painful! I've got more 22 ammo than I think I'll ever get to shoot at my current burn rate, I've been giving out 500 round bricks to friends who are low. Bit of a drive sadly or I'd happily offer some out, forty cents per round for .22lr is a tough pill to swallow

Very nice rifles. I found a rough 39a years ago to use as a cas practice rifle along with a .22 ss vaquero. Not liking the thick clunky forearm and stock i sent it to Marlin and had the rd bbl replaced with an octagon from their 1897 reissue that they were doing. I refitted the forearm and reshaped the stock to make it look like the 1897. Turned out nice.

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Picked up a 1973 39a in 2019, pre safety model, that is a tack driver. Think I paid $300 for it. Wouldn't take triple that for it.

I've resisted the urge to scope it so far because it's so slim and trim, but I'll probably end up up putting glass on it. It's more than accurate enough, and feels positively "hi cap" when you stuff it full of Shorts.

They're great rifles. Wish I could find a reasonable priced Mountie


Thanks for sharing yours.

Gotta love a nice JM Marlin. I put a Skinner rear peep sight on my Mountie and can hit tin cans regularly at 100 yards.

Excellent rifles by any standard. I loved my 39A Golden Mountie for years, then it was stolen in a burglary and never recovered. Found a couple of 39A models from the 60's to 70's era, and have passed both on to my two sons (who both appreciate them and have plenty of opportunities to use them).

Nice! I have a 72 and I'm not too crazy about the shape of a 39a stock. You did great.

I got a Marlin Golden 39A for my 11th birthday. Squirrels were in grave danger that fall as my birthday usually coincides with opening day of squirrel season.

I still have it. Its not in great condition, but its still here.

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Bill

Great rifles!

Love my 39A from 1948. I'd really like to put a Lyman sight like yours on it from the same period but they go for insane amounts of money. They seem to be the most expensive of the vintage Lymans.

I’ve got a M39 from the 1930’s that’s been refinished reasonably well. It has a period correct King aperture tang sight.

My granddaughter loves the old gun.

Me too, for my 13th birthday! Still have mine....

I still have the Marlin 39A my dad bought for me about 1962. I beat it up a little when I was a kid, but I still take it out and shoot it once in a while.
I have thought about getting Mountie but prices are getting up there.
Willyboy

I bought a Golden 39A back in the late 70s or early 80s. It will put 5 Mini-Mags in a group at 100 yards that a paper cup would cover. I stilll have it and have no plans to ever sell it.

The first rifle I purchased as a kid back in the late 60's was a 39A Golden Mountie I bought from my brother. He purchased it brand new, lost interest in it an sold it to me, I still have it. I also purchased my second 39A Golden Mountie from the same brother. He bought it from a guy at work, decided he could live without it and sold it to me.

I was gifted a 39A Golden by my uncle a few years ago, he had purchased new back in the 60's. I think they are great rifles and extremely accurate.

I bought this one in late 70s. Never shot it much because I had so many 22 rifles. It’s 95%+ shape.

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I saw a Marlin 1897 .22 in a shop in Lake Havasu last week on consignment for $650. I am kicking myself now for not buying it, but don't really "need" it as I have a nice 1958 Mountie.
The Mountie is known as the 39M, not a 39 A. The 39A is the longer barrel, pistol grip and fat fore arm model.

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U. S. Army Veteran

I was under the impression the 39M was a presentation grade. My rifle is stamped 39A Golden Mountie.

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Patriots Forever!!

Got 1897 too, Dad paid $8 in 55, a tidy sum for the day when you made $60 a week.

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I found this but I have not verified it to be accurate but it makes sense that the 39A Golden Mountie was changed at some point to 39M.

The Mountie came out in 1953 with a 24” barrel. 1954 on were 20’” barrels. The barrel was only marked 39A until 1957 when it was changed to “Golden 39A-Mountie”. The model designation was changed to 39M in 1972. The square lever came in 1975. (I have not seen a 39M with a round lever but the catalogs show them. My 1973 39M has a square lever.) Several barrel changes came in the seventies. The gas escape hole was added in 1979. The loaded magazine hole was added in 1987. In 1988 the 39TDS replaced the 39M. This is a condensed History. The Marlin book has a lot of info in it. It has always seemed to me that if the early unmarked guns were Mountie the 39M’s are also Mounties.

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Patriots Forever!!

The only presentation grade I knew of was the 39 Century LTD.
I had one for a while, it was a Mountie style Centennial edition carbine with some nicer touches.

I also had an 1894 Century in .44/40. It had beautiful case coloring and engraving, and equally beautiful figured Walnut wood. Was almost too pretty to shoot, I was always afraid I'd get that first scratch on it.
I sold it thinking I'd get a plain .44/40 but they aren't very common. I've never seen another 1894 in .44/40.

It's very likely as said above that Marlin changed the model number of the Mounties over time.
Mine says "Golden Mountie" but doesn't say 39 A anywhere.

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U. S. Army Veteran

That is a fine looking gun you got there and I like the photo. I also like the blacksmithing tools you got there! Do you do blacksmithing?

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Patriots Forever!!

Here is the 90th Anniversary Presentation Model Golden 39-A Mountie.
Marlin also made a 24" pistol grip stocked 90th Anniversary Presentation Model 39-A version. Each were a limited edition of 500.



And the Marlin 39 Century Ltd.
It is not marked 39-A or 39M or Mountie, just Marlin 39 Century Ltd.


KO

No, one of my my Aunts is a tobacco chewing, swearing, widow that raises mules, horses and Bird dogs on a 1,000 acre ranch in Montana.
She used to shoe animals when she was younger and has all the tools around the yard.
As much as I like the Marlin .22 for it's history, tradition and accuracy, I like my Winchester 9422 and Browning BL-22 just as much.

They are all quality .22 levers. The Winchester and Browning have controlled feed, both hold the cartridge against the bolt face all the way to the chamber and can be fired upside down, sideways, etc.

The Browning has a few additional perks such as the trigger moving down with the lever so you won't ever pinch your finger, the inner mag tube latches in any position (doesn't have to be lined up with a notch to close) and short 33 degree lever throw.
Just open and close your fingers to work the action, no having to take your thumb off the grip. pretty fast and less disturbance of aim.

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U. S. Army Veteran

I have only one Marlin 39, and it has been very nicely customized. Whether it was a factory job or not, I really don't know.

It was manufactured in 1951, and still has the "peanut" brass insert pistol grip cap. The barrel has been shortened to 19.5", the magazine cut back to a capacity of 12 rounds, a Marlin ramp front sight base with a Lyman bead insert installed on the barrel, and an "Osborne" folding rear sight has been utilized. The fine walnut stock has been professionally checkered in an attractive pattern, and the forestock has been nicely slimmed and checkered. A Marlin "bullseye" insert was retained in the lower edge of the stock.

When I spotted this at a gun show, I had to have it, but its history remains a mystery.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

If only guns could tell the tale

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Patriots Forever!!

Boy John, that 39 has been transformed into something very, very special! I am surprised that whoever had the work done would ever part with such a gem. Of course, it may have been a family member who could care less. If I had seen it at a show, I probably would have thought it was a factory model 39 that I had never seen before.

Here is mine as I bought it. I have since replaced the original vintage scope with a Nikon Prostaff Rimfire model.
Larry

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Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

I've had a Mountie for over 35 years and it has been a good shooter. It came pretty well used with a 2.5 weaver scope and made a great combo. I bought a 39TDS new in about 1991 and it shoots good too but it has never taken place of the Mountie. The Mountie just FEELS right. Prices on both have appreciated considerably over the years but I would never sell either of them.

I have a 1956 vintage 39a.

Great old gun and a tack driver.

The previous owner put a scope on it and I left it on given my less that wonderful vision.

I used a picture of this Model 39 to illustrate the chapter on the breed in my book 101 Classic Firearms. I asked the readers to help me discover its origins, but to date, no information has surfaced.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I bought a Mountie new in 1964 and put a Weaver K2.5 on it. I wouldn't trade it for a gold monkey. Several years ago I bought a used 1959 M39 rifle and put a Leopold .22 3X9 on it but I like my Mountie the best. I plan on keeping both until I die. Larry

My first gun was a Model 39A in 1963. I still have it. I shot it so much in the '60's that I literally wore out the barrel. In 2005 I found a '69 Mountie in very good shape. I shot the two guns against each other and determined the accuracy of my old 39A had fallen off significantly. I sent it to the factory for a new barrel, fortunately before the big move to NY. Now they both shoot the same, very well. The 39A has an old Redfield receiver sight; the Mountie has a Williams FP.

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Tom

Not all 39As have a "fat," forearm, only those from the 50s. My 1973 variant is as slim as the Mountie or 1897s or original 39s.

Just saying.

Nice combo by the way.

I picked up my 1953 vintage 39A a few years back. I probably shoot it less, than the other 22's because it has sentimental value and loos nice..

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I was very fortunate to be able to handle both an early 70s 39A and a Mountie before I got serious looking.

The Mountie (for me), just shouldered and pointed more naturally than the rifle did. That cut my searching in half, concentrating just on vintage Mounties.

Alcohol and GB: I was bidding on a Mountie when a BIN popped up for less than my bid on the first Mountie. I jumped on it, certain that I would get out bid on the other. Did make sure of funds for both, just in case before I hit the BIN button.

Short story long, I won both on the same day, one, a 1959 and the other a 1960 vintage. Both, well used and well mantained with actions like butter. They will be passed on to my Son and DIL. Both together totaled $525, a bargain in my eyes, in 2009 when purchased.

Rob

Great story. I suspect under current market prices the 39A would bring that, or more.

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Patriots Forever!!

Found some time, and some sunshine, for a couple of pics of my 1973 pre safety Model 39a.

Seriously accurate rifle, even with irons.

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My 1958 Marlin Golden 39A along with three other classics at the range. 1956 Colt Official Police, 1943 Ithaca 1911A1 and a 1977 Remington 572 Fieldmaster .22.

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I’ve got an old field Master 22 as well. Didn’t they come in different grades?

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Patriots Forever!!

Yes. The one I have is a 572 A (standard grade) made from 1955-1988. The one with the fancy checkered stock & forearm and the upgraded ramp rifle sights is the 572 BDL (Deluxe). The BDL was still being made a couple of years ago. They were pricey new (if you could find one) at about $600.

They are great rifles. Very accurate.

I have a 1946 39 a and also a 1964 39 Carbine. The Carbines were only made for 4 years with about 1200 total sold. They have a 20" tapered barrel and a shorter mag tube with a straight stock.

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