I came across a Marlin 639A in a pawnshop and had to bring it home. I own a few 9422s (an uncheckered first year XTR, a Trapper and a Legacy), as well as a Grade 1 and Grade 2 BL-22, but I’ve never owned a Marlin.
Partly it’s been because with few exceptions (mostly the Mountie) they are quite frankly chunky looking with the deep pistol grip butt stock and the pot belly forearm.
Partly it’s because the older (pre-1988) models without the safety and rebounding hammer are expensive and the straight stocked slim forearm Mounties even more so.
I just never could quite spend $1000 or so for a Marlin 39A when it lacked the look I like.
But this 1946 3rd Model 1st variation Model 39A is a (fairly old) reblue and was nicely priced at a bit less than half of the same variant with an original finish in similar condition. The butt plate was a crudely fabricated replacement and the front sight hood was missing but those items were easy to rectify.
With no safety or rebounding hammer, a tang drilled and tapped for a receiver sight and a 24” Ballard rifled barrel it was also perfect for my shooter needs. I also prefer the older Marlins without the stock flutes and white line spacer for their vintage look, even if they are still chunky.
Up close underneath the reblue you can see evidence of use and sweaty hands on the receiver with the remains of some pitting that wasn’t polished out. There is also some slight freckling on the top of the receiver since the reblue. But the internals looked great with minimal wear and the bore is excellent.
The barrel mounted rear sight was an unimpressive V notch sight that didn’t work well with 58 year old eyes, but I’d planned to put a tang sight on it anyway, a vintage Marbles, a vintage Lyman 1 or 1A, or a new Marbles tang sight.
I prefer vintage sights on my vintage rifles, but availability can be very spotty. I got lucky and found a Marbles M8 in near mint condition at an acceptable price complete with un buggered screws. An almost local (western NC) gunsmith makes reproduction butt plates for various Marlin 39s that are direct copies of originals, right down to the wear in them. They make a good replacement on a vintage rifle and don’t look out of place.
I also found a sight hood for it and with the M8 tang sight in place, the sight picture is now what it needs to be to maximize the accuracy potential of the rifle.
I have not shot it yet, but it functions perfectly when the lever is cycled. I have to admit while the rifle looks a bit clunky it handles well with excellent balance and enough heft that it should shoot very well off hand and on moving targets. It would be a great rifle for shooting rabbits in the woods or a shelter belt.
Partly it’s been because with few exceptions (mostly the Mountie) they are quite frankly chunky looking with the deep pistol grip butt stock and the pot belly forearm.
Partly it’s because the older (pre-1988) models without the safety and rebounding hammer are expensive and the straight stocked slim forearm Mounties even more so.
I just never could quite spend $1000 or so for a Marlin 39A when it lacked the look I like.
But this 1946 3rd Model 1st variation Model 39A is a (fairly old) reblue and was nicely priced at a bit less than half of the same variant with an original finish in similar condition. The butt plate was a crudely fabricated replacement and the front sight hood was missing but those items were easy to rectify.
With no safety or rebounding hammer, a tang drilled and tapped for a receiver sight and a 24” Ballard rifled barrel it was also perfect for my shooter needs. I also prefer the older Marlins without the stock flutes and white line spacer for their vintage look, even if they are still chunky.
Up close underneath the reblue you can see evidence of use and sweaty hands on the receiver with the remains of some pitting that wasn’t polished out. There is also some slight freckling on the top of the receiver since the reblue. But the internals looked great with minimal wear and the bore is excellent.
The barrel mounted rear sight was an unimpressive V notch sight that didn’t work well with 58 year old eyes, but I’d planned to put a tang sight on it anyway, a vintage Marbles, a vintage Lyman 1 or 1A, or a new Marbles tang sight.
I prefer vintage sights on my vintage rifles, but availability can be very spotty. I got lucky and found a Marbles M8 in near mint condition at an acceptable price complete with un buggered screws. An almost local (western NC) gunsmith makes reproduction butt plates for various Marlin 39s that are direct copies of originals, right down to the wear in them. They make a good replacement on a vintage rifle and don’t look out of place.
I also found a sight hood for it and with the M8 tang sight in place, the sight picture is now what it needs to be to maximize the accuracy potential of the rifle.
I have not shot it yet, but it functions perfectly when the lever is cycled. I have to admit while the rifle looks a bit clunky it handles well with excellent balance and enough heft that it should shoot very well off hand and on moving targets. It would be a great rifle for shooting rabbits in the woods or a shelter belt.
