Marlin 39A-DL squirrel rifle

[bandit1250]

I posted a thread months back about work being done to a Marlin 39A-DL squirrel rifle. This rifle was made in 1960 for Marlins 90th anniversary and has a squirrel carved into the side of the stock. A seldom seen model that brings a premium price. This is the blued model but they also made a chrome version in the 24" barrel and a Mountie in chrome with a 18" barrel. I had my gun smith reblue the barrel and the mag tube to match the original factory bluing. It came out nice. My job was to do the wood. This gun had seen a lot of use but was mechanically in great shape but with all the use the finish and the checkering was very wore. The checkering from the factory was not very good hand cut back then with bad over runs and crooked lines. So add the wear onto this and very worn borders it needed to have the stock and fore arm checkering recut and had to really spend a lot of time on the borders. I have been slow to get this done with other projects of my own sitting here to be finished. I will need to have this completed and back together by mid February. Here is the work on the stock after I got the checkering cut and the finish stripped off.

[PT7]

The squirrel carving and stock's wood grains really are cool-looking, Bandit. How do you ever find these beautiful trees?!?
Will look forward to seeing your finish photos in February when you complete the wood checkering and staining.
PT7

[North Country Gal]

Yes, please do keep us posted on this project. That is one very rare Marlin and love that you are bringing it back to even better than its original condition.

[JEBar]

nicely done, nicely done indeed .... looking forward to your coming reports

[bandit1250]

I took a few more pictures of the stock that has about six coats of Tru-oil on it now. I have been giving it plenty of curing time to help reduce shrinkage to the finish. It will get maybe 4 more coats and let it cure and then knock the gloss of it. I am not into gloss but man does thing show the grain with a little more gloss than the owner of this fine Marlin wants. I put a new bulls eye in and fit a new butt plate on and made new white spacers for the grip cap and the butt plate. I made the white spacers from a kitchen drawer organizer for silver ware. I got ripped off on the organizer at the flea market. This one was a whole 50 cents. The butt plate is an after market made to the same pattern as the old Marlin plates but required quite a bit of fitting to get it to fit level all the way across the butt stock with no gaps. I have the fore arm back on the barreled action and it only needs the border tool a pass or two around it to clean a little finish out of it that creeps under the tape. The butt stock on the squirrel side was a real treat trying to get it taped up with no tape touching the stock where I needed to put the finish on. If the tape is out onto the stock when I peel the tape off I would have a bare spot on the wood. He paid me $200 up front and said he would pay the difference when completed. I want to be fair but believe me it is worth more. I had 37 hrs. in it when I quit writing the hours down. This may just be the most work I have done on just one rifle except for myself. Then I don't have to care about time dead lines. He is very understanding on the work involved and has not rushed me. I want to return it at the gun show in February. This rifle is being all redone for the owner to show it off at his shoots where he uses a 39A to compete and believe he is a fine shot on the silhouette range. He might even be able to compete fairly well with NCG. Well lets try the pictures.
Squirrel side first

[bandit1250]

Here is the pictures of the barreled action with the fore arm on. The wood will get a light rub down and the checkering will get a pass or two around the borders. The checkering has already had a light thinned down sealer coat on it then the borders will get the thinned sealer coat after I cut the thicker Tru-oil finish from them.
This is the barreled action after the gun smith did the barrel and the mag tube and matched it perfect to the factory bluing on the action.

Here is the fore arm back on but needs the final touches done to it I mentioned above.

[roddy]

Looks great. Nice job.

[Mistered]

Yep that looks nice! I too have a Golden 39A (Plain Jane) in need of a stock refinish as well and I hope to get to it this winter.

[North Country Gal]

Those were such rare rifles. Have never even had the pleasure of seeing one. Thanks for sharing and keep the great work on the project.

[ESquared]

That wood is gorgeous! What a great job you've done. Congrats!