Cowgirl Corner: vintage Marlin 39A

[North Country Gal]

Having an unusual February thaw. Not so good for snow sports, but way good for a little range time with a true classic in the rimfire world. Hope you don't mind if it's not a Henry 22 LR, but in 1946, when this Marlin 39A was made, there was no Henry 22 LR, so I'll sneak it in that way.


Found this one in a local shop, back in the corner, but knowing Marlins like I do, I immediately recognized it for the vintage 39A it was. Like all great classic guns, this 39A has aged gracefully, acquiring a patina that makes it look better than ever. Being a lever gun fanatic, I also couldn't help but admire the perfect wood to metal fit and the butter smooth action. Yup, they really made them right in 1946.

The 39A came with a Weaver barrel mount and old Weaver B4 scope. The scope had badly yellowed with age and was partially fogged up, but I decided to shoot it, anyway, just to see if this 39A lived up to my accuracy expectations.


No problem at all in the accuracy department, of course. Even with the poor 4x scope, I could still print 3/4" groups at 50 yards from a rest. Bill also feel in love with this vintage 39A, though he prefers to sit when he shoots, due to his disabilities. This is what he can do with the Marlin, using the 4x scope, just bracing one elbow on the bench.


Have I mentioned how much I detest shooting from a rest, though? To me, it's about as exciting as watching paint dry. Then, too, if there was ever a gun more perfectly balanced for my offhand shooting than a Marlin 39A, I've yet to find it. It's why I have loved this model for more than thirty years, now, since firing my first one. Also much prefer shooting a 39A without a scope, so off came the scope on on went a Williams peep, which I had in my Marlin parts box.


And this is the result. This really is the gun. I've heard it said that the true sign of a great gun is the feeling of effortlessness when you shoot it, a feeling that the gun is almost shooting itself. It's the kind of magic I get with this 1946 39A in spades. That's a two inch bull, by the way, not my usual three inch.


Yes, I have bolt guns that can shoot smaller groups from a rest, but they don't have the same magic and I don't carry a rest with me when walking in the woods, anyway. In this cowgirl's opinion, there is no finer rifle you can shoulder than a good lever gun and this one is as good as it gets.

[CT_Shooter]

NCG, you continue to make me smile big and wide. Thanks for sharing this beautiful rifle with us and for describing it as only you can. Great shooting!

[Les]

NCG, that's another great write-up, as well as more great shooting.

Sadly, my own experience with a Marlin was not as happy as yours. I bought a 39D, 1971 vintage, and it genuinely struggled to hit the proverbial side of a barn. It lasted all of 10 days before getting traded against my Henry pump action. I know I probably bought the only lemon that Marlin ever made, but I suppose somebody had to do it.

[North Country Gal]

Thanks, guys.

Les, wish I had known that or I would have bought it from you just because it was a D. Half suspect that barrel band was the culprit (and it was the only 39 with a barrel band). Anyway, sorry you had a bad experience. Have also had some less than perfect Marlins, too.

[Deadwood Dutch]

What a terrific find, congratulations! One of the very best ever made.

[DWD445]

Sweet Marlin lever !! And nice shooting, both of you

[ditto1958]

NCG, that's a beauty! As was the weather today in Wisconsin. I worked at the range this afternoon, and it was sunny and in the low 50's here. Very nice for February.

[North Country Gal]

Yeah, same here for us. Hope to get to the range, tomorrow, again.

May be a bit hard for outsiders to understand, but a February thaw is regarded as something of a natural disaster, up here for the sake of snow sports. Yup, a bad thing, a cause for mourning and weeping. Flags at half-mast kind of thing. For me, it's a win-win thing, though, since I can either ride my bicycles or go skiing or snowshoeing. Pretty much ready for anything. I get outside, every day, no matter what the weather.

[ace73]

Beautiful wood on your 39A!
Mine was made in '57!

[Henry88]

Incredible shooting again NCG.

1946 was such an incredible year. We had just won the war and everything was on the upswing.

I love things from that period, guns especially

[North Country Gal]

I do, too. For sure, they really don't make them like this one, anymore. Lot of pride went into these guns before they left the plant.

[Sir Henry]

The 39 is one rifle I don't own and wish I did. I'm looking for a Mountie.

[Danwin22]

The 39 is one rifle I don't own and wish I did. I'm looking for a Mountie.

Me too! I'm hoping Remlin will bring back the "Mountie."

I like the look of straight stock lever 22's. Also need a Browning BL-22.

[Sir Henry]

The 39 is one rifle I don't own and wish I did. I'm looking for a Mountie.

Me too! I'm hoping Remlin will bring back the "Mountie."

I like the look of straight stock lever 22's. Also need a Browning BL-22.

Gotta get a Browning too.

[RetiredSeabee]

You made me drool again. Great shooting by both of you. Bill obviously has that one dialed in.

[North Country Gal]

Thanks.

Bill is a pretty respectable rifle shot and with a little coaching from me, he's making good progress on his pistol shooting, though I think he's still more comfortable with a rifle. Me, I'm a pistolero at heart and have always been, but I also enjoy rifles.

[Sir Henry]

I know I enjoy rifles far more than pistols. I was very young when I got my first .22LR rifle but it wasn't until the Army that I shot a pistol.

[ditto1958]

You made me drool again. Great shooting by both of you. Bill obviously has that one dialed in.

I thought 39A's pretty much just aim themselves.

[North Country Gal]

You made me drool again. Great shooting by both of you. Bill obviously has that one dialed in.

I thought 39A's pretty much just aim themselves.

They do. I just work the trigger.

[bandit1250]

The 39 is one rifle I don't own and wish I did. I'm looking for a Mountie.

There is some other Marlins out there that don't have the "Mountie" name on the barrel but are still like the Mountie. These were after the Mountie name had been dropped from the Marlin. It pays to check for the other models if you want a short barrel Marlin with a straight grip stock. I had a couple early models marked Mountie and they were just average shooters. The longer barrel 39A's have shot better for me and not just open or peep sights they were better shooters scoped than a scoped Mountie. So the longer sight radius was not the reason they were better. The early Marlins with the Ballard 6 groove barrels before about '53-'54 shoot better for me than the over rated Micro-groove. Others to look for are:
Top to bottom. 39 Century Limited octagon barrel made in 1970 for 100 years of Marlin
Next two are 39M models one is 1980 and 1982.
Bottom is the 39 TDS 16 1/4" barrel and came with the carry pouch to transport it in two parts.
The best Marlins in my opinion are '53 and back with the Ballard barrel like NCG's '46. They were the cream of the crop in workmanship and accuracy. NCG's is a very nice example from the '40's.