Marlin 39A
Purchased in 1958 need to Know what and where I can get a firing pin there are two one early one late
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I have an "original Gold trigger 39A, most of it, I should say. All the screws and bolts are missing, the lever and the shell tube. Is it worth restoring? 0 -
The number will vary, based on caliber, how hot it is loaded, how it is shot, and how you define "worn out". Some of the VERY hot loaded .22 CENTERFIRES would begin to lose accuracy at around 500-1000 rounds- they had reputations as a "barrel burner". Of course, that might mean that a rifle no longer holds 1/2 minute of angle, and now gets 1 or 2 inch groups!
With .22 RIMFIRE, and modern barrel steels, I don't think you CAN wear one out. My grandchildren are shooting the 39A Mom bought my Dad for their first anniversary in 1938. The low heat energy coupled with an unjacketed lead bullet makes for very long barrel life.
Very early 22s tended to have softer steel, black powder or semiblack, and rather aggresive priming compounds- eroding the bores somewhat. However, I also shoot a bunch of Mossberg target rifles from the 1940s- they will do one hole 5 shot groups at 50 yards- and are coming up on 70 years old.0 -
Check back here in another 55 years. Seriously, more .22 barrels are worn out by cleaning rods, corrosive ammo and rust, than shooting. "Worn out" is actually a slow loss of accuracy, you may never know it during your lifetime with ever decreasing ability to shoot. Barrels are actually burned out than worn out and with a .22lr much less burn than center fire. If it is any peace of mind your rifle has "micro groove" rifling which has extra lands and grooves. You may want to take care cleaning and avoid cleaning rod contact at the muzzle, a problem with the 39 lever action design forces you to clean at the muzzle. It is the muzzle that has last contact with the bullet.
Maybe someone here who fires semi-auto competition can give you a ball park number, with specific minute of angle loss.0 -
I have READ (not tested) that a .22 target rifle can be counted on to hold the 10 ring for 50,000 rounds. A sporting rifle's service life on typically easier targets can be much longer. You would probably wear out the action before the barrel. 0 -
Well, this is very encouraging. Of all the guns I have (and my wife says I have far too many) this is still my favorite one. I am much more accurate with this one that any of the other ones. Thanks for the input.
Keep shooting.[;)]0 -
Agree with above. I have an OLD Winchester Model 69 (not the 69A) I learned to shoot on this and I have used it to teach many others to shoot as well. It was probably made in the '30s, well before your 39A. It is still more accurate than I am, but lets me keep my shoots inside the 9 ring all day long. Just enjoy you fine little rifle and do your part to care for it and it will reward your grandchildren with years of enjoyment. 0 -
I have 2, one my Dad passed on to me when I was 13, and one I bought used because I have 2 sons. The newer one is a tack driver after about 2000+ rounds of our own. The older one will almost do 1.5" at 50 yards from a rest, my best guess would be 4000+. I would go with Hawk's comments for life expectancy.
The older gun went the way Jaeger described.... At 10, I was taught to clean the gun fully after every shooting. This comprised use of an old undershirt, a fairly straight coat-hanger, and some 30 wt oil. (I didn't get 'real' gun cleaning materials for a few years later.) You can see some damage to the crown (cleaned from that end to avoid the ejector ). The BIGGEST amazement is that the whole gun, walnut and all, was rubbed down with 30 WT oil....and it is still beautiful, 50+ years later.
Why Dad said to clean from the crown I will never know...he survived 4yrs on the ground in WWII, and he's gone now.
Either way , I'll try to post pics of the stock and metal fits...from what we 'know', the wood should have suffered, but it didn't. Now, I just pull a snake through it after shooting , and add a general wipe down....nothing more until it has feed or eject problems.
Fine gun, plenty of people that will never part with them.
ENJOY !0 -
My 39a has an ejector lock down screw that allows me to lock down the ejector and clean the barrel from the breech side which I have always done. I do not clean the barrel after every outing and only clean when it needs it. 0 -
quote:and my wife says I have far too many
There have not been that many made yet.
My .22 is 51 and out shoots me still.0 -
I have two Marlins and both are heading toward one hundred years old and both have a halo of pitting at the muzzle and they are as accurate as some of the new .22s I have.
Emmett0 -
Thanks to all of you. This info is very reasuring and it looks like I will be able to pass it down to my grandkids and have it still be as accurate as it is now. I must say that the (my) 39a - 1955 vintage with the micro grouving is one very nice shooting gun. 0
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