Author Topic: Marlin 39A reliability? (Read 3143 times)

Drollerindy · « **on:** January 21, 2010, 06:54:20 AM »

The only lever .22 I ever saw was a jam-o-matic. I think it was a Marlin; my buddy had it and it wouldn't feed more than five rounds without having to be taken down (barrel seperated from the action) to be cleared. Was it just worn and/or dirty? How reliable are Marlin 39A's?

My dad was a bolt man and wouldn't allow lever actions in the house.

Doug

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #1 on:** January 21, 2010, 07:49:02 AM »

I know of one that's been shooting for 38 years . Extractor broke early on the wensday before Thanksgiving and a local gunsmith made one from one that was for another gun so i could hunt the few days i had off . Other than that it has never missed a beat.

RB1235 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 21, 2010, 09:44:25 AM »

I have had one for 15 years or so. Never a problem. They are fairly accurate as well.

Halwg · « **Reply #3 on:** January 21, 2010, 09:48:53 AM »

Mine is 35 years old (1975 model), and has never had one problem. It is also the most accurate 22 I have ever shot.

guzzijohn · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2010, 10:00:53 AM »

Mine is a 1976 model that I bought new in 77. The only problem I have had is not ejecting properly, but my fault from short stroking it. Accuracy wise it does best with Ely or CCI Stingers. Using a bench rest and with a Weaver K-4 scope it will shoot five shots at around 3/4" at 50yds. Cheap Remington Golden bullets or Winchester super X will group around an inch. Funny thing though is I have an old Remington model 34 and with open iron sites it will group about the same at the same distance and doesn't care what ammo you feed it.
GuzziJohn

Rangr44 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2010, 01:58:09 PM »

My 39a dates from 1955 - no jams/misfeeds, no failures to extract/eject, shoots under a dime @ 50yds with a peep sight from a rest.

It's only downside is that a gunsmith would have starved to death by now, waiting to work on it.

.

JumpinJackFlash · « **Reply #6 on:** January 23, 2010, 08:07:07 AM »

I have one I bought in 1979. The only problem encountered was a magazine stop/cutoff that wore and allowed the magazine to try to feed more than one round. It was a quick fix, maybe just a fluke as no one else here has had that happen.

My opinion: One of the finest .22s ever made. Accurate, heavy as a tank, and made like one. Flawless workmanship and a real fine rifle you can pass down. Mine has the Williams receiver sight which makes it just a wonderful shooter. Of course mine is "pre-lawsuit" and does not have the cross-bolt safety. Gun safety dictates that you don't carry a loaded round in the chamber until you're ready to shoot. That half-cock hammer position just isn't to be trusted!!!

gunnut69 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 27, 2010, 08:35:21 AM »

I trasded a MArlin M60 auto for a M39 and drew $15 boot about 35 years ago. The M39 rifles are great little rifles and after getting rid of the junk magazine sytem on the earliest rifles in the design(M97 etc.) they've been making them steadily. Mines an early 50's era gun and is quite accurate.. Weakest part of the design is the ejector spring and extractors.. Both can be replaced.

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #8 on:** January 27, 2010, 12:18:19 PM »

Over the years I have owned half a dozen..The first one I bought when I was about 18 and kept it for 30 years. It probab ly fired more twentytwo ammo than any of my rimfires...in a foolish moment I sold it...It still have two a 39a and the shorter mountie..both shoot fine..Not like the ones pictured, but I have only tried a few types of ammo ww and cci, as far as super vel stuff, none of mine loved it...Now most of my shooting is done with Rem. target rifles...But the 39 will do for most of the shooting that folks use a .22 for. It is about fool proof, but a gunsmith friend of mine did say at times, they take some "tuning" but otherwise very reliable and accurate....

Drilling Man · « **Reply #9 on:** January 28, 2010, 04:29:21 AM »

All of the above answers again show what i keep on saying. Those OLD 39's are a really great lever rifle, but have you looked at the new ones???

No comparison to the quality of the old ones. I looked them all over and bought a Henry lever. So far it's a great rifle, and i'd buy another.

I just wouldn't buy another Henry "pump" rifle, it's a pizz poor design!

DM

gunnut69 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 28, 2010, 09:12:39 AM »

Marlin altered the trigger at the time it added the safeties and the trigger became incorrigable. The overtravel is attrocious and slack is horid.. The old M39's had descent triggers and could be made very good with little effort. Shame marlin ruined a fine rifle.

hillbill · « **Reply #11 on:** January 29, 2010, 01:03:11 PM »

ive had two of them in the last 30 yrs and never had a prob with either. wisht i had the first one back, was my first rifle but traded it on on a harley when i was 21.

JumpinJackFlash · « **Reply #12 on:** January 31, 2010, 08:39:29 AM »

I had a gunsmith slick up the trigger on mine and it was just a fine trigger after that. It wasn't bad before, but much better. It of course was pre-safety so not so hard to work on.

diesel instructor · « **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2010, 08:53:45 PM »

my dad bought me a used 39 in 1947 when i was 15 for $25.00. now $25.00 in 1947 was a heap more money than it is today. he started throwing paint cans in the air, by the end of the second summer, he was throwing up catsup bottle caps. at $2.25 a brick, that affored a lot of pratcice. that 39 accounted for a lot of groundhogs. some time in the 50's i foolishly traded it for a better chuck rifle, a 340 savage in 222. hind sight IS 20/20. wished many times i had that rifle back.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #14 on:** February 08, 2010, 10:27:05 PM »

Quote from: Halwg on January 21, 2010, 09:48:53 AM

Mine is 35 years old (1975 model), and has never had one problem. It is also the most accurate 22 I have ever shot.

Mine 2!

"It's only downside is that a gunsmith would have starved to death by now, waiting to work on it."

Sums it up!

Swampman · « **Reply #15 on:** February 09, 2010, 12:00:24 AM »

I like my 1976 & 1947 39As. 7 shots at 25 yards

dovehunter · « **Reply #16 on:** February 27, 2010, 02:51:09 AM »

We've had one of the Mountie models in my family since the mid to late 60s. My dad bought it used at the time. I shot it a lot and, when my dad passed away, my son inherited it. There's no telling how many thousands of rounds have been through it in all that time and it's never experienced a jam or malfunction of any kind. It's also one of the most accurate .22s we have. Guns aside, the Marlin model 39 has got to be one of the most dependable pieces of equipment ever made.

nailbanger · « **Reply #17 on:** March 07, 2010, 09:02:21 AM »

The summer I was 15yrs. old I unloaded boxcar loads of lumber by hand. I purchase a 39A mailorder from GANDER Mt. [the good old days you could do that] with some of that earning. I'll turn 61 soon.In all those years the only problem I had was to replace a ejector spring. I could't guess how many cazillions of rounds I have shot thru it. And have taken a truck load of squirrels to boot, and I most allways take only head shots. This would be my go to rifle if I felt the need to live on small game or pot a deer with a brain shot. If todays models are made as well you couldn't go wrong. I have son in laws,grandsons & nephews asking to be left it in my will. No higher endorsement needed.

ba_50 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 18, 2010, 04:42:07 AM »

I bought a new Mountie in the '60's and it developed either an extraction or ejection problem. Wish I still had it. Nothing to brag about accuracy wise though.

A friend got a late model 39A and had all kinds of trouble with it. Possibly too much headspace, but he never found out. Gun dealer went out of business and kept the rifle. Owner didn't care anyhow.

His lordship. · « **Reply #19 on:** March 27, 2010, 07:04:12 AM »

ba 50...did the gun shop owner recently call it quits? I see some small business's that had the owner just walk away and leave stuff, notices on the doors when I do my exercise walks with the bad economy.

Mt_Sourdough · « **Reply #20 on:** March 27, 2010, 04:46:36 PM »

I bought a new 39a last year. After buying it, I read a lot of bad stuff about the new 39s and it made me nervous. I was fearing the worse, but after shooting it, my fears subsided. Here is a picture of my first 20 shots fired out of my 39a with the stock sights.

And here is the rifle.

gcrank1 · « **Reply #21 on:** April 04, 2010, 10:17:48 AM »

Group looks pretty good......50ft. or 50yds.?

ba_50 · « **Reply #22 on:** April 18, 2010, 10:59:52 AM »

He quit probably 10-15 years ago in Wenona IL. My friend passed away about 6 years ago.

Quote from: Chris D. on March 27, 2010, 07:04:12 AM

ba 50...did the gun shop owner recently call it quits? I see some small business's that had the owner just walk away and leave stuff, notices on the doors when I do my exercise walks with the bad economy.

dachshund · « **Reply #23 on:** May 08, 2010, 07:10:10 AM »

I've got one that was purchased new by my older brother in 1954. It's always been a great shooter and has never gagged on any combination of ammo you could throw at it. I've also had 2 other 39s, Mounties, that were equally great guns. Unfortunately, I traded them (dumb move). The new ones have a rebounding hammer in lieu of the half-cock position on the hammer and a hammer block safety and a few extra holes in the receiver for loaded cartridge indication etc. otherwise they are still made from wood (walnut) and STEEL, which you don't find often these days...