My first gun
 

I picked up a Marlin Golden 39M yesterday. I know I overpaid for it now, and wish I had walked out of the gun store and did some research before buying. It was totally an impulse buy.

Buyer beware, I am the fool here, I told the guy behind the counter that this was my 1st purchase and I will be in the market for various other guns in the future. Unfortunately for him I made my last purchase there. I am embarrassed to even say what I paid for it and I am considering returning it. Too bad, a little honesty would have went a long way for this guy. I am a very loyal customer when it comes to stuff like this and will gladly pay more in a private shop over a chain store within reason.

I am happy with my choice I was initially going to go to wally world and get a Remington and decided to look in a local mom and pop shop. There are a few around. I do not think I would find a quality gun like this. The second I held it I knew it was a nice piece, it felt more substantial that any of the others I had held up to that point.


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y21...3/CIMG3876.jpg


My next purchase will be a decent .22 handgun, I want to learn on these first then move up the on caliber as I get more comfortable and accurate with them. I am open for tips on pistols from any of you.

Hmmm... With that kind of wood, it does not look like a run-of-the-mill Marlin. That, and the straight grip buttstock. 39A's have pistol grips, at lest the newer ones. Some one put some effort into customizing this rifle and, from what I can see in the photo, did one hell of a fine job.

You would be amazed at what such custom touches will add to the value of a rifle, if done well. If you are comparing what you paid to what Marlin lists as the price of a new 39A, I'm sure it looks a bit shocking. Bear in mind, a well done custom 39A can be several times the cost of a brand new "stock" 39A. I suspect that once you consider that, the price does not look so bad. Maybe even quite good.

That is the nicest looking 39 I have seen. I have a stock 39, nearly new, and would gladly trade. But I don't recommend you take me up on it.

O.K. Educate me.

What is so custom about this particular gun?

Here is an image I found online. I see what your saying about the stock. I am going to clean it up real good this evening and take some close up pics. Maybe I did not get taken so bad afterall. Lets just say I paid well over $350 for it, he threw in a cleaning kit, lock and a box of ammo but I still felt a little pinch when I got home and did some googling.

http://www.gunsandammomag.com/long_g...39_121007C.jpg

Cool gun, Jim. :)

I'm still waiting on the Supremes to decide District of Columbia v. Heller.

When it comes to accurate .22 pistols, Ruger sets the benchmark for accuracy, quality and price. For a semi-auto target pistol get this for around $230.00. You will never lose money owning any Ruger pistol.

http://armsbid.com/ks7pix/7dhks12.jpg

For an accurate revolver, you can't beat the Ruger Single Six. Around $300.00 Just a beautiful pistol. I have one. It also comes with a second cylinder that holds .22 magnum rounds. Here is a picture of my daughter firing it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1190600568.jpg

That gun looks huge compared to your daughter! :D

Well she is only 7! :D

Jeff, how is a Marlin 336 (30-30 Win), late 70s vintage (excellent condition) regarded these days? I saw recently where the Winchesters had shot up in value, and was just curious? I'm not looking to let it go (even though I haven't hunted in years) as that was my deer rifle when I was a teen and perfect for dense, backwoods, "short range" shots...I wasn't much of a hunter :).

ps: I love my Colt Diamondback revolver in 22lr, but according to Tabs, they've got a bit pricey :)

I'd have sworn that gun is at least 14-15 years old :)

Higgins - it's an M not an A.
The 39M Mountie came with a "saddle stock".

Thanks Harvey, I didn't notice he was talking about an A not an M hence the stock, I guess the A is quite different.

I have a 1964 Model 39 with the golden trigger. It was given to me by my grandfather. It is my son's now.

I wouldn't sweat the price too much...they are really fine and accurate carbines.

I would also echo the Ruger comment. I have owned a "bull barrel" version of the pistol Kurt posted a picture of. I bought it new in 1985 and it has never mis-fired after all these years of serious use:cool:

http://shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=17366

7 years old and already learning to shoot- I'm getting all misty-eyed...

For 22 I have a 22 Magnum Grendell P-30 (30 rounds). Its a composite frame and it works mighty fine. Lightweight, noise and accurate. Not to mention that the guys at the range all get confused when I keep shooting and shooting whilst they are reloading.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1213970700.jpg

Watch what you say or she'll bust a cap in your azz

Marlin 39A

http://www.impactguns.com/store/media/marlin_39A.jpg



I thought all Marlins (after 1957) had a gold-colored trigger.
Both of my 336s and my 60 all do.

Oops... sorry about that. Hey, it was early - before my first cup of coffee.

Since it is a "M" rather than an "A", "well over $350" is not bad at all. It's even more valuable that if it were an "A".

KC911, nothing happened as far as Marlin values recently. Winchester '94's and M70's went up when USRA was closed by FN and it looked like the end of the line for those models. Marlin is still going strong, so the collectors are not swooping down on them.

From the prices I've seen, $350 would have been a great deal, around $500 for a mountie in excellent condition would be about average. If it is in excellent condition and you got it for less than $500, you got a deal. I have seen that collectors (or just average users?) are driving the prices up on the pre-cross bolt safety guns.

Nice gun, probably my all-time favorite rifle (I have two). :D

I would second the recommendation for the Ruger Single Six. Very well made and accurate. Exchangeable cylinder also gives you some flexibility to boot. (.22mag delivers similar ft/lbs energy to a .38 Special)

Probably my favorite handgun also.

I am feeling a little better now. I have intention of ever getting rid of it, I just do not like being ripped off. I paid more than $500 and if I had posted this thread prior to buying I could have gotten a better deal, its a buyers market around here, everyone is hurting for money and are selling their toys. Boats, RV's and ATV's are for sale everywhere around here.

I think they've all been 39A's since 1939, the M should be 'suffixed' on. The Mountie was only made from '53-'72. Send me the serial # and I can tell the year it was made, not that it would make much difference in the value. I wouldn't feel too bad about giving $500 for it, I don't think I could order a new one for less than $450 and you have a far better rifle.
Jim

The serial number began with a 18 indicating a 1982 manufacture.

I think they've all been 39A's since 1939, the M should be 'suffixed' on. The Mountie was only made from '53-'72. Send me the serial # and I can tell the year it was made, not that it would make much difference in the value. I wouldn't feel too bad about giving $500 for it, I don't think I could order a new one for less than $450 and you have a far better rifle.
Jim

There seems to be different dates floating around on the internet. The mountie first appeared in the 1953 Marlin catalog*, though I find info that states 1954 was the first year of production (wiki). Some info I had read said the Mountie was made until 1983 (wiki), while other info said 87 or 88 (shootersforum). Wiki claims that it was known variously as 39A Mountie, 39M Mountie and 1897 Mountie.


From shootersforum.com:

Model 39 1922 - 1939

Model 39A 1st variation 1939 - 1940
Model 39A 2nd variation 1940 - 1941
Model 39A 3rd variation 1941 - 1945
Model 39A 4th variation 1945 - 1951
Model 39A 5th variation 1951 - 1953
Golden 39A 1960 - 1987
Model 39A " Mountie" 1953 -1972
90th Anniversary 39A 1961
90th Anniversary 39A "Mountie Carbine" 1960
Model 39A-DL 1960 -1963
Model 39A Octagon 1973
Model 39 Carbine 1963 - 1967
Model 39D 1971 - 1973
Model 39AS 1988
Model 39TDS 1988 - 1995
Model 39M Discontinued 1987
Model 39M Octagon 1973
Model 39 Century LTD 1970
Model 39A Article-2 1971
Model 39M Article-2 Carbine (date unknown)

*Marlin Firearms: A History... by William Brophy

G&A Article

Is there any danger in posting the serial number on an open forum?

PM Sent

marlins rugers ya cant go wrong. i love lever actions. my next juan will be either .444marlin, 45/70, or .450marlin idiot proof brush guns snow rain mud hot cold idiot proof and safe with cross bolt safety.

i wanna be a COWBOY!

Damn fine looking gun. Nice.

What about Browning Buckmarks? For some reason I liked them better than the Ruger, although I was soured by a range rental Ruger that was a FTF machine. The Ruger revolver was nice though.

Hopefully will get the Walther to the range to see how it goes. 1K rounds of CCI mini mag showed up on the doorstep yesterday. How nice...

I'll cast my vote for the .45-70. It handles far heavier bullets than the .444. It can easily be handloaded to match the .450's power. If you don't handload, there are companies that supply loaded ammo at .450 power levels, like Buffalo Bore Ammunition. Brass is cheaper and easier to find for the .45-70. But hell, I'm biased. I have several single shots and a Marlin lever gun in .45-70. The Marlin serves as my rainy, dark woods west side gun, wearing a set of the XO ghost ring rear and white line post front sights. Fantastic brush gun. Best load launches the RCBS .45-400GC (cast from wheelweights) at just over 1800 fps. It's actually possible to hit 2,000 fps with a 400 grain bullet, but I wouldn't recommend it...

I like my MkII Gov't. I don't like the Standard or the 22/45.
I have found the MkII to be a pain in the arse when it gets gunky from using cheap ammo.

I also like the Buckmark, and even more if it has a heavy barrel.

I also like the Walther P22.

I have a 1970's Browning Challenger...very nice pistol, but it was made in Belgium.

NOT inexpensive, but SigArms makes (or made?) a line of .22 pistols known as "Trailside".
Actually made by Hammerli (sp?) a well known target gun manufacturer.

I quote from an April 2000 American Rifleman article on the Trailside...shots
made from a ransom rest, 25 yards:

"I recall watching the group develop through a spotting scope. The group did not widen until the seventh shot and it was never anything but one hole"....

My point here? Like my Browning, the Swiss made Trailside is a .22 pistol one could keep for a lifetime with no desire to buy anything else.

I'll cast my vote for a revolver over a pistol. Being a single action man, I like my Ruger Single Six. Purchased on my 21st birthday just because I could. At a Fred Meyer, no less. Try that today...

A Smith and Wesson K22 is another fine choice. Kind of spendy, but you will never own a finer .22 handgun. It would make a great companion to your Marlin, exhibiting similar quality of fit and finish, not to mention function and accuracy.

Jim -

I'd recommend finding a range that has pistols to rent and trying a few... I'd consider both the Ruger (22/45, MkII, MkIII - all slightly different) in different barrel configs (mine is a 5.5" heavy barrel) and the Browning Buckmark. I think I would've got a Buckmark, but I sorta fell into a nearly forced trade for this ruger...

I'd forgotten all about that gun. They no longer import it but it seems like they show up on auction sites. I have to wait a few weeks but I'll likely pick one up so the boy can plink with the Walther while I plink with the Trailside.

About the Trailside, from Shooting Times, June 2000
http://hunting.about.com/od/guns/l/aasthammerli22a.htm

Tell her she'll hit the target more if she opens her eyes :D

well, if we're showing america's youth...

http://nostatic.com/photos/cshoot1.jpg

http://nostatic.com/photos/cshoot2.jpg

The ruger .22 single six is very, very nice. So is the Ruger Mk IV automatic series.

Ruger...anything Ruger makes is probably the best bang for the buck in it's class. Reasonably priced, rugged as hell, and engineered well. I mean both rifle and pistol...

Not too hijack the thread. But what's the best ammo for target shooting with a walther p22?
Is remington ammo any good?