The Gun of the Day posts will be less frequent for the new few weeks as I will be traveling. I am currently looking at possibly featuring a few collections from other members during this time.
If you have some rimfire firearms you would like featured please PM me to discuss the details and simple picture requirements.
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See the full list of posts here
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Marlin 39/39A/39M
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Today's Golden 39M is provided curtesy of an anonymous contributor.
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Changes between models have been so minimal the rifle is considered to have been continually produced to the same basic specifications for over 100 years.
Until production ceased in 2007, the Model 39 held the record for longest run in American history, 116 years of continuous production. (No penalty for war time pauses.) It is generally believed that just between 1922 and 2007, some 2.2 million of these rifles were made and sold.
Let's take the one from the beginning.
Model 1891:
The Model 39 began with a patent held by Lewis Lobdell Hepburn dated August 12, 1890. His design was for a .22 caliber lever action rifle where the breech was locked and unlocked by the lever itself. It had a solid receiver top and loaded from the side. John Marlin, who already had a thriving lever-action firearms business, believed that Hepburn's design would fill the niche for a lever-action .22 repeater. Soon the "Marlin Safety Repeating Rifle, Model 1891" was introduced.
Model 1892:
In 1892, the design was updated to eliminate the lever-operated safety device and instead added a tang to the lower part of the firing pin that blocked the upper rear surface of the lever until the lever was fully closed. The trigger was updated to a one-piece design that eliminated some play from the previous system. The tubular magazine was changed to front-loading due to the difficulties of side feeding the small rimfire round. A minor change to the ejector, and a magazine cutoff were later added to improve feeding. Production of the Model 1892 began in 1895.
Model 1897:
The Marlin Model 1897, later changed to the Model 97 in 1905, was an improvement on the model 1892. Available only as a takedown model and only in .22 rimfire, it was produced from 1897 until about 1915 when the factory retooled for the war effort. After WWI a few guns were assembled from parts, until 1922 when it was re-designated as the Model 39.
Model 39:
After WWI the sporting gun end of the business was acquired by John Moran, and the Marlin Firearms Corporation was formed. Their first catalog was issued in 1922, and among the guns listed for future manufacture was a lever action .22 to be known as the Model 39. The Model 39 is basically the same as the Model 1897 but with a pistol grip stock, case-hardened receiver and 24-inch octagonal barrel. It was produced from 1922 to 1938. First year production used up remaining 1897 parts. An ejector modification was invented in 1926 by Gus Swebilius that allowed the ejector to be depressed and locked out of the way for cleaning with a slotted rivet that could be turned with a screwdriver. This new ejector modification was subsequently applied to the Model 39 and the serial numbers were given an "S" prefix. It was later found that high-speed .22 ammo would sometimes crack the Model 39 bolt. This problem was solved with a new machining process on the bolt. The improved-bolt-equipped guns had "HS" applied as a prefix to the serial number. This change occurred in 1932.
Model 39A:
The 39A was billed as the "World's best all-around .22 caliber repeating rifle."
In 1939, the Model 39A was introduced. The main changes were a long beavertail forearm and a round barrel. It was still basically a Model 39 from the receiver back. The early receivers were still case hardened. In 1940, a coiled main spring, a full pistol-grip stock and a long, bulbous fore-end were used. The serials were then prefixed "B". No production was carried out from 1942 to 1944 during WWII. 1945 saw the receiver drilled and tapped for a receiver rear sight and the introduction of a ramped front sight. The receivers were leftover case hardened types and the serials were prefixed with an upper-case "C." In 1946, receivers were blued and the serials prefixed with a lower-case "c." This was the beginning of a series of letter prefix codes that denoted the year of manufacture, although other systems were later used. In 1951, a grip cap with a semicircular brass insert (for engraving initials) was featured, but discontinued the following year to save brass for the Korean War. These are known as "peanut" grip caps because of the insert shape. In 1952, the drilled and tapped holes for tang sights were eliminated. In 1954 the rifling was changed to Micro-groove although some Ballard-rifled barrels were used from stock through 1957. Receiver tops were drilled and tapped for scope mounts starting in 1956. Grip caps with white spacers were introduced in 1957, as well as gold-washed triggers. A straight-stock carbine with a thinner fore-end, a slim tapered 20" barrel and a shortened magazine was offered in 1963 and continued until 1968. Other variations of the rifle way too numerous to cover have appeared over the years. The 39A was produced until 1983 when the Golden 39A was introduced with the addition of a cross hammer safety. Produced finally ceased in 2007 when Marlin was sold to Remington.
Model 39M:
The Golden Mountie Model 39A (aka 39M) was introduced in 1954. It is the same as the 39A with a shorter 20" barrel and a straight stock.
"Mountie" versions have been produced at various points in the rifle's life . These rifles have been alternately called Model 39M or 1897 Mountie. The Mountie typically has a magazine capacity of 20 Short, 16 Long or 15 Long Rifle .22 cartridges.
---------------
Annie Oakley involvement:
On March 10, 1893 Phoebe Ann Moses, aka Annie Oakley, used a Model 1891 to put 25 shots through one jagged hole in 27 seconds at a distance of 36 feet (12 yds) using 22 short cartridges. On the same day she also produced another jagged one-hole group through the center of an Ace of Hearts playing card, while shooting off-hand. In 1903, Marlin presented her with a gold-plated, engraved Model 1897 rifle and another custom rifle in 1906. These firearms were special-made and engraved to commemorate her skill and fame. Marlin has long used Annie Oakley in their advertising and also made two "special runs" of Annie Oakley commemorative 39A rifles to honor Oakley's achievements and fame while using their brand. The first consisted of 500 39A rifles in 1998 which were offered to the general public and 100 offered only to their employees. In 2000 another run of the special Annie Oakley guns were made for Davidson's Gallery of Guns and offered to the general public.
---------------
This example is a 1973 Golden 39M. It was purchased new by the current owner.
The only modification is the addition of a Skinner peep sight. https://skinnersights.com/products/marlin-39-reliable-sight
Also included in the first picture is one of the owner's homemade quick-reload tubes. To quote the owner: "It's just a piece of straight brake line tube, cut to a usable length, with holes drilled in each end for hairpins which block the ammo from going either direction until pulled."
If you have some rimfire firearms you would like featured please PM me to discuss the details and simple picture requirements.
-------------------------------------
See the full list of posts here
------------------------------
Marlin 39/39A/39M
-------
Today's Golden 39M is provided curtesy of an anonymous contributor.
-------
Changes between models have been so minimal the rifle is considered to have been continually produced to the same basic specifications for over 100 years.
Until production ceased in 2007, the Model 39 held the record for longest run in American history, 116 years of continuous production. (No penalty for war time pauses.) It is generally believed that just between 1922 and 2007, some 2.2 million of these rifles were made and sold.
Let's take the one from the beginning.
Model 1891:
The Model 39 began with a patent held by Lewis Lobdell Hepburn dated August 12, 1890. His design was for a .22 caliber lever action rifle where the breech was locked and unlocked by the lever itself. It had a solid receiver top and loaded from the side. John Marlin, who already had a thriving lever-action firearms business, believed that Hepburn's design would fill the niche for a lever-action .22 repeater. Soon the "Marlin Safety Repeating Rifle, Model 1891" was introduced.
Model 1892:
In 1892, the design was updated to eliminate the lever-operated safety device and instead added a tang to the lower part of the firing pin that blocked the upper rear surface of the lever until the lever was fully closed. The trigger was updated to a one-piece design that eliminated some play from the previous system. The tubular magazine was changed to front-loading due to the difficulties of side feeding the small rimfire round. A minor change to the ejector, and a magazine cutoff were later added to improve feeding. Production of the Model 1892 began in 1895.
Model 1897:
The Marlin Model 1897, later changed to the Model 97 in 1905, was an improvement on the model 1892. Available only as a takedown model and only in .22 rimfire, it was produced from 1897 until about 1915 when the factory retooled for the war effort. After WWI a few guns were assembled from parts, until 1922 when it was re-designated as the Model 39.
Model 39:
After WWI the sporting gun end of the business was acquired by John Moran, and the Marlin Firearms Corporation was formed. Their first catalog was issued in 1922, and among the guns listed for future manufacture was a lever action .22 to be known as the Model 39. The Model 39 is basically the same as the Model 1897 but with a pistol grip stock, case-hardened receiver and 24-inch octagonal barrel. It was produced from 1922 to 1938. First year production used up remaining 1897 parts. An ejector modification was invented in 1926 by Gus Swebilius that allowed the ejector to be depressed and locked out of the way for cleaning with a slotted rivet that could be turned with a screwdriver. This new ejector modification was subsequently applied to the Model 39 and the serial numbers were given an "S" prefix. It was later found that high-speed .22 ammo would sometimes crack the Model 39 bolt. This problem was solved with a new machining process on the bolt. The improved-bolt-equipped guns had "HS" applied as a prefix to the serial number. This change occurred in 1932.
Model 39A:
The 39A was billed as the "World's best all-around .22 caliber repeating rifle."
In 1939, the Model 39A was introduced. The main changes were a long beavertail forearm and a round barrel. It was still basically a Model 39 from the receiver back. The early receivers were still case hardened. In 1940, a coiled main spring, a full pistol-grip stock and a long, bulbous fore-end were used. The serials were then prefixed "B". No production was carried out from 1942 to 1944 during WWII. 1945 saw the receiver drilled and tapped for a receiver rear sight and the introduction of a ramped front sight. The receivers were leftover case hardened types and the serials were prefixed with an upper-case "C." In 1946, receivers were blued and the serials prefixed with a lower-case "c." This was the beginning of a series of letter prefix codes that denoted the year of manufacture, although other systems were later used. In 1951, a grip cap with a semicircular brass insert (for engraving initials) was featured, but discontinued the following year to save brass for the Korean War. These are known as "peanut" grip caps because of the insert shape. In 1952, the drilled and tapped holes for tang sights were eliminated. In 1954 the rifling was changed to Micro-groove although some Ballard-rifled barrels were used from stock through 1957. Receiver tops were drilled and tapped for scope mounts starting in 1956. Grip caps with white spacers were introduced in 1957, as well as gold-washed triggers. A straight-stock carbine with a thinner fore-end, a slim tapered 20" barrel and a shortened magazine was offered in 1963 and continued until 1968. Other variations of the rifle way too numerous to cover have appeared over the years. The 39A was produced until 1983 when the Golden 39A was introduced with the addition of a cross hammer safety. Produced finally ceased in 2007 when Marlin was sold to Remington.
Model 39M:
The Golden Mountie Model 39A (aka 39M) was introduced in 1954. It is the same as the 39A with a shorter 20" barrel and a straight stock.
"Mountie" versions have been produced at various points in the rifle's life . These rifles have been alternately called Model 39M or 1897 Mountie. The Mountie typically has a magazine capacity of 20 Short, 16 Long or 15 Long Rifle .22 cartridges.
---------------
Annie Oakley involvement:
On March 10, 1893 Phoebe Ann Moses, aka Annie Oakley, used a Model 1891 to put 25 shots through one jagged hole in 27 seconds at a distance of 36 feet (12 yds) using 22 short cartridges. On the same day she also produced another jagged one-hole group through the center of an Ace of Hearts playing card, while shooting off-hand. In 1903, Marlin presented her with a gold-plated, engraved Model 1897 rifle and another custom rifle in 1906. These firearms were special-made and engraved to commemorate her skill and fame. Marlin has long used Annie Oakley in their advertising and also made two "special runs" of Annie Oakley commemorative 39A rifles to honor Oakley's achievements and fame while using their brand. The first consisted of 500 39A rifles in 1998 which were offered to the general public and 100 offered only to their employees. In 2000 another run of the special Annie Oakley guns were made for Davidson's Gallery of Guns and offered to the general public.
---------------
This example is a 1973 Golden 39M. It was purchased new by the current owner.
The only modification is the addition of a Skinner peep sight. https://skinnersights.com/products/marlin-39-reliable-sight
Also included in the first picture is one of the owner's homemade quick-reload tubes. To quote the owner: "It's just a piece of straight brake line tube, cut to a usable length, with holes drilled in each end for hairpins which block the ammo from going either direction until pulled."
