new to me Marlin 39. Is this right?

[FLINT]

I am the new owner of a Marlin model 39 TDS (16" barrel) that appears to be in pretty good condition. I've never even held a 39 before today, so I just wanted to run this by someone who has experience with them to make sure I'm not missing something.

I was able to get the two halves of the gun put together easily enough, but I want to make sure my observations of the function of the rifle seem correct.

the biggest thing is I don't see how the hammer is able to come into contact with basically anything that might make the round go off. This model has the safety and I guess rebounding hammer, but so does my 336 in 30-30 and that lowers all the way down into the receiver. The hammer on this 339 seems to hit against this giant rigid bar that runs across the back of the receiver and doesn't seem to go near anything. Moving the safety on or off doesn't seem to make any difference. Maybe something magical happens when you pull the trigger, but I just don't see how. Maybe I'm being really dumb here, but something just doesn't look right to me. I'll include a couple images. Also, the firing pin (?) that sticks out of the back of the bolt after cycling the action seems to have absolutely zero resistance behind it and you can push it into the bolt literally by blowing on it or by tilting the muzzle of the barrel down. Again, maybe this is normal, it's just so different than any other rifle I've ever seen and I have a few...

second, there seems to be a little internal rattle sound when cycling the action. not extreme, but there is something that does kind of rattle a little bit inside. If you shake the gun at any point with the action open or closed you can hear something rattle around a little. again, maybe this is normal, but I wanted to check with you guys first.

Hopefully, when I get to the range, all concerns will be put to rest and it will shoot well. I guess I'm worried that some internal receiver piece fell out or something. maybe that can't happen. Again, I've never even been in the same room as a 39 before.

Thanks for any insight.

[Dieselman]

Well that really is odd, I am completely unfamiliar with that gun. In fact, I have never owned a marlin. Could that rigid pin be a broken firing pin or something?

[FLINT]

Well that really is odd, I am completely unfamiliar with that gun. In fact, I have never owned a marlin. Could that rigid pin be a broken firing pin or something?

Yeah, I don't know. That's why I was hoping someone on here had a marlin 39 with a safety and could verify that this looks "normal".

I have MANY leverguns but this is the only one I have that the hammer doesn't even come close to the receiver in the fully lowered position. All the way down on this gun is still higher than 'half-cock' on some other rifles. it just looks and feels odd.

I just want to make sure I didn't put it together wrong, or something isn't misaligned or something.

[4t5]

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufa ... ries/39tds

[JB]

The firing pin is free floating by design. It looks normal to me. As far as your crossbolt safety, I can't make it out that well, but it's supposed to go all the way accross, but it looks like from the photo it might be rotated? I'm assuming you haven't tried shooting it?

[Lastmohecken]

Your safety bar is rotated 90 degrees from where it should be, as best as I can tell in this top picture. That top bar is the firing pin, and you should be able to push it in by hand, should be free floating, unless Marlin changed it when they added that stupid cross bolt safety to everything. You mentioned rebounding hammers, I have never seen a Marlin with a rebounding hammer, that's a Jap Winchester thing.

You should be able to remove the safety bolt, I think someone has been messing with it, and re-installed it incorrectly.

[Lastmohecken]

I suggest take your gun back apart in to the two pieces and look for a set screw that should hold the cross-bolt safety in the gun. You might have to remove the butt stock, but I think it may be located just under the cross-bolt safety on the left side of the gun. But I am not sure as I have not owned that exact model. If you find the set screw, loosen it or you might have to remove it completely, and I think you will be able to rotate the safety bar, to its correct position. Or there are replacements for the bar to eliminate its function. I think Skinner Sights may sell one, or Brownell's.

[jeepnik]

Not real clear, but it looks like the flat of the safety is pointed upward. It should be pointed back toward the hammer. Someone might have taken it apart and put it back together 90°out of alignment. If so, it's a pretty easy fix. But one that requires removing the buttstock.

Interestingly (and probably lawyer driven) is some Marlin Lever guns have this part listed as factory install only. If this is out of alignment, that probably why.

[FLINT]

Thanks guys,

I'll take it down tomorrow and see what's going on. I'll try to take some better pictures tomorrow also

[FLINT]

ok, couldn't wait. this is distressing. They don't give these things away.

here are some pics. I don't have a 'correct' one to compare with. something is definitely off though. I think you are right. That block that sits kind of above or around the firing pin seems wrong. pushing the safety on or off has no effect on how far the hammer can be lowered. The hammer is hitting that block which does not allow it to lower all the way. Can a gun smith fix this? hopefully it's fixable.

[FLINT]

in these pics you can see when fully cocked (bottom picture), the trigger sear is engaged into the lower notch in the hammer. However, with the hammer all the way down as far as it will go (top picture), the sear doesn't even rest fully into the upper notch. I'm guessing that's the half cock notch? and when fired, the hammer can even rotate so the upper notch rotates past the sear completely? That cannot happen with however this is set up currently.

very distressed.

[FLINT]

well, now I don't know what to think.

I watched a few youtube videos trying to get a glimps of the internals and of course none of them showed great views of the right angle, but what I could see, they looked the same as in my rifle.

also, in this video, you can see this guy firing his 39 and the hammer really does not travel very far forward. If you watch from 3:45 - 4:15.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTd8aagH-RM&t=271s

However, on my rifle, shouldn't putting the safety on or off change how far the hammer will travel forward? I need to go to bed.

[black river smith]

Read this forum posting -- https://www.marlinowners.com/threads/cr ... on.677521/

Sorry it is the only thing I could find that was maybe useful. Using a SEARCH for --- 'on a marlin 39TDS rifle what does the safety block to keep from firing'

Most of your pictures are of the top and side of the large block that holds the safety bar. But have you looked under that Block to see if there is something that, when set blocks the top surface bend, from moving to the firing distance. That firing pin looks long compared to other lever guns and that rebounding hammer in the video does not look to have a lot of forward movement when firing. go to the video and watch the hammer firing movement a 0.25 speed. You judge.

PS -- See if you can find an on-line Manual for the 39TDS.

[Lastmohecken]

Is that a roll pin or a set screw that's holding the cross bolt safety in place? You should be able to remove it, then remove that cross bolt safety. I am thinking that the gun should then fire, and work without the safety installed. But I think the safety which is installed (rotated) 90 degrees wrong, is holding the hammer off if the half cock. It shouldn't be that hard to fix. I have owned several model 39A's over the years but none currently, and never one with the cross bolt safety. But I would think that someone on this site has a 39A for comparison.

[FLINT]

Read this forum posting -- https://www.marlinowners.com/threads/cr ... on.677521/

Sorry it is the only thing I could find that was maybe useful. Using a SEARCH for --- 'on a marlin 39TDS rifle what does the safety block to keep from firing'

Most of your pictures are of the top and side of the large block that holds the safety bar. But have you looked under that Block to see if there is something that, when set blocks the top surface bend, from moving to the firing distance. That firing pin looks long compared to other lever guns and that rebounding hammer in the video does not look to have a lot of forward movement when firing. go to the video and watch the hammer firing movement a 0.25 speed. You judge.

PS -- See if you can find an on-line Manual for the 39TDS.

DUDE! you solved it. I read that post and the OP had the exact same concerns as I did, and one of the responses explained exactly how to verify that the hammer actually does/can move all the way forward. By taking off the safety, squeezing the trigger and then manually pushing the hammer forward, it does in fact hit against the bolt. So crazy. this is the strangest functioning hammer arrangement I've ever seen.

Thanks so much!

[Lastmohecken]

So, Marlin actually did covert the 39 to a rebounding hammer? Dam, if they did, and I guess they did, they sure over engineered that thing when they added the cross bolt safety and rebounding hammer to it.

[marlinman93]

Before you get too worked up, have you even tried firing a cartridge in this gun? I don't think there's anything wrong with it, and if you can't get to the range then just use a fired .22LR case in the chamber and pull the trigger to check firing pin contact.
Seems like you're worried about nothing really until you've tried it.

[black river smith]

Read this forum posting -- https://www.marlinowners.com/threads/cr ... on.677521/

Sorry it is the only thing I could find that was maybe useful. Using a SEARCH for --- 'on a marlin 39TDS rifle what does the safety block to keep from firing'

Most of your pictures are of the top and side of the large block that holds the safety bar. But have you looked under that Block to see if there is something that, when set blocks the top surface bend, from moving to the firing distance. That firing pin looks long compared to other lever guns and that rebounding hammer in the video does not look to have a lot of forward movement when firing. go to the video and watch the hammer firing movement a 0.25 speed. You judge.

PS -- See if you can find an on-line Manual for the 39TDS.

DUDE! you solved it. I read that post and the OP had the exact same concerns as I did, and one of the responses explained exactly how to verify that the hammer actually does/can move all the way forward. By taking off the safety, squeezing the trigger and then manually pushing the hammer forward, it does in fact hit against the bolt. So crazy. this is the strangest functioning hammer arrangement I've ever seen.

Thanks so much!

Flint,

I have not been able to get on the site since July 1st, this is my first successful load/entry. I am glad to read that that forum posting did give you the 'Correct' suggestion/guidance to test out the hammer/rifle functioning. I do not have one myself and a lever 22 is the one operation style, I do not own, to my regrets.

My next suggestion to you would have been what Marlinman93 has suggested in the posting above, you have to try testing it with a fired 22 casing to see how it strikes and then if the safety, stops the hit.

Glad to have helped or given you some reassurance.

Good luck with the testing or field/range firing.

BRS

[FLINT]

Before you get too worked up, have you even tried firing a cartridge in this gun? I don't think there's anything wrong with it, and if you can't get to the range then just use a fired .22LR case in the chamber and pull the trigger to check firing pin contact.
Seems like you're worried about nothing really until you've tried it.

I guess you didn't see where it got figured out.

unfortunately I live in a neighborhood. I can't just go out and start shooting. The closest range is an hour away, and I work full time and have a family.

I got worked up after the first several people responded that there was something wrong with my gun.

I thought of this, but I don't have fired .22 shells in my house. I can't shoot where I live, and I don't bring fired .22 shells home with me.

[FLINT]

I have not been able to get on the site since July 1st, this is my first successful load/entry. I am glad to read that that forum posting did give you the 'Correct' suggestion/guidance to test out the hammer/rifle functioning. I do not have one myself and a lever 22 is the one operation style, I do not own, to my regrets.

My next suggestion to you would have been what Marlinman93 has suggested in the posting above, you have to try testing it with a fired 22 casing to see how it strikes and then if the safety, stops the hit.

Glad to have helped or given you some reassurance.

Good luck with the testing or field/range firing.

BRS

Yes, Thanks!

I thought that probably a bunch of people on here would have a model 39 since it seems to be an iconic rifle, and I figured someone would be able to take one look at it and so, oh, that's normal, or that's not normal. I'd never seen anything like this before and with no means to just go out and shoot it, I thought I'd ask.

I didn't want to wait until I could shoot it to figure out if there was a problem, because if the gun was non-functional I wanted to address it with the seller asap. Usually sellers are less willing to accommodate if you wait a month to 'figure out' that there is a problem.

Hopefully I can shoot it soon.

[Lastmohecken]

You can fire it, in your house, or apt. Just take a 22 long rifle round and pull the bullet and dump the powder out. Hand feed the case without powder or bullet into the barrel, close the action, and shoot it. If it pops, you will know if it's right or not.

[marlinman93]

Before you get too worked up, have you even tried firing a cartridge in this gun? I don't think there's anything wrong with it, and if you can't get to the range then just use a fired .22LR case in the chamber and pull the trigger to check firing pin contact.
Seems like you're worried about nothing really until you've tried it.

I guess you didn't see where it got figured out.

unfortunately I live in a neighborhood. I can't just go out and start shooting. The closest range is an hour away, and I work full time and have a family.

I got worked up after the first several people responded that there was something wrong with my gun.

I thought of this, but I don't have fired .22 shells in my house. I can't shoot where I live, and I don't bring fired .22 shells home with me.

I just grab a .22LR cartridge and pull the bullet with pliers. Then dump the powder and fire the empty case to test it. It makes a small pop, and if that's an issue I shove the muzzle into a rag and there's zero noise.

[FLINT]

I just grab a .22LR cartridge and pull the bullet with pliers. Then dump the powder and fire the empty case to test it. It makes a small pop, and if that's an issue I shove the muzzle into a rag and there's zero noise.

You can fire it, in your house, or apt. Just take a 22 long rifle round and pull the bullet and dump the powder out. Hand feed the case without powder or bullet into the barrel, close the action, and shoot it. If it pops, you will know if it's right or not.

ok, thanks guys, I'll give that a shot.

[Lastmohecken]

I just grab a .22LR cartridge and pull the bullet with pliers. Then dump the powder and fire the empty case to test it. It makes a small pop, and if that's an issue I shove the muzzle into a rag and there's zero noise.

You can fire it, in your house, or apt. Just take a 22 long rifle round and pull the bullet and dump the powder out. Hand feed the case without powder or bullet into the barrel, close the action, and shoot it. If it pops, you will know if it's right or not.

ok, thanks guys, I'll give that a shot.

Let us know how it turned out.