JUST HOW GOOD IS A M39?

[Rusty]

I never have really shot my M39 as a benchrest rifle, it's just what stays near the back door and is fun to plink with. I have a 10/22 with a bull barrel I use for USBR matches, while I'm not top shelf with it, I do OK. I was just wondering if anyone has ever tweeked a M39 to do more with it?

[Terry Murbach]

MY MARLIN 39 MOUNTIE MADE AN OLD FRIEND OF MINE SEND BACK HIS NEW KIMBER 22 RIFLE TO BE RE-BARRELED. THAT M39 WILL SHOOT RIGHT ALONG WITH MY R-P M541T HB WHICH AVERAGED 1.54 MOA WITH THIRTY TWO DIFFERENT 22LR LOADS, ALL TEN SHOT GROUPS, WHICH HAD TO INCLUDE A RELOAD AND RE-SETTING OF EVERYTHING TO FINISH EACH TEN SHOT GROUP. THE M39 WILL DO THAT WITH FIVE-SHOT GROUPS.
DO NOT BE SURPRISED IF YOUR M39 OUTSHOOTS EVERY 22 RIFLE YOU OWN AND EVERYONE YOU WILL BUY TO TRY AND BEAT IT.

PS: THIS M39 WAS RE-BARRELED BY MARLIN AS IT WAS THE SINGULAR WORST MARLIN I'D EVER SHOT, THAT MAKING IT THE ONLY---ONLY !!! ---BAD SHOOTING MARLIN I'D EVER HEARD OF LET ALONE SEEN AND SHOT MYSELF.
AND SO IT GOES...

[jnyork]

I shoot a 1967 model in lever action silhouette. When I was testing different ammos with it, I got a scope base for it and mounted a 20x target scope. Was very pleasantly surprised, it shot far better than I had expected. Showed a distinct preference for the Federal Champion 510, which I have been shooting ever since, have now run over 30,000 rounds thru it and never stuttered, and it was well worn when I got it. Cant remember the exact size of my groups, but were considerably under minute of ram.

[2ndovc]

my '57 vintage Marlin 39 is just as accurate as my 28" barreled Martini-Greener
and I shoot it just as accurately. Off hand or on the bench.
Same for my Cheif AJ 10/22. If I do my part the old 39 will put ten rounds into a ragged hole.



Some guys don't like the fat fore end but I like the added weight and the way it fills my hand.

jb

[3leggedturtle]

When I was shooting regulary, had no problem with 2" groups at 100 yards. That was 15 shots BTW One of the last rifles i'd ever sell

[jdad]

I have several 22's that will shoot smaller groups past 50yds, but nothing other than a 39A has won any of our silhouette matches.

[Bigahh]

Smoe guys don't like the fat fore end but I like the added weight and the way it fills my hand.

I could sure learn to Like it a great deal if it happened to be in my safe !

[salvo]

I have an 1982 39A that I bought here from the classifieds!
I tested a bunch of .22 ammo from my bench. A few brands shot 1/4" at 25 yds and 3/4" at 50 yds.



At 25 yds - 5 shots

[Lastmohecken]

I have had some that shot better then others, but I used to shoot some 22 rifle silouette, back in the 80's and I had a 39A with a 12 power Leupold that I could often beat most of the older hands at the time who were shooting high dollar target rifles, that cost 3 and 4 times as much as my Marlin.

But my Marlin also had almost a hair trigger on it, and a top notch trigger can often make all of the difference, in that game. Because sometimes I just couldn't hold a tight enough wobble to insure a hit, shooting off hand on tiny steel targets, so with the Marlin, I would just swing ever so slowly onto the target, and start my squeese as I crossed the first edge of the target, and manage to get the shot off before I drifted off again. It usually worked. Timing is everthing sometimes, as the saying goes.

[JB]

You're kind of limited what you can do to a M39 other than smoothing up the trigger a little bit. I've fired some that were very accurate for lever guns, while other were just so so. The most accurate lever 22 I currently own is a 9422. I've owned others 9422's that were just averge shooters, but this one will shoot with a lot of bolts.

[otteray]

Mine, an octagon barreled from the 1920s, has an action as smooth as butter with accuracy to match using the original tang peep sight. A wonderful lever action!
I am "limited" to standard velocity because of the old bolt style.
I can't speak as to the later 39A models since I don't have one.

[Charles]

The Model 39 is a fine rifle and my 1954 vintage rifles is quite accurate. I think the 3/4 (50 yards) and 2 inch (100 yards) is a good average accuracy with ammo the rifle likes.

However, there were a number of other rifles, bolt action mostly, that would beat 39's accuracy handily. I have a Mossberg 146B (1949) that will shoot rings around the Marlin.

Back in the day, there were a number of man sized 22 LR rifles that were very accurate.