New owner of a Golden 39A

[Rocky Raab]

I took a Marlin Golden 39A in trade for some expensive earplugs this past weekend.

I've always heard that the Marlin 39 is the best lever-action .22 ever made. In fact, its design is unchanged from the day they first made 'em. 100% milled steel, smooth action, a takedown design, and built like a bank vault.

Something tells me I'd better sell this off BEFORE I get the itch to shoot it - or it might burrow into my safe and hide there.

[Swift]

Congrats! I'd hide it inthe safe if it were me!

[skeet]

Got 2 of them Rocky. Have my father in laws ol 39 A and i bought one last year at a yard sale for 75 bucks. Shoots about as good as my other one, too. One of those ol rifles ya just can't seem to part with if ya get my drift

[TreeDoc]

Rocky,
If you part with it let me know. If it's clean I'll buy it. I have always had an interest in the 39A and have only seen one come through the used ranks at my local shop and it was gone before I could get to it which is strange since I live in that store!

[scooterman27006]

fellas i dont want to say this only because you fellas already talked it up -- i have a marlin 39AS golden something that an old friend of mine grabbed up for me that worked at wally world when they had one come in - the gun is heavy and looks great but as far as shooting i was really dissapointed in the accuracy of it and i have tried several brands of rimfire in it - i bought the gun only because i thought it might be a collectors item one day but did expect it to shoot a little better than it does - im not sure about the s on the end of the 39AS but i do know that the lever winchesters i have will outshoot it by far but both are a blast to shoot

[270man]

Rocky,

After years of ignoring the lever rifles, I have become a big fan of them. A Marlin 336 in 30-30 and my newer 1894C in 38/357 won me over. I don't own a lever 22 but wish I had bought a Marlin 39M years ago. Sadly, they dropped it from production. I prefer the 20" barrel to the longer and heavier 39A (24" barrel). Used ones for sale are almost non-existent. The ones available cost an arm and a leg.

270man

[Rocky Raab]

Well, I'm sorry to tell you, but it's gone.

I didn't get a chance to shoot it, just cleaned it up and changed it from inventory to cash.

Tree Doc, if it's still on the dealer's rack a few weeks from now, and if you promise to come to the Big Reno gun show in August, I'll buy it back and bring it over for ya.

[Mickey Rat]

You done a bad thing. If you had shot it just once, you would have loved it. I had a Mountie version that I gave my son. I didn't give it to him UNTIL I had a replacement.

I have always gotten exceptional accuracy from them. I use it to squirrel hunt and take head shots only out to 50 yards.

[Rocky Raab]

I know, Mickey. But it was a business deal, and when you're in business, it's cash flow - or no mortgage payment.

[Catfish]

Scooter,
Yours is the first one I`ve heard of that wasn`t a shooter. These guns do have micro grove rifleings and won`t shot good if dirty. Did you clean the bore befor you started shooting it??? The one I have is one heck of a squirrel rifle wirh Rem. Sub-sonics. Give your barrel a good cleaning and try again, I think it will shoot.

[scooterman27006]

cat will do - matter of fact i will do it this evening just to see - it really is a nice looking piece and after reading this post it makes me want to see whats wrong - i will give it a good scrubbing and see what happens

[Rocky Raab]

Just remember that most rimfires like to "season" themselves before they shoot their best. Don't change ammo types after you clean it. Pick one kind and shoot 20 or 30 rounds before you shoot groups.

I've seen guns that would double or triple the group size when changing ammo - until they had a half-box of the new stuff down the tube, and then they magically tighten up again.

I believe it has to do with the interaction of those dead-soft bullets with the previously deposited lube and powder residue. Until the gun scrubs the old stuff out and lays down a uniform layer of the new lube/powder, those bullets just don't react well.

For best results, stick with one type of ammo in rimfires.

[gregarat]

I know of people that shoot competivly, that claim they NEVER clean their .22lr barrel.

My .17HMR barrel tightens up after 75rds, and I clean it every 300-500 rounds.

[Mickey Rat]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Rocky Raab
[B]Just remember that most rimfires like to "season" themselves before they shoot their best. Don't change ammo types after you clean it. Pick one kind and shoot 20 or 30 rounds before you shoot groups.

I fired Federal Lightnings for years.

1. Beacause they were cheap.
2. Bacause they were accurate.

"The American Rifleman" ran a test several years ago, and Federal Lightnings came in 2nd behind Eley Tenex. They outshot EVERY other type that I tried. 30 years passes....and I read an article in a book "The Book of the 22". The author notes that most 22's will not shoot a different ammo well for quite a few shots, often a box or two. The difference was most apparent when changing from lead to copper or from copper to lead.

Dadgumit! I NEVER shot a whole box of the different ammo thru my gun before I gave up on it. I'd fire a 10 round pattern (instead of a group) and quit using the ammo. I used Lightnings forever untill Federal quit pushing them and went to the new big box HP's. That's what I use now.

[Rocky Raab]

Here's another gem about rimfires: one of the deciding factors on accuracy is bullet diameter.

Take a good micrometer to different brands/types of ammo and you'll see remarkable differences in bullet diameter. I've measured .22LR bullets that range from .221 to .225".

In my Rem 782 rifle, the larger bullets are MUCH more accurate. It may not be a coincidence that all the match or target-grade amo I've measured runs in the .223-.224" range. My bore is dead-nuts standard at .222" by the way.

Something to think about.