1945 Marlin 39-A

[gregd166]

Anybody have ideas on price ranges for this rifle? It's not in ideal condition. Wood needs work, I have photos and could take more. Marlin Model 39-A .22 S.L. & L.R.

[jdad]

Marlin did not produce the 39A, from the end of 1941 to the end of 1945. What is the serial number letter prefix?

[gregd166]

The serial prefix is a C.

[gregd166]

and after reviewing the appraisal process, it would appear to be in the fair to good range, so nothing special, condition wise.

[Pete44ru]

The letter "C", as a serial nmber prefix, indicates 1946 manufature.

http://www.marlin-collectors.com/forum/ ... f=2&t=2288

[gregd166]

very good, thank you, the decoder i was looking at said c was 1945, i'll run with 46. anybody buy or sell one of these lately?

[Don Anderson]

If the prefix of your serial number is a capital "C", it indicates 1945. If it is a small case "c", it would then be 1946.

Don

[Pete44ru]

I wasn't aware of the difference, and hadn't heard of that before anywhere, Don.

Could you please expand on that for us, if you could ?

I ask, because my 39a's prefix "C" is the same size as the serial number numerals - so I always presumed it to be a 1946 model.

[gregd166]

ah, ok, that makes sense, mine has a small "c", in that it's smaller than the following numbers, so id think its a 1946

[Don Anderson]

After the war in 1945, when Marlin got back into the consumer gun business, they were basically using parts on hand to assemble rifles. These parts were generally from 1941. The receivers were case colored on the 1936/36's, the same for the 39A's. These guns that were assembled in 1945 used a capital C as a prefix in the serial number, following the previous B prefix from 1941. Then, as Marlin got re-tooled and started new production in 1946, they used the small case "c" to designate 1946. Also, now the new 1946 receivers were blued rather than case colored. The upper tangs on the Model 1936 were no longer marked "Model 1936", but were blank and the Model 36 desination was placed on the barrel. Then in 1947, Marlin continued the sequence of the letters for prefix's, only they went back to the capital letters using a capital "D" for 1947.

Don

[Don Anderson]

Pete44ru:

Does your 39A have a case colored receiver or is it blued?

Don

[Pete44ru]

It's blued.

[jdad]

Thanks Don! I learned something new. I knew about the 1936/36, but not the 39A.

I wonder how many small "c", cased receiver, 39A's are out there? That would be a real rare find.

[gregd166]

I have the small "c" cased 39-A's, pretty sure it blued though, how would a beginner distinguish between blued and cased colored?

[Don Anderson]

greggd166:

I don't think you're going to find any of the small "c" (1946) 39A's with a case colored receiver. The 1946 receivers were blued.

Pete44ru:
Can you send a picture of your serial number showing the Capital "C"? Thanks.

Don