Custom Model 39A Value ?

[texasmac]

Hello guys,

I’m trying to get an idea what the following rifle is worth.

As the photos indicate, it’s an absolutely beautiful rifle. It has a ½ octagon, ½ round 23.5” barrel stamped MARLIN FIREARMS CO on the right side, CAL. 22 L. R. on the left side. There is a small ring of engraving around the transition from octagon to round. The barrel rear sight will flip down to allow use of the tang peep sight. The front sight is a Lyman with gold bead. The ¾ tube magazine will hold a maximum of 8 LR cartridges. The stock and forearm appear to be very dense highly grained walnut with 20 to 21 lpi checkering.

All the color case hardened metal is lightly and tastefully engraved including the forearm cap, both side of the receiver, bottom of the lever and the butt plate. The butt plate engraving is located around the two screws – one on top and one on the back near the toe. The take down screw is engraved with small diamond shaped figures aligned next to each other inside a double circle border around the circumference of the screw head. Each diamond figure has a very small indention or hole in the center. The hammer and bolt are dark black blued without engraving. The top rear of the hammer has parallel serrations, no diamond pattern.

Engraved or roll stamped on top of the receiver is MARLIN SAFETY inside a border with one small diamonds shaped figure on each end. The top of the receiver tang is drilled and tapped for the Lyman tang sight. MODEL 39A is roll stamped between the holes. The bottom receiver tang is deeply stamped with the Kxxxx serial number which leads me to believe the rifle, or at least the receiver was manufactured in 1953. The bottom tang is color case hardened but not engraved.

Any comments would be appreciated Thanks.

Wayne

[texasmac]

Following are some more photos I could not include with the earlier posting.

Wayne

[marlinman93]

Gorgeous customized 39A! I think you're correct as to it's 1953 date for the receiver used to build up this fine rifle. It appears to be extremely high quality work, and going to be tough to put a number value to such a gun. If one had to pay to have all this work done I'd expect they'd be into this little 39A several thousand dollars; maybe more!
If it goes to an auction it might not get what it would cost to build it, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it break $2000 in my opinion. But if two guys want it badly, who knows where it might end?

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Texasmac;

Someone when to a lot of work to make this 39-A look like a special order Model 1897. The steel crescent buttplate, the non-slotted thumbscrew, the half octagon barrel and half magazine are not typical features found on Model 39, let alone a 39-A.

The Marlin Firearms Collectors Association had 2 custom Model 39-A's made up by the Marlin Custom Shop, at a cost of just over $6,000.00 for the pair. Each having features different from the other and following original Marlin special features.

This custom rifle does have checking resembling the Grade B Marlin checking, but not executed properly. The spaces between the points up near the receiver are not spaced evenly as would have been on an original Marlin with Grade B checking. The forearm checking is different also. In my opinion, this detracts from the overall work. The rear sight is a later sight. An original Marlin most likely would have had a Lyman #6 folding rear sight with a tang mounted peep sight.

The engraving will add some value. Another thing to copy the Model 1897 is the engraved "Marlin Safety" on top of the receiver. But otherwise, the engraving in no way resembles Marlin engraving.

Overall, it is a pretty piece, but not a collectors item. I would place the value in the $3000.00 to 4,000.00 range because of the overall cost to do the work and the nice wood and added engraving.

[texasmac]

marlinman93 and Regnier (gunrunner), thanks for you comments and value estimates.
BTW, I also have a 1967 Golden 39A and compared some of the receiver features in the two photos below. Note the following differences:
The extractor in the custom is a 2-piece design with a flat spring. The extractor in the Golden 39A is longer and is a single-piece design.
There is a cartridge stop or guide in the Custom but none in the Golden 39A
Not pictured - The ejector base or housing is steel in the custom and brass in the Golden 39A.


Wayne

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Texasmac;

The new photos brought to my attention the lever. That lever is an earlier lever from either a Model 1897/'97, 39 or first variation
Model 39-A. The later levers were rounded and did not have the "point".

Also, you state that the upper tang is "roll stamped" Model 39-A. The Model 39-A was never stamped on the upper tang. The model marking for the Model 39-A was roll stamped on the side of the barrel along with the caliber markings. Since this is not a 39-A barrel, it is missing the model markings and the upper tang was probably hand engraved like the "Marlin Safety" marking on the top of the receiver.

[marlinman93]

I believe differences internally between your Golden 39A and the custom are explained by the differences between the era of the parts used. Over the many years the 39a has been made there have been numerous small changes, so need to order parts based on the era the guns were built.