Make: Marlin
Model: 39
Serial Number: S3845
Year of Manufacture: 1925-1932 (Some Model 39’s have been recorded with an S prefix)
Caliber: .22 Short, Long & Long Rifle
Action Type: Lever Action, Tube Magazine Fed
Barrel Length: 24" Octagonal
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a v-notch elevator sight dovetailed to the barrel. The top and left side of the receiver are drilled, tapped, and filled. The tang is drilled, tapped, filled for a tang sight, none present.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are a two piece smooth walnut set with a capped forearm, Marlin S-shape pistol grip, straight comb, and Marlin checkered black hard rubber buttplate. The belly has a Marlin “Bullseye”. There is a factory "star" proof stamped on the upper tang. The buttstock has beautiful grain throughout. There are light handling marks. There are very minor losses along the inner upper edges of the forend. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 3/8" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stocks rate in about Fine overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue, Case Colored
Finish Originality: Refinished.
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is light erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion the bore rates 7/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 99% of its current metal finish. The balance of the finish is strong and complete throughout. There is little to no handling or operational wear post refinish. There is faint intermittent oxidation. The right side of the receiver has minor pinprick pitting under the new finish. The screw heads are sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear save for the barrel address which is partially obscured. Overall, this rifle rates in about Excellent condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. This rifle has a half-cock safety. The action is smooth and the trigger is crisp. We have not fired this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Marlin Model 39 is an American classic with roots that stretch back to the Model 1891 and the famed Marlin Model 1897. As the first .22 caliber lever-action rifle to feature a solid top and side ejection, the Model 39 helped define the standard for rimfire lever guns. Produced between 1922 and 1938, this example—with its S prefix serial number—was likely manufactured between 1925 and 1932. Advertisements used during the late 1920's referred to the star, marked on the upper tang, as an inspector's mark which represented that Marlins carrying this mark were of the highest quality made by Marlin as they went through rigorous inspection. Built with a 24" octagonal barrel, pistol grip stock, and tube magazine, it’s a quintessential small-game and plinking rifle from the golden age of American rimfires.
This rifle retains a stunning 99% of its new finish, the blue is deep and the case colors are vibrant. The bore is impressively bright with sharp rifling, and the action remains smooth and functional. It’s a testament to Marlin’s build quality that this rifle remains a solid shooter nearly a century later. Whether for nostalgic range time, or simply as a highly collectible piece of early 20th-century firearm history, this C&R-eligible Marlin 39 has earned its place among the greats of American rimfire design.
