1973 Marlin Original Golden-39M

[Retired Sarge]

Here's the 1973 Marlin Original Golden-39M that my dad won as a door prize when buying his Winchester Model 94 Antique from the Zaragoza Air Base, Spain Rod & Gun Club. That I alluded to in ToddsPoint's Restored 1938 Winchester post.

Later in life, wasn't privy to the how of it, the buttstock had been cracked. The crack ran from the tang on one side diagonally across the buttstock to about mid length.

Talked to an local furniture restoration shop (Ironically he just closed last month) about it. He said bring it in and he'll fix it and fix it he did. No signs of the crack having ever been there.

My dad had put a scope (No drilling done) on it for yard varmints, that I've since taken off, and in the course he lost the sight hood. Also the bullseye in the stock had disappeared at some point. It indicates that the stock is walnut, but why they started it is beyond me. So I had to find a replacement bullseye for it. The M1907 style sling has been on it since 1973.

Funny thing is as much as they look out of place, the silver cross point screws in the buttplate are original. Found that out when I went looking for OEM replacements online.

What you see below in the end result of getting the stock fix, replacing the 2 missing parts, and cleaning her up. Nowhere near the amount of work ToddsPoint did on his 1938 Winchester that is for sure!

 

[ToddsPoint]

I’ve seen that little bullseye on the butt of Marlins but never knew that signified walnut. I broke the stock on my dad’s Marlin 39-A trying to reassemble it. It was real tight and you had to smack it with your hand. I smacked it too hard and split the butt in two clean pieces. My dad was hot!

 

[Retired Sarge]

I’ve seen that little bullseye on the butt of Marlins but never knew that signified walnut. I broke the stock on my dad’s Marlin 39-A trying to reassemble it. It was real tight and you had to smack it with your hand. I smacked it too hard and split the butt in two clean pieces. My dad was hot!

As a kid I couldn't disassemble the Marlin to save my life, my dad always broke it down, I cleaned it, then he would inspect it and reassemble it. Even as an adult it can be a little tricky for me, like the one you mentioned, this one is tight.

Didn't know the meaning of the bullseye either, until I went to replace the missing one.

 

[tamrock]

My first new rifle was a Marlin 22 bolt action single shot I got for Christmas when I was 13. That was in 1973. I can still recall the thrill of ripping the wrapping off and pulling it out of the box. Years later I gifted it to a girlfriend I had then, little brother around 1980.