Since GOAL is the GUN Owner's Action League, some of the auction items are firearms. They posted a list of items up for auction before the event, and I saw a good number of shoot-a-licious boomsticks I wanted to bid on...
One of the two top contenders was nowhere to be found the night of the auction. The other one, the one I wanted the most, I won:
This is a Marlin Golden 39-A lever action rifle chambered in .22 short/long/long rifle. It has a 24" barrel, drilled & tapped for scope mounts (although I agree with Kim that scopes on lever action rifles are heresy), and can carry 26 rounds of .22 short, 21 rounds of .22 long, and 19 rounds of .22LR (Yes, it's an eeeevil assault rifle according to our bloviating Senator Jabba the Kennedy).
Here's a picture of my newest acquisition in all its glory:
I can't get over how freakin' gorgeous this gun is. The serial number puts the date of manufacture sometime in the 1960s (I have to check the dates of all new-to-me used guns to see if I need to enter them in my C&R Bound Book). For a chunk of shootin' iron that's older than I am, she looks pretty damn good. Everything I've read about this rifle indicates that it's one of the better models out there...
And price? Well... I'll just say that had I paid twice what I got this gun for, it would still be at the bottom end of asking prices for the dozen model 39As I saw on GunsAmerica...
That is all.
8 comments:
Sweet!
I've had one since I was 12! And I'm a little torn on the scope issue. My 39 is waaay accurate. There's never been an early morning in the squirrel woods when I haven't thought, "Dayum! Wish I had optics!" But I soldier on wit da buckhorn...
You'll love this rifle. Congrats!
i am insanely jealous.
one of these days, if my personal finances allow (read: if i ever get my house renovation finished) i want to get into shooting. i've read enough that i want to start with a .22 rifle, and since money will always be an object, it'll likely be a 10/22. but good golly, i'd be overjoyed if it were a lever gun down those lines...
Jay,
Congrats on the new gal. I've got a name suggestion for you: Annie -- as in Annie Oakley. Just be careful your male progeny doesn't get his hands on it . . . you'll likely have a tough time getting it back.
My first gun was a 39A Mountie (a heavy barreled carbine version). Still have it 40 years later, lovingly cared for and shot with joy.
Oops, accidently hit the wrong key and posted before I could identfy myself. Marlin 39's are the greatest.
Ooooh... pretty gun. To say I am jealous would be putting it a little mildly, especially at that price.
anon1,
Thanks for the testimonial! Pretty much everywhere I've looked, I've found that experiences with the model 39A mirror yours.
anon2,
The Henry lever action .22LR rifles start at a VERY reasonable price, and the accuracy and fit/finish are very good from what I hear. They're on a par with the Ruger 10/22 for price.
You could do a LOT worse for .22LR rifles than a Henry and a 10/22... ;)
brad,
Oh, I figure that this is just the thing to get the young Master G. interested in shooting. Figure I'll pair this with a Single Six or Bearcat and have a nice, inexpensive "SAS Starter Kit"... Maybe toss in an exposed hammer Baikal coach gun in .410 gauge...
seth,
And another glowing endorsement! Thanks!
linoge,
Yeah, I'll be the first to admit I got QUITE lucky... IIRC, this was the second or third cheapest firearm auctioned that night (Out of at least a dozen firearms).
Unfortunately, I'm going to have to wait at least another week to see how she shoots... :(
Very nice. :)
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