Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A - The Firearms Forum

arvidw · 10-30-2010, 01:16 PM

I just became the owner of a 1955 Marlin 39A that is in excellent condition. Is it safe to fire the hotter LR ammo in this gun?

3/2 STA SS · 10-30-2010, 01:30 PM

I would see why not-it is strong rifle.

Bobitis · 10-30-2010, 02:53 PM

I can't see why not. My question is, why would you want to?
When it comes to .22s, faster is NOT better.

millman · 10-30-2010, 03:02 PM

Yeah, you can shoot whatever out of it.

RJay · 10-30-2010, 03:30 PM

You can shoot any type of .22 Short, Long or long rifle you can load in it. How ever when using .22 shorts, don't slam the lever, work it slowly because the short round will sometimes hang up if you play " Rifleman " with it.

22WRF · 10-30-2010, 04:19 PM

I have a 1948 39A that eats anything

22shot · 11-03-2010, 11:52 AM

I agree you can shoot any .22 rimfire (No WMR; but then you know that

.
Being that the "twist" of the rifleing is to '55 standards; I would stay away from the current crop of "Hyper Velocity" .22's if you are looking for downrange accuracy.

Those "Micro Groves" don't have a chance to put a proper "spin" on that hyper little bit of lead comming out of the barrel without "stripping" it.

FW! · 11-03-2010, 06:40 PM

I have been using Winchester Hi velocity, `1270 FPS in my 1953. Its accurate and does everything I want it to do. Great squirrel round

JLA · 11-04-2010, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arvidw

I just became the owner of a 1955 Marlin 39A that is in excellent condition. Is it safe to fire the hotter LR ammo in this gun?

It should be older than the 'micro-groove' concept, and if so you can even shoot the stingers with good results. Although youre likely to find best accuracy with subsonic ammo. There is a reason most match ammo is just below sonic speed...

Big Shrek · 11-04-2010, 09:33 PM

NONE of the above reasons are why you should avoid anything faster than Standard Velo ammo in a Pre-1968 gun.

It's metallurgical. Those older steel frames weren't manufactured to handle the pressures that
the High & Hyper rounds can put out. Kind of like why those original .40 pistols failed so often.
They just weren't made to take the beating of hot reloads & +P+ ammo.

Now, in most cases rimfires can...especially those old Marlins...but sooner or later there will be an issue.
And what person in their right mind wants to break a beautiful old rifle unneccesarily??

Just because you Can do something, doesn't mean that you Should...

grcsat · 11-05-2010, 12:01 AM

Big Shreck , JLA,

Both of you are right and a little wrong. It's not so much the age of the 22 rifle but more a question of the barrel and bolt constrution. Most of the time there will be no damage to a rifle if the barrel ( chamber area) is flush with only a thin extractor grove cut in to it. However if you have an older rifle that has a fixed extractor on the bolt , meaning that the extractor is in a fixed position on the bolt and turns when you turn the bolt in order to load or in ready fire position , you now have a problem. In order for a fixed extractor to work on a rotating bolt a huge amount of metal is removed from the right side of the barrel making the chamber area very thin on that one side. With this hugh amount metal removed there is a loss of chamber support . Now this was never a problem with standard ammo. But when the high vel. stuff came out , two problems began to manifest. The first and most common is the blowing out of extractors.And I really mean blown clean off the bolt. The second problem is the chamber becoming oval in shape due to the lack of metal suport around the chamber. and the worst case is actully blowing off a small part of the metal at the thinest point around the chamber.

Now this is for most older rifles and not for rifles having full chamber support and minor extractor cuts. such as the Marlin 39a. So yes you should be able to use any and all 22long ammo.

On a personal note. Stick to the ammo it was originaly intended for.

Please Note ...there are always exeptions.

JLA · 11-05-2010, 07:51 PM

I was actually referring to the projectiles skidding in microgroove barrels if they are faster than 1600 fps. My wifes marlin 60 wont shoot stingers or velocitors or those aguila interceptors. but my rem 5 with cut rifling 6 groove will shoot dimes at 50 with all of them...

Secondly, if the firearm is stamped for .22 LR it will shoot shorts, longs and long rifles of any pressure manufactured by a manufacterer under SAAMI regs, granted the action of most semi autos may not support the reliable use of shorter shells but the chamber and bolt will fire them safely. I have used shorts in my wifes marlin 60 for 'pest' control, though it effectively makes a speedy semi-suto into a clumsy single shot

Marlin · 11-05-2010, 10:33 PM

My original 1939 Model 39 would eat anything I put through it with superb results every time. Unfortunately it was stolen about twenty years ago while we were out of town.

My newer 39A also has eaten successfully anything I have fed it, including stingers or velocitors, with superb results. I have had no reason to worry.....

grcsat · 11-05-2010, 10:42 PM

This is a pic of the type of barrel that should not be subjected to high vel 22 ammo. This is an old winchester single shot that was marked 22 short, long, ect. The info provided is by both my exeriance and page 56 (1980) of the winchester Gunsmith warranty and repair book .

grcsat · 11-05-2010, 10:48 PM

Sorry about the crappy pic. I'm still learning how to use a this camera.

I am only trying to show that yes the 39a will be safe with any ammo ,however some of the OLD (not marlin) 22s can and are questionable.

10-30-2010, 01:16 PM	#1
arvidw Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 4	Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A I just became the owner of a 1955 Marlin 39A that is in excellent condition. Is it safe to fire the hotter LR ammo in this gun? -->

10-30-2010, 01:30 PM	#2
3/2 STA SS Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Area, FL Posts: 1,437	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A I would see why not-it is strong rifle.

10-30-2010, 02:53 PM	#3
Bobitis Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 6,612	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A I can't see why not. My question is, why would you want to? When it comes to .22s, faster is NOT better. __________________ ^.^ A point in every direction is the same as having no point at all

10-30-2010, 03:02 PM	#4
millman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 80	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A Yeah, you can shoot whatever out of it.

10-30-2010, 03:30 PM	#5
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,487	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A You can shoot any type of .22 Short, Long or long rifle you can load in it. How ever when using .22 shorts, don't slam the lever, work it slowly because the short round will sometimes hang up if you play " Rifleman " with it. __________________ RonJames

10-30-2010, 04:19 PM	#6
22WRF Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pea Ridge, FL Contributor Posts: 4,253	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A I have a 1948 39A that eats anything __________________ NRA GOA CCRKBA Happiness is a warm barrel

11-03-2010, 11:52 AM	#7
22shot V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: U.S.of A. Posts: 376	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A I agree you can shoot any .22 rimfire (No WMR; but then you know that . Being that the "twist" of the rifleing is to '55 standards; I would stay away from the current crop of "Hyper Velocity" .22's if you are looking for downrange accuracy. Those "Micro Groves" don't have a chance to put a proper "spin" on that hyper little bit of lead comming out of the barrel without "stripping" it. Last edited by 22shot; 11-03-2010 at 11:55 AM..

11-03-2010, 06:40 PM	#8
FW! V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Auburn Hills, MI Posts: 61	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A I have been using Winchester Hi velocity, `1270 FPS in my 1953. Its accurate and does everything I want it to do. Great squirrel round

11-04-2010, 09:33 PM	#10
Big Shrek Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: NorthWest Florida Posts: 923	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A NONE of the above reasons are why you should avoid anything faster than Standard Velo ammo in a Pre-1968 gun. It's metallurgical. Those older steel frames weren't manufactured to handle the pressures that the High & Hyper rounds can put out. Kind of like why those original .40 pistols failed so often. They just weren't made to take the beating of hot reloads & +P+ ammo. Now, in most cases rimfires can...especially those old Marlins...but sooner or later there will be an issue. And what person in their right mind wants to break a beautiful old rifle unneccesarily?? Just because you Can do something, doesn't mean that you Should... __________________ Marlin Specialist Calico Specialist A gun should be a tool in the hands of a deadly weapon, not a deadly weapon in the hands of a tool.

11-05-2010, 12:01 AM	#11
grcsat V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: far,far,North Posts: 377	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A Big Shreck , JLA, Both of you are right and a little wrong. It's not so much the age of the 22 rifle but more a question of the barrel and bolt constrution. Most of the time there will be no damage to a rifle if the barrel ( chamber area) is flush with only a thin extractor grove cut in to it. However if you have an older rifle that has a fixed extractor on the bolt , meaning that the extractor is in a fixed position on the bolt and turns when you turn the bolt in order to load or in ready fire position , you now have a problem. In order for a fixed extractor to work on a rotating bolt a huge amount of metal is removed from the right side of the barrel making the chamber area very thin on that one side. With this hugh amount metal removed there is a loss of chamber support . Now this was never a problem with standard ammo. But when the high vel. stuff came out , two problems began to manifest. The first and most common is the blowing out of extractors.And I really mean blown clean off the bolt. The second problem is the chamber becoming oval in shape due to the lack of metal suport around the chamber. and the worst case is actully blowing off a small part of the metal at the thinest point around the chamber. Now this is for most older rifles and not for rifles having full chamber support and minor extractor cuts. such as the Marlin 39a. So yes you should be able to use any and all 22long ammo. On a personal note. Stick to the ammo it was originaly intended for. Please Note ...there are always exeptions. Last edited by grcsat; 11-05-2010 at 10:43 AM.. Reason: need new key board

11-05-2010, 07:51 PM	#12
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,320	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A I was actually referring to the projectiles skidding in microgroove barrels if they are faster than 1600 fps. My wifes marlin 60 wont shoot stingers or velocitors or those aguila interceptors. but my rem 5 with cut rifling 6 groove will shoot dimes at 50 with all of them... Secondly, if the firearm is stamped for .22 LR it will shoot shorts, longs and long rifles of any pressure manufactured by a manufacterer under SAAMI regs, granted the action of most semi autos may not support the reliable use of shorter shells but the chamber and bolt will fire them safely. I have used shorts in my wifes marlin 60 for 'pest' control, though it effectively makes a speedy semi-suto into a clumsy single shot __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

11-05-2010, 10:33 PM	#13
Marlin TFF Admin Staff Chief Counselor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: At SouthernMoss' side forever! Contributor Posts: 13,853	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A My original 1939 Model 39 would eat anything I put through it with superb results every time. Unfortunately it was stolen about twenty years ago while we were out of town. My newer 39A also has eaten successfully anything I have fed it, including stingers or velocitors, with superb results. I have had no reason to worry..... __________________ *The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing.* *The only criminal class native to the United States is Congress.*

11-05-2010, 10:42 PM	#14
grcsat V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: far,far,North Posts: 377	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A This is a pic of the type of barrel that should not be subjected to high vel 22 ammo. This is an old winchester single shot that was marked 22 short, long, ect. The info provided is by both my exeriance and page 56 (1980) of the winchester Gunsmith warranty and repair book . Attached Images

11-05-2010, 10:48 PM	#15
grcsat V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: far,far,North Posts: 377	Re: Ammo for 1955 Marlin 39A Sorry about the crappy pic. I'm still learning how to use a this camera. I am only trying to show that yes the 39a will be safe with any ammo ,however some of the OLD (not marlin) 22s can and are questionable. Last edited by grcsat; 11-05-2010 at 11:02 PM..