Favorite Firearms: A Marlin 39 Legacy

by
posted on January 14, 2025
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
grandfather with twin grandsons holding Marlin 39A
NRA member Donald E. Brandt (ctr.) with grandsons and a passed-down Marlin 38A rifle.
Photo courtesy of author.

I am standing here with my twin 17-year-old great-grandsons. Tyler, on the right, is holding a Marlin 39A rifle I bought as a 16-year-old in 1948 and have, at his request, gifted it to him. It is in excellent condition, retaining its original accuracy, with the stocks refinished by Turnbull. Matteo, on the left, is holding his 39A, which is in like-new condition. I gifted him this rifle as purchased at a gun show. I am holding a new, unfired 39A that, as fortune would have it, was manufactured in the same year as the one I purchased in 1948.

Both of these young men, as well as my two sons, have been brought up learning to shoot with my original 39A and have chosen the same model for their own .22 rimfires. We live on sufficient land to have rifle, pistol and trap ranges. Our family is a shooting family—sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren all shoot if older than 6 years old.

My old 39A, with thousands of rounds through it, has served as early training and then recreational equipment, including hunting. I was a very proud teenager when I bought this rifle 77 years ago, and I expect (hope?) Tyler will get a chance to hand it down to his great-grandchild after another 77 years.

—Donald E. Brandt

Latest

Robbins And Lawrence Armory Vermont
Robbins And Lawrence Armory Vermont

The Robbins & Lawrence Story: Pioneers Of Mass Production

The Robbins & Lawrence company of Windsor, Vt., was an early pioneer in the field of mass production, using machine tools and interchangeable parts to produce firearms for both the U.S. and British governments.

CMP Auctions Move To GunBroker.com

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has moved its popular auctions to GunBroker.com, an online firearm marketplace that launched in 1999, to further support the future of the shooting sports and firearm ownership.

I Have This Old Gun: The French Charleville Musket

One of the most important military arms ever made, the French Charleville musket saw use in the American Revolution and armed French troops throughout the Napoleonic Wars.

CVA Endura Series: The Modernized Muzzleloader Of 2025

CVA built on the success of its Paramount muzzleloader to create the Endura, a design that the company calls "the most advanced muzzleloader series CVA has ever built."

Review: FN 15 Guardian

FN America has sought to bring its legendary quality and reliability to an AR-15 that lists for just $999, and we believe that it has done this well with its 15 Guardian carbine.

Springfield Armory Hellcat Now Available In .380 ACP

Despite the extensive number of Hellcat models in its lineup, Springfield Armory has only offered the pistol in one chambering, 9 mm Luger, until now. The .380 ACP model offers similar capabilities with softer recoil.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.