Favorite Firearms: A Marlin 39 Legacy

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