What to do with an old Marlin 97

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What to do with an old Marlin 97

Posted: 2/11/2018 12:56:01 PM EDT

I was given this rifle, it's in rough shape. Lots of rust, the bore looks terrible. It appears to be missing a part above the bolt, the forward most screw is missing. Serial number puts it 1900s or so. I hate to toss it, but I don't know what else to do with it. I suppose I could sell it, but I'm not sure if anyone would want it. Thought?

Jason

Posted: 2/11/2018 1:19:22 PM EDT

[#1]

Sell the gun. It's a little rough, and what I see is no big deal to repair. The bore can be fixed, too.

I would come get it if I was closer. Might need to anyway.

Posted: 2/11/2018 1:37:54 PM EDT

[#2]

Sell it to someone who wants it. I'd love a project like that; old Marlins are awesome.

ETA: If you feel like giving it away, I'll pay for shipping to my FFL

Posted: 2/11/2018 1:59:01 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
Sell the gun. It's a little rough, and what I see is no big deal to repair. The bore can be fixed, too.

I would come get it if I was closer. Might need to anyway.

View Quote

That gun can have a liner put in it if is that bad. Yes it’s rusty but I don’t think the rust is crater like. I would clean it up inside and out and shoot it first unless the bore looks like the moon.

My rough weather .22 is a 1951 39a. Pretty much the same gun.

You would be
Very very surprised at the attention you would get with that rifle on rimfire central’s marlin forum.

Posted: 2/11/2018 2:04:35 PM EDT

[#4]

I would strip the rifle down, remove the wood. Soak everything in Ed’s red for week. Wipe with a cloth not steel wool or any abrasive.

Even a pitted bore could shoot. Even so a liner isn’t exorbitant.

Posted: 2/11/2018 2:08:21 PM EDT

[#5]

I am never given anything awesome

Posted: 2/11/2018 7:22:25 PM EDT

[#6]

Not even really a "project" gun IMO. It'd be pretty easy to get it looking spiffy in an hour or two. Punch the bore with a patch and shoot it.

Posted: 2/11/2018 7:40:21 PM EDT

[#7]

I'll buy it if you want to sell it.

Posted: 2/11/2018 7:57:41 PM EDT

[#8]

I have a model 39 and that hole is for the shell guide, a sheet metal finger with fragile threads. Numrics had guide and screw when I need mine. Get 2, in case you miscalculate the torque on the screw.

Posted: 2/11/2018 8:51:51 PM EDT

[#9]

Try not to crowd the conduct code too close. I know it's tempting. If you're serious about making an offer, use IM's or email.

Posted: 2/11/2018 10:47:46 PM EDT

[#10]

Thanks for the info, now I feel as if I should keep it. I ran a bore brush and patches through the bore. It's bad, lots of heavy pitting in the middle, and the rifling is very faint in the first 3 or 4 inches after the chamber. There are also, what appear to be three welded up holes on the left side (see pic), which I think were holes for a scope. Besides the missing part ID'd in this thread, everything thing else appears to be working and present. If I wanted to reline the barrel, any thoughts on who to send it to?

Jason

Posted: 2/12/2018 10:39:38 AM EDT

[#11]

Ah with the welds I would consider just going ahead and get aggressive on the rust. I would disassemble and hit the welds with a flat file buff up the whole rifle and reblue. You will never likely get the weld marks to disappear though. They’re different metal compositions.

You don’t have to of course. Just a good clean up will improve the eye appeal. She’d Still have a been there done that look.

I don’t know who to send it to but there is a guy or two that are used and recommended by the posters on rimfire central. Some googling should find it.

Assuming that uses the same or similar ejector as the 39a, Your ejector assembly screws are welded. Those would be located at the two rear welds. If you look from the inside is there an oval plate with a spring loaded ejector there? Now your project issues are adding up. One could mill/drill the welds with new holes and retap.

Posted: 2/12/2018 11:02:50 AM EDT

[#12]

I don't think the holes had anything to do with the function of the gun, the ejector fits in like you describe. I'll take a pic of it tonight on the inside.

Jason

Posted: 2/12/2018 11:23:41 AM EDT

[#13]

Here is a stolen internet pic of the receiver. There are no holes behind the bolt, so this is what mine should look like.

Jason

Posted: 2/12/2018 12:22:05 PM EDT

[#14]

Ok that’s good. They are different than the later Marlin 39a. It appears your design has the ejector as part of the bolt versus the frame mounted ejector on the 39a.

Your welds are only cosmetic and no problem on the interior.

. Sorry for the premature alarm, I have a 1951 39A and my experience stops there. Our guns are close cousins but there are differences.

ETA I actually like the older design better looking at it.

Posted: 2/12/2018 6:37:52 PM EDT

[#15]

A go-to for barrel re-lining is Redman's:

Redman's

One caution with these older Marlin's.....
Shoot ONLY Standard Velocity ammo through them. High Speed ammo will break the bolt.
It was only in the mid-1930's with the later 30's Model 39 that Marlin made the bolt sturdier and added the "HS" prefix to identify it as safe with faster ammo.

The only Model 39 rifles that are High Speed safe have an "HS" prefix to the serial number.
Any other prefix or no prefix should not be fired with High Speed ammo.

The later 39-A series were all High Speed ammo-safe.

Posted: 2/14/2018 3:16:01 PM EDT

[#16]

Ok, it's going to cost $390 to get the barrel sleeved ($350 + $38 shipping). The plan is to replace the cartridge guide and make sure it fires and functions, then I'll send it off for the barrel work. Over on rimfire, someone suggested rust bluing, so I am considering going that route. It's not going to be cheap, but I think the finished product will be worth it.

Jason

Posted: 2/14/2018 10:07:28 PM EDT

[#17]

Wow. That's an impressive charge for the barrel work.

Rust bluing should not be taken on for your first project. It's work intensive and if you don't understand how to polish the gun it will be ruined. The guy that relines the barrel can probably blue the barrel at the same time.

Posted: 2/14/2018 10:15:04 PM EDT

[#18]

That price was from Redman's. I'm not going to refinish it, that will be contracted out.

Posted: 4/4/2018 2:04:35 PM EDT

[#19]

Always shoot before relining ! I have had some horrible looking bores still shoot surprisingly well.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What to do with an old Marlin 97

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