Well, first of all, it's real value is that it came from your grandpa. I would be reluctant to shoot it, but I would sure cherish it. On the market I would think it would be worth $600 or so, and will only go up over time.

And welcome to MarlinOwners. Now you need to find one to buy and shoot so you can really appreciate the gun.

 

Welcome to MO! I agree that the real value of the gun is that it came from your Grandfather. I think the monetary value would be500 to 600 at most. The box and the original documentation is definitely additive value. However, their are several million of these rifles in circulation. Your rifle is not particularly different from these others. I don't think that not shooting it will significantly hold onto a higher value. I would shoot it, hunt with it, and think of your Grandpa every time you use it.

 

Welcome to the forum from Texas. DO NOT SELL THAT GUN, it came from your grand father and can never be replaced. If it was me, I would take it out of the box, clean it and then go shoot it. That's what your grand father wanted to do. Keep it and pass it on to your grand son someday. Best of luck.

 

It is priceless. Put a nice scope on it and hunt with it. Then, one day, pass it on to someone who you deem worthy, hopefully one of your own young ones. It's maybe worth $550, not the $1000 collectible that you may have thought. It's a working rifle, designed to be hunted.

 

Unless it is shot, a rifle is just a chunk of metal and wood. For scrap it would probably get you $ 0.85. Now if it shoots it becomes what it was intended to be, an American classic firearm, capable of providing food for the table and protection for the family. And lots of fun.
No Safe Queens for me!

 

Keep all that came with her, but shoot that puppy!

 

It's a rifle meant to be used. I never received firearms from my long gone grandfathers, but it would be important to me.

It's monetary value won't make a house payment for most of us. Though it may become worth more dollars; I doubt it will increase substantially in value. Everything else will cost more as well. It's just a rifle, meant for using. Be realistic. The difference in value fired vs. unfired wouldn't take your family to dinner and a movie.

I'd much rather shoot the rifle!

 

On shooting it: I would want to know why it hasn't been fired. If your grandpa bought it, kept it in its original wrapping, and intentionally didn't shoot it for years, there must have been a reason. If he enjoyed the fact that it was pristine, I would continue keeping it that way. I don't know if he's still living, but I'd try to find out the backstory.

 

Welcome to MO from Michigan's beautiful UP.

As has been said, I would keep it, shoot it and many years from now, pass it on to your young one. Be sure to tell them it's history, that's where the value is.

 

As already mentioned, the value is really in the fact it came from a close family member. As for leaving it "unfired", that would not be my plan for an older NIB rifle. Matter of fact I recently bought a rare mid '80s bolt rifle that was also NIB. I mounted a scope and took it to the range. It was made to be used and fired and so was that great old Marlin. Unless your Grandfather felt it should be left unfired (as already alluded to), I'd be using that well made Marlin ASAP. I happen to own several Marlins from the '80s and IMHO they might be the nicest quality Marlins around, with very smooth actions and great blue.

 

I think the everyone is right on the money on this...what good is it if you dont use it? Id rather use it, if a hunter, when i harvested a animal with it, Id be proud of the gun and say this ones for u grandpa.... would be worth more to me having made memories with grandpas gun..Its not like its a set of tires and your gonna wear it out. Just my take.. but a NIB gun to me is worth a NEW gun price, being a used marlin would still sell for a premium. But the question is, if your never gonna let the family heirloom go, the value is of unimportance...because u will never sell right.....Shoot it, and enjoy it...but its not a collectable, that being said " being passed down from grandpa,,,makes its PRICELSS to me, used or new..EVEN IF IT WAS A RED RYDER BB GUN..

 

I have a sinking feeling it may be for sale already....being a glass is half empty sort of guy. The one post may be just to get the value.

Keep IT! Shoot it!

I have an old Remington single shot bolt action .22 that my grandfather gave me. He used to shoot old horses on a Mink farm to feed them with it. It has been used a ton by my uncles and father. I learned to shoot with it and I plan to teach my wife how to shoot with it. I have since refinished the stock. I never even had a BB gun. It will be my Sons (or daughter's if I dont have a boy) first gun. Frankly, the gun shoots crooked, but it is a family heirloom.

 

I know a guy at the range that just purchased a NRA CENTENNIAL COLT SAA 2ND GENERATION 45LC, new in box. This man, with disabling back problems, was able to shoot it, with the lighter (black powder level) loads. The money value would never match his value of that gun.

Is your grandfather a hunter that just wasn't able to get out and hunt with it? Then do it for him, find a way to honor him with it.
Then when you pass it on, the same will be done for you.

 

Welcome to the MO Family. The most important value of that Marlin is that it belonged to your Grandfather, that makes it Priceless. Marlins are Blue Collar Guns for all us Blue Collar Folks, use that Marlin and cherish each and every memory you make with it, enjoy. Take care,John.

 

Shoot it but keep the box and paperwork in good conditon. Sometimes the boxes are worth more.

 

Thank you guys for your input and welcoming me in. I can tell you I have absolutely no intention of selling the gun as it was my grandpas and I'm not concerned with making money on it. I was just making sure I Knew what I needed to before shooting it. He never fired it because he was an avid hunter and my grandma bought it for him for a gift one year but he had so many other guns he put it in the safe and never used it. I will definitely be keeping the box and everything else but based on that looks like I got a new pig gun! Thanks again and I look forward to getting some more marlins!

 

I'm glad to hear that you'll be putting that fine old Marlin to good use! It is, without any doubt, a priceless rifle due to it's history. I have some guns from my Dad that will never leave me, nor my family, but neither of my Grandfathers were hunters. It makes me smile to think of the great times you'll have using that very special rifle. Congrats!! :congrats:

 

Thank you I can't wait either! Now if I could only get my dad to let go of that nikko 741 o/u 410... first gun I ever hunted with...

 

Guns are meant to be shot...you know you want too!

 

spaz,use that jewel, but take good care of it and your grandchildren can enjoy it as well.

I am not talking theory. About 1991, I lucked in to a Marlin 39A Mountie lever .22, still as mint as the day it was born in 1967, all wrapped and boxed as you describe. I bought it, I USE it, I wipe it down before storage and have really enjoyed it for 21 years. One of my grand daughters will get it when I am gone. (The other one gets a nice Belgium Browning .22 semi-auto.) I can't imagine not using mine - and I have five other .22s.

Welcome and enjoy! jack

 

I would rather have the Marlin!

 

When I was a kid folks would have bawked at keeping a marlin for "collector value" one day. Back then winchester was looked upon with goo-goo eyes and the marlin was the blue collar rifle. I figured out in my early teens, winchesters receivers were pot metal, their actions were clunky, not all the ones Id handled were shooters, and over all I was not impressed. While the marlins were heavier, they were built like tanks, slicked up nicely with use, And shot well. I grew up with marlins being working rifles, and to me that is still a large part of their appeal. We hunted with them in briars and brush, snow and rain. We always took care of them, and they always took care of us. Now with firearm firms going after the bottom dollar, and marlin defunct, I guess they do have collector value to a large extent - most guns I see today arent the quality of which many were used to. I grew up with marlins being working rifles, and to me that is still a large part of their appeal. We hunted with them in briars and brush, snow and rain. We always took care of them, and they always took care of us. Kind of a special place in an outdoorsmans heart.

With yours being an heirloom, it would make it even more so. I'd hunt with it!

 

Congrats on the rifle, in my area it would go 500-600 mint in the box . I wouldnt sell it if it were mine . I would hunt with it or put it away for my grandson to hunt with but it would be hunted with.

 

hunt it... oh and show us pics man!!

 

I'll loa pics soon I have to put them on my computer first... Hopefully tonight.

 

I can appreciate the family heritage in the rifle. However I have the same strong opinion on firearms that I have on cars. Cars were built to be driven and guns were built to be fired. However it is your rifle and your choice and I would never knock you if you choose not to shoot it. I do however knock my dad all the time for couple of guns he has that he has never fired, like his ArmaLite AR-15, and some others.

 

hey sorry its taken so long ive been out of town but heres pics of the amazing gift my grandpa gave me. tell me what ya think...