Welcome from Idaho!
It will be very hard to put any value on a gun without more details. Pictures help a lot. Is it new in the box, never shot? That would be worth much more to a collector.
But, even a very nice condition regular M39 should likely be in the $500 range. A gun shop is not likely to give you much as they need to buy low & sell high to stay in business.
Again with some photos, there are some guys here that can give you a closer estimate.
Many Marlins had gold plated triggers, but if the squirrel on the stock is factory, then it is collectable.

 

Sounds like you almost got took at the gun shop. Maybe the guy just does not know anything about Marlins but he should if he is running a gun shop. Like the other poster stayed condition is every thing but even average condition would bring $800.00 for that rifle around here and on very good condition it would maybe bring even more.


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If it is the one like this it is worth north side of $1000+. This one was around $1200 when my friend bought it several years ago. A lot of gun shops are thieves with a license to steal your guns from you.

 

The blued deluxe 39a's were made 61-63 I believe and they go for big money.
If it was mine I wouldn't sell it but if I had to I wouldn't take less than 1400 dollars minimum if it was in excellent condition.

 

Boy bandit, that is some of the nicest looking wood I have ever seen on a Marlin 39.

 

If I had one, and had to sell it, I wouldn't take less than $1200.00 for it...

 

Bandit, it does look like that but wood not as nice. I’ll get some pictures when I get home.

 

Here’s a few pictures.

 

That is a beautiful rifle and worth far more than what the gun shop offered you. I can't afford your rifle right now. Dang! It's a mighty fine 39A.

I'd recommend selling it on a forum, like this one, well-populated by Marlin fans, or I've done very well selling on Gunbroker too. Recently got $1200 for an old Savage 99 that someone wanted for their collection.

Yes, you have a pretty special rifle on your hands there, even if it's not perfect. I agree though, it could be cleaned up a tad to bring more money.

Wow... Nice rifle! Thank you for NOT selling it to the gun shop for $175, and I would be very careful about dealing with them ever again.

Regards, Guy

 

That rifle done right will clean up very nice. If you decide to keep it there are plenty of post here to tell you how to clean the light rust and the stocks without causing them any harm. People here will help also all you need to do is ask. There are no stupid questions. If you do decide to sell it sell it here once you have 25 post and it will go to a good home and you will get the proper money for it. That rifle I believe would sell pretty fast near the 1k mark here just like it is. No matter what you do stay away from that gun shop you went to. That's my take anyway others may have different opinions.

 

I would have sold that 39A DL to the gun shop for $175, but they would have to be pre-1920 Morgan silver dollars not our current paper dollar bills.

 

It may be a case of the gun shop being ignorant vs. crooked. Still unacceptable, but not necessarily immoral.
The 39A pictured is missing the white spacer between buttplate and stock, and it makes it look like a poor fitting buttplate. I'd remove the buttplate and remains of the old spacer, and put a new one on before selling it. It will help you get top value when you sell.

 

I honestly believe the gun store just didn’t know what they were looking at. It’s a huge gun store and they only looked at it for 2 seconds. That being said, I try not to sell anything to gun stores anymore.

 

I'd bet that there are guys here, right now, looking at their wallets and thinking "I'd go $900+"

Guy

 

It's not too late to save that one, like Tim said. Look around here for advice on cleaning it properly, then put a coat of wax on it, and put it up safely. Take it out and shoot it when the mood strikes, then clean it up for the next time.

You haven't said what else Dad has, but that one would be a great contender for a "family heirloom". If it's any way possible, hang onto that one. It's not too nice to shoot, so enjoy it! The youngest family members can enjoy it, and pass it on to their children.

If circumstances require it to be sold, please clean it up and offer it for sale here on the forum. AS A LAST RESORT. :biggrin: Keep it if you can.

The forum membership can also help you figure out pricing on his other guns, if they need to be sold. If we can't help directly, someone here can point you in the right direction to get the best information on them.

Invest in some cleaning supplies and furnish some elbow grease, and you'll get top dollar for them. (based on condition of course)

Welcome aboard, we're glad to help. I certainly hope the best for your Dad in whatever situation he's faced with. Your "intuition" to not take the $175 tell me you've got a good head on your shoulders. Take good care of dear old Dad, and don't be shy about coming back for more help.

This forum has some of the best guys & gals on the planet, and all are willing to help. God Bless.

 

. . . You haven't said what else Dad has, but that one would be a great contender for a "family heirloom". If it's any way possible, hang onto that one. It's not too nice to shoot, so enjoy it! The youngest family members can enjoy it, and pass it on to their children. . .

Hey Gungho - you haven't said what your father's situation (or your's) is, and I don't mean to presume or pry. However just know that no gun is as special as one handed down through the family.

 

The rifle I pictured here is no longer original. I did a complete refinishing for my friend of the wood and did a full recutting of the checkering and the borders. The checkering was very worn down and had terrible borders which Marlin's from that time period had below average hand cut checkering. Made new spacers for the butt and grip cap. Mechanical this rifle was in excellent condition. The barrel and tube was reblued to match the factory finish that was still very good. This gun was a very low number of A-DL's made in 1960. 1960 was the 90th anniversary of Marlin fire arms. They also made these in a chrome Mountie and a chrome 24" barrel rifle.

 

 

Any pictures of it in the current condition?

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If you are referring to the one I pictured that picture is after I got finished with the work I did on it. I have no pictures of it before I started on it. Here is one of the other side.

 

Thanks for all the help! Could someone point me in the right direction on cleaning it up and waxing? Thanks

 

Take your time and do it right, this is an Heirloom piece.
I've hear good things about the Big 45 metal cleaner.
Renaissance wax is a favorite of many.

 

Here is a start and there is a forum under do it yourself gunsmithing here that will help you do as much as you feel you can handle. I am sure some will post how they clean stocks and their thoughts on what you should do. Some will depend on how good you feel you are at working on things with your hands.

https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/how-disassemble-clean/

 

You can find some things on Youtube about cleaning wood stocks. Never sand on it or use anything abrasive unless you are going to do a full refinish and I don't recommend that at all on your rifle as it could really damage the value of the rifle. Oil is your friend for the rust on the metal . Take a rag and some gun oil and rub it in and most of what I could see will come off. You can also take some 0000 steel woll and oil and wipe with that to get the harder to get rust off. Just don't rub hard so not to take the blueing off.

 

I’ll probably leave it as is. I’m too scared I’ll do more harm than good.

 

At least put a light coat of oil on the barrel inside and out to prevent further rust.

 

Or even a heavy coat of oil. You can;t hurt that gun with oil on the metal. Go by Walmart and get some regular gun oil take a old cloth rage and rub the oil into the metal and then wipe off the excess but leave a light film of oil on the metal. No way that is going to hurt it and it will help preserve it while you decide what you want to do with it.

 

Fine brass or copper wool with a little oil for removing rust from bluing. Steel wool even if 0000 can thin the bluing pretty fast especially on the edges of the receiver. Brass and copper wool is soft and won't thin the bluing at all.

 

There are numerous non abrasive good wood cleaners, if it needs cleaning. I use Murphy's wood cleaner. I buy the spray bottles and spray it on where I want to clean. In checkering, or crevices I use a old toothbrush and then a soft rag to remove it. In large open areas I just spray and rub with a soft cloth. When done I rub the wood with Minn Wax Paste Wax using my fingers to apply it lightly. Then buff with a soft cloth. You can use the same on the metal also, so don't worry about removing the stocks from the barreled action.
None of this has any worry about harming barrel or wood. Just don't apply the wax heavy, or it dries with white residue in checkering. That's why I use my finger to rub it in precisely where I want it to go.

 

Here are my two

 

I have the squirrel 39a with factory Marlin scope and sling. I paid $2500 and the dealer has begged me for it back. I also have the 90th, 100th, and most every 39 offered.

 

Then you belong here! Welcome aboard. Hope to see pictures of your collection.