I went to the range this morning with the intent of shooting my postal match targets at 50 yards with my scoped 39A. But as luck would have it, it started pouring down rain, and that shot my idea of shooting the paper Postal Match targets. So I had the target set up at 25 yards and was making some scope adjustments when a very nice young man, about my daughter's age, showed up with a customized Ruger 10-22. Since it was pouring cats 7 dogs, he and I were the only ones shooting.
He put up a target next to mine at 25 yards and was making some adjustments to the scope on the 10-22. He asked me if I was shooting a Henry, no, I said, it's a Marlin 39A. So after shooting a bit he said, that little gun of yours shoots some pretty good groups. Yes, said I, it's very accurate especially at 25 yards. We talked and he was telling me he had $1000 in his 10-22, it having just the original action and he had a target barrel installed and what looked like some kind of tactical stock. He said it's really a sweet shooter. I said, well, you have $1000 in your gun, and my gun is 36 years old and cost me right at $100 when I bought it, let's see how it compares with your target barrel. The smack-down was on!
I put up 2 Caldwell orange peel targets, and I said let's both shoot 10 shots, as fast or slow as you like, using 4X scope. I have a Weaver K4-W on my gun, he had some 3-9 scope on his. So we commenced to shooting. We both shot ammo we brought. I had Federal red box bulk, and he had Remington Golden Bullet bulk.
When the smoke cleared I had 10 shots in one nice jagged hole. He had 10 shots in the 1" inner circle, but not all 10 were touching. The winner was a 1975 Marlin 39A shot by a very myopic 60 year old, over a tricked out Ruger 10-22 shot by a much clearer seeing 30 year old. Who says Marlins aren't accurate! ;D
He put up a target next to mine at 25 yards and was making some adjustments to the scope on the 10-22. He asked me if I was shooting a Henry, no, I said, it's a Marlin 39A. So after shooting a bit he said, that little gun of yours shoots some pretty good groups. Yes, said I, it's very accurate especially at 25 yards. We talked and he was telling me he had $1000 in his 10-22, it having just the original action and he had a target barrel installed and what looked like some kind of tactical stock. He said it's really a sweet shooter. I said, well, you have $1000 in your gun, and my gun is 36 years old and cost me right at $100 when I bought it, let's see how it compares with your target barrel. The smack-down was on!
I put up 2 Caldwell orange peel targets, and I said let's both shoot 10 shots, as fast or slow as you like, using 4X scope. I have a Weaver K4-W on my gun, he had some 3-9 scope on his. So we commenced to shooting. We both shot ammo we brought. I had Federal red box bulk, and he had Remington Golden Bullet bulk.
When the smoke cleared I had 10 shots in one nice jagged hole. He had 10 shots in the 1" inner circle, but not all 10 were touching. The winner was a 1975 Marlin 39A shot by a very myopic 60 year old, over a tricked out Ruger 10-22 shot by a much clearer seeing 30 year old. Who says Marlins aren't accurate! ;D