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Custom Shop 39A

6K views 27 replies 20 participants last post by  David Valdina 
#1 ·
Any idea how many Custom Shop 39A rifles are sold by Marlin?

At MSRP POF around $3500, it doesn’t seem to me that they are going to sell many.

When you can buy an excellent, used, pre cross bolt safety, 39A for around $700, it seems to me that the custom shop rifle is way over priced.
 
#2 ·
Always some eccentric out there that will see it as an investment or wants to own something that few others own or can own(...what's that about?) but I see the offering of these as a major flop. I just don't see the value, even if priced at 50% of that number.
 
#3 ·
I recently bought a 1992 vintage 39A for $400 that looked unfired and brand new, although it did not come with any box or papers. If I were going to spend big bucks I would look for a pre cross bolt gun for a lot less money than $3500. To me, this is Remington/Marlin telling its clients they really don't want to make any. This is their way of still being able to say: "It has been in continuous production longer than any other rifle in America". Having said that, I am sure there are always going to be people out there with so much money that paying $3500 for a "custom .22" is not going to deter them. Keep in mind that they tell you on their web page that everything on it is hand fitted, polished, accurized etc. If that is true (I have my doubts) then it actually is not a lot of money when you see what others charge for making a hand fitted stock or a custom high polish bluing.
 
#13 ·
Even though it is our of reach for most, I am grateful that it is offered. It is a testament to how great this rifle really is, and the fact that it costs that much to make it fit together the way it did in 1892 speaks volumes.

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I'm glad they still make it in their custom shop. I think the only reason they still make it is because they can claim that it is the oldest production 22 rifle in the world.

I don't think it is worth $3500. I doubt anyone who buys one at that price will ever make money on it, especially if inflation is calculated in. Of course I don't think anyone who buys a cross bolt safety 39A at that price actually thinks they are going to make money with it.

You would think with modern CNC machines that they could make them cheaper than they were years ago, adjusting for inflation, of course.
 
#16 ·
39A rocks

I am surprised at how many of you talk down about the Custom Shop 39A! None of you have probably ever held one let alone own one. I have a 1951 39A and a 1978 39M and love both of them. The fit between the two halves of the receiver is so precise it virtually disappears when assembled. Think of all the man hours and what that is worth in TODAY'S economy , before you cry about the price. Funny, there are many 1911 pistols over $2K and $3K for sale and yet you could have had a 1911A1 less than $100 in the early 70's. I for one am glad that this iconic rifle is still being offered. I don't have $3K for one but if I did, and didn't have any Marlins, I would buy it .
I have some knives (DT and TOKA) that cost way more than a Buck 119 but have a lot of hours into making them and also they are one of a kind and works of art to me. I still like a Buck 119 'cause it's a great value and great performer.
You probably wouldn't consider a Browning Grade III a value. Yes, not a bargain in your eyes but nevertheless works of art as far as I'm concerned.
Remember, you can always get more money, but you can't always get the same gun you want and then it's gone. I think we all suffer the shoulda, coulda, woulda once in awhile.:rolleyes:
 
#22 ·
I am surprised at how many of you talk down about the Custom Shop 39A! None of you have probably ever held one let alone own one. I have a 1951 39A and a 1978 39M and love both of them. The fit between the two halves of the receiver is so precise it virtually disappears when assembled. Think of all the man hours and what that is worth in TODAY'S economy , before you cry about the price. Funny, there are many 1911 pistols over $2K and $3K for sale and yet you could have had a 1911A1 less than $100 in the early 70's. I for one am glad that this iconic rifle is still being offered. I don't have $3K for one but if I did, and didn't have any Marlins, I would buy it .
I have some knives (DT and TOKA) that cost way more than a Buck 119 but have a lot of hours into making them and also they are one of a kind and works of art to me. I still like a Buck 119 'cause it's a great value and great performer.
You probably wouldn't consider a Browning Grade III a value. Yes, not a bargain in your eyes but nevertheless works of art as far as I'm concerned.
Remember, you can always get more money, but you can't always get the same gun you want and then it's gone. I think we all suffer the shoulda, coulda, woulda once in awhile.:rolleyes:
I don't have a custom shop version but I do have several older ones and some newer versions. All are very well built with close to perfect fit and finish. The point was that if you adjust for inflation going all the way back, none were near $3500. What do you get for that extra?

Fancy walnut stock. Yes

Do you get extensive hand engraving? No

What makes it worth all that extra money? I read the literature and it sounds like they hand finish it somewhat. How much better can they make it over the ones I already own?

I wish they were still in regular production. But I also wish they made an all weather version in stainless steel, but not for $3500.
 
#17 · (Edited)
My idea of "Custom" is...

I like the concept of a manufacturer Custom Shop.

However, unless you get to decide the specs, it is not really custom. For myself, I would want a gunsmith custom 39A with the following features:

Turnbull Color Case receiver and square-ended curved pistol grip lever;

26" or 28" barrel Octagon to Round with a wedding band in deep semi-gloss blue;

3/4 magazine tube in deep semi-gloss blue;

Wavy bottom pistol grip OR a steel grip cap;

Steel checkered shotgun buttplate;

American walnut stock with curl or burl and fleur-de-lis checkering (unless the figure is really, really dramatic, then smooth) plus the Marlin bullseye;

Extended rimfire dovetail, OR the two step rimfire / Weaver combo scope mount like the old Marlin mount in color cased STEEL. Alternate, would be an extended color cased Talley mount and rings;

Color cased scope rings for a 4-12 X40mm scope mounted as low as possible;

Standard Marlin sling studs on the forearm cap and buttstock;

EITHER a small German silver oval engraved with my initials and "Rifle 1 of 1" and the year inlaid on the buttstock; OR the same engraved on a barrel flat.

Now for THAT type of custom, I would open the wallet for $3500+.
 
#18 ·
I like the concept of a manufacturer Custom Shop.

However, unless you get to decide the specs, it is not really custom. For myself, I would want a gunsmith custom 39A with the following features:

Turnbull Color Case receiver and square-ended curved pistol grip lever;

26" or 28" barrel Octagon to Round with a wedding band in deep semi-gloss blue;

3/4 magazine tube in deep semi-gloss blue;

Wavy bottom pistol grip OR a steel grip cap;

Steel checkered shotgun buttplate;

American walnut stock with curl or burl and fleur-de-lis checkering (unless the figure is really, really dramatic, then smooth) plus the Marlin bullseye;

Extended rimfire dovetail, OR the two step rimfire / Weaver combo scope mount like the old Marlin mount in color cased STEEL. Alternate, would be an extended color cased Talley mount and rings;

Color cased scope rings for a 4-12 X40mm scope mounted as low as possible;

Standard Marlin sling studs on the forearm cap and buttstock;

EITHER a small German silver oval engraved with my initials and "Rifle 1 of 1" and the year inlaid on the buttstock; OR the same engraved on a barrel flat.

Now for THAT type of custom, I would open the wallet for $3500+.
sounds like you haven't thought about that one at all; I agree with most of those features, not the scope part, scopes are for different rifles.

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#23 ·
Check out the cost of a custom Cooper .22, a top level Anschutz sporter or a Browning custom grade .22 and compare it to a custom shop Marlin 39A. It seems obvious that the Marlin is overpriced and that Remington doesn't want to actually make any. I agree with the posters who suggest the Remington wants the bragging rights for making the "longest continually manufactured" rifle. In real terms, that crown now belongs to the Browning SA .22.
 
#25 ·
A lot of you are really missing the point.

There is nothing special about this "custom shop" 39A.

Remington decided to stop 39A production. Remington (or whomever the parent company is) now owns Dakota Arms. Dakota Arms has been designated their "custom shop". If you want a new production 39A you need to pay for the privilege. It's nothing special, just pricey.

My useless opinion is that the original tooling was worn out and/or beyond repair, it was too labor intensive, and the board made a decision.
 
#26 ·
For many years the 39A was expensive to manufacture, sold in low volume and had a low profit margin. Marlin kept it alive for two reasons. First, the profits on the Marlin 60 could subsidize the 39A and second, as long as the hated people at Winchester kept making the 9422 they weren't about to drop the 39A. When the Winchester 9422 went down the road, the Marlin 39A was not too far behind.
 
#27 ·
It would be nice to have someone who worked on the 39A line, before they stopped production, tell us about how the condition of the tooling was and why they think regular production was ceased. I do think that the profit margin had a lot to do with it. With modern CNC machines, you would think that labor costs would be greatly reduced.
 
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