The receiver for that o0ne is not drilled and tapped anywhere for a scope. It is drilled and tapped on the side for peeps, but not a scope mount. If you would rather shoot it than collect it, have it drilled. I am one who believes that if I but a nice looking rifle, and I want to be able to use it and need a scope, I will have it drilled and tapped. Some here will have a heart attack when they read this, but everyone has their own needs.

 

Gizzy will confirm that if you want to destroy the "collector" value by mounting a scope, just make sure the person that does it uses the proper drilling jig.

Marlin did not make a mounting base, for the top of the receiver until late 1956/early 1957. Prior to that you would have to use a Weaver "N" (barrel) mount. Those 2 holes along the top left of the receiver are holding the ejector assembly in.

Your rifle is factory D&T'd, for a tang sight and a receiver peep sight.

 

Gizzy will confirm that if you want to destroy the "collector" value by mounting a scope, just make sure the person that does it uses the proper drilling jig.

This is very important. The best jig is not even made any more that I can find, or I would own one. The last I saw, these jigs were sold at Brownells for well over $300. Not many gunsmiths own one, but the onw I worked with did, and you cannot drill them crooked with this jig.

Hey... just found it, and Forster still makes it..... Just be sure your smith has this jig.

http://www.forsterproducts.com/catalog.asp?prodid=627425&showprevnext=1

As you can see, with this jig, that barrel is supported and centered, so your holes will be centered to YOUR barrel, and not the receiver. If you just center on the receiver, when you mount your scope, you may not be centered.

Just added that to my wish list for the next few months. This is a have To Have item for anyone into gunsmithing.

 

Don't do it !!

 

I agree.

I would use a peep sight instead of D&T the rifle for a scope.

 

I have a 1962 model that is factory drilled. The older rifles I have seen with scopes were drilled on the side of the barrel.

If I had one that age that was not drilled, I would NOT drill it. Go buy something cheaper like a Henry and put your scope on that. Don't deface a collector item over a scope!

 

Thanks for the knowledgeable input... Gizzy, hope Santa grants your heart's desire this Christmas :bthumb: :bthumb:

I been looking for a vintage Marlin 39 for a long while & bought this girl to shoot it & take to the squirrel woods, not store it away. That said, I'm a bit of an originalist & don't think I can bring myself to remove any of the forged steel that the factory didn't see fit to take away first. Have other rimfires that are scoped anyway.

She came with a nice little Lyman 66MC rear peep & factory brass bead front sight, which'll fully cover a squirrel's head at 20 yds plus. Soooo.... if I can maybe get the smaller aperture disc for the Lyman and/or a blade front sight, I think that'll be a good workaround that will at least let me see the critter's head when the leaves are on & hunting is pretty close.

Here she is after shootin some shorts w/my 1931 Remington 24 short-only.

 

If you want to scope one look for a rifle that has already been D & T'd. You will get a better price because of the holes. I have a "K" (1953) that I got for less than $200 a few years ago that was D & T'd. I just aquired a "C" (1946) that was D & T'd on the BBL. I have a Weaver "N" mount that I can in stall along with a Weaver J2.5 . I paid a little more for it.

 

Weaver "N5"3/4"side mount ($8-10 on ebay) for flat-side reciever.You'll have to trim the leading corner of the mount and redrill it to fit over the ejector retainer screw holes and get a couple longer screws but save the original screws and the 39 can be made "cherry" again for it's collector value.

 

1950 Marlin 39a scope mount

Yes, you are correct. The 39a had a side mount bracket that mounted a 3/4 diameter scope which are very hard to find nowadays. I have my Dad's old Marlin 39a with a weaver scope. The side mount uses two screws that have a large knurled surface such as the 39a breakdown screw on the opposite or right side.

 

Im surprised no one told you to glue a rail on. Its too nice a gun to risk a poor D&T on. Go buy one with the factory D&T , on the receiver, the barrel mount is a pia. , and scope that.

 

Do you 3 guys realize you're responding to a 9 year old thread?

 

Nope, didnt notice that at all.

 

Marlin 39A 1947 Scope mount recommendation for 1" scope tube

I have a 1947 Marlin 39a with a side mounted Weaver 330 scope. I would like recommendations on the mounts I would need to upgrade to a modern 1" tube scope. The current side mount has a T03 stamped on it with 2 knurled attachment screws 2 3/8" on center. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

This will happen.not EVERYONE obsesses on post dates. Some people just want to assist a fellow shooter,and if they respond to an old post( I have many times) somebody else will likely read it having searched on the subject and still get useful info despite the date crap.in the internet world dates mean less than value of the info,if it's good info it will be good forever.

 

Since however,we are having a discussion about that old post ,I took a page from my book of experiences and will actually follow up on it .
On my Rem.513T ( just bear with me!?) When I bought it there was only a Redfield aperture block and blocks on the barrel for a Lyman targetspot.but no sights or scope( except the front globe)so I cut a piece of stair edging scrap down so the front top edge covered the scope block and the rear side edge dropped down over the Redfield block,drilled holes to match the block holes then cut the excess side off forward of the scope block.i then fastened this with appropriate tread screws to the blocks and mounted a Ruger 10/22 tip off mount to that piece of edging wallah! Scope mount.this served well until I bought a Lyman Targetspot for the rifle.
The same basic idea could be used to mount a custom mount to a 39a useing the aperture sight holes to mount it and a Ruger tip off mount ( or a similar tip off) I may experiment with this even though I prefer the aperture sight on my 39a. It may require glue to secure the front part,or make it long enough to fasten to a filler in the rear sight dovetail but could done with no permanent alterations to the rifle.(And little expense)many of us are stuck with few places to go right now Lowe's is open though.

 

As i oredicted” Glue”:t

 

As i predicted” Glue”:t

 

Yeah,I never used just glue alone but today's adhesives are definitely great stuff and capable