About 10 years ago I bought a 1967 model Marlin 39a for shooting silhouettes. It was pretty used when I got it and I have put over 50,000 rounds through it. Most of the blue on the barrel is gone, the stock has quite a bit of "character" and there is a ring in the bore about 6" in front of the chamber, likely from the previous owner firing another round behind a squib.

The other day I acquired another 39a, bought it just because it was a good deal, it is a 1984 model and appears brand new unfired. Whoopee, says I, this one will be more accurate than my old beater and will increase my scores dramatically.

Sooo, today I put a nice Leupold 10X scope on the new one to see how it would shoot. Since I use Federal Champion 510 for silhouete, I tested with that ammo. After 10-12 rounds to get on the paper sufficiently, I shot two 15-shot groups at 50 meters. One group was 1 5/8", the other was 1 3/8". Well, I dont think this is so hot, I says to myself, so I took the scope off and put it on my old rifle just to get a comparison. Two 15-shot groups, same ammo, 1 1/2" and 1 3/8". NO DIFFERENCE. Guess I will keep the old timer and maybe sell the new one.

Conclusions:
1. The Marlin 39a is not going to win very many benchrest matches.

2. New is not necessarily better.

3. A ringed barrel on a rimfire is not necessarily a reason to rebarrel or get rid of the gun. I have a 1922M2 Springfield with the same problem and it shoots as well as you could expect.
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I have a 1980 39A.With Winchester Subsonic,with no wind,it shoots those size groups at 100 without a scope.It will do about what you get with any Federals that I've tried at 50.I looked at many internet websites looking for more but no one has any right now.Midway says September before they get anymore.Nothing else shoots as well.A friend has 3 39A's he gets the same results from 2 of them.So I'm probably leaving the 22 at home for the nationals.

My 1982 39A will hold 1/2-3/4" at 50 yards with Winchester Dynapoints. At 100 it will hover around 1.25". This is with a Marbles tang and 1/16" ivory bead. My 1988 39AS will do as well or better with CCI subsonics. In both cases, the "trigger nut" has to screwed down tight though.

Yeah, I used to shoot those Dynapoints exclusively until they quit making them several years ago, finally used up the last of my stash , been using the Champion for about 4 years now. Were those 1/2 to 3/4 inch groups 15 shots?

Naw, 5. You can get the new version at Dicks, these are the ones I use now. They seem pretty decent for the price.