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Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 6:06 pm
by SqHunter
I am looking for a tang sight for a Marlin 39a that will not require drilling through the serial number. As best I can tell both Marbles sights require doing so, as well as MVA and Shaver. Are there any others out there? I am aware of a Lyman No. 2 but don't know much about it. Would appreciate your help. Thanks!



















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Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 6:34 pm
by BrentD
I have an MVA on mine and I did not drill anything.

Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 8:51 am
by SqHunter
BrentD wrote: Fri Nov 16, 2018 6:34 pm I have an MVA on mine and I did not drill anything.
How did you mount it? I called and asked them and they said I would have to drill through the serial number. Did you use a stock bolt?

Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 11:08 am
by dhatch
I have a Uberti .357 that has some engraving on the tang. I did not want to drill through it for my tang sight. I used only one mounting screw at the rear and did not drill for the front screw nor did I use one there at all. Just using the rear screw alone didn’t secure the sight base. So very carefully, using a plastic reed from a duck call, I cut a piece to fit underneath the sight base, behind the rear screw, so that when I tightened down on the rear screw the base would pivot down on the forward section of the base. Believe it or not this has worked just fine without any issues. And I do shoot some full power loads.

Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 12:11 pm
by SqHunter
dhatch wrote: Sat Nov 17, 2018 11:08 am I have a Uberti .357 that has some engraving on the tang. I did not want to drill through it for my tang sight. I used only one mounting screw at the rear and did not drill for the front screw nor did I use one there at all. Just using the rear screw alone didn’t secure the sight base. So very carefully, using a plastic reed from a duck call, I cut a piece to fit underneath the sight base, behind the rear screw, so that when I tightened down on the rear screw the base would pivot down on the forward section of the base. Believe it or not this has worked just fine without any issues. And I do shoot some full power loads.
Thank you, I was hoping to do something similar but I can't find a tang sight for this particualr version of the 39a that uses a stock bolt. Any ideas?

Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 1:33 pm
by dhatch
Mmmm. Nope. Not at the moment, I also want to know what tang sight to get for my model of 39A. I’ll look tonight, but am thinking that my serial numbers are on the underneath and won’t be an issue. I’m wanting the Creedmore style.

Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 1:38 pm
by dhatch
Also, concerning the Uberti, the rear screw goes through the stock and threads into the metal underneath of which I put a dab of blue lock tite on those threads. If screwing into just the wood of the stock might not turn out as well, unless some epoxy is in the hole for the threads in the stock.

Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 1:55 pm
by SqHunter
Good luck! I have not found a tang sight to work with this 39a, and am just about to the point of trading it for a Henry. At least I can get a tang sight for it :shock:

It is a shame really, as out of the three or four 39s I have had this is the best and most accurate by far. Just wish someone made better sights for it.

Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 1:57 pm
by dhatch
You won’t go wrong with a Henry. If I didn’t already have this 39A, I would get a new Henry.

Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 2:01 pm
by SqHunter
dhatch wrote: Sat Nov 17, 2018 1:57 pm You won’t go wrong with a Henry. If I didn’t already have this 39A, I would get a new Henry.
I wish we had started out with them. Our .22mag Frontier is a pretty rifle.

Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 5:42 pm
by BrentD
SqHunter wrote: Sat Nov 17, 2018 8:51 am
BrentD wrote: Fri Nov 16, 2018 6:34 pm I have an MVA on mine and I did not drill anything.
How did you mount it? I called and asked them and they said I would have to drill through the serial number. Did you use a stock bolt?
I just used a Ballard sight base. 1.125 " spacing just like the Marlin. I'm 400 miles from home at the moment, but I don't understand why this is a problem. Nothing was drilled.

Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 5:45 pm
by BrentD
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Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 6:09 pm
by Cimarron Red
SqHunter,

I have an MVA Sharps-style sight on my 39A (made in 1982.) I used an MVA 1894 Win. 94 Legacy Base Safety (this is the exact wording on the website.) This base has very short screw spacing, less than 1/2", as I recall, so that the forward screw is located behind the serial number. Here's a link to the MVA webpage where you'll find this base, although no picture is yet available. It was originally designed to mount behind the tang safety on the Winchester 94 Legacy rifle.

https://montanavintagearms.com/sights/

I can email you a couple of less-than-stellar pictures, if you'd like. PM me your email address. I've recommended this base to several of my friends, and they are happy with this arrangement. Also, an MVA soule sight will mount on this base.

Cimarron Red

Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 3:10 pm
by SqHunter
BrentD wrote: Sat Nov 17, 2018 5:42 pm
SqHunter wrote: Sat Nov 17, 2018 8:51 am
BrentD wrote: Fri Nov 16, 2018 6:34 pm I have an MVA on mine and I did not drill anything.
How did you mount it? I called and asked them and they said I would have to drill through the serial number. Did you use a stock bolt?
I just used a Ballard sight base. 1.125 " spacing just like the Marlin. I'm 400 miles from home at the moment, but I don't understand why this is a problem. Nothing was drilled.
If I read that right yours had preexisting holes, mine does not. That is the problem. I am looking for a sight that uses the stock bolt as one anchoring point.

Re: Tang sight for a Marlin 39a

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 3:12 pm
by SqHunter
Cimarron Red wrote: Sat Nov 17, 2018 6:09 pm SqHunter,

I have an MVA Sharps-style sight on my 39A (made in 1982.) I used an MVA 1894 Win. 94 Legacy Base Safety (this is the exact wording on the website.) This base has very short screw spacing, less than 1/2", as I recall, so that the forward screw is located behind the serial number. Here's a link to the MVA webpage where you'll find this base, although no picture is yet available. It was originally designed to mount behind the tang safety on the Winchester 94 Legacy rifle.

https://montanavintagearms.com/sights/

I can email you a couple of less-than-stellar pictures, if you'd like. PM me your email address. I've recommended this base to several of my friends, and they are happy with this arrangement. Also, an MVA soule sight will mount on this base.

Cimarron Red
Thank you, I would appreciate a few pictures.