Hi all. I have been reading this forum for about a week and really enjoyed all the discussions I have read so far. My question is this: I am using dad's 39A Mountie to shoot raccoons in our grain crib. Boy can they make a mess! I can usually get the babies pretty good, but the big ones sometimes take 3 or 4 hits unless I get lucky. I was wondering if this gun could be re-worked to handle the .22 mag cartridges to give it a little more punch and if so, what would be involved and how much would one expect to spend?

Thanks

Welcome - and to answer your question, probably not. Don't think that it will handle the cartridge length, without some pretty severe modifications.

Coons are pretty tough. Might have to step up to a shotgun..... best of luck.

I don't think you can do it either. Too much work involved. If it was me, I would just step up to the Winchester Power Point. Its a heavier 40 Gr. hollow point. If you shoot them in the head they should drop like a rock. My grandfather used to use a .22 to shoot the hogs in the head before butchering. They are plenty enough for coons, just have to make a good head shot.

Hi all. I have been reading this forum for about a week and really enjoyed all the discussions I have read so far. My question is this: I am using dad's 39A Mountie to shoot raccoons in our grain crib. Boy can they make a mess! I can usually get the babies pretty good, but the big ones sometimes take 3 or 4 hits unless I get lucky. I was wondering if this gun could be re-worked to handle the .22 mag cartridges to give it a little more punch and if so, what would be involved and how much would one expect to spend?

Thanks

Sure it can. It probably will only cost your five or six hundred bucks or more. It would also ruin the resale value of a fine little marlin.

Most things can be made into something else depending how much money your willing to throw at it.

If your not willing and want a good inexpensive 22 mag look at some of the savage or marlin bolt guns in that caliber.

Use a 20 or 12 gauge shotgun with number six shot and you should have no problems if you stay under 30 yards.

Thanks for all your responses...heard what I was expecting. I guess I will have to locate some #6 shot shells for my old '97 Winchester...too bad it is a 16 ga. They are few and far in between. I have been looking to get a bigger rifle anyway for the 'coons and 'yotes and deer around here. They are getting to be a problem and we have even heard bobcats and bear spotted in the area, although the guys at the wildlife refuge will not admit to the last two last I heard, but I consider the people that said they saw them to be reliable. We are only about 3 or 4 miles from a river (although we are on upland so we do not get flooded!) That is why I have been reading these forums the last week. I stopped in at one of the local gunsops a couple weeks ago and they recommended a 22 or 22 mag. I laughed to myself as I thought about a 'coon I shot right behind the shoulder and he just hung onto the 4x4 post and turned and looked at me with a "What do you think you are doing" look on his face! He lost that look when the next bullet hit him between the eyes from about 10'. I think he is the biggest I have seen! The recommendation for a gun that I have personally received that sounds the best so far is a .357 mag./38 special. because of the flat trajectory of the 357. The coyotes around here stay between 1/8 and 1/4 mile away from people. What would be your suggestions?

Thanks.

You want a suggestion for everything, or just the coyotes??

Get a .22-250 for coyotes. A .357 is dropping like a rock at those ranges.

Bye
Jack

I agree with Jack, the .22-250 would be my choice for the long range coyotes. If you are planning on something for deer too then maybe a .243 would be a good choice.

Kansas, If you just want a .22 wmr look at the Rossi pump, it would cost a whole lot less than trying to convert the model 39. Plus you will still have a nice handy .22 LR that costs a lot less to feed.
If you want to shoot both deer and coyotes, get a nice .260 Reington, or a good 6.5 Swede,both are low recoil, and quite accrate to 300+ yards.
If just wanting to shoot to 100 yards, a nice lever action Marlin is just the ticket for the Coyotes and will still take deer sized animals at that range.

Lee L.

You want a suggestion for everything, or just the coyotes??

I'm open to suggestions on anything, but I really like the looks and shooting of lever actions. I do have a 16 ga. 97 winchester. Pump is ok, but I still prefer working a lever.:D

If you prefer a lever gun, then get yourself a Marlin. They make a new cartridge with a soft balistic tip for lever guns. Get it in the 30-30 and you can get those coyotes and deer. The new cartridges are supposed to be good out to 300 yards. Thats what I have heard anyway.

Thanks Gizmo. That was what I had been leaning toward all along. It also seems to be a really popular caliber in my area. I see Wal-mart (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3138478)has a 336AS listed for $344. (Their cheapest Marlin) Although I was not planning on getting a scope right off, is this a good buy? What would be a good buy on a used one in good condition?

Marlin made for a few years a 22mag 1894 if you can find one. Must be a reason they didn't put it in a 39, probably a pressure or cartrige length issue.

if you want a .22 wrm lever action winchester and henri both make make one, so does marlin or at least they use to but it was not in a 39a model. marlin made a model 56 or 57 (can't remember but i'll get back to that later cause i have the article). but all that aside just buy your self some cci velositors. they are the toughest hardest hitting .22lr out there. the .40 gr bullet on those are tougher for deeper penetration than you'll find on the stingers or mini mags. if you want something that will do a dual roll on yotes and deer i would look at the following calibers, .243, 7mm08,260 and the .270. all three are flat shooting the .270 being a tad overkill (maybe more than a tad if you want the pelts)for the yotes but a dream for the deer. just another idiot's opinion. i'll be back with the marlin lever info in .22wrm.

we had been discussing it here: just scroll down.
http://huntingfirearms.proboards59.com/index.cgi?board=rimfirerifles&action=display&thread=1137339291