Marlin No. 37

When John F. Moran bought Marlin as a part of corporate divestitures following WWI he renamed the company Marlin Firearms Corporation and quickly rebranded many of the company’s prior models, including the trusty No. 20 as the No. 37. Alongside the also-rebranded Model 38 and flagship Model 39, the freshly minted No. 37 represented Marlin’s entry-level .22-caliber rifle, and one-third of the corporation’s trio of now sequentially-numbered rimfires.

The No. 37 may have been less refined than Marlin’s other offerings, but the barrel of the No. 37, long Marlin’s most advertised feature, was made alongside the barrels for the 38’s and 39’s and could keep pace with their more prestigious offerings at a lower price point.
Outdoor Life Magazine, April 1925

The No. 37 was, like the Model 39, a standard model with no options for customization or variants during its production run. The rifle sported a straight-grained walnut stock, grooved walnut forend, and a 24″ round barrel. Unlike the No. 20, which was available with either a half- or full-length magazine, the No. 37 was only available with a full length magazine.

The No. 37 is highly similar to No. 20, and by extension the No. 29, with nearly every part being interchangeable between the models, being differentiated largely by the barrel length & shape, and the style of the forend.

The No. 37 was $5 cheaper than the Model 39 in Sears’ 1928 Fall Catalog. The 2N214¼ referenced in the advertisement was actually the Marlin No. 47, which contrary to popular belief was indeed available for direct purchase and not solely a ‘stock option’ rifle.
Sears & Roebuck 1928 Fall Catalog

The No. 37 would be relatively short lived, falling victim to the great depression and being discontinued in 1931. It would be the last slide-action rifle that Marlin would produce.

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