I would stay with the original if the toe chip is not too bad, and possibly consider repairing that first with only a minor refinish (darkened oil) in that area. Any 39A buttstock should fit without alteration, although it will likely be heavier and have the standard pistol grip (even capped) rather than the S shape. An original buttstock will be very hard to locate reproduction buttplates are available. Marlin never used a capital "O" as a serial number prefix, and no 2 letter serial prefixes containing an "O" are known outside of the "BO" series for the reintroduced 45/70 in 1972. I am certain the second digit is a zero, so your rifle becomes "the unofficial" lowest S prefix model 39 The known S range of serial codes reported by Brophy (in his 1989 copyrighted book) was S696 - S16135, so I would place your rifle in the 1925-26 era. Use only standard or target velocity ammunition in your model 39! You will crack the bolt with high speed ammunition (the change in 1932 of the bolt allowed high speed ammunition to be used, hence the "HS" serial code designation). The HS prefix was used beginning in 1932, until the introduction of the model 39A in 1939. The S prefix likely was first used in the 1925-26 era, based on serial number ranges for the non and S prefixed rifles. The Model 39 was introduced in 1922, and did not carry a prefix.
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