I did not make it to Souix Falls last weekend but AT&T got me in trouble just the same

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The gun is on page 281 of the Ballard book by John Dutchner the bore is mint and is sluggs out at .377.... perfect.... the trigger is crisp but its about 4.5 LBS. 1886 vintage!!?? I can deal with that... Its all about shooting and  fun right??? Because i am going to really enjoy this one!

rafter-7

Rafter-7, That is one beautiful J P Lower special ! I too have one in 38-55 and I wish it looked as nice as yours. I'm real curious about that run of special order rifles. I don't know how kosher it is to discuss ser. nos. on the forum, but, Dutchers rifle is ser.# 19103, mine is 19102 and has no 'Lower' markings. I'm wondering if yours does, and is it close, within a hundred or so ser.#. Mine came with a replaced buttstock. Pistol grip with no cheekpiece, all correct, but with a crescent buttplate, not correct. I'm just tickled to death to have those pictures you posted, to look at. Which I'll probably spend the rest of the evening doing. Thanks, hoot

Quote:


Very few guns sold at Lower's shop were marked as such. I assumed when John Dutcher called it a "Lower Special" that it matched the description of some guns that Lower had offered at drastically reduced prices in his flyers.
Beautiful gun rafter-7, and especially rare with that hard rubber buttplate!
I thought you were directing all your funds tward the cabin?

MM,

I thought you were directring all your funds twards the cabin?

I am   Just skimming a little off the top for my friends

get the drift

rafter-7   ...   (LOL)

Hope that doesn't mean the snow is coming in!?

Rafter, Thats one nice Ballard.  I have one very similar . Mine is 40/50SS and has factory sling swivels. My wood is the early walnut that looks like rosewood.  It's one of my favorite rifle's of all time.  Its a tack driver even with straight black.

Now about the little lady. You're not really going to let her tell you what kind of powder to shoot in your rifle, are you?  LMAO, ha ha ha !!!!!  ha ha ha ha ah !  heeehehe !! Ok, ok ---

                                                                       Joe.

Well I really never looked at the front of the receivers until you mentioned the "S" stamp. Tonight I took the forearms off of every Ballard I own, and I think I may have come across some sort of pattern.
In 10 cast framed #2-#3 Ballards I didn't see any S. One of these is a very early #3 built on a centerfire Pacific type frae, but it does't have the S, nor did any other #2 or #3 Ballards. Even the .44-40 (which is centerfire only) didn't have the S. I also have a #2 with double set triggers that is centerfire only, but no S.
I took apart all the centerfire Ballards #4,#5, #6, #9, and my Schoyen. All of these had a S, except the #4. The #4 is a 3 digit serial number, and was made by JM Marlin from leftover Brown parts, so it may explain why it didn't have the S.
After all this I guess the forged frames used on other than #2 and #3 Ballards (at least in my collection) all had the S, while the frames used in #2 and #3 Ballards don't. 
What does the S mean? You got me, but now I'm going to call everyone I know who has a Ballard, and ask them to check the frames vs. model type.
I've got another #3 headed my way soon, so I'll see what it says too, when it arrives.

WOW! What a gorgeous rifle. I think it's even prettier than my old dream gun, the No. 5 Pacific.