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GLT721
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What do I have
May 17th, 2010 at 10:24pm
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I bought this rifle from a gun shop going out of business and no one else wanted it. There are no markings on the action other then the number 35500

The rear site is a Redfield adjustable in Min or Yds and has a covered front sight from Lyman with a circle. The action is drilled and tapped for a tang sight. There are two blocks on the barrel to mount a scope.

It is chamberes for 22 long rifle and I am sure this is not the original barrel. The muzzle diameter is approx. .8 inches and the barrel is 28 inches long. There are no markings on the barrel

I think the stock is curly maple and is 9.5 inches from the end of the action to the aluminum butt plate which is dove tailed to receive a adjustable hook or butt plate. The forearm is 13 inches long and has a adjustable length stop.

I had thought about having someone like Vic Samual sleeve it in 22 mag and restock it so I can shoot it off a table on prairie dogs or sage rats. I am not sure what I want to do with it but I like rifles that are a little different and I have never had a custom stock. 

So can you help me out, what do I have and what should I do with it. I can sell/trade, put money in it or use it for a tomato stake. 

I posted this on Rimfire Central and it was suggested to have you guys take a look also
  
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jfeldman
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Re: What do I have
Reply #1 - May 17th, 2010 at 10:39pm
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Welcome to the forum GLT721.  What you have there is a Ballard action that was converted to a prone rifle, probably in 1950's  The action is probably cast and is not known for it's strength.  .22 LR is a good chambering for it.  Have fun with it!

Regards, Joe
  
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Green_Frog
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Re: What do I have
Reply #2 - May 17th, 2010 at 11:36pm
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+1 tp what Joe said.  That action is really best suited to the current .22 LR in which it is barreled. I would even hesitate to go to .22 mag although they were built with that same action up to .32 and even .44-40 pistol cartridge chamberings.

Have you tried shooting it as it is now?  Those old prone rifles were pretty accurate back in the day, and with the proper old style scope (Unertl, Lyman, Fecker, etc.) it may surprise you.

Froggie
  
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waterman
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Re: What do I have
Reply #3 - May 18th, 2010 at 10:35am
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I'm with Joe & the Green Frog.  Those old Ballards are best as 22 LR rimfires.  You want either strong fingernails or some bent-nosed pliers to pull the empty cases out of the chamber.   

waterman
  
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marlinguy
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Re: What do I have
Reply #4 - May 18th, 2010 at 8:01pm
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Leave it just like it is, in the present caliber. Ballard .22's are great guns and it will be a fun shooter for the closer in sage rats.
  
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uscra112
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Re: What do I have
Reply #5 - May 18th, 2010 at 9:58pm
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Lucky man!  Any price below about $750 and it was a steal.  

The others are right, the Ballard was considered to be an excellent action for .22 rimfire, because of the way the breechblock pushes the cartridge home as it closes, and its' quick lock-time.   That's why your rifle exists - quite a few were converted in the pre-WW2 years by people who felt they could hold their own with a Remington or Winchester bolt-gun.  And they did, if the shooter was any good.  Some are still being built up today.  ( I just bought one. )  A change of buttstock, and you'll have a serviceable rifle for the Schuetzen 22 rimfire class.   Or maybe we need to resurrect the old prone-shooting game? 

I'm not so worried about strength of the cast vs. the rarer forged actions, though.  The real weakness of the Ballard is that two-piece breechblock.   The cast action is cast steel, not cast iron as some people seem to think.  It stood up to black-powder cartridges as big as 45-70 in the olden days.  Still, it should be babied today.  It is now 130 year old metal, and the steel of that era was only marginally better than wrought iron, compared with a cast steel action of today.   

While I would consider it a shame to further modify that example of the custom gunsmith's art, it would stand .22 rimfire mag, especially if the breechblock were strengthened according to the instructions Frank deHaas gave in one of his many books.   People HAVE converted them to the Hornet, (I just saw one for sale) but shooting one such is akin to Russian roulette.   BTW the barrel groove diameter is probably a bit small for .22 WMRF anyway. Another good reason to leave it alone.
« Last Edit: May 18th, 2010 at 10:15pm by uscra112 »  
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GLT721
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Re: What do I have
Reply #6 - May 18th, 2010 at 10:37pm
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First off I want to thank everyone for the replies, it has been fun and very interesting. Since it is not recommended to modify I don't really have a use for it. Waterman has mentioned he would be interested in the rifle. From everything I have heard it would be a shame to modify the rifle so hopefully I will be able to sell it.
  
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rustyrelx
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Re: What do I have
Reply #7 - May 25th, 2010 at 10:55am
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Thats too bad you are going to sell it off. If you think of the sage rats as minuture buffalo you could have a lot of fun with it. Also wood is available for the Ballard so if'n ya'll won't to put it up as back when ya can....   Don  rustyrelx
  
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