i admire the ballard rifles and am thinking of building one in 22rf. any recommendations for the type of action that would be suitable? i dont require double set triggers.  thanks art

This is an original Ballard .22 you might want to copy.
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Ballards make wonderful .22s for the same reason they are not good for high pressure cartridges. The breechblock drops down to completely expose the chamber. My .22 highwall is much more difficult to load. One of the most accurate .22s I ever owned was a Hubalek Ballard.

Since we are on Ballards, Does anyone know much about the early JM Marlin Ballard's? I have a one that is a cast #2 (serial# 4xx ) with a Brown hammer and lever as well as the reversable firing pin. It has one other feature that I haven't seen on any other Ballard. The stock bolt goes through the butt plate. It's not a left over from Brown, because they had tangs. Any info would be appreciated.

Frank

I agree with Froggie. Browns had the through bolt. Mine does. No external tangs on an Brown I have seen in person or in book. Though......who knows.

Also has the large  8 per inch square threads and one HEAVY barrel!

Non the less, enjoy that thing! Can you post a pic??

Thanks Det for sharing that info on Marlin Ballards,never have read anything on that group of Ballards with serial#,s under 500.Learned something new today!! Fritz

I went back and read the little bit of DeHaas info on the early Brown Ballards. He says , I quote "Some major changes began to appear in the early Ballards during the last few years it was made. On some the 2 short tangs were eliminated and a single, central tang was employed, with the butt stock attached with a threw bolt threaded into this inside tang." So, all Browns are w/o tangs? ( I guess so by the one post I read) I'm not very knowlegeable on the Ballards other than a few basic differances.
 
I have 3 and the first was this one, I bought it about 15 years ago and rebarreled it to 25/20SS but, I kept the marked 32 cal. oct. barrel and hope to re-rifle it, so, bye that and the frame, it's a #2. The actual Serial # is 490 and the barrel matches. My barrel threads are .950 X 18 TPI. and the barrel is 26" long.

Something of note, a dealer in TX by the name of Rosco, I think, had a Early one with a # under mine 2 or 3 years ago and from what I could see it didn't have a bolt threw the butt plate. It was a while back so, I could be wrong but, I don't think so and I don't think it had tangs. He was having trouble selling it on Gunbroker, too.  What is a resonable price for one in "good" condition?

I bought a Marlin Fire Arms #4 in 32/40 and a JM Marlin Pacific in 40/63 about 4 years ago  but, haven't even sighted them in yet. I'm going to shoot both in a match at the end of the month to at least sight them in.

I will try to post pics of mine by Sat.

Thank you all for the info. I've looked a long time but, hadn't been asking people.

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