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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) help id this old Ballard rifle (Read 20174 times)
archer3d
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help id this old Ballard rifle
Sep 11th, 2012 at 11:32am
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Hello Not sure if this is the right spot for this but here goes. I am trying to find any and all information i can on this rifle. as you can see it is in rough shape , it is a Ballard the markings are very hard to see. The rifle was found wrapped in a cloth tucked up in the floor joists of an old farm house.
barrel is 22 1/4" 38" overall
at the tip of the barrel 0.42" 0.43"
chamber 0.464" +-
3.09" to the shoulder

pictures to follow

thank you 
tom
  
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archer3d
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #1 - Sep 11th, 2012 at 11:36am
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here are the pics

the gun
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close up of the top I can almost make out what looks like Ball Williams
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the falling block at the top has ser # and under it what looks like 110
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all the numbers match I have not taken off the stock to check for numbers there
I am hesitant to put some emery paper to it to see if i can bring out the markings better.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
thank you
tom
  
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james a pickup
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #2 - Sep 11th, 2012 at 1:28pm
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That is an early cast ballard, rimfire.It was made and sold during the civil war.It is either .56 or .44 rimfire.
  
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Schutzenbob
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #3 - Sep 11th, 2012 at 1:47pm
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There would have been a sliding extractor at the rear of the forend, it looks like the knob is missing.
  
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archer3d
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #4 - Sep 11th, 2012 at 3:05pm
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There is some damage to the rear of the for stock that looks like a part broke out and was filled with some old kind of wood filler
  
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Schutzenbob
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #5 - Sep 11th, 2012 at 5:04pm
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Archer,

When you open the lever, does the extractor come forward?
  
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archer3d
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #6 - Sep 11th, 2012 at 5:41pm
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Yes its a little sticky but seems to be working
  
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John Boy
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #7 - Sep 11th, 2012 at 5:44pm
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The firing pin looks like it's for a center fire cartridge.  A shame it's in the condition it is
  
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marlinguy
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Ballards may be weaker,
but they sure are neater!

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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #8 - Sep 12th, 2012 at 2:14pm
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From the faint barrel marking "Ball & Williams" it's an early pre Marlin Ballard. It would have been a external extractor, but sounds like someone may have converted it to automatic extraction if the extractor moves and the old location of the extractor mechanism has been filled. 
Is that extractor operated by a lever or some sort of mechanism that ties it to the lever pivot point? I sure don't see any signs of an operator or arrangement for one in the last picture?
  
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archer3d
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #9 - Sep 12th, 2012 at 10:40pm
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It seems to be spring operated I will take some pictures to show this detail

Thank you 
Tom
  
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archer3d
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #10 - Sep 12th, 2012 at 11:59pm
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Here are some pics

there has been a repair to the bottom of the fore stock
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from the bottom you can see part of the 'spring' that operates the extractor
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a detail of the extractor you can also see what i believe to be the spring
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From what I am understanding there was originally a lever protruding from the bottom of the fore stock that operated the extractor. Of all the pictures I have looked at I have not seen one of these. If someone could post a picture of one I would really appreciate it.

thank you 
tom
  
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archer3d
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #11 - Sep 13th, 2012 at 10:57am
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From some of the reading I have been doing Flayderman's guide to antique American firearms, thank you Winston for pointing me there, I believe this gun was part of the 1000 made and delivered to the state of Kentucky April 5 1864.
If i am in the wrong please correct me and point me right.

thank you 
tom
  
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marlinguy
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #12 - Sep 13th, 2012 at 5:21pm
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Here's a link to an auction for an old Brown Ballard carbine. It has the external extractor as your's had at one time.
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Not sure about the Kentucky connection to your particular gun. I'd have to check serial numbers and my copy of Dutcher's book to see what he might say about that.
  
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archer3d
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #13 - Sep 13th, 2012 at 8:27pm
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My rifle is exactly like the one in this auction 
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I stripped it apart today to look for any other numbers all numbers match, fore stock, stock, butt plate, etc. this gun is a complete original even the extractor.  

the serial number is 77xx but there is also another number you can see in the pic of the block 110 this number also appears on all the other parts what would it be for, would it possible be a manufacturers number.

While it is apart I am going to soak it for a couple of days and then gently clean it with bronze wool. I ran an oil patch and 44 cal brass bore brush down it and the bore is in excellent condition no pitting whatsoever Smiley.

thank you 
tom
  
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archer3d
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Re: help id this old Ballard rifle
Reply #14 - Sep 18th, 2012 at 11:25am
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I found a closer version to my rifle.

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My hammer is a bit different, it looks like the front hook has been ground off.
The marking on this rifle look to be the same as mine from what i have been able to see so far. I am hesitant to try anything more aggressive to bring them out.

thanks 
Tom
  
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