This showed up at my house a while ago.  It's a Ballard Pacific in .40-85 with a shotgun butt ( with the hard rubber buttplate ) and a light weight barrel.  I haven't checked to see if all of the numbers match.  The rifle looks complete and original to my very untrained eye, except that the barrel shows signs of being removed by an amateur at some point so perhaps it was swapped.   I believe that the wiping rod is the original. 

The bore condition was advertised as "good" but it was a gamble as I bought it without inspecting it as it was 2500 miles away.   I'd describe the bore as "nearly excellent"  .   It's as bright and shiny as a fresh bore, but there is a very faint ring visible in the chamber that I think would not affect case extraction as I cannot feel it with a piece of copper wire.  There is also a very slight deformity in the rifling about 1" ahead of where the case mouth would be.

The rifle seems to function correctly and trigger feels very nice when set.   

Some time soon I'l do a chamber cast and order some cases as I woulds like to fire a few shots through it occasionally.   

Chris. 

gunlaker,

Very nice old Ballard Pacific that looks to be in good shooting condition. The barrel in the photo doesn't look that small, but it is hard to tell from a picture. I wonder if someone took the rear leaf sight off and put on the mid-range vernier sight. I would think it would be hard to get a sight picture using the peep and rocky mountain blade front sight.
I've attached a photo of some of my Ballard cartridge collection, the bottom row, second from right is a 40-85. The third one over is a 40-80 & the one on the right is a 40-90, all paper patch.  Gives you an idea of size.

Looks like a nice find.

Interestingly the rifle was for sale on their consignment rack for more than a year.   They also have another in .45-100, but the price is considerably higher, so I imagine that the condition is better.  I didn't ask for pictures on that one.   

Chris.

Are the original Ballard globe sights difficult to find?  I know they would be up here in Canada.  Mine is only the third Ballard I've ever seen.  I din't know why they are so uncommon up here.

I'll request pictures for the .45-100.   I believe that it, and the other single shots I've bought from Ellwood Epps, have come from the same estate sale. I've picked up a few pretty unusual rifles.

They have a really nice looking Billinghurst match gun there complete with Malcolm scope.   It's still got the false muzzle, but no mention of the original bullet mould or other tools.  It had tempted me on a few occasions.

Chris.

Nice Pacific, in a rare cartridge?   

My Pacific is 45-70, has the same weight barrel. Similar to the a Win #3 weight.

Rings near the chamber end of the barrel usually kill accuracy. They can be lapped out. Lot of work but worth it on such a nice rifle.   

      Joe.

Joe is the .40-85 rare?  I'm about as far from a Ballard expert as can be.  All of my knowledge comes from reading Dutcher's book a couple of times

Chris.

Wonderful Ballard!

I thought a Ballard #5 Pacific rifle with shotgun butt was actually a #5 1/2 "Montana" rifle...? Early catalogs simply list the #5 1/2 as "Same style and finish as #5 with shotgun butt".

Grant states that the Montana Rifle No. 5 1/2 was introduced in 1880 and discontinued in 1884 - also that it was a Pacific rifle throughout, but with shotgun butt and checkered steel buttplate - usually in .45 cal.