A few pic's of my Ballard #3 and a few questions. 24" long full-octagon barrel and the bore is shot (needs to be lined). On the upside, no major dings or cracks in the wood and no real rust or pitting. 25xxx serial number and the barrel matches.
Am a neophyte when it comes to Ballards and do not have Dutcher's book. With the concave top on the receiver I know for sure it is a #3, but recall that only the 3F had the concave top and the #3 was a flat top. Is that correct? Is this a 3F Gallery rifle? Any help on the correct identification is appreciated. It is really a slick little rifle and I'm trying to decide if I should refurbish my 32-40 Hepburn or this rifle next. 
Thanks.

Only very early #3 Ballard rifles had flat top receivers. The early #3 also had a much heavier barrel, so it worked fine with the flat top. Later they changed to the lighter barrel, and the concave top receiver was required to see the sights over the top. All Marlin Firearms Co. marked #3 have concave top, whether they are a #3 or a #3f. The JM Marlins can be either, and not sure when the change occurred, but the flat tops are extremely rare from what I've seen. I've owned 8-9 #3, and only had one flat top receiver. I have seen and owned later MFC marked concave top #3 Ballards with heavy barrels also. The barrels actually sit up higher than the concave top receiver. Sold one last year with MFC markings, and heavy barrel.
The #3f is also a pistol grip frame/stock, loop lever, small Farrow Swiss buttplate. So that's the key to recognizing a #3f vs. a #3. Other than the optional cheekpiece, this is a standard #3f Ballard:

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Early #3 flat top, with optional special order stocks:
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SSShooter wrote on Jan 21^st, 2016 at 8:27pm:


Yes, your configuration is correct for a later #3. I don't make a practice of dry firing mine, but the only question I would ask is if the RF firing pin might contact the edge of the rim cut, and leave a mark? The breech block is made to stop travel of the firing pin, and the Ballard is known for strong firing pin design, and not known to break.
One other thing! A RF Ballard, and a .22 RF Ballard are different firing pins! The .32RF, .38RF and .44RF are reversible from RF to CF, so use the flat firing pin, which can be flipped upside down. The #3 .22RF is a round firing pin.

While I listed this rifle for sale in the classifieds to fund my 32-40 Hepburn work, I'm still going back & forth on whether I should sell, or not. It really is a delightful little rifle and would be great fun to shoot. SALE CANCELLED........ parts on order to make this a shooter. What a slick little rifle.

Based on keeping it, what gunsmith can remark the Marlin & patent info on the left side of the of the receiver? Even though it only needs light polishing, the marking, which is not deep to begin with, will be pretty indistinct. What is the best course of action? Would steel-wool and something like Break-Free oil work to take off the surface grunge on the metal? I want to do the absolute minimum of of polishing.

Also, was the receiver originally case-colored or blued? It 'appears' to me that the receiver was case-colored and the rest of the parts were blued. The crescent buttplate also was blued and retains about 90% of the finish for some reason. Lining, refinished the metal and wood should make this #3 look like it "came off the showroom floor".

That is an MVA (Montana Vintage Arms). DZ Arms also makes them. I have one of each and both are outstanding quality and they both sell them with or without the front scope mount. DZ Arms sells an 'enlarged' model with about 80moa of additional adjustment for BPCR/BPTR shooting. With the MVA you have to change the rear scope block (they have a simple system for same - only one set-screw to make the change). With the DZ Arms you don't have to make any changes out to 600yd.

The receiver, hammer, lever, and breechblock halves were casehardened, as was the buttplate. Your buttplate is probably 90% because it was blued later. The trigger was blued.
Have to be very careful cleaning, and I use bronze wool, with a 50/50 acetone atf mix to clean them gently. If it has any case colors left, I wont use even bronze wool, as even it can remove case colors.
This is the original configuration on one of my #3 Ballards. Other than optional sights.
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Dale Woody is one of the few engravers who's not afraid to touch up lettering on cased receivers, without having to anneal them first. Most engravers I've talked to want them sent out to soften them before they use their tools to touch up lettering.

Distant Thunder offers 2 piece rimfire Ballard extractors. Actually you can buy either of the two pieces separately.

The DZ extractor is similar to the Ballard but will not fit. The Distant Thunder one is an exact replacement. It's the one you should order.