I'm pretty excited to get this one! One of those holy grail guns, that isn't often seen, and not on my radar screen either! John Dutcher shows 11 known serial numbers for the #7, and this is #12. This just arrived after the USPS fiasco that promised quick shipping, but delivered the long, slow, many stops route!
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The Ballard is a first year 1875 #7 Long Range, in .44-100 Ballard caliber. Gorgeous bore, and for a 141 year old gun, in pretty decent overall shape. Few handling or character marks, but well cared for! 
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It has the correct 34" half octagon Creedmoor barrel, and long range vernier sight. The bore is excellent, and the .44-100 cartridge looks like a handful at about 3.75" OAL!
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Now I need to learn about paper patching, and loading for it! I have dies, brass, bullets, and mold that came with the gun. Just need to start the learning curve!

You never stop amazing me. That's even cooler than the last time you scored big. (but I must say that snazzy Hepburn is more my kinda thing). Congratulations on a real prize.

Thanks guys! 
I've never paper patched. Don't shoot black powder. So now I need to learn all that, or find a grease groove bullet mold that works for this. I have a GG mold for my .44-77 SBN that's a 300 grain bullet, and it might work in this case? Need to slug this bore, and see what it is first. The mold is a brass mold that I believe is an Old West nose pour, adjustable. It drops from around 435-475 gr. paper patch bullet, of .442" diameter.
Anxious to build up some rounds and try it. Anyone have any recommendations on what BP to use? Maybe Fg, or Swiss 1 1/2?

Lucky man, nice gun. I like that

Wow, that's Great!

I shoot a Cody Copy...for silhouette.

Terry

4570sharpshooter wrote on Aug 15^th, 2016 at 7:07pm:


Thanks Dennis! 
Got a big shock from my wife. She never comments on old guns I buy. She walked into the dining room and asked, "Where's that new Ballard?"
I had it leaning close by, and handed it to her, expecting her to just look. She took it from my hands and said, "That's a pretty gun."
Could have knocked me over with a feather! First comment she's ever made about an old gun. Even my two engraved Ballards didn't get a comment.

shovel80 wrote on Aug 15^th, 2016 at 8:16pm:


Do you load BP or smokeless? What bullet weight? How is the recoil?

SSShooter wrote on Aug 15^th, 2016 at 8:45pm:

Does he use "Tom Klinger" as his user name? Sounds like a good source of knowledge for BP and PP.