I picked up a another Ballard on GB couple months ago, Merwin and Bray (from researching Dutchers book a late Ball and Williams) in a 32 RF.  I was a little disappointed when I first got it, I was thinking it was going to be a later model that could shoot rim or center fire, teach me to do my homework...    Anyway, after getting it and finding out the truth, I let it sit for a month and gave it some thought.  I didn't want to alter or butcher a piece of history but I have to be able to shoot a firearm or it's not staying in my collection. 
I cast the chamber and it was beyond hope (.010" out of round), scoping the barrel it had three rings and several bulges in what was left of the rifling. The wood was good to better in fit and finish. My decision then was to bore the chamber to the .32 rim diameter and .200 longer, make a plug to fit the original .32 extractor and over bored chamber, then drill this and the barrel and install a .22RF liner.  Finished this the other evening, made a new manual extractor and even before I had the extractor installed had to take it shooting...  What a trip.   
Don't have any plans of refinishing wood or metal, the only alterations I did outside of the bore - I chose to cut a dovetail in the action, rear of the hammer as seen in many of the rifles of this vintage for a sight.  I may post pictures later of this and the sight I made, after the coloring...
   
Shot it today - very pleased! experimenting with ammo, it likes Norma Match - if I do my part it's consistently smaller than 1.5" - five shot groups -100 yds. benched...     Gotta love those Ballards! 

Greg

Nice save on the old Ballard! I think taking the old RF-percussion Ballard to a .22RF is the best way to get them shooting.

Finally had time to try the old girl with my cobbled sight, still  haven't finished it but it's works, in fact, shot it at a match earlier in the month, no winners here, but it shot respectable.  On paper at a 100 hundred it doesn't look great, had a 3-5 mph breeze, light was diminishing, all the same old excuses... but on the oinker at a 100, it shoots minute of iron!  5 shots and they all felt good, I had good visual. 
I did have to alter the hammer slightly, I used a small amount of hard surface rod and built the firing pin up, squared it off and resized it.  It now smacks the the rim and then some, I'm getting good ignition with all ammo so I have some shooting to do.

now that I have this one shooting... I started the next one, it followed me home one day... it's a Marlin Ballard, best guess is a #2, the bore is horrendous so it's getting a liner and becoming a more common caliber but again, the stock and exterior will remain unchanged...

Wow Greg, Very cool thread and nice work!!   I don't think I've ever seen posts where anyone has a pre-Marlin ballard shooting.   Nice work.

One question on your second.  It's three line -- so cast, right?  I thought the cast receivers were not safe on something like a 38-55.   Or is the liner considered to be enough added strength?   Not much metal on the chamber end so that surprises me if so.

#2's were in pistol cartridges you would best be served by doing the same.
       Don

I hope you post what you do with that sight.  Looks intriguing.   Also did nice work bringing that Ballard back - hope to see the results of your second one.   You using TJ liners?

It probably did from a collector standpoint but I've seen these go for as little as a New Marlin 336, meaning he ups the value to himself by making it a shooter while not sacrificing so very much in collector value.   I'm thinking that shooting is more important here to GT, especially after seeing the chamber and bore issues he mentions in his initial post.   Have to admit, I was wondering about the strength impact of a dovetail there but I don't have enough experience to say if that was a compromise or not.

GT, thank for that on the dovetail info.   Never focused there on the pre-Marlins.  My Dutcher book is about 1800 miles away from me right now but I'll have a look.   

I do look at those pre-marlins frequently on the auction sites.  I've even thought about forking over the money for one that is a true wall hanger and down low in the price range.  Wouldn't one look good hanging above the landing where that hay saw now hangs?      

I never thought to restore one to shooting condition - which would be so much the better.   

Were I to have more machinist skills instead of  carpenter skills, mayhaps!  But then I wouldn't have the place to hang even the hay saw.