When visiting my home town in Wisconsin the LGS had this and has not dreampt up a price. But I am looking for insight in case I missed something. Details: A.W.Peterson bbl which unfortunately has a dozen screw holes in the top including in the Peterson stamp with a mediocre bore (offset chamber), a stock with horrendous carving and forearm is very poorly fit, interesting but plate that has elevation adjustment (Peterson?), and a brass palm rest hardware (Peterson?), lever has several holes in it (assume from previous finger lever modification, otherwise action is in good shape with no finish.

Now, how much should it be? My guess is the uninformed LGS is going to go to the web and decide it is worth $5k. My thought is $1,200 ± since essentially all but the action goes in the trash.

Thank you,
Charles

Some proud owner is going to say:  "I have the best ugly gun in town!"

I'd buy every one like that I could find at $1200and be tickled! In fact I'd be tickled to get them for $1,000 more than that for one like that. I think that looking at it as just a factory engraved, forged, double set trigger action, with ivory insert in the #6 lever, would make it a $1500 action alone. If it wasn't engraved, or if the engraving was non factory, then the action would be much less, and closer to your $1200 guess.
I don't find the stocks ugly, or something like Bubba or Harlow would build. They aren't typical American style, but are very well carved, and appealing as old craftsmanship to me. But I like unique examples of old schuetzen rifles, and have always wanted an American rifle done in European style.
All the extra holes in the barrel are fixable, and I've dealt with them before on guns. The last Schoyen I bought had 6 extra holes, and 3 extra dovetails. But I filled them all, and polished out the barrel, and rust blued it. They are almost invisible now. And a good engraver can touch up the AW Peterson rollstamp too. If the bore is no good, I'd spin it off and save the barrel. But if it's shootable I'd keep it on that Ballard, as it's original to the rework most likely. Some may not like it, but it is single shot history as reworked, and should be retained if possible.
Start adding up the wood, palm rest, and the AW Peterson barrel, and I can't imagine it wont get the $3k that 40rod mentioned. If you get it, and decide to use the action; drop me a line and we'll work out a deal on the rest of the parts!

Carved stock looks very similar to the style on Hubalek Rifles

JLouis wrote on Aug 13^th, 2017 at 2:00pm:


Never see that on original Ballard rifles, but several custom built Ballards I have that were done by highly regarded old time gunsmiths have that feature. They also will usually omit the dowel on the back of the forearm that fit into the hole in the receiver, to further separate the forearm from the receiver contact.

Well, I was holding my tongue, as a Ballard and other antique rifle newby, but I'm glad that I am not the only person that quite enjoys the look of the rifle. Vall said it much better than I would have, but I'd be tickled pink to own that rifle.

I was thinking about volunteering to keep the wood out of the trash, but Vall has beat me to it, besides, it would look out of place on my rag-tag No. 2.

cleanprone wrote on Aug 13^th, 2017 at 4:52pm:


Yes, a #6 that was customized is pretty common to  find, and originals are tough to find. My #6 was rebarreled by Zettler Bros., and is a .22 Short now, with a match chamber. Also offset to use the CF firing pin to strike the RF case. Mine still has the #6 stock and buttplate, but different forearm with Win. tuning fork palm rest, and Stevens scope in Pope rings.

Actually, the rifle appears to be a very nice custom Ballard, and although the stock carving is not to my taste, I could get use to it. I seem to remember that Earl Heinz has a Ballard with a similar stock, and oak leaves. These are pics of an A. Hubalek Ballard;