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What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? (Read 4241 times)

Lefty38-55 Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 366 Location: New England Joined: Sep 11^th, 2013	What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Nov 19^th, 2018 at 12:10pm	Print Post
	See: (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) Looks to be more like a Stevens action in the shape of the action and positioning of the action screws.

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JLouis Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 10625 Joined: Apr 8^th, 2009	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #1 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 12:33pm	Print Post
	Interesting Rifle the action appears to be a small frame Bullard best I can tell and hard to come by as well as being very collectable should it be so. Do a search for Bullard and you will find several pictures all though it is similar it is also a bit different? JLouis
	« Last Edit: Nov 19^th, 2018 at 12:55pm by JLouis »
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rodneys Oldtimer Offline Posts: 671 Location: Central Oklahoma Joined: Mar 2^nd, 2015	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #2 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 12:56pm	Print Post
	My vote is that it is a Stevens 44 with a custom lever and reworked reciever. Anyway nice Workman ship.


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JLouis Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 10625 Joined: Apr 8^th, 2009	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #3 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 1:01pm	Print Post
	Rodney the more I look at all of the pictures the more I believe you are indeed correct and as you say very nice re-work was done on the action and very charming to my eyes. JLouis

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frnkeore Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7249 Location: Central Point, OR 97502 Joined: Jun 16^th, 2010	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #4 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 1:37pm	Print Post
	I think it's either a fully custom made design, based on the 44 or that it's thick side 44, machined into this configuration, with the HW type flairs. Frank

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Redsetter Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3468 Location: New York Joined: Aug 6^th, 2013	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #5 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 1:37pm	Print Post
	rodneys wrote on Nov 19^th, 2018 at 12:56pm: My vote is that it is a Stevens 44 with a custom lever and reworked reciever. Anyway nice Workman ship. You're right about the rcvr starting out as a 44, but not so sure about the niceness or purpose of workmanship--unless it was conceived as some sort of test of mad-cap ingenuity. Why has the front of the rcvr been cut down or reshaped? Not necessary merely to fit a Marlin repeater brl.


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Redsetter Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3468 Location: New York Joined: Aug 6^th, 2013	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #6 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 1:41pm	Print Post
	frnkeore wrote on Nov 19^th, 2018 at 1:37pm: I think it's either a fully custom made design, based on the 44 or that it's thick side 44, machined into this configuration, with the HW type flairs. Frank Could the breech end of the brl be part of the Marlin rcvr to which the brl had been attached?


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frnkeore Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7249 Location: Central Point, OR 97502 Joined: Jun 16^th, 2010	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #7 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 1:44pm	Print Post
	I think it would take much better pictures or hands on to tell that. Frank

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Redsetter Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3468 Location: New York Joined: Aug 6^th, 2013	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #8 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 1:50pm	Print Post
	JLouis wrote on Nov 19^th, 2018 at 12:33pm: Interesting Rifle the action appears to be a small frame Bullard best I can tell and hard to come by as well as being very collectable should it be so. Do a search for Bullard and you will find several pictures all though it is similar it is also a bit different? JLouis Does have a similar profile to Bullards, but they have several more screws through the side of the rcvr.


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Bill Lawrence Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1037 Joined: Mar 17^th, 2014	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #9 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 1:50pm	Print Post
	If this is a Stevens action, it's been reworked to the point that one wonders why the builder bothered. In some cases, the outline changes could have been achieved by cutting/grinding and polishing. But it would also seem that considerable welding had to be done, too. Note, for example, that there's not even a provision for the take-down screw. Also, what Marlin did the barrel come from? My bet since it's a .22 is a Model 1891 or 1897. Bill Lawrence


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JLouis Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 10625 Joined: Apr 8^th, 2009	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #10 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 2:18pm	Print Post
	Appears to be the creativity of who ever did the work and what he or she had in mind at the time.Then simply used what there was to work with or could simply afford. I can find no fault in it and to me it's a very charming personal rifle that suited someones needs and that individual was probably pretty dang proud of it all and rightfully so. Really no different than someone customizing a car or a motorcycle to personalize it as was often times done. JLouis

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JLouis Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 10625 Joined: Apr 8^th, 2009	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #11 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 2:35pm	Print Post
	Redsetter I agree and at first look it had me headed that way. What was interesting when doing the Bullard search several pictures came up showing variations of the action I wasn't aware of prior too. A friend owned a pristine Bullard two barrel set and it came to mind when looking at the rifle in question as being a bit similar to what he once he owned. And like you say it is missing a few screws compared to the several Bullard pictures I found in my search as well as other to me obvious variations. JLouis

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Redsetter Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3468 Location: New York Joined: Aug 6^th, 2013	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #12 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 2:43pm	Print Post
	JLouis wrote on Nov 19^th, 2018 at 2:35pm: What was interesting when doing the Bullard search several pictures came up showing variations of the action I wasn't aware of prior too. Jamieson's Bullard book will probably show you more--one of the best written & researched gun books out there.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16012 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #13 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 4:44pm	Print Post
	The rollstamps on the barrel indicate it's a centerfire barrel, likely off an 1893 Marlin. So his comment about the bore looking like a Ballard bore puzzle me? It's obviously been lined to .22LR, and wouldn't have Ballard rifling in a lined bore. The "Special Smokeless Steel" marking was never used on Marlin .22 barrels.

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uscra112 Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 4079 Location: Switzerland of Ohio Joined: May 7^th, 2007	Re: What is this ’Franken’ Marlin-Ballard-Stevens? Reply #14 - Nov 19^th, 2018 at 5:26pm	Print Post
	If it was a 44 frame to begin with, where did those flanges front and rear where the wood meets it come from? That bit looks very levergun-like to me, although nothing else does. And a 44 receiver is malleable iron. Not very weldable. Awful lot of work to whittle it from solid, but maybe....?

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