I've said it before and I'm sure that I'll say it again in future, but when you have LOTS of project rifles that you haven't shot or worked up loads for yet, what do you do?  Why, buy TWO more rifles of course!  (But I couldn't help myself since they were both a very reasonable price ...)



First is a faint 3 line Marlin Ballard in .32 Long with a 26" octagon barrel.  Bore is dusty and dirty and needs a really good cleaning, but I don't see any pitting.  Standard rear sight with a German Nickel front blade sight.  Several of the screws are battered and abused.  Two long slim slivers of wood missing from both sides of the forend, but a VERY tight action.

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Second is a Stevens Model 44 in .32-40 WCF, also with a 26" 1/2 round and 1/2 octagon barrel.  Also dirty and dusty like it's sister, but again no visible pitting.  Several screws are battered and abused and the 2 extended tang screws indicate that it wore a tang sight at some point, but sadly it is missing now.  I'll have to pull the buttstock and check for cracks since there are large gaps on either side of the rear tang.  This one also has a VERY tight action that locks up solidly.  Matching numbers on barrel and action.

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So ... I wonder what I'll find next?

oneatatime wrote on Jan 30^th, 2020 at 3:47pm:


Forgot to mention that yes, it does ...

very nice find, Al!

I have managed to stay free from any attack of chronic singleshotitis for a year (found out that a cruel lack of available funds helped immensely in reducing the symptoms  )

I do however hope to be able to have a relapse soon 

Your Honor, everything I am today I owe to Ballard Rifles!

Finally got out a cleaning rod, a stiff copper brush, and the Hoppes #9 and scrubbed the bores on these two rifles.  The Ballard rifling is fairly faint, but looks OK.  After some serious scrubbing the Stevens is also a bit faint, but all there ... including a faint ring bulge about 4" up from the chamber!



The next step will be a range day to see if these old girls will still shoot or not ...