I’ve been a little distracted the last couple months and veered some from the norm  the norm usually involves a Ballard build but a guy has to spice things up once in a while… So, going from a Freund Sharps build back to a Ballard build is a good thing  keeps things “centered” in life these Ballards do...   
I went for a drive last week, got away from it all and ended up in Tulsa for the big show.  It was good to meet up with folks I hadn’t seen for some time, met a few that I’ve heard their names, even a couple that post on here occasionally.  In lieu of the gun show drought we’ve all been experiencing I abstained and didn’t deplete my gun account funds like I’ve been known to do.
One of the prizes I found sitting on a table was a Ballard receiver – a “Brown Ballard”. When I first saw it, I thought it was a #2 Marlin Ballard but upon closer examination the square threads in the receiver were an indicator that something was different.  Then I noticed the 6 o’clock position of the threads had a slot for a manual extractor.  I have a few old Ballards similar to this and even one I did alter making it a shooter by fitting a liner in it and making a new extractor that all fit a 22rf.  The rest shoot some obscure rimfire that I haven’t got around to producing to make them operational – priorities.   As I mentioned, this is a stripped receiver, no other parts were to be found so it is a good project.  I have no intentions of altering what’s left of this relic, I’m not sure that I’ll alter the exterior with sanding or even a finish because the lettering is very crisp but it doesn’t appear to be stamped very deep.  There are no extra holes as it has the dovetail for a rear sight in the frame that should lead to another interesting sight build.   

Looking forward to seeing how the extractor turns out. Thanks again, as always look forward to your posts and projects.

A great find Greg! Love to see this one coming together... Did you happen to have an original lever for this one?

Jeff P

idjeffp wrote on Apr 16^th, 2021 at 12:20pm:


No I didn't but somewhere in my mess I had picked up a period correct lever casting for an action such as this, no extractor cut and a mark on the end of the lever for the retention pin.  All things being said, I can alter the design of the lever and not feel bad about doing it to an original piece.  It may get re-arranged so I can put a lever ball like my Pope has. 

Looking good, Greg. Only you could see potential in that receiver.
Love the way some people can cut square threads like it is no big deal.
Following with great interest.
Chuck

Nice project Greg.  Really nice pieces of maple, looks like a big piece compared to the Ballard frame.

Tony, the maple is doing fine-it's barely whimpering, but the piece of Circassian I got from the Romanian has been fondled a lot and it's starting to cry  not sure what it's going to become.
Bob, the guy I got this piece of maple from nearly begged me to buy it so of course I lugged it around for a while.
Vall, I'm going with the external extractor on this build, like I mentioned earlier I don't want to alter it's original state if I can help it.
I started on the next round of breech blocks tonight - the machine does the easy part - now it's a lot of fitting and swearing.

Bob, 
here's a picture or two of a Merwin and Bray Ballard I picked up once that had been quite abused.  I did my best to restore it and make it look non-restored but also put it in a caliber that was useful and functional.  A 22rf.  These have a knob on the bottom side of the barrel that manually allow extraction of the the cartridge.  They have a coil spring for returning the extractor to battery -  a real simple design.