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JM Ballard Action Problem (Read 3772 times)

karlssoni Participating Member Offline Posts: 14 Joined: Jul 18^th, 2018	JM Ballard Action Problem Feb 27^th, 2022 at 9:09pm	Print Post
	I recently acquired a JM Marlin Ballard. It was working okay when I got it, and I haven;t "done anything" to it, but now the lever won't go al the way up to the grip. The breech block seems to close okay, but there is a gap of maybe 3/4" between the lever and the grip. DST, if that makes a difference. I have two similar Ballard that I can compare to it, but I thought I should raise the question here before I do something silly. Any ideas for a quick fix?


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ssrifles Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 321 Joined: Mar 23^rd, 2009	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #1 - Feb 27^th, 2022 at 9:51pm	Print Post
	take it apart and check to see if something got in there or is broke. tony <><


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4570mike Senior Forum Member Online Posts: 460 Location: On the Peninsula Joined: Apr 11^th, 2013	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #2 - Feb 28^th, 2022 at 7:30am	Print Post
	Remove the lever screw and drop the action out. See if the extractor has broken at the loop for the lever screw (or somewhere else); that happened to me Might be some displaced broken bit binding things up. Mike.


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Blackhawk Participating Member Offline Posts: 20 Joined: Mar 14^th, 2016	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #3 - Feb 28^th, 2022 at 12:07pm	Print Post
	I had a similar problem. For me, it turned out the lever screw is badly worn, but not symetrically. It would actually turn as I operated the lever. I applied a low strength thread locking compound to the lever screw threads and found the "sweet" spot where the body of the screw was not worn when I tighten the screw. The lever now locks up tight so I can shoot the rifle till I get a replacement screw.


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karlssoni Participating Member Offline Posts: 14 Joined: Jul 18^th, 2018	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #4 - Mar 11^th, 2022 at 12:35pm	Print Post
	I have dropped the block out and disassembled everything short of splitting the block, but the lever still doesn't close fully. It feels like it should close with a bit of extra oomph, but it would be my luck to break the lever. I didn't find anything worn or broken. Time to fiddle with it some more, I guess....


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bpjack Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3780 Location: East Olympia, WA Joined: May 18^th, 2008	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #5 - Mar 11^th, 2022 at 2:04pm	Print Post
	Did you try not installing the extractor?

	People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.
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karlssoni Participating Member Offline Posts: 14 Joined: Jul 18^th, 2018	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #6 - Mar 11^th, 2022 at 4:17pm	Print Post
	No, but I will. It seems to be seating nicely.


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bpjack Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3780 Location: East Olympia, WA Joined: May 18^th, 2008	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #7 - Mar 11^th, 2022 at 4:26pm	Print Post
	It is always good to eliminate variables. Jack

	People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.
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KFW Oldtimer Offline Posts: 634 Location: Wyoming Joined: Dec 18^th, 2016	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #8 - Mar 11^th, 2022 at 5:40pm	Print Post
	Most of my shop time is playing with and building Ballards. I can tell you that small tolerances can change everything as in too tight or too loose. Make sure your tang plug is not turned 180 degrees off, (there is a top and bottom) if lever is still loose I would make up a slightly longer link and see what it does. Going to take some back and forth disassembly to see what is binding. kw


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karlssoni Participating Member Offline Posts: 14 Joined: Jul 18^th, 2018	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #9 - Mar 12^th, 2022 at 11:10am	Print Post
	The lever is not loose. The action appears to lock up smoothly, but the lever won't close up to the grip. I don't understand "tang plug."


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karlssoni Participating Member Offline Posts: 14 Joined: Jul 18^th, 2018	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #10 - Mar 12^th, 2022 at 2:24pm	Print Post
	I tried it with the extractor removed, and it made no difference.


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jfeldman ASSRA Board Member Offline Posts: 1120 Location: Imperial Beach, Ca Joined: Nov 5^th, 2005	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #11 - Mar 12^th, 2022 at 3:25pm	Print Post
	When it appears to "lock up smoothly", does the firing pin hit where it's supposed to? Center for CF/rim for RF? Regards, Joe


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karlssoni Participating Member Offline Posts: 14 Joined: Jul 18^th, 2018	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #12 - Mar 12^th, 2022 at 5:15pm	Print Post
	It's hard to tell. I've been planning to compare it to the other two I have to see if I can observe any difference. When the action is out, the lever flops right up to the triggers.


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karlssoni Participating Member Offline Posts: 14 Joined: Jul 18^th, 2018	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #13 - Mar 13^th, 2022 at 1:22pm	Print Post
	I looked at the other two Ballards I have. One is like the proverbial well oiled safe, while the other is a little looser. Both of these close up to a point where the hammer doesn't quite rest on the breech block, then they require a bit more effort to bring the lever up to the grip and allow the hammer to come to rest on the block. Armed with this information and seeing similar action on the troublesome rifle, I decided to "give it a little more welly," as some of my Land Rover buddies might say. I was reluctant to squeeze too hard, as I feared breaking the fancy Pope lever, but it turns out this rifle is just a lot tighter than the well oiled safe one. Problem solved!


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bpjack Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3780 Location: East Olympia, WA Joined: May 18^th, 2008	Re: JM Ballard Action Problem Reply #14 - Mar 13^th, 2022 at 1:49pm	Print Post
	Swap levers with another rifle and see where the problem goes.

	People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.
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