With the breechblock out look at the inside of the receiver. If  the inside of the sides are rough finished and irregular in shape it is cast. If it looks smooth and drilled from the rear it is forged.

Charles

The solid area under the barrel, inside the receiver, and machined internals, is the only sure method to discern a cast vs. forged action Ballard.
I've never seen an "S" stamped on the front of any Ballard receiver, so not sure what that could mean, or if it is original, or done later?
The breech blocks are all the same material for all Ballard rifles, but machined a little different for different models. All the reversible cast #2 blocks have the firing pin screw below the firing pin, so looking at the action this screw is just barely above the top of the action in the block. But centerfire only have the firing pin screw above the firing pin, so it's much higher in the block. The little #3 blocks in .22RF  have no screw at all as they didn't use a firing pin screw for some odd reason. So have to split the blocks to replace the firing pins.

Thanks for the photos. They demonstrate what to look for very well. Thank you!

ssdave wrote on Jan 20^th, 2023 at 8:01pm:


Might have to straighten it out. But if a breechblock fit I'd leave it as is.

Yes, the whole thing should be left as a custom rat rifle. Unfortunately I don't have an extra rimfire block. And' I'd have to find a tang. I've got everything else. 

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it'll buff out

6013 rod? That's what I learned to weld with on Dad's Lincoln buzz box that he bought in the 40's. I still use that stick welder and 6013 rod for most of my projects (other than firearms). Just a farm boy here, don't know no better. 

I didn't weld it. Got it that way. Bob Gordon either welded it or had it welded back together after he blew it up. Bob gave it to me to use for a fitting or sanding fixture. 

If I had welded it, I would have used hard wire to do a full penetration weld with either ceramic or copper back up. Flat position and spray mode does a nice job when you can contain the puddle.