Welcome, Guest. Please
Login
or
Register
ASSRA Home
Board Index
Help
Search
Login
Register
ASSRA Forum
›
General
›
Single Shot Rifles
› Ballard .25?
(Moderator Group: Moderator)
‹
Previous Topic
|
Next Topic
›
Pages:
[1]
2
Send Topic
Print
Ballard .25? (Read 1597 times)
Longknife
Full Member
Offline
Posts: 132
Location: Illinois
Joined: Mar 26
th
, 2016
Ballard .25?
Mar 6
th
, 2025 at 9:29am
Print Post
Has anyone ever seen a Marlin-Ballard in .25 cal? If so what cartridge would it be. It has the 1875 patent date would it be a reversable firing pin? THNX!
IP Logged
marlinguy
Frequent Elocutionist
Offline
Ballards may be weaker,
but they sure are neater!
Posts: 16732
Location: Oregon
Joined: Feb 2
nd
, 2009
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #1 -
Mar 6
th
, 2025 at 10:55am
Print Post
Depends on a few things as to whether it would be a #2 with reversible firing pin. First off would be whether the cartridge it's chambered for was ever offered in both RF and CF cases. Ballard didn't use the reversible firing pin system if the cartridge wasn't offered both ways. I've owned .32-20 and .44-40 Ballard #2's and all had CF firing pins.
Second would be if it's even a cast steel action or forged steel. I've never seen a forged action with reversible firing pin unless serial numbers didn't match because someone swapped in a #2 breech block.
Almost all cast #2 actions have a 3 line rollstamp on the left side, and forged are 2 line, but there are exceptions both ways. I own a forged Rigby Ballard with 3 line address, and once owned a cast #2 with a 2 line address.
I also own a #3 Gallery that's chambered in .25 Stevens RF, but it's marked under the forearm on the barrel as having been rebored and rifled by J. Stevens A&T and .25 Caliber. So not factory. The .25 Stevens came out after Ballard production halted, so none in .25 Stevens would be factory done.
It's possible it might be the .25-20 SS chamber, and if it is it may or may not be factory original.
(You need to
Login
or
Register
to view media files and links)
IP Logged
Andover Arms
Junior Member
Offline
Posts: 60
Joined: Dec 24
th
, 2017
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #2 -
Mar 6
th
, 2025 at 11:08am
Print Post
marlinguy wrote
on Mar 6
th
, 2025 at 10:55am:
Depends on a few things as to whether it would be a #2 with reversible firing pin. First off would be whether the cartridge it's chambered for was ever offered in both RF and CF cases. Ballard didn't use the reversible firing pin system if the cartridge wasn't offered both ways.
For my information (as I don't know), what are some cartridges that were offered in both CF and RF? or do you mean Caliber?
IP Logged
marlinguy
Frequent Elocutionist
Offline
Ballards may be weaker,
but they sure are neater!
Posts: 16732
Location: Oregon
Joined: Feb 2
nd
, 2009
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #3 -
Mar 6
th
, 2025 at 8:40pm
Print Post
Cartridges that were made in both CF and RF are .38 Long, .32 Long, .44 Long. Don't know of any others that were both.
(You need to
Login
or
Register
to view media files and links)
IP Logged
Longknife
Full Member
Offline
Posts: 132
Location: Illinois
Joined: Mar 26
th
, 2016
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #4 -
Mar 7
th
, 2025 at 8:42am
Print Post
THANKS for the info!!
IP Logged
marlinguy
Frequent Elocutionist
Offline
Ballards may be weaker,
but they sure are neater!
Posts: 16732
Location: Oregon
Joined: Feb 2
nd
, 2009
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #5 -
Mar 7
th
, 2025 at 10:55am
Print Post
You're welcome.
So do you own this rifle yet, or considering buying it?
(You need to
Login
or
Register
to view media files and links)
IP Logged
Dellet
Frequent Elocutionist
Online
Posts: 1130
Joined: May 19
th
, 2017
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #6 -
Mar 7
th
, 2025 at 11:48am
Print Post
The 25 Stevens came out in 1889/90, so it would be a one of the last Marlin Ballards if at all possible.
There was an earlier 25 rimfire the Bacon&Bliss that had a .250” bullet. It was closer the the 25 short in length.
Then the 25-20 single shot that could not be chambered in any of the rimfire chambers.
IP Logged
Bent_Ramrod
Frequent Elocutionist
Offline
Posts: 1498
Location: Southern Arizona
Joined: Feb 8
th
, 2006
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #7 -
Mar 7
th
, 2025 at 2:49pm
Print Post
I read a mention somewhere that the .25 Hornet was devised as a handy low-pressure cartridge for revamped Ballard rifles that ordinarily might be on the ragged edge for hi-speed .25-20 WCF and .22 Hornet ammunition.
The rifle in question might be one that was rechambered for this reason.
IP Logged
marlinguy
Frequent Elocutionist
Offline
Ballards may be weaker,
but they sure are neater!
Posts: 16732
Location: Oregon
Joined: Feb 2
nd
, 2009
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #8 -
Mar 7
th
, 2025 at 3:13pm
Print Post
When it comes to Ballard rifles there have been so many rebarreled and rechambered for non original cartridges that it's tough to say what one is today without a chamber cast or close inspection.
Ballard rifles have always been very popular to customize and rework, so seeing them original is even a surprise.
(You need to
Login
or
Register
to view media files and links)
IP Logged
waterman
Frequent Elocutionist
Offline
Posts: 2868
Location: Behind the Redwood Curtain
Joined: Jun 9
th
, 2004
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #9 -
Mar 7
th
, 2025 at 4:12pm
Print Post
The .25 rimfires by Stevens had a groove diameter of .251. The centerfire .25/20s were .257.
IP Logged
Longknife
Full Member
Offline
Posts: 132
Location: Illinois
Joined: Mar 26
th
, 2016
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #10 -
Mar 8
th
, 2025 at 8:29pm
Print Post
marlinguy wrote
on Mar 7
th
, 2025 at 10:55am:
You're welcome.
So do you own this rifle yet, or considering buying it?
I am considering buying it if it is a caliber I can reload for. The seller knows less than I do about Ballards. He did say he checked the caliber and it is a .25. It has no Cal. markings on the barrel and the Ser # match on the frame and barrel. he doesn't know how to check for a reversible firing pin.
IP Logged
Dellet
Frequent Elocutionist
Online
Posts: 1130
Joined: May 19
th
, 2017
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #11 -
Mar 9
th
, 2025 at 1:09am
Print Post
waterman wrote
on Mar 7
th
, 2025 at 4:12pm:
The .25 rimfires by Stevens had a groove diameter of .251. The centerfire .25/20s were .257.
That is not correct. It is an often repeated, incorrect piece of information that seems impossible to get corrected. The standard information in cartridges of the world, repeated by wiki and other sources also has an introduction date that is late by 10 years.
Here is a good discussion of it complete with patent drawing from UMC of the long version of the 25 Stevens.
(You need to
Login
or
Register
to view media files and links)
The 25 pistol cartridge that was introduced in 1860, was .250” diameter.
IP Logged
marlinguy
Frequent Elocutionist
Offline
Ballards may be weaker,
but they sure are neater!
Posts: 16732
Location: Oregon
Joined: Feb 2
nd
, 2009
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #12 -
Mar 9
th
, 2025 at 11:19am
Print Post
Longknife wrote
on Mar 8
th
, 2025 at 8:29pm:
marlinguy wrote
on Mar 7
th
, 2025 at 10:55am:
You're welcome.
So do you own this rifle yet, or considering buying it?
I am considering buying it if it is a caliber I can reload for. The seller knows less than I do about Ballards. He did say he checked the caliber and it is a .25. It has no Cal. markings on the barrel and the Ser # match on the frame and barrel. he doesn't know how to check for a reversible firing pin.
Easy to check in two ways. First is to cock the hammer and look at the rear of the firing pin shape. If it's a thin rectangle it's reversible, and if it's round it's centerfire only.
The 2nd way is by looking at the side of the breech block above the action. If the firing pin screw is close to the top of the action where the block sits above it's reversible. If it's up higher above the firing pin it's centerfire. If there's no screw at all it's a #3 .22 breech block.
(You need to
Login
or
Register
to view media files and links)
IP Logged
bobw
Frequent Elocutionist
Offline
Posts: 1718
Location: NW, Iowa
Joined: Mar 19
th
, 2013
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #13 -
Mar 9
th
, 2025 at 12:55pm
Print Post
This help?
Robert Warren
IP Logged
Longknife
Full Member
Offline
Posts: 132
Location: Illinois
Joined: Mar 26
th
, 2016
Re: Ballard .25?
Reply #14 -
Mar 11
th
, 2025 at 10:53am
Print Post
#3 ?????
IP Logged
Pages:
[1]
2
Send Topic
Print
‹
Previous Topic
|
Next Topic
›
Forum Jump »
Board Index
» 10 most recent Posts
» 10 most recent Topics
General
Announcements
General Discussion
Single Shot Rifles ««
Reloading the Single Shot Rifle
Gunsmithing Single Shot Rifles
Collecting Single Shot Rifles
Hunting with Single Shot Rifles
Rifle Photos
ASSRA Match Scores
For Sale/Trade
Support and Feedback
ASSRA.COM Feedback and Suggestions
Forum Help
Membership Support
« Board Index
‹ Board
ASSRA Forum
» Powered by
YaBB 2.6.12
!
YaBB Forum Software
© 2000-2025. All Rights Reserved.
Page completed in 1.3255 seconds.