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Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. (Read 929 times)

RJ-35-40 Full Member Offline Posts: 167 Joined: Dec 7^th, 2016	Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. May 30^th, 2025 at 11:45am	Print Post
	Is a 32 Rimfire 3 line Cast Receiver Ballard (don't know the Ballard number) sufficiently strong to re chamber to 32-20. Also, if I had the receiver bone and charcoal color case hardened, would that be advisable? Thanks in advance for any thoughts. Bob (RJ-35-40)


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16862 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #1 - May 30^th, 2025 at 12:19pm	Print Post
	I've owned numerous cast #2 Ballard rifles in .32-20, and still have one that I shoot. It's been fully restored with a new lined barrel, and new case colors, and shoots amazing. I shoot loads around 1400 fps using 2400 and a 115 gr. bullet. I used the same loads in others I've owned and I think at this velocity and pressure there's no problem with a cast #2. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)

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rifleman Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 267 Joined: Aug 4^th, 2015	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #2 - May 30^th, 2025 at 1:01pm	Print Post
	I also had a cast 32/20. I loaded more conservative than Marlinguy. No problems at all except I Shot a coyote in the hind end with it one time at about 100 yards and All it did was make him run a bit faster


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RJ-35-40 Full Member Offline Posts: 167 Joined: Dec 7^th, 2016	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #3 - May 30^th, 2025 at 1:08pm	Print Post
	Thanks Val, That a beautiful rifle. Would you share with us who did the case coloring and the stock.. marlinguy wrote on May 30^th, 2025 at 12:19pm: I've owned numerous cast #2 Ballard rifles in .32-20, and still have one that I shoot. It's been fully restored with a new lined barrel, and new case colors, and shoots amazing. I shoot loads around 1400 fps using 2400 and a 115 gr. bullet. I used the same loads in others I've owned and I think at this velocity and pressure there's no problem with a cast #2. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)


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RJ-35-40 Full Member Offline Posts: 167 Joined: Dec 7^th, 2016	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #4 - May 30^th, 2025 at 1:09pm	Print Post
	Thanks 'Rifleman' Good to get another positive confirmation....! rifleman wrote on May 30^th, 2025 at 1:01pm: I also had a cast 32/20. I loaded more conservative than Marlinguy. No problems at all except I Shot a coyote in the hind end with it one time at about 100 yards and All it did was make him run a bit faster


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16862 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #5 - May 30^th, 2025 at 3:03pm	Print Post
	RJ-35-40 wrote on May 30^th, 2025 at 1:08pm: Thanks Val, That a beautiful rifle. Would you share with us who did the case coloring and the stock.. marlinguy wrote on May 30^th, 2025 at 12:19pm: I've owned numerous cast #2 Ballard rifles in .32-20, and still have one that I shoot. It's been fully restored with a new lined barrel, and new case colors, and shoots amazing. I shoot loads around 1400 fps using 2400 and a 115 gr. bullet. I used the same loads in others I've owned and I think at this velocity and pressure there's no problem with a cast #2. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) It was not done by someone who does it for a living, but he's one of the best home gunsmiths I've ever met. Russ Gent did all the work on this Ballard, and I bought it finished as it is. Unfortunately Russ had some health issues and isn't doing any gunsmithing even for himself currently. Not sure if he will return to it or not? I bought my latest Ballard from Russ two weeks ago at Greeley, which made the 7th or 8th Russ has sold me over many years. One of my favorite people, and just a really good guy.

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Bent_Ramrod Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1515 Location: Southern Arizona Joined: Feb 8^th, 2006	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #6 - May 30^th, 2025 at 3:59pm	Print Post
	I have a cast receiver originally in.38 RF/CF relined to .32-20. No problem with the receiver strength with any reasonable load, but some of the more "Hi-Speed" loadings tend to stretch that stingy little link and its two skinny little pins until the lever droops. I've started loading black powder in the cartridges for this rifle since I'm tired of making new links and pins.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16862 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #7 - Jun 1^st, 2025 at 10:48am	Print Post
	Bent_Ramrod wrote on May 30^th, 2025 at 3:59pm: I have a cast receiver originally in.38 RF/CF relined to .32-20. No problem with the receiver strength with any reasonable load, but some of the more "Hi-Speed" loadings tend to stretch that stingy little link and its two skinny little pins until the lever droops. I've started loading black powder in the cartridges for this rifle since I'm tired of making new links and pins. Not sure why the link would stretch or have anymore wear on it from .32-20 cartridges that were a little warm vs. Some of the really large base long cartridges the Forged actions were chambered in? Everything except the receiver is the same strength on all Ballard rifles. Marlin didn't make different breech blocks, or links for cast vs. forged actions. And the way the Ballard action locks up the pressure would be putting force down on the links, not up to stretch it. If it could it might shrink the length, but I've never seen that myself. I have 3 dozen Ballard rifles that have always gotten smokeless loads in them all the years I've shot them. But none of my loads are above 25,000 psi, and most are under 20,000.

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RJ-35-40 Full Member Offline Posts: 167 Joined: Dec 7^th, 2016	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #8 - Jun 1^st, 2025 at 7:52pm	Print Post
	Val, RE: Cast Ballard receiver be filled to strengthen the receiver. Ever heard of anyone filling the voids of the receiver to do this? marlinguy wrote on Jun 1^st, 2025 at 10:48am: Bent_Ramrod wrote on May 30^th, 2025 at 3:59pm: I have a cast receiver originally in.38 RF/CF relined to .32-20. No problem with the receiver strength with any reasonable load, but some of the more "Hi-Speed" loadings tend to stretch that stingy little link and its two skinny little pins until the lever droops. I've started loading black powder in the cartridges for this rifle since I'm tired of making new links and pins. Not sure why the link would stretch or have anymore wear on it from .32-20 cartridges that were a little warm vs. Some of the really large base long cartridges the Forged actions were chambered in? Everything except the receiver is the same strength on all Ballard rifles. Marlin didn't make different breech blocks, or links for cast vs. forged actions. And the way the Ballard action locks up the pressure would be putting force down on the links, not up to stretch it. If it could it might shrink the length, but I've never seen that myself. I have 3 dozen Ballard rifles that have always gotten smokeless loads in them all the years I've shot them. But none of my loads are above 25,000 psi, and most are under 20,000.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16862 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #9 - Jun 2^nd, 2025 at 10:20am	Print Post
	No, and I doubt it would make much difference over the void being left hollow. It wont change the metallurgy of a cast vs. forged receiver enough to make it much stronger. They usually crack at the inside corners where the receiver ring turns almost 90 degrees to go back towards the buttstock. I have seen a couple that were chambered on way too big a cartridge like .45-70 and .40-65 that totally failed blowing into pieces, but usually they crack at the inside corners first.

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RJ-35-40 Full Member Offline Posts: 167 Joined: Dec 7^th, 2016	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #10 - Jun 2^nd, 2025 at 2:27pm	Print Post
	THANKS..! marlinguy wrote on Jun 2^nd, 2025 at 10:20am: No, and I doubt it would make much difference over the void being left hollow. It wont change the metallurgy of a cast vs. forged receiver enough to make it much stronger. They usually crack at the inside corners where the receiver ring turns almost 90 degrees to go back towards the buttstock. I have seen a couple that were chambered on way too big a cartridge like .45-70 and .40-65 that totally failed blowing into pieces, but usually they crack at the inside corners first.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16862 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #11 - Jun 2^nd, 2025 at 4:31pm	Print Post
	I've mentioned this before, but I've got a very unusual Ballard that's a cast action and chambered in .32-40 Ballard. It's built like a deluxe Union Hill with nickeled receiver, small farrow buttplate, deluxe wood and checkering, horn tip forearm, pistol grip action, and half octagon barrel. It was originally a .32 Long, but someone had the barrel bored and rifled larger, and chambered it in .32-40. It was such a pretty and unusual #2 that I overlooked the fact it's a cast receiver. I have only shot it as a breech seater because that lowers pressures even more. The twist rate is unusually fast at 1:15" which stabilizes heavier bullets, but I shoot 170 gr. in it. I've owned this Ballard and shot it a long time, and use light loads and breech seated bullets all the time. It shoots amazingly well and it doesn't scare me to shoot my loads in it at all. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)

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burntwater Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 476 Location: Michigan Joined: Feb 5^th, 2018	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #12 - Jun 2^nd, 2025 at 7:01pm	Print Post
	I'd like to stick my head in here and ask a simple question. Over the years following the cast vs forged/milled discussions it appears the knowledge base refers to " cast " as being inferior. Follow-up posts detailing techniques on inspecting the receiver to confirm cast vs milled don't really answer my question. So let me ask are Ballard receivers cast 'iron' or cast 'steel' ? There is a big difference between the two depending on type of pressure and designed application. As a general rule your grey iron and some others offer less ductility and therefore are considered brittle in tension, but cast iron is the master in heavy compression load applications. However cast steel offers more ductility and overall toughness and is therefore the best metal for designs where tension loads are paramount. So I'm wondering what Ballard rifles are made of ? Rick


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GT Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2143 Location: Northeast Wyoming Joined: Jun 28^th, 2015	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #13 - Jun 2^nd, 2025 at 9:12pm	Print Post
	Rick, The cast Ballard is "cast iron" originally, there were a few more steps of heating and processing to make a malleable iron the way the finished product came out. A member from this forum that passed recently and I, had a long drawn out email conversation about this. I can't find the details and processes used - in my mess currently - but it is interesting how they came to be. If I stumble on it I'll post it as it's an interesting read. If another member has this info, somebody else here was copied in the conversation and I don't recall who it was... please post the details if you have them. Greg

	"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk" T. A. Edison "The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right" M.T.
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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16862 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Cast Ballard Receiver strength Question. Reply #14 - Jun 3^rd, 2025 at 9:26am	Print Post
	I agree with Greg. They are cast iron, but not as simple as just cast iron as Marlin used a heat treat process I've been told to make the cast iron more malleable to not let it be as brittle as it was when first cast. Hope Greg finds the process as I've not heard details on it.

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