Wayne,

I typed a long response, but it disappeared into a puff of electrons, so this is the abbreviated version.  I think of you as a thoughtful, thorough researcher, so I’ll share what I know about Ballards in print.  The Dutcher book, as you have been informed and discovered already for yourself , is the undisputed leader in the field.  Not perfect but way ahead of the only other two I am aware of specifically and completely devoted to Ballards. 

These others will probably seem redundant, but for the sake of completeness, I’ll mention both of them.  The George Layman book, of which you’ve already heard, is fairly easily found and although it has some serious shortcomings, is probably worth owning or at least perusing.  It does a fair job of enumerating the features of the various models.

Possibly the earliest “complete” treatment of Ballards was actually a listing and discussion of one man’s collection. The Milwaukee Museum’s report of the Henry J. Nunnemacher Collection was done by Eldon Wolfe in the ‘30s(?) and although original copies turn up from time, there have been two additional printings.  I find this book to be useful, and until Dutcher it was the definitive source. There is a copy of the 2nd printing on fleaBay right now for a “Buy it Now” of $35.99 OBO with free shipping.  Reference;

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Our friend Vall knows a lot more about Ballards than I ever will, but I’ve used these three books to hold my own among the mere mortals of the Ballard World.  Drop me a PM if I can be of more help.

Best regards,
Charlie the Frog

Many of the rifles in the Nunnemacher collection were put together by him to make up rifles to represent the models made by Marlin. I believe that he used catalogue descriptions to build from. As far as I know he was the first tell collector of Ballards, but they were only part of his vast collection of firearms.
Cheers 
Laurie

Green_Frog wrote on Jul 31^st, 2025 at 9:26pm:


Green_Frog

Thanks for the additional details.  I already have George Lyman's book & both Dutcher's & Eldon Wolfe's books are on the way.

In a week or two I should know more than marlinguy.  .  Just kidding Vall.  I need all the help I can get.

Wayne

rkba2nd wrote on Jul 31^st, 2025 at 10:55pm:


John owned a lot more than Ballard rifles, and even recently has purchased others beyond Ballard rifles. He was of course a big fan of anything George Schoyen made, and still is.

KensBullard wrote on Aug 1^st, 2025 at 10:05am:


Back about 25 years ago I first met John at the Denver show and he was sitting at his table with a stack of papers and pictures sitting on the floor that was taller than the table top by at least a foot! It was all Ballard related paperwork and images, and he said it was going to become a Ballard book. I asked him how all that material was going to become one book, and he said that was his current problem to go through it all and decide what would sorted into just one book. I think he could have made at least 3 books, but might not have been the quality of the one he ended up assembling.