I recently purchased a Ballard rifle & was wondering what is the best book to purchase about the rifles?

The Guide to the Ballard Breechloader by George Layman comes up in an Internet search.

Wayne

KFW wrote on Jul 23^rd, 2025 at 8:36pm:


Agree.

CHRIS

Thanks guys,

At this time I'm not prepard to spend $400, which is the lowest price I've found after searching at least 20 sites.

Since this is my 1st Ballard I'll most likely pick up The Guide to the Ballard Breechloader by George Layman.  It's listed on many sites for $23 new, & used in good shape for around $13 + shipping.

Wayne

marlinguy wrote on Jul 23^rd, 2025 at 11:34pm:


Thanks Marlinguy.  That sounds like a good plan.

Wayne

TomKlinger wrote on Jul 24^th, 2025 at 4:59am:


Yes, post some info and pictures and we can get you started towards knowing what you've got.

marlinguy wrote on Jul 24^th, 2025 at 9:33am:


It's on the way to me now - should have it by Friday.  Originally in 38-55, it's been rebored & converted to 40-65, my favorite caliber for BPCR silhouette.  The seller says he believes it's a #4.  Here's a link to the sellers listing on this forum with photos.  I got it for several hundred less than the asking price.

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Wayne

Yes, that Ballard would be considered a Special Order No. 4 if it had left the factory with the double set triggers. A typical #4 wouldn't have DST, that gorgeous wood with cheek piece, and would have a crescent steel buttplate. 
That's a gorgeous Ballard done by one of the best singleshot gunsmith we ever had. Any John King rifle is always well worth owning. You did great!

TomKlinger wrote on Jul 24^th, 2025 at 3:54pm:



Amen!

Keep us posted on your results….



Tom Klinger

marlinguy wrote on Jul 24^th, 2025 at 7:04pm:


Marlinguy,

You're right, but I've also put many thousands of rounds thru a Browning 1885 BPCR which does not require cocking the hammer prior to opening the lever.

Wayne

marlinguy wrote on Jul 25^th, 2025 at 9:38am:


Vall,

Yes, the Miroku Browning or Winchester 1885 can be lowered with the hammer cocked.  Your're the 2nd person to warn me about the Ballards due to this thread.  I received a PM yesterday with the same warning in which he further stated it will bust the tip of the trigger off which I assume is the sear.  I'll have to check out the action to determine why.  Can the action be safely opened when the hammer is at half-cock?

Going from the Browning's to the Sharps, I had to remember to half cock the Sharps prior to opening the action or risk breaking a firing pin, which I eventually did.

Wayne

RD Gun books usually has the least expensive books that I have found. (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

There is also one for auction sale on Ebay which has 4 days to go. I have watched ebay for Dutcher"s book and got one for $200 while there were 2 others for sale priced below $300. Be Patient!

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At $123.50 with one day to go.  Free shipping!

Mike.

4570mike wrote on Jul 29^th, 2025 at 2:25pm:


Mike,

The shipping was not free - cost me $19.  But even at that + sales tax it was the cheapest I could find. Thanks.

Wayne

texasmac wrote on Jul 30^th, 2025 at 4:21pm:


Even at that price it's well worth owning Wayne! It is the best gun book ever published, regardless of topic. I've told plenty of people that everyone who writes a gun book should look through John's book and copy his format exactly.
I've also asked John to do another run just to run down prices of used copies, but I understand he's getting up there and not interested in another run.
I've got two copies, and one I got when John was bringing them back from the printer, he autographed it for me. I later bought a 2nd copy that I could not have to be so careful with the 1st copy as I'm perusing mine at least once or twice a week.

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.