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Ballard Pacific inlay (Read 990 times)

westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12021 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Ballard Pacific inlay Nov 18^th, 2025 at 11:51pm	Print Post
	Is my Pacific the only one with an inlay in the forestock?

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TomKlinger Full Member Offline Posts: 185 Location: Central Florida Joined: Feb 17^th, 2019	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #1 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 7:16am	Print Post
	Westerner, Maybe someone damage the stock somehow at the ramrod hole and repaired it with an inlay. Tom Klinger


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #2 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 9:54am	Print Post
	Is it a JM Marlin marked Pacific, and a low serial number Joe?

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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12021 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #3 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 10:34am	Print Post
	Yes, JM Marlin. 10 K serial number.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12021 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #4 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 10:38am	Print Post
	TomKlinger wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 7:16am: Westerner, Maybe someone damage the stock somehow at the ramrod hole and repaired it with an inlay. Tom Klinger Either that or Marlin used a hard piece of wood there to prevent damage. Hard to find pictures of that specific area on the internet.

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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #5 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 11:52am	Print Post
	It does look like wood in your picture, which I've never seen on a Marlin Ballard. But almost every early JM Marlin marked Ballard had ebony inserts in the forearms of the Sporting Rifle models. I wonder if your Pacific also had one and it fell out; then someone made a wood insert to fill the empty Vee?

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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12021 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #6 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 12:53pm	Print Post
	I didn't know the Pacific model had any kind of inlay in the forestock. Who knows with old single shots. The inlay has been there a long time. And it is wood. Lighter in color than the rest of the stock. Lignum Vitae?

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oneatatime Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 4186 Location: Rocky Mountains Joined: Oct 30^th, 2011	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #7 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 1:49pm	Print Post
	Somehow I don't think it would be Lignum Vitae. It is an extremely hard and dense (it won't float!) wood whose oily properties made it largely used for ships shaft bearings. For example, it was used in PT boats for that and you might imagine the beating those shafts took. There is a Lignumvitae Key (now a state park accessible only by boat) in the Florida keys which has stands of the trees. The first 2 experimental PT boats were build in a boatyard in Miami just before the war.


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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12021 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #8 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 2:08pm	Print Post
	Lignum Vitae, old world hard facing. Lignum Vitae would be the perfect wood to protect a forestock from wiping rod entry hole damage. There are dams on the Columbia river that have rotors running in Lignum Vitae bearings. One dam was built in the 1930s and as of 2004 the bearings were still going strong. Out in the wood pile is a chunk of Lignum big enough to make at least a thousand inlays like the one in my Ballard. Unlikely? Imagine someone making a Ballard rifle with Bolivian Rosewood. There are some real kooks out there...

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
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oneatatime Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 4186 Location: Rocky Mountains Joined: Oct 30^th, 2011	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #9 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 2:44pm	Print Post
	You've got a good point there, especially if it is turning at 1200 rpm as it goes in;-)
	« Last Edit: Nov 19^th, 2025 at 3:14pm by oneatatime »

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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #10 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 3:34pm	Print Post
	westerner wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 2:08pm: Lignum Vitae, old world hard facing. Lignum Vitae would be the perfect wood to protect a forestock from wiping rod entry hole damage. There are dams on the Columbia river that have rotors running in Lignum Vitae bearings. One dam was built in the 1930s and as of 2004 the bearings were still going strong. Out in the wood pile is a chunk of Lignum big enough to make at least a thousand inlays like the one in my Ballard. Unlikely? Imagine someone making a Ballard rifle with Bolivian Rosewood. There are some real kooks out there... I've been told that rosewood was one option Marlin offered for their stocks, but not sure I've ever seen it? Not sure if the Pacifics made early on with JM Marlin had a ebony Vee insert or not, but other hunting models stamped JM Marlin did. All got dropped later after 1881, except for special orders.

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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12021 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #11 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 3:52pm	Print Post
	Anyone that reads this thread and has a Pacific rifle, please look to see if it has an inlay, no matter the material. People who have nothing better to do want to know.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12021 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #12 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 3:57pm	Print Post
	I read somewhere that in a certain serial range, Ballard stocks resembled rosewood but are not rosewood. I have one, a special order #9 in the 16K range. The wood resembles rosewood. Back in them days if you had the money you could get anything.

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oneatatime Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 4186 Location: Rocky Mountains Joined: Oct 30^th, 2011	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #13 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 4:01pm	Print Post
	Joe, if yours ever falls out you could replace it with a nice agate or even petrified wood.


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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12021 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #14 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 4:12pm	Print Post
	It can't fall out because it encircles the wiping rod. Is about a half inch thick at the tip of the forestock. So if I never take the rod out.

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kootne Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 458 Location: Libby, Mt. Joined: Mar 6^th, 2012	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #15 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 7:37pm	Print Post
	That inlay was originally horn, I am pretty sure all of those vee shaped inlays on Ballard forearms, and pistol grip stocks along with the forend caps were horn.

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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12021 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #16 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 9:29pm	Print Post
	Horn sounds right. Is that horn?

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12021 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #17 - Nov 19^th, 2025 at 10:00pm	Print Post
	TomKlinger wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 7:16am: Westerner, Maybe someone damage the stock somehow at the ramrod hole and repaired it with an inlay. Tom Klinger I think you're right, Tom. Looked inside and see bedding compound. Looks sorta like Microbed. Would still like to see other Pacifics with the inlay.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
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cellargun Junior Member Offline Posts: 92 Joined: Feb 28^th, 2022	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #18 - Nov 20^th, 2025 at 8:07am	Print Post
	westerner wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 3:52pm: Anyone that reads this thread and has a Pacific rifle, please look to see if it has an inlay, no matter the material. People who have nothing better to do want to know. My recently acquired Pacific doesn’t have a forend inlay of any type. Marlinguy says it’s a late production rifle if that makes any difference.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #19 - Nov 20^th, 2025 at 10:00am	Print Post
	cellargun wrote on Nov 20^th, 2025 at 8:07am: westerner wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 3:52pm: Anyone that reads this thread and has a Pacific rifle, please look to see if it has an inlay, no matter the material. People who have nothing better to do want to know. My recently acquired Pacific doesn’t have a forend inlay of any type. Marlinguy says it’s a late production rifle if that makes any difference. Yes, none of the later hunting or sporting models had the V insert like the JM Marlin marked had.

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GT Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2273 Location: Northeast Wyoming Joined: Jun 28^th, 2015	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #20 - Nov 20^th, 2025 at 12:21pm	Print Post
	Wes, I checked, for those with not much to do... Mine doesn't, it's a serial number 29XXX

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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #21 - Nov 20^th, 2025 at 4:28pm	Print Post
	The key is the rollstamp on the left side of the receiver! If it's not JM Marlin marked it wont have an inlay V tip. I see very few Pacific models with JM Marlin rollstamps for some reason. I know the Pacific was offered as one of the earliest models by Marlin, but for whatever reason I don't see originals that are JM Marlin marked. Likely just because they saw heavy use with hunters, and the JM Marlin marked receivers I do see are in use on custom rifles. I'm guessing they were well worn, so good candidates for custom builds.

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cellargun Junior Member Offline Posts: 92 Joined: Feb 28^th, 2022	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #22 - Nov 20^th, 2025 at 7:54pm	Print Post
	I had my Pacific out for show and tell when a friend stopped by today and paid special attention to the forend. The forend is 10" long, but there are rub marks on the barrel out to 10 3/4". What is the correct length? I'm guessing the longer dimension based on the rub marks, so it could be possible it had an insert at some point. Buuuut, it's not a JM receiver, so who knows?


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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12021 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #23 - Nov 21^st, 2025 at 12:14am	Print Post
	Mine is 10 inches long.

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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #24 - Nov 21^st, 2025 at 9:09am	Print Post
	The two I own are both MFC marked and 10" long. Ballard forearm lengths do vary a bit among different models, but I only have two Pacific models to compare, so not enough to definitively say on this model.

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kootne Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 458 Location: Libby, Mt. Joined: Mar 6^th, 2012	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #25 - Nov 21^st, 2025 at 11:24am	Print Post
	Forearms on almost all Marlin Ballards are 10" if original, unworn and unmessed with. Some models with barrels typically longer than 30" used an 11" forearm, #7's come to mind. The nominal 10" or 11" include the horn fore-end caps as used on higher grade models. The vee shaped inserts were on most models of lower grade rifles in the early years.

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bohemianway Oldtimer Offline Posts: 667 Location: Andover, MN Joined: Apr 16^th, 2004	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #26 - Nov 22^nd, 2025 at 1:18pm	Print Post
	My pacific:


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #27 - Nov 22^nd, 2025 at 2:05pm	Print Post
	bohemianway wrote on Nov 22^nd, 2025 at 1:18pm: My pacific: Cool! Can I assume it's a "JM Marlin" marked receiver? What serial number range without giving it all.

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bohemianway Oldtimer Offline Posts: 667 Location: Andover, MN Joined: Apr 16^th, 2004	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #28 - Nov 23^rd, 2025 at 9:30pm	Print Post
	J.M. Marlin #7647 w/ 30.75" bbl that if it was shortened it was done a very long time ago as the muzzle patina matches the rest. 40-63 originally that someone rechambered to 40-82 with an excellent bore. Grey on the outside so an ideal shooter. Charles


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Ballard Pacific inlay Reply #29 - yesterday at 11:45am	Print Post
	bohemianway wrote on Nov 23^rd, 2025 at 9:30pm: J.M. Marlin #7647 w/ 30.75" bbl that if it was shortened it was done a very long time ago as the muzzle patina matches the rest. 40-63 originally that someone rechambered to 40-82 with an excellent bore. Grey on the outside so an ideal shooter. Charles It is an odd non standard barrel length, so likely did get shortened. But since it's rechambered also no big deal, and as long as it shoots well that's the important part.

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