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Starter collection of Ballards (Read 514 times)

Coleat4440 Participating Member Offline Posts: 19 Location: Page County, VA Joined: Aug 15^th, 2025	Starter collection of Ballards Jan 17^th, 2026 at 11:27am	Print Post
	I recently got started into the ballards by a particular members passion for them. My first, a Ballard #2 sporting rifle in 32 long, not the prettiest rifle but it is functional and accurate. It’s been relined and shot very little since. The Second, a 3F with a nickle plated action and a nice 22 Long Bore. It came with a mid range gallery peep. Also a decent shooter. The third has yet to arrive but seems to be a bit of an oddball. It is another number 3, however it was listed as 25 caliber. Maybe rebored and chambered for 25 Stevens? We will see soon enough. It also was listed as absent firing pin. I really doubt it has been altered to centerfire, but not ruling it out just yet.


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Coleat4440 Participating Member Offline Posts: 19 Location: Page County, VA Joined: Aug 15^th, 2025	Re: Starter collection of Ballards Reply #1 - Jan 17^th, 2026 at 11:28am	Print Post
	#3F


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Coleat4440 Participating Member Offline Posts: 19 Location: Page County, VA Joined: Aug 15^th, 2025	Re: Starter collection of Ballards Reply #2 - Jan 17^th, 2026 at 11:29am	Print Post
	#3 Odball


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17698 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Starter collection of Ballards Reply #3 - Jan 17^th, 2026 at 12:20pm	Print Post
	Since it's still a #3 breech block, if it is a .25 Stevens RF it wont be hard to make a firing pin like an original #3 in .22L and it will work. Then the challenge will just be making ammo to fire it, or setting up for powder charge blanks for concrete guns and breech seat bullets to shoot it. You're off to a good start, and adding decades to your life now!

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Sure shot Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1115 Location: East central Iowa Joined: Jun 22^nd, 2020	Re: Starter collection of Ballards Reply #4 - Jan 17^th, 2026 at 12:28pm	Print Post
	If it was rebored by Stevens it'll be stamped on the barrel like this.


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Coleat4440 Participating Member Offline Posts: 19 Location: Page County, VA Joined: Aug 15^th, 2025	Re: Starter collection of Ballards Reply #5 - Jan 17^th, 2026 at 12:30pm	Print Post
	I make 25 stevens from 17 wsm ammo for my Stevens 44 already. They are a little crude but work okay. I also have some hornet brass with the pockets drilled out. These are much better. However the 32 colt is nice to shoot as well. Best to have all flavors.


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Jonathan Junior Member Offline Posts: 73 Location: THE GOOD PART OF NY Joined: Sep 5^th, 2025	Re: Starter collection of Ballards Reply #6 - Jan 17^th, 2026 at 12:58pm	Print Post
	Just wondering if that's the rifle that was sold a while back at R.I.A.? If so it will require extensive barrel work both inside and outside so the caliber is irrelevant due to the fact that it will have to be re-bored or lined anyway. If it's the same rifle I bid on it for a project gun but the cost went too high for me.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17698 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Starter collection of Ballards Reply #7 - Jan 17^th, 2026 at 1:15pm	Print Post
	Sure shot wrote on Jan 17^th, 2026 at 12:28pm: If it was rebored by Stevens it'll be stamped on the barrel like this. My #3 was done similarly, except not thee whole rollstamp like that image. It didn't have the lower line, but it also had the typical ".25 Cal." in the sort of engraved font Stevens used. All of the markings were on the bottom of the barrel, under the forearm. Guess some owner wanted it all hidden? I sold it last month, but kept the full length Stevens scope. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)

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Coleat4440 Participating Member Offline Posts: 19 Location: Page County, VA Joined: Aug 15^th, 2025	Re: Starter collection of Ballards Reply #8 - Jan 17^th, 2026 at 4:48pm	Print Post
	Yes it is the one from RIA. I was hoping for an okay bore. However a new barrel isn’t out of the question.


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GT Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2328 Location: Northeast Wyoming Joined: Jun 28^th, 2015	Re: Starter collection of Ballards Reply #9 - Jan 19^th, 2026 at 9:19am	Print Post
	It sits well with me seeing someone else becoming addicted to this affliction, although it's not really all that painful, is it? GT

	"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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Coleat4440 Participating Member Offline Posts: 19 Location: Page County, VA Joined: Aug 15^th, 2025	Re: Starter collection of Ballards Reply #10 - Jan 19^th, 2026 at 8:39pm	Print Post
	Not painful! There’s always something different about each one. Glad there’s guys like you wanting to teach. I keep saying the next one is going to be a large bore. But I guess I’ll just keep picking up what comes my way.


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