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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Recent purchased #2 Ballard Project (Read 712 times)
marlinguy
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Re: Recent purchased #2 Ballard Project
Reply #15 - Apr 15th, 2026 at 11:43am
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The measurement above the case mouth should be what they are, so you're good to go.
  
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bobw
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Re: Recent purchased #2 Ballard Project
Reply #16 - Apr 15th, 2026 at 8:00pm
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Got it put back together late today, but did take it out and put 15 quick rounds through it.  I’ll look thing over closely tomorrow but all looked and worked good.   

No problems except I can get a shell past the extractor when loading, which if careful it’s not a problem but irritating if it happens.  It does pop the spent shells out nicely.  I think we have had a conversation about limiting the extractor rear travel on these Ballards but I think we decided it really can’t be done without limiting the lever travel.  I do have extractor fitted so that the lever stop it’s forward travel at the same time  extractor stops against the breech block.  When the lever relaxes after released, the extractor can be moved freely forward most of the way.  Don’t know if there is much more I can do.
Bob

  
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ssdave
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Re: Recent purchased #2 Ballard Project
Reply #17 - Apr 16th, 2026 at 1:25am
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That will be a fun rifle to use, Bob.

These 38 long loads are about twice the power of a .22 lr.  At 50 feet, with my 2" ultralite/airweight revolvers, it will hit a 12" ram every time.  Pleasant to shoot in the light revolvers.

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marlinguy
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Re: Recent purchased #2 Ballard Project
Reply #18 - Apr 16th, 2026 at 10:26am
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Bob, 
The little protrusion on the rear edge of the extractor can be taken down, or built up to limit travel, or increase travel on a Ballard.
I have a Ballard .32-40 with a Stevens-Pope barrel that Ken Bresien rebored and rifled in 1982. He built the extractor up to make it extract further, but it was built up so far it was a battle to get the extractor or breech block out! Once I got it out I ground the hump down a fair amount until it was easier to get it installed and it still pulls cases back fine.
  
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bobw
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Re: Recent purchased #2 Ballard Project
Reply #19 - Apr 16th, 2026 at 11:23am
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marlinguy wrote on Apr 16th, 2026 at 10:26am:
Bob, 
The little protrusion on the rear edge of the extractor can be taken down, or built up to limit travel, or increase travel on a Ballard.
I have a Ballard .32-40 with a Stevens-Pope barrel that Ken Bresien rebored and rifled in 1982. He built the extractor up to make it extract further, but it was built up so far it was a battle to get the extractor or breech block out! Once I got it out I ground the hump down a fair amount until it was easier to get it installed and it still pulls cases back fine.


Vall, I’m sitting in the house right now and not near the rifle.  Here’s a picture of the original extractor.  Can you explain to me the area you are referring to, to build up or remove.

#1 is the rear of the extractor and #2 the front.
#2 is pointing to the area the lever contacts to open the extractor.   
I understand building up or remove material at 2 changes the travel of the extractor but thought the rear travel was simply stopped by the breech block.
I really need to look at this rear stop closer I guess.  Thought I knew it pretty well, but maybe not.
Bob
  
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bobw
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Re: Recent purchased #2 Ballard Project
Reply #20 - Apr 16th, 2026 at 11:30am
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Thought I would add this picture of the lever showing the pocket the extractor sets in.

#2 being the part of the lever that contacts and opens the extractor.
#1 would be completely clear, with the lever open, and not part of stopping the rear travel of the extractor.
Bob
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Recent purchased #2 Ballard Project
Reply #21 - Apr 16th, 2026 at 12:58pm
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bobw wrote on Apr 16th, 2026 at 11:30am:
Thought I would add this picture of the lever showing the pocket the extractor sets in.

#2 being the part of the lever that contacts and opens the extractor.
#1 would be completely clear, with the lever open, and not part of stopping the rear travel of the extractor.
Bob


If you put the extractor in place using the lever screw and open the lever it rubs on the side of the extractor closest to the breech block. The right hand red arrow in your first picture above. By removing material there it allows the extractor to travel further back, and adding metal there stops it from moving as far back. But as I mentioned above if too much is added it makes taking the extractor and breech block very difficult to take down.
  
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bobw
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Re: Recent purchased #2 Ballard Project
Reply #22 - Apr 16th, 2026 at 5:26pm
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marlinguy wrote on Apr 16th, 2026 at 12:58pm:
bobw wrote on Apr 16th, 2026 at 11:30am:
Thought I would add this picture of the lever showing the pocket the extractor sets in.

#2 being the part of the lever that contacts and opens the extractor.
#1 would be completely clear, with the lever open, and not part of stopping the rear travel of the extractor.
Bob


If you put the extractor in place using the lever screw and open the lever it rubs on the side of the extractor closest to the breech block. The right hand red arrow in your first picture above. By removing material there it allows the extractor to travel further back, and adding metal there stops it from moving as far back. But as I mentioned above if too much is added it makes taking the extractor and breech block very difficult to take down.


I thought that’s what you were saying, but was hoping you had a magic bullet that I had not seen.   

My experience, and I may be wrong, with fitting these things is unless the flat, shown as #2 in my extractor picture, is filed down, the extractor is just stopping against the breech block when opening the action. 

When the extractor comes up against the breech block it stops the breech block from dropping all the way and the lever cannot reach its stop on the frame.  As I remove metal at #2 it allows the lever to travel further forward and the bb drops further down.  Maybe this is how the factory originally stopped the extractor from extending too far back, but it seems it would be tough on the extractor.
Bob
  
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