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Forged frame Ballard (Read 517 times)

jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2130 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Forged frame Ballard Sep 16^th, 2026 at 2:26pm	Print Post
	Does a "forged" frame Ballard receiver have a hollowed out area on the inside of the receiver wall. I know underneath the barrel threaded part is solid. JMH


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TomKlinger Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 299 Location: Central Florida Joined: Feb 17^th, 2019	Re: Forged frame Ballard Reply #1 - Sep 16^th, 2026 at 3:56pm	Print Post
	Inside of the receiver is smooth and machined. The forged actions mostly with few exceptions have a two line address on the left side…. Tom Klinger


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jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2130 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Re: Forged frame Ballard Reply #2 - Sep 16^th, 2026 at 9:12pm	Print Post
	Mine is the "two line" model but it has the hollowed out area in the side walls. I was under the impression it was forged. I had planned on making it a 38-50 Ballard caliber. Don't know what to do now... JMH


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TomKlinger Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 299 Location: Central Florida Joined: Feb 17^th, 2019	Re: Forged frame Ballard Reply #3 - Sep 16^th, 2026 at 9:40pm	Print Post
	Jim, Yours is forged. Let me be more clear, the forged actions do have the hollowed area where the block sits but, it is machined in. The inside of the block is machined and smooth…. Tom Klinger


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Oakdale Full Member Offline Posts: 128 Location: Maplewood, MN Joined: Jun 7^th, 2017	Re: Forged frame Ballard Reply #4 - Sep 17^th, 2026 at 9:05am	Print Post
	Not sure where to ask this non Ballard question but about a “frame” none the less. The two tangs of a CPA. When removed from the wood, do the two tangs have any “spring”? Can they be coaxed to spread apart slightly? Or are they “brittle” and should not be messed with? Thanks! Tom


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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12554 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Forged frame Ballard Reply #5 - Sep 17^th, 2026 at 10:02am	Print Post
	.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 18273 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Forged frame Ballard Reply #6 - Sep 17^th, 2026 at 10:05am	Print Post
	jhm wrote on Sep 16^th, 2026 at 9:12pm: Mine is the "two line" model but it has the hollowed out area in the side walls. I was under the impression it was forged. I had planned on making it a 38-50 Ballard caliber. Don't know what to do now... JMH If the area under the receiver threads is hollow where you could stick your pinky finger in the hollow it's a cast receiver; regardless of whether it's 2 line or not. I've seen two line cast receivers, and I also own a beautiful forged Rigby Ballard with a 3 line address stamp. So 2 or 3 line doesn't confirm anything all the time. Hollow areas on the inside of both side walls are found on forged and cast receivers. Under the barrel threads is where to look.

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jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2130 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Re: Forged frame Ballard Reply #7 - Sep 17^th, 2026 at 12:03pm	Print Post
	Ok mine is good then as it looks like the one on the right. What had me confused (it don't take a lot to do that now days) is I have one of Rodney's kits and the side walls are solid. The owner said he didn't know much about Ballards but was told it was a forged action. If I go with the 38-50 cal can you use a 38-55 reamer and short chamber it? JMH


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bobw Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2206 Joined: Mar 19^th, 2013	Re: Forged frame Ballard Reply #8 - Sep 17^th, 2026 at 12:22pm	Print Post
	Oakdale wrote on Sep 17^th, 2026 at 9:05am: Not sure where to ask this non Ballard question but about a “frame” none the less. The two tangs of a CPA. When removed from the wood, do the two tangs have any “spring”? Can they be coaxed to spread apart slightly? Or are they “brittle” and should not be messed with? Thanks! Tom I obviously don’t know what you are trying to do, but if you are going to try and change the bend in a tang, even slightly, I would not do it cold. It will break at one of the threaded holes in the lower tang…speaking from experience. Not saying it won’t work, but I would not chance it. Not worth a broken tang. I always use a form jig when bending and use red heat with threaded plugs in the screw holes. Bob


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 18273 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Forged frame Ballard Reply #9 - Sep 17^th, 2026 at 12:51pm	Print Post
	jhm wrote on Sep 17^th, 2026 at 12:03pm: Ok mine is good then as it looks like the one on the right. What had me confused (it don't take a lot to do that now days) is I have one of Rodney's kits and the side walls are solid. The owner said he didn't know much about Ballards but was told it was a forged action. If I go with the 38-50 cal can you use a 38-55 reamer and short chamber it? JMH No. Not unless the .38-50 you're referring to is the old Ballard .38-50. The typical .38-50 Remington-Hepburn is a totally different cartridge and has the base and rim diameters of a .30-40 Krag brass. It's a longer 2.23" chamber, so not shorter than .38-55 Ballard.

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jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2130 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Re: Forged frame Ballard Reply #10 - Sep 17^th, 2026 at 7:22pm	Print Post
	No I was talking about the Ballard round. Found it in the Cartridges of the World book and thought it would be fitting. The breech blocks were toast so I am machining a new set including set triggers sear and hammer. I couldn't find any original or castings since Rodney sold out so had to make them from scratch. GT said about thirty hours for triggers and he was about right. I am using skills I haven't used since before I retired. Had to make some tooling too. I am going to post some pictures if I can find someone who will post them for me. JMH


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 18273 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Forged frame Ballard Reply #11 - Sep 18^th, 2026 at 11:27am	Print Post
	Why not just ream the chamber for .38-55 and call it whatever you want? I think if you short chamber it you'll find the taper of the reamer will not cut enough diameter to allow you to use shortened .38-55 brass. Why cause yourself grief instead of making it easier, and using available brass?

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jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2130 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Re: Forged frame Ballard Reply #12 - Sep 18^th, 2026 at 3:47pm	Print Post
	Makes sense. That is probably what I will do. Just shoot black powder in it. I can call it a 38-50 Ballard "extra long". JMH


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