I just got my hands on a Ballard #2 marked 38 Long, an early 7000 SN.
It has been relined and then chambered with someone's Black and Decker in the garage by the look of it with a bore scope. 
I think it is a forged action frame. I dropped the action out and inspected it. What are the chances?  I know the normal way to look for this. It passes.

CW wrote on Oct 4^th, 2026 at 3:52pm:


If it is a #2 it would be a rare one to be forged. Did you look under the barrel with the breech block removed? If you see a void you can stick your pinky into it's a cast action. I assume it's a reversible firing pin also? 
Sounds like it's going to need another liner if they screwed up the chamber reaming.

Okay, that worked. 
More...

You have a cast frame.



Tom Klinger

Michael,
It looks like a cast frame.
here's a comparison, RH is a cast frame, LH is a forged
G

More thoughts.
If I should find out that the 38-40 Win case head thrust is too much for the cast action, the same working chamber pressure, only using a smaller case head, say a 32-20 Win. as an example, would have less thrust on the block. 

Please check my thinking here.
Simple math being the difference in rim area. In other words, Pi R squared of the larger case rim, minus Pi R squared of the smaller case rim equals the difference in back thrust on the block.

I am really not interested in changing out the liner if there is any other way to use what is there now. I am happy with the rifle overall. It is in really good shape.

I would call it marginally ok. Frankly, because it's a Ballard and as such being worthy of all the love bestowable on it ( ), I would re-line it and chamber for something friendlier.

I may pass it on to someone or reline it. I am not sure and will have to think about it for a while. 

I will put some baby loads through it just to get an idea of what a poor chamber could do for accuracy. Maybe it will shoot better than it looks.

I am on the fence for keeping it, mainly due to not wanting one more thing to deal with on my long list. I was hoping this would a "load and go" rifle purchase.   

If I did find the desire to re-line it, what do you think is on the "safe choice" list of chamberings? I was thinking 32-20WCF, but now leaning more to 25-20 WCF as being more useful to me.