If you'd like to hear of a potentially horrific case of sticking the wrong round into an ancient gun- you can very readily put a .44 magnum into an old Colt conversion from percussion to .44Colt. I know, because I did it into one of mine just to see. I took it out instantly- the thought of it was very sobering when you consider how many of these are out there in functioning condition but lack ammo, and some uneducated person could seek a substitute round. The modern rim is thicker, but some of thes old timers have enough room to make it go. Eeeks!

One of the issues with most Marlin Ballard rifles is the complete absence of a cartridge designation on their barrels! It wasn't until maybe 1883or 84 that Marlin began to stamp the barrels with a cartridge designation. So often new people who buy a Ballard have to try to figure out what fits it, and that can cause huge problems if they're not experienced with checking chambers. I think I might have maybe two out of three dozen original Ballard rifles that have a cartridge stamped on their barrels. And maybe three others that were rebarreled by custom gunsmiths who marked their barrels.

CW wrote yesterday at 11:28am:


That's a very high number to have Brown Mfg. parts, and a barrel with the cartridge stamp on it. I can't help but wonder if the breech block halves serial numbers match the action number? 
Your pictures show an early JM Marlin marked frame from pre 1881, but your frame and lever are not the Brown style used in early Ballards made from leftover Brown parts. Those frames had a pin at the bottom rear and a lever with a hole in it to fit over the pin. The levers had a reverse end on the end, and not the S style as yours has also. A double mainspring would be much earlier, and out of place on a #2 in the 7500 range. And cartridge stamping didn't start until the company incorporated and the rollstamp changed to Marlin Firearms Co. There may be some chance of an early parts or pieces used later on occasion if some worker found the parts under a bench or something, but it would be very unusual.
I do own one Ballard #3 that's marked JM Marlin, but is way towards the end of production with a 36,000 range serial number. It went to England, and guessing it was a leftover receiver they found after production ended and got assembled to fill a late order.

Drop the breech blocks again and check those numbers. You might have something rare if those numbers match, and an example of how Marlin used up very old parts occasionally. Or it may just be a replacement breech block.

My apologies to all for misleading you. When I first opened up the Ballard action the day I received it in the mail locked up, (the lever wouldn't move) I had the Dutcher book open as I was taking the rifle apart. I booked marked the action page (296) in the Ballard book to help me find the trouble. I think the bookmark slipped and, checking back later, I referenced it as the earlier Merrimack-Brown action incorrectly. I took it apart again today and found the error.

As far as matching numbers go, maybe not that it really matters now, all that I have seen, match, though I don’t know all the places to look.

As for penance for this blunder, I will refrain from handling or shooting any neat old rifles for the next week and, not eat ice cream for a month. Not even Vanilla!!!