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 on Oct 8^th, 2026 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!!!

Frank's very early Marlin with Brown features also has a Brown style trigger in the breech block. The Brown buttplates that John Marlin inherited didn't always have the hole for the through bolt in the plates, but they are easy to discern as the crescent shape is much deeper than later Marlin made buttplates. Some that Marlin got weren't drilled yet, so those didn't get the visible through bolt like Brown used, but are the same buttplates. I have a very early JM Marlin 4 digits from Frank's and it has no hole for a through bolt, but the same shape.
Mine also has the same lever, and the pin in the frame, but I've seen numerous variations on this over the years, and various serial number ranges. Some have the hole in the receiver, but no pin in it. Some have the lever with hole, but no pin, and some don't have a hole in the lever. Just depended on the person assembling these guns mixing partially finished parts from Brown with new Marlin parts.
The stocks are one thing that's always serial numbered on the ends where stock and forearm meet the receiver. Buttplates are also serial numbered, as are receivers, barrels, and breech block tails. So lots of places to look for serial numbers.
Here's #529 that has the Brown lever, no pin, no hole, but has typical Marlin hammer, buttplate and trigger. An unusual .50-70 chambering.
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Here's #486 That has almost all Marlin features except for trigger, lever, pin, and buttplate. Buttplate has no hole for a through bolt. Very unusual 34" half octagon barrel in .45-70. This was the first Ballard I ever bought and it was a real mess. $200 at a local show, and I went to work restoring it as soon as I got it home. Stocks were trashed, and no finish anywhere. Trigger had about 1/3rd broken off and had to be tig welded up to repair it. I might have just built new stocks today if I found it, and not refinished the whole gun.
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I also have #469 that's a DST pistol grip action, so really strange to find a heavy flat side pistol grip, set triggered action that low. It has the early set triggers that the trigger plate sits down below the action. No idea of what caliber it originally was as it has Pope barrels now.
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Is the bore and groove diameter correct for the 38-40 using an approximate .401 diameter bullet?