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RSW
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For Sale - Ballard (Cody) Two Barrel Set
Oct 20th, 2026 at 10:18pm
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Very heavy Cody Ballard, .38-50 Rem-Hep with false muzzle and bullet starter. Also included, additional .38-55 barrel with forestock, extra extractor cut for this barrel, barrel sled made by Skip Epp. .38-50 is a Krieger barrel, 1:15 twist with rifled false muzzle by David Mos and Neal Rice when they worked for Ballard Rifle Co. .38-55 is 1:15 twist.
This is the rifle I used for some of the shooting tests in my book: The Golden Age of the American Schuetzenfest. Over the years it has proved to be quite accurate with a number of 1moa (and near 1moa) 10 shot groups shot at 200 yards. Loads were straight black, duplex and BP subs. I've found the rifle shoots equally well muzzle loaded or breech seated. The main difference when muzzle loading, you can shoot dirty with suitable conditions.
Complete 2 barrel set (scope not included) with two Steve Brooks bullet molds for muzzle loading and breech seating, 120 (approx) .38-50 cases formed from RP .30-40 brass plus additional 30 (or so) WW cases also formed from .30-40.
$4,500
I have no way to ship this outfit so a sale has to be face-to-face. I'll travel a reasonable distance to deliver.
  

Randy W
ASSRA 10211  -  ISSA 125
There are indeed two Americas. Simply put, it is not the haves and have nots. The two Americans are in reality divided into those who do and those who don't.
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Logan
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Re: For Sale - Ballard (Cody) Two Barrel Set
Reply #1 - Oct 21st, 2026 at 12:41am
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I don't understand the false muzzle on breech loading rifles. I assume its so someone can still use it if they have no cartridges? Just load it like a regular muzzle loader, being sure to add enough powder to fill the chamber? Or was it for muzzleloading competitions, so you could use one gun for muzzleloading and breech loading matches? Some of the Walker Hepburn's pictured in Tom Rowes book had them. Please enlighten me.

Logan
  
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gnoahhh
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Re: For Sale - Ballard (Cody) Two Barrel Set
Reply #2 - Oct 21st, 2026 at 1:55am
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Simply put, it's a system whereby one loads a primed and charged case into the chamber, and then loads the bullet down from the muzzle to just shy of the case mouth (or more safely vise-versa), cock the hammer and shoot. Repeat by using the same case and a fresh bullet.

It was/is a means of presenting the bullet straight and squarely into the rifling - and pre-engraving the rifling onto the bullet. Avoidance of the shenanigans a bullet goes through when emerging from a fixed ammo cartridge and into the rifling is an advantage when seeking utmost accuracy. There are more advantages to be had also such as dragging the slight burrs imparted by the rifling lands forward onto the bullet's nose and not having them appear on the all-important base of the bullet (important in that the base is the steering end of the bullet), and also the act of pushing the bullet down from the muzzle scrapes black powder fouling ahead of it thus allowing the act of "shooting dirty" that Randy alluded to (a major consideration when using black powder, not having to clean from the breech after each shot for best accuracy). 

Most of us have found that simply breech seating equals the accuracy of muzzle-breech loading, with the possible/probable exception of when shooting with black powder, but that can be debated and I've often wondered myself. All in all I believe that utmost accuracy from a single shot can best be achieved via muzzle-breech loading but simple breech seating is equal to it most often (and is relatively easier to do). If I weren't in general downsizing mode I would be plotting how to acquire this delectable setup of Mr. Wright's!!

Golly that was a mouthful. Sorry. Did I miss anything?
« Last Edit: Oct 22nd, 2026 at 1:00am by gnoahhh »  
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RJ-35-40
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Re: For Sale - Ballard (Cody) Two Barrel Set
Reply #3 - Oct 21st, 2026 at 2:20am
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Paul Shuttleworth gave me the cliff notes on False Muzzles one day in his shop in Dingmans Ferry

He was very generous with his time as is Gail is with her kind patience with newbees. 

Some 35 years later I remember that experience to this day. 

I think they both deserve a lot of credit credit keeping Scheutzen, BPCR and CBA Single Shot Rifles alive.






gnoahhh wrote on Oct 21st, 2026 at 1:55am:
Simply put, it's a system whereby one loads a primed and charged case into the chamber, and then loads the bullet down from the muzzle to just shy of the case mouth, cock the hammer and shoot. Repeat by using the same case and a fresh bullet.

It was/is a means of presenting the bullet straight and squarely into the rifling - and pre-engraving the rifling onto the bullet. Avoidance of the shenanigans a bullet goes through when emerging from a fixed ammo cartridge and into the rifling is an advantage when seeking utmost accuracy. There are more advantages to be had also such as dragging the slight burrs imparted by the rifling lands forward onto the bullet's nose and not having them appear on the all-important base of the bullet (important in that the base is the steering end of the bullet), and also the act of pushing the bullet down from the muzzle scrapes black powder fouling ahead of it thus allowing the act of "shooting dirty" that Randy alluded to (a major consideration when using black powder, not having to clean from the breech after each shot for best accuracy). 

Most of us have found that simply breech seating equals the accuracy of muzzle-breech loading, with the possible/probable exception of when shooting with black powder, but that can be debated and I've often wondered myself. All in all I believe that utmost accuracy from a single shot can best be achieved via muzzle-breech loading but simple breech seating is equal to it most often (and is relatively easier to do). If I weren't in general downsizing mode I would be plotting how to acquire this delectable setup of Mr. Wright's!!

Golly that was a mouthful. Sorry. Did I miss anything?

« Last Edit: Oct 21st, 2026 at 2:34am by RJ-35-40 »  
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Logan
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Re: For Sale - Ballard (Cody) Two Barrel Set
Reply #4 - Oct 22nd, 2026 at 12:43am
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Very interesting, thanks a bunch for filling me in! 

Logan
  
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Re: For Sale - Ballard (Cody) Two Barrel Set
Reply #5 - Oct 22nd, 2026 at 5:40pm
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I think the muzzle loading only works with black powder. It's too hard to shove a groove diameter bullet down the barrel. IIRC a close to bore diameter bullet is used, then the explosive force of the black powder obturates the base of the bullet to groove diameter. Smokeless powder doesn't have the same instantaneous force as black powder.
  
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gunlaker
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Re: For Sale - Ballard (Cody) Two Barrel Set
Reply #6 - yesterday at 1:09am
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Rsw it's probably a good thing you won't ship it.  That would be hard on my wallet and impossible to resist 😀
  
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portside
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Re: For Sale - Ballard (Cody) Two Barrel Set
Reply #7 - yesterday at 3:03pm
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Simply put, it's a system whereby one loads a primed and charged case into the chamber, and then loads the bullet down from the muzzle to just shy of the case mouth, cock the hammer and shoot. Repeat by using the same case and a fresh bullet.

I find it hard to agree with, charging the case with a primer and powder then, puting it in the chamber "BEFORE" loading the slug.
  
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RSW
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Re: For Sale - Ballard (Cody) Two Barrel Set
Reply #8 - yesterday at 8:16pm
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portside
Breech-Muzzle Loading is an artifact of the old Schuetzen game (c.1880-1920) before smokeless powder supplanted black powder, duplex and semi smokeless powders for target shooting. 
It would be dangerous to insert a loaded cartridge before muzzle loading a bullet and was specifically disallowed in any of the old Schuetzen matches.
Loading was done behind the firing line at a loading table and it was allowed to breech seat or muzzle load a bullet but not a cartridge. With seated bullet the rifle could be brought to the firing line, placed in a rack until it was the shooter's turn to fire. Once on the firing line, the shooter could insert his cartridge with the muzzle pointed down range. After taking his shot, the shooter extracted the fired cartridge and with the rifle breech open and muzzle pointed up, he returned to the loading bench to prepare himself and rifle for next shot.
Seems like a complex P.I.T.A but it really isn't.
All of this is explained in great detail in my book: The Golden Age of the American Schuetzenfest
  

Randy W
ASSRA 10211  -  ISSA 125
There are indeed two Americas. Simply put, it is not the haves and have nots. The two Americans are in reality divided into those who do and those who don't.
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Re: For Sale - Ballard (Cody) Two Barrel Set
Reply #9 - yesterday at 11:55pm
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The Golden Age of the American Schuetzenfest. A great read and as Randy said, a detailed explanation of how loading the bullet from
the muzzle is done and also was implemented on this very rifle to achieve excellent accuracy.
The history, equipment, famous marksmen and even a step back in time 
to follow an imagined participant in a match through his eyes. Very entertaining and informative. 

HG
  
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