I love Ballard rifles. J.M. Marlins. I wish I knew how to take photos. Always shot BPCR with Ballard and HiWall. All made by Ron Long. Recently picked up a J. P. Lower Special Order in 40-70 Ballard with a .403 bore and 1 in 20 twist. PG, single trigger, 4-finger loop with medium weight 28 inch round barrel, shotgun butt 9 1/2 lb. rifle and in about 90% shape. Found a Lyman 403-173 300 grain .403 mold that throws perfectly and right at 300 gr. on the dot. Bore is perfect. Tang hunter sight with eye disc and beach bombination front. Loading 70 grains of Swiss 1 1/2 with .060 Walters Wad. Waiting for good weather.
Picked up another 13lb 40-70 SS 32 inch octagon pg, 4-finger loop, shotgun butt beauty with correct mid-range forearm. Remington barrel marked L.L. Hepburn with perfect bore. Another .403 diameter and 1 in 20 twist which is correct for the period. Tang rear with elevation screw and eyecup and Ballard front windgauge sight.
Picked up, at auction, a Perfection model in 40-90 Ballard. No front sight but with dovetail. Crazy thing is that the barrel was cut to 22 inches. Probably a saddle rifle. Rear barrel sight and bore is perfect. What a waste of a fine original barrel. However, a new barrel is on the way and will be a 40-70 SS.
Couple of months ago picked up another Perfection with shot out bore and crescent butt. New stock and barrel in 45-70 on its way. Beach combination front and Ballard Hunters rear tang. Will make a nice hunting gun.
Have several others and, when I can figure out how to take good pics and post, will get them on here. I love shooting them with Swiss or Goex.
Dutch, I share your fondness for the Ballards. I no longer own one, but I got infected reading Ned Roberts on these rifles. I always thought The Ballard Pacific No. 5 in .40-90 was the absolute nuts. Please do take photos and post them. A friend in Portland, Oregon, has a wonderful collection of Ballards and early Marlins.
There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t. – John Green, author
My old dentist had a 44-100 Ballard, that was his ..... I think, grandfathers. The rifle and original owner used it in Africa as well as hunts in the states. I shot the rifle a few times with my dentist. I wish now I had asked to read the journals.
I owned a Pacific special order 40-90 Ballard that was a 32 inch heavy barreled model with the sights set back 2 inches from the muzzle with the rear barrel elevator set back as well partially covering the caliber stamp. The sights were original set at the factory as no other indication of a dovetail. Checkered fancy French walnut stock. Rifle had some old field repairs but the bore was pretty well toast.
I was the third owner of the rifle as the original owner was traced to St. Joeseph, Missouri where he was a wagon train guide for western settlers. There was significant forearm wear evidencing saddle wear. The original owner then settled down in Mountain View, Missouri where I used to hunt for years. He owned a boarding house and 3 farms and died in the boarding house on April 4, 1926. The family I purchased this rifle from bought the rifle and other personal property from the deceased estate there and the rifle was wrapped up in a canvas cloth and stuck in a closet in Mountain View until I bought it from the family. If only that rifle could talk!
Strong enough for me. I shoot black in most of the bigger bores but IMR 4227 and 4759 in 32-40 and 38-55. Only forged actions. Cast for my .22's. I have fired over 10,000 rounds out of various makes and models no problems. I also just came onto another #5 Pacific in 40-90 with a really good bore. Looking to try it out.
