32 Long Colt safe in Ballard Action

[John Allen]

Fellas, I just finally manged to scrounge some 32 long colt. It is factory loaded remington 82 grain lead round nose. My question do you think the ammo is safe to shoot in my ballard or shoudl I pull it and just reload it?

Let me know what you guys think. thanks John

[John Taylor]

Any of the Ballards should be safe with a 32 Colt, even the cast frame.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Yes, anything factory loaded should be fine. I have a derelict barrelled action which I bought very cheaply for a Ballard from someone who didn't know a thing about them. So I can't complain about getting an early one with the manual extractor, I think a Ball and Williams, when I had hoped for a Marlin Ballard. I'm sure it is cast, but rather good malleable case as someone has broken and neatly welded the lower tang. I would be very cautious about using it, but I am sure the .32LC would be fine. The one which began this thread should be fine for the .32-40 loaded the way it usually has been.

[marlinman93]

Safe, but unknown how accurate it may be! .32 Long Colt can vary and often is smaller than .32 Long Ballard. Ballards have pretty big bores for the .32 Long Ballard that is .317" diameter. The Colt runs around .310"-.312" depending on brand and when it was made. If it's hollow base ammo people have found it bumps up when fired and shoots decent.

[John Allen]

Thanks Guys, I am just going to burn through the 60 rounds and then work up a load.

[marlinman93]

That's what I've always done with .32 Long Colt. Some shoots well, and some has shotgun patterns! My reloads using bullets cast from an old Ideal tong tool mold shoot very accurately!

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I think they would need to be the outside lubed, original version of the .32 Long Colt. They eventually changed it to a .299 inside lubed bullet which I am sure would perform miserably. I don't know if they changed the bore dimensions on revolvers made after the change, but the average user of a small pocket pistol probably wouldn't notice.

[Chev. William]

The OP stated Factory Ammo with 82 grain round nose Bullets.
The Later .32 LC ammo that was Inside Lubed had 82 grain Bullets. so it seem she has this later Type which is .299" Diameter Inside Lubed HOLLOW BASE Bullets. as such they would also be of Soft Lead alloy which SHOULD 'bump up' and engage the Ballard rifling.
For reloading the OP wil need some suitable sized Soft Lead Hollow Base Bullets but may use Heavier weight ones up to about 100 grains (90 grain would be more Optimum) but they should be made from pure Soft Lead to allow the 'bump up' at correct MAP.

Best Regards,
Chev. William

[John Allen]

Thanks Fellas, I finally managed to find some 32 long colt for my marlin ballard. I can not wait to get this sucker set up.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

The same kind of change was made from .32 Long Rimfire to .32 Long Rifle, although not such a great diameter reduction, as the brass was thin. My 92 Marlin, made about 1905, has a .307 groove diameter. I know the intention was that either diameter should be safe in either rifle. But I believe it would have resulted in accuracy loss which would be detectable in a rifle, though not for most pocket revolver users.

[Wayne Smith]

John, if you want to load it the original way, with heeled outside lubed boolits, contact Bernie at Old West Bullet Molds - he will set you up.

[marlinman93]

Once the Marlin Ballard ended production in 1890, the later 1891 and 1892 Marlins were in the smaller bore that Ballistics in Scotland mentioned. So those guns all shoot well with .32 Long Colt, or any of the later .32 Long Rifle cartridges. Unfortunately those later cartridges are what I've mostly found over the years when looking for ammo for my Ballards. I have a dozen boxes of .32 Long RF Cannuck ammo, and probably 2 dozen boxes of .32 Long and Short Colt ammo. I don't shoot the RF ammo at all, and need to sell it off. I shoot the Colt Long, but simply to get brass for reloading to the proper diameter bullet.

[John Allen]

John, if you want to load it the original way, with heeled outside lubed boolits, contact Bernie at Old West Bullet Molds - he will set you up.


Wayne, thanks buddy. I bought a batch of lead outside lubed bullets from Buffalo arms. I figure if I like it I will have a mold made.

[marlinman93]

Wayne, thanks buddy. I bought a batch of lead outside lubed bullets from Buffalo arms. I figure if I like it I will have a mold made.

Did you buy those recently? I don't see anything like that in their inventory?

[John Allen]

Did you buy those recently? I don't see anything like that in their inventory?

I bought them about two years ago, then made up a couple of 32 long colt from 32sw brass which was a pain in the butt, loaded them up and then heard a click. My ballard is the one with the reversible rimfire-centerfire firing pin. I did not realize the firing for centerfire was broken. Two years later I finally found a firing pin for it.

[marlinman93]

I bought them about two years ago, then made up a couple of 32 long colt from 32sw brass which was a pain in the butt, loaded them up and then heard a click. My ballard is the one with the reversible rimfire-centerfire firing pin. I did not realize the firing for centerfire was broken. Two years later I finally found a firing pin for it.

I had a friend mill me some hard steel flat plate to the proper thickness for the reversible firing pins on Marlin Ballard #2 rifles. I traced a firing pin by using machinist's bluing on the plate and scribing around it. Then rough cut it out, and used jeweler's files to shape it. Took some time, but we don't really have any options for firing pins.

[John Allen]

I had a friend mill me some hard steel flat plate to the proper thickness for the reversible firing pins on Marlin Ballard #2 rifles. I traced a firing pin by using machinist's bluing on the plate and scribing around it. Then rough cut it out, and used jeweler's files to shape it. Took some time, but we don't really have any options for firing pins.

I was going to the same thing and never got around to it. Then I found a like new one on ebay for $15.00 and jumped all over it.

[marlinman93]

Yeah, at $15 I'd never bother making them. I'd even buy it as a spare if I didn't need it at that price. Never had one fail, but I like having spare Ballard parts!

[John Allen]

Yeah, at $15 I'd never bother making them. I'd even buy it as a spare if I didn't need it at that price. Never had one fail, but I like having spare Ballard parts!

You ain't kidding there. I have a couple of ballards and am always looking for spare parts for that and my sharps.

[marlinman93]

I was fortunate to see an ad last year for 70 some brand new screws for Marlin Ballard actions for sale! I quickly sent the seller a PM and purchased the entire lot at a good discount! Not a lifetime supply for me, but it sure put me in better shape for screws to feed my 28 Ballard rifles!

[John Allen]

I was fortunate to see an ad last year for 70 some brand new screws for Marlin Ballard actions for sale! I quickly sent the seller a PM and purchased the entire lot at a good discount! Not a lifetime supply for me, but it sure put me in better shape for screws to feed my 28 Ballard rifles!


That was a great grab. I tell ya ballards are tough buggers for parts.

[marlinman93]

That was a great grab. I tell ya ballards are tough buggers for parts.

Tell me about it! I have gathered a small number of parts, but not nearly enough! Once Ballard Rifle Co. closed their doors the options went to zero! I wish the owners back in Michigan would at least turn loose of whatever parts they have if they're not going to reopen the business!