Ballard display

[marlinman93]

These 4 pictures are from part of my Ballard collection I displayed at our Oregon Arms Collectors "Single Shot Rifle" show today. I'll list each picture from top to bottom.

Top: #7 Long Range Creedmoor in .44-100 with 34" barrel, and deluxe stocks. First year 1875.
Middle: #8 Union Hill in .32-40 with German style buttplate, Pope style palm rest, and Winchester scope.
Bottom: #9 Union Hill in .38-55 with deluxe grade wood and special checkering pattern.

https://i.imgur.com/VWM0of4l.jpg

Top: #4 Hunter in .45-70 with special order heavy 34" half octagon barrel. First year 1875, and has Brown Ballard lever, buttplate, hammer and trigger.
Middle: #4 1/2 Mid-Range A-1 rifle. .40-63 Everlasting, deluxe wood, Nimschke engraved receiver.
Bottom: #5 Pacific in .40-85 Everlasting, all standard, except for special order sights.

https://i.imgur.com/1X6ZBhPl.jpg

Top: #3F Fine Gallery. .22 Long, in the miniature schuetzen version of this model.
Middle: #3 Gallery rebored and re-rifled by J Stevens A&T Co. (marked under the forearm) to .25 Stevens. With a full length Stevens 368 scope.
Bottom: #2 Hunter, but with so many special order features it has no resemblance to the base #2 model. Special order features are the pistol grip frame, nickle plating, loop lever, deluxe wood, cheek rest, small Farrow buttplate, half octagon barrel, and sights. Chambered in .32 Long Ballard.

https://i.imgur.com/kWkqIIll.jpg

Top: #6 Schuetzen, with 34" half octagon Schoyen barrel. Heavy early German style buttplate, deluxe wood.
Middle: #6 1/2 Rigby model, in a rare first year pistol grip Nimschke engraved receiver, deluxe wood, small Farrow buttplate, caliber .40-63 Everlasting. Full length Stevens scope. Only made one year in 1875.
Bottom: #6 1/2 Rigby 4th variation. Pistol gripped receiver and deluxe stocks. Ulrich engraved. Also in .40-65 EL cartridge.

https://i.imgur.com/eUdQ2dUl.jpg

[357Mag]

Marlinman -

Howdy !

!!!! !!!! !!!! !!!! !!!! !!!!!!!!!!!


With regards,
357Mag

[HWooldridge]

What a great collection!

My uncle used to target shoot with a #6 Schuetzen in 38-55. He sold it in the late 1960’s and switched to a bolt action 22-250.

[samari46]

Now that's what I would call a collection. Some very beautiful rifles there. Thanks for sharing. Frank

[Pereira]

Nice, Thanks for sharing.

RP

[koger]

Val thanks so much for sharing these pics with us, of a great collection. I bet you had a bunch of admirers all day long at the show. You just dont see any of these fine rifles, back here in the eastern shows I attend here in KY and Tenn.

[gnoahhh]

Vall, thank you for sharing. It's the stuff dreams are made of.

[marlinman93]

Thanks guys. One of the reasons I do my annual display at OAC's show is to educate, and inform those interested in these types of rifles. I get some guys stopping by to visit that already know what they are, but I really enjoy talking with guys who are curious and don't have much knowledge.
If anyone stops to ask questions I make sure to put one or more in their hands and let them shoulder them and see how they feel in their hands. The most common comment I hear is, "Man they sure are heavy!" Of course I get guys who are happy they can handle my collection, although some are hesitant until I tell them they can't hurt any of them by handling them. We had a guy who was visiting relatives and is from Hawaii. He said there's nothing of this sort anywhere over there. Probably may be some in collections that don't get seen, but it was fun discussing the things he shoots and sees at his range over there.

[Jedman]

marlinman, Those deluxe models are very beautifully and rare. I don’t see many Ballards at shows I go to, the only one I have seen I bought it a no. 3 Gallery and It was in fair / good shape but had a pretty bad bore but shot OK. Someone talked me out of it about 5 years ago and I have regretted it since selling it because I just don’t find them. I know you said ( some ) of your collection and I remember a plain Jane model in 50-70 that you posted several years ago and I would love to have one like it .
The fine models you have here on display are mostly out of my league but do like to marvel at the quality work and beauty of the guns from the 1860’s - 1890’s.
Thanks for sharing them with us !

Jedman

[Shawlerbrook]

Vall, said it elsewhere and I’ll say it here.....museum quality!

[ascast]

very nice thanks

[marlinman93]

marlinman, Those deluxe models are very beautifully and rare. I don’t see many Ballards at shows I go to, the only one I have seen I bought it a no. 3 Gallery and It was in fair / good shape but had a pretty bad bore but shot OK. Someone talked me out of it about 5 years ago and I have regretted it since selling it because I just don’t find them. I know you said ( some ) of your collection and I remember a plain Jane model in 50-70 that you posted several years ago and I would love to have one like it .
The fine models you have here on display are mostly out of my league but do like to marvel at the quality work and beauty of the guns from the 1860’s - 1890’s.
Thanks for sharing them with us !

Jedman

Thanks! Some of these are deluxe models, and some are fairly plain models like the #4 Hunter, #5 Pacific, and the little #3 with Stevens scope.
I don't see any Ballard rifles show up very often at our show either. However the .50-70 you mentioned did show up here and a friend had it. That one went to another friend later whose a big fan of the caliber. One I should have kept simply because a .50-70 on a Ballard is such a rare one!
I have found probably 4 or 5 of my Ballard rifles at local gun stores. The #5 Pacific was found locally, and when I looked at it all the metal had been varnished to protect the original finish. It was an ugly brownish color, and couldn't tell the condition. But stocks, and bore were like new, and I suspected (and hoped!) the finish was nice underneath the varnish. It turned out to be beyond nice, and very minty! This was the same gun when I applied some acetone to the top flat of the barrel at home:

https://i.imgur.com/eWFQmSRl.jpg

Took 8 more hours to get all the varnish off, but it exceeded my expectations!

[j p sixguns welldone]

very nice. always wanted one in 38-55.

[Walks]

Sweeeeet !!!!!!

[pworley1]

Very impressive!

[marlinman93]

Thanks! Appreciate the comments.

[gc45]

#1 collection and IMO, simply beautiful..I wonder who the owners were back in their day; the gentlemen who bought them, shot them and certianly took loving care of them. The great mystery of firearms is not knowing their background..If only these rifles could talk their stories whould be fasinating for sure...Thanks for sharing,

[marlinman93]

#1 collection and IMO, simply beautiful..I wonder who the owners were back in their day; the gentlemen who bought them, shot them and certianly took loving care of them. The great mystery of firearms is not knowing their background..If only these rifles could talk their stories whould be fasinating for sure...Thanks for sharing,

Thanks!
I have a few old rifles that I know complete history on from the time they were new, or at least very close to new! Two of them are Ballard rifles not in my display. I have a 3 barrel Pope Ballard owned by L.G. Priddy of Denver, Co. and he had it built for him by Pope. It came in a fitted case that holds the gun with all three barrels, the schuetzen buttstock with #6 action, and another benchrest buttstock, plus Winchester scope, and Pope tools. L.G. was on the Denver Rifle Club team that set the new World Record in 1919.
I also own a #3 Ballard that was given to Lt. Charles Phillips by the men of the Hamden Rifles Co. G 4th Maine Artillery when he was promoted to Capt. in 1889. I am the 3rd owner as it was given to a family friend by General Phillips after he retired, and I bought it from the family. Silver presentation plate inletted into the stock describing the gift to then Lt. Phillips.
Have a Rolling Block #1 Sporter in .22Long RF that was owned by E.C. Hackett an Oregon Pioneer born at Park Place, Or. near the end of the Oregon Trail. The marker for the Oregon Trail is in the front yard of the home he owned in Oregon City. E.C. was one of the first deputies in Oregon City, and mayor of Oregon City during WWI.
Lastly I own an 1881 Marlin lever action in .40-60M built by Emil Flues for his brother. His brother moved to Portland, Or. and sometime after his death the 1881 went away from the family through either a sale, or theft? His brother mentioned several guns were stolen before he died, but no mention of what they were? I bought the Flues 1881 from a gun shop that was closing up. It had sat in the back for many decades, and nobody knew the story of it when I bought it. I was able to do some investigation, and also talk to Emil Flues nephew, who told me a lot about his uncle, and the firearms, but didn't know much about the one I have. He did have it in his uncle's records, so knew when it was built, and who it was built for originally.
I've been extremely fortunate to own some guns with provenance and history. Most are lucky to have some history on even one if they're very lucky.

[Hiwall55]

Very nice pictures and a very informative story. I'm impressed.

[marlinman93]

Very nice pictures and a very informative story. I'm impressed.

Thank you!

[Rapier]

Back a few years ago I was in Bob Williams shop, Wind River Rifle Co, in Ft Walton Beach, FL. Bob had a wood crate, about the size of an apple crate, in one corner of the shop on the floor, about 2/3 full of Ballard actions. Told me he had parts for them. Bob closed his shop on Duval St. and disappeared. I do not know what happened to the Ballards but might give you a start to find some parts. I tried again yesterday to locate him, but no joy. I just gave the search a quick look.
At one time Bob made button rifled and cut rifled replacement barrels for single shots and lever guns.

[marlinman93]

Back a few years ago I was in Bob Williams shop, Wind River Rifle Co, in Ft Walton Beach, FL. Bob had a wood crate, about the size of an apple crate, in one corner of the shop on the floor, about 2/3 full of Ballard actions. Told me he had parts for them. Bob closed his shop on Duval St. and disappeared. I do not know what happened to the Ballards but might give you a start to find some parts. I tried again yesterday to locate him, but no joy. I just gave the search a quick look.
At one time Bob made button rifled and cut rifled replacement barrels for single shots and lever guns.

That would be quite a find to get a crate of Ballard actions and parts! I have a couple extra actions, and some parts, plus a fair amount of brand new screws. But always looking for more parts when I can find them!
A quick Google search showed bad news if it's the same Bob Williams!

https://obituaries.nationalcremation.com/obituaries/milton-fl/robert-williams-6353845