I've seen several Ballards with forging flaws in the steel on different parts of the receiver. All looked like cracks with the metal missing, but closer inspection revealed that it was a forging flaw in the steel.
How common is this on the old Ballards and since most of the forging flaws where lengthwise in various locations of the receiver, none around breach area or area back of the hammer block,
Would these guns still be safe to shoot with original black powder loads ??