Help identifying a old Ballard

[Armydaddy]

I have an old Ballard I think it is all original but is a 38-56. There is it looks like some round mother of pearl pieces inlayed in the handgrip. Does anyone know anything about a Ballard chambered in 38-56 I am sure it is not a Winchester. Please help I am a new shooter.

Thanks

Tom

[Sure-Shot]

Marlin made a 38-56 cartridge Winchester made a 38-55 I know there was a ballard in 38-55. Sounds like it may be correct check with Marlin man 93 he has collected a lot of Ballards

[Armydaddy]

I have an old Ballard made by Marlin I think it is all original but is a 38-56. There is it looks like some round mother of pearl pieces inlayed in the handgrip. Does anyone know anything about a Ballard chambered in 38-56 I am sure it is not a Winchester. Please help I am a new shooter.

Thanks

Tom

[blackpowdermax]

Armydaddy....the 38-56 was a Winchester developed cartridge and was never factory chambered by Marlin-Ballard in their single shots. The 38-55 Ballard was developed by Marlin for their single shot and was subsequently used in their Model 1881 lever action. The 38-55 Ballard is inherently more accurate than the 38-56 and is still in use today.

It is possible that someone may have re-chambered a 38-55 Ballard to 38-56 in order to fix a damaged chamber, etc. but it would have taken a lot of work since the rim size is not the same and extractor work would also have been needed. The rim size on the 38-55 is the same as a 30-30, the 38-56 the same as a 45-70. Marlin did chamber the 38-56 in their Model 1895 lever gun.

If you have a Ballard, the left side of the receiver will be marked J.M. Marlin (1881 and before) or Marlin Firearms (1881 and after). If not so marked, it is not a Marlin-Ballard.

Does it look like this: Marlin-Ballard



or this: Winchester Hiwall



Is your barrel stamped 38-56?

A pictue would help of course.....

max

[Armydaddy]

It is a Marlin Ballard Barrel is stamped 38-56. I have fired about 10 rounds through it. It is one of two Ballards I own I will sent some pictures whe I get home from travels

The fellow I bought it from said they only made it one year before Winchester got the rights to that caliber.

It is a Ballard single shot with single trigger one loop on the handle barrel is stamped on top 38 56

Thanks

Tom

[marlinman93]

Many early Ballards were unmarked for the caliber on the barrel, so often if they were rechambered it was easy for the gunmith, as he didn't have to overstamp an existing caliber marking, he imply stamped the new one on the barrel. You'll usually find the caliber marking stamped between the rear barrel sight, and the receiver on the top barrel flat, when they are marked. They are also stamped very neatly, and lightly. If you can add a picture of the caliber marking it may aid in determining when it was stamped.
I agree with Max; Marlin did not chamber this cartridge in the Ballard that I ever heard of.

[blackpowdermax]

Tom.......if you pull the forearm off when you return, an original Ballard barrel will have a serial # stamped on the bottom that matches the one on the receiver. If it doesn't have a serial number or the numbers don't match, then the barrel has been replaced. There are many old Ballards out there that have Winchester barrels on them, I have one. It is also possible that someone re-lined a 45 Govt barrel (45-70) to 38-56. In that case, the extractor, etc. would be correct.

In any event, the 38-56 chambering won't be original. The 38-56 was developed by Winchester in 1887 for the Model 1886 leveraction. By that time, Marlin was surely making or had already made plans to get out of the single shot business because they needed the manufacturing capacity for their lever action line that was going gangbusters. They wouldn't be developing a new cartridge for the single shot under those circumstances.

Let us know the serial number and give us a picture and we can give you some more goodies.

max

[hunterpa]

I likewise have just picked up an old Ballard and cannot find model or for that matter a caliber stamp on it. It appears to have been redone as the receiver is silver in color. Any help in identification, value, date produced, or how to identify caliber would be appreciated. The writing on the side of the receiver is:
Marlin Fire Arms Co. New Haven CT. U.S.A.
Patented. Feburary.9.1875
Ballard’s Patent. Nov 5, 1861

The s/n is 21638

I do have pictures I can send if anyone can help me.
Thanks in advance for your help.
larry

[marlinman93]

The maker's rollstamp, and the 21638 number would lead me to think it's probably in the mid 1880's era. The "silvered" receiver may be some nickle, or it might be old case colors that have become silvered out as they age from use.
If you send me pics I'll see if I can help you ID it.-Vall
marlinguy@juno.com