.38 Long questions

[marlinman93]

My bullets are all loaded, but I can see if I can take a picture of the inside of the old Ideal mold I use, so you can get an idea of what the shape is.-Vall

[Hunt4em]

Val,
That looks like the Ideal bunch of Ballards, but I don't see any molds! If you'd just let me have my pick I promise I'd only pick one! Maybe two or three, oh heck just let me have em all. You must be getting bored with them by now!

John

[Antietamgw]

So that's where all the nice Ballards went! When I look at that table I think that all my shooting needs (except my first centerfire, a "sporterized P17 that came with every do-dad Herter's sold) would be met with a spread like that. I could be very happy spending the rest of my days trying to wear them out. I guess I'm not looking hard enough or in the right places but I don't see many Ballards and most of them are way overpriced for condition. I like (and prefer) to rebuild them but don't want to pay what a right rifle is worth for an action. I really like that #3 with #6 style wood that you pictured here last fall. That rifle just says "take me for a walk" and since I saw it I decided that the #2 I'm working on now will probably turn out pretty similar. If the existing barrel shoots, it will stay a .38 and be a little heavier than my "ideal" . If it doesn't it will become a .32 or maybe even a .25 with a barrel midway in weight between the light #3's and the 30" #2 I now have.

If you get bored, just keep putting up pictures like that to keep the rest of us motivated (and jealous!)

[marlinman93]

Thanks!
Poor picture quality, but that was part of my Ballard display at our annual singleshot rifle show last weekend. They are all sporting rifles of #2,#3,#4, or #5 variants.

Here are the other two tables I displayed:

[marlinman93]

Here's a picture of the Ideal molds. These are the early style Ideal tools for the .38 Long Ballard (left) and the .32 Long Ballard (right).

[Jim D]

Vall,

My wife just walked in and asked why I was drooling on the keyboard....

-jim

[marlinman93]

Vall,

My wife just walked in and asked why I was drooling on the keyboard....

-jim

Did you tell her you were looking at old Ideal molds?

[Jim D]

I was drooling over all those beautiful single shots!! I hardly ever drool over an old Ideal bullet mold.

-jim

[oodmoff]

Ha, Jim..my wife just walked in the room and said.. "How come your guns don't look that neat!"

Vall, why don't you let me talk you out of one of those cheap 44 1/2 framed stevens. That way you have plenty of resources to go after another ballard....I bet those high class ballards don't even associate with em.....

What a wonderful collection.......One of these times I'm flying or driving the 16-18 hrs to your show.....hopefully the flight isn't that long...

[marlinman93]

Thanks Darin, but I only hav two 44 1/2 Stevens, as the others are 44's and the Tip Up. As for coming to the show, I'd love to see you make it!
We're doing it again in Sept. as the month of January seems too dicey weatherwise. We had a board meeting, and I proposed the change to Sept., and the rest were for it, and even decided we shouldn't wait until next Sept!

[marlinman93]

Well change that plan for Sept. singleshot rifle show to Memorial Day weekend Sunday!