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earlier i put this in the wrong thread [marlin]
i have a ball & williams 38 caliber rifle serial# 240
barrel octogon 13/16 across the flats 22.5 in long
globe front sight rear tang sight dove tailed inti the tang [damaged]
factory sling swivels
external extracter in forend
top of barrel marked [ball&williams worchester mass.]
left side merwin & bray agts new york
rte. side ballards patd nov 5 1861
all the internal parts and lever are missing
can some one give me some history of the gun and any help with locating the parts or am i chasing wind mills it took me several years to aquire the gun
but it was so nice i wanted to put it back together. any help would really be appreciated. also is this a .38 short or what?
thanx bob
restoring ball williams ballard
Moderators: Regnier (gunrunner), JohnK, Sure-Shot
- marlinman93
- Distinguished Expert
- Posts: 2856
- Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2002 1:22 pm
- Location: Portland, Oregon
Re: restoring ball williams ballard
Your Ball and Williams Ballard is a .38 Long Rimfire, not .38 Short. It is pretty easy to narrow down the age of a Ball and Williams Ballard, as they were only built from 1862-65, and about 2,000 made. The previous company was R. Ball, and Williams later became a partner to Ball.
I'm afraid parts are non existent for reproduction parts, and your only hope would be to either find a junker Ballard for parts, or have parts built by a competent gunsmith. Even after getting it complete and working, ammo is extinct, so it wont be a shooting firearm.
I'm afraid parts are non existent for reproduction parts, and your only hope would be to either find a junker Ballard for parts, or have parts built by a competent gunsmith. Even after getting it complete and working, ammo is extinct, so it wont be a shooting firearm.
Marlin lever actions 1870's-WWI, Ballards, and single shot rifles!
Re: restoring ball williams ballard
sir: thank you for your reply. i have located a machined breech block that is finished except for the location of the firing pin hole. i believe i can convert it to a center fire but my concern is the remaining parts. it is such a nice gun i hate to see it go to the wayside. are there any members that you know of that possibly have any parts? thanx bob
- marlinman93
- Distinguished Expert
- Posts: 2856
- Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2002 1:22 pm
- Location: Portland, Oregon
Re: restoring ball williams ballard
Sorry, I don't know anyone who has any parts for Ball and Williams Ballards. Haven't even seen a junker for sale in a very long time!
Marlin lever actions 1870's-WWI, Ballards, and single shot rifles!
Re: restoring ball williams ballard
Bob,
The Rifle Shoppe in Oklahoma has cast, reproduction parts. They will work with some effort on your part, or your gunsmith. I'll share the link to their web site. http://therifleshoppe.com Sometimes there is a LONG wait if the parts are not currently in stock.
Go to their site, look under Online Catalog and then Single Shot parts. I tried copying the exact page but the link would not work.
Richard Schoenberger, an Indiana gunsmith has center fire converted many old Ball & Williams for members of the North-South Skirmish Association. He does fine work with a quick turn around.
Good luck, you will love it when you are finished!
Jack
The Rifle Shoppe in Oklahoma has cast, reproduction parts. They will work with some effort on your part, or your gunsmith. I'll share the link to their web site. http://therifleshoppe.com Sometimes there is a LONG wait if the parts are not currently in stock.
Go to their site, look under Online Catalog and then Single Shot parts. I tried copying the exact page but the link would not work.
Richard Schoenberger, an Indiana gunsmith has center fire converted many old Ball & Williams for members of the North-South Skirmish Association. He does fine work with a quick turn around.
Good luck, you will love it when you are finished!
Jack