Ballard 44 XL

treewater · Post by **treewater** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 8:01 pm

Hello Folks,

I just registered to inquire about a cartridge. I cleaned an 1893 house I own. In the attic I found a coffee can of cartridges, about 30. I was once a cartridge collector in my teens, that is fifty years back. I immediately recognized the 32-20's, the Colt 45's, a 410 shotgun, a 38 S & W. But the last ten were a puzzle. My Cartridges of the World identify, I guess, these as Ballard 44 XL's. The head stamp is W.R.A.CO. (we all know this) and 44 X. L. Apparently these are Ballard 44 Extra Longs made only a short time and for few rifles somewhere in the late 1800's. What is even more curious, these are shot shell loads. One broke open when I cleaned it and out rolled a few lead balls about 4mm in diameter. I'd be curious to know more abut this load and what it went into.
Regards,
Tim in TN