Guns International #: 102023572

Category - Civil War Rifles - Military Rifles - Antique

Category
Civil War Rifles
Military Rifles - Antique

Kentucky Ballard Military Rifle

Description:
Rare Offering of A Kentucky Ballard Military Rifle

History of the Kentucky Ballard Military Rifle:
The Ballard Military Rifle was one of the best single shot cartridge rifles to see use during the course of the American Civil War. Arms historian and author John McAulay, in his book Rifles of the US Army 1861-1906, referred to the Ballard military rifles as “the most advanced single shot rifles to see service in the Civil War.” Charles H. Ballard of Worchester, Massachusetts invented the Ballard rifle, and was granted patent number 33631 in November of 1861. The single-shot rifles utilized a dropping block action, actuated by an under-lever that doubled as a trigger guard and pistol grip. The action dropped and tilted out of the way to allow the loading and unloading of the chamber. All of the rifles were produced to use self-contained metallic rimfire cartridges. The fired cartridges were ejected with a manually operated extractor. A short lever, under the fore end was drawn backwards when the action was open, extracting the cartridge. The extractor was tensioned by a coil spring, which returned the extractor to its resting position when the lever was released. During the first few years of production, five different companies produced the Ballard rifle, with Merwin & Bray of New York handling the distribution and sales of the rifles (at least on some level) for all five companies. Initially the rifles were produced by Ball & Williams of Worcester, MA, with production running from 1862 to 1865. In 1863, due to the inability of Ball & Williams to produce enough guns to fill contract orders, Dwight, Chapman & Company of Bridgeport, CT began producing the rifles as well, and did so into 1864. Some 6,600 Ballard .44 rimfire military carbines with 22” barrels were purchased for military service by the states of Kentucky and New York, with some also seeing service with Iowa cavalry regiments. An additional 1,500 military carbines were delivered to the US Ordnance Department. As noted in Flayderman’s Guide, (9th and final edition),  all of these military rifles with 30” barrels produced by Ball & Williams were only sold to the state of Kentucky and were so marked. The first 1,000 such Kentucky rifles were produced in .44 rimfire and had a half-octagon, half-round barrel with a carbine style fore end, secured by a single barrel band. The remaining 3,000 were in .46 rimfire and had a traditional military full musket style stock, secured by three barrel bands. The .46rf rifles were originally ordered in 56-56 caliber (the same as the Spencer carbine and rifle), but the order was changed to .46rf to accommodate the tooling on hand and manufacturing capabilities of Ball & Williams. These military rifles, were delivered to the state of Kentucky between July, 1864 and March, 1865, bearing serial numbers ranging between 9400 and 13100. All were promptly issued to and saw service with existing state units then in the field. The particular gun now for sale is clearly one of the few surviving examples of those .46 rimfire Ballard military rifle configurations.
Condition Details and Prior Use of this Rifle:
The rifle bears a serial number of 12135. This number appears twice, first on the top of the receiver and then on the top of the barrel immediately adjoining. Forward of these serial number stamps on the top of the barrel is stamped KENTUCKY. The left side of the hammer and the inside flat of the extractor (viewable when the breach is open and the extractor is pulled back) are BOTH marked with the last three digits of the serial number, 135. On the right flat of the receiver is stamped BALLARD PATENT, and beneath that is stamped November 5, 1861. On the left flat of the receiver is stamped BALL & WILLIAMS, under which appears Worcester, Mass., under which appears MERWIN & BRAY. AGT’s, under which appears NEW YORK. The barrel which is very smooth retains about 90%+ of its original blued finish, with the frame retaining 80%+ original finish which has turned a very dark plum blue patina coloration. The walnut stock is very solid with most all original varnish remaining. The gun’s bore and mechanics are in excellent condition (more on that below).
When I purchased this rifle from Leroy Mertz Antique Firearms in October, 2009, I was not looking for a collectible, but for a shooter. At the time, I was living in Northern Virginia and heavily involved with black powder shooting competition with the North South Skirmish Association, whose national headquarters and range lay north of Winchester. Desiring to add single shot rifles to my competition classes, I was seeking out an appropriate gun with which to qualify. All of my pards who competed in single shot touted the golden grail of accuracy for this competition class – the Kentucky Ballard Military Rifle. But they all said it was impossible to find one at all, let alone one in shootable condition. Of course, I felt challenged to find one. It took me a year but I finally did. It was not good to go but I saw promise. The good news was it was rock solid intact and the action was excellent. The bad news was the bore was good but iffy for competitive shooting, I would need to convert it from .46 rimfire to centerfire in order to effectively create cartridges, and I needed to cure cracks along the breach block cavity. Those breach block cavity cracks, obviously caused by the excessive powder quantities used in the original military cartridges had been repaired once, but I did not foresee that repair lasting in competition, even with the lesser loads I would be using. In addition to the foregoing there were some minor matters to clean up before this gun could be carded (accepted) for competition by the NSSA as being faithful to its original specs. When I purchased the rifle, it came to me with certain post-war sight modifications that would not be acceptable to the NSSA as original specs. Some post-war owner had removed both the original front and rear sights, installing a globe fine line front sight and inlaying a tang base with folding tang peep sight on the rear wrist. These sight changes are recognizable as the  “improved”  sights that Marlin developed and sold in the 1870’s and were popular for long range target rifles.   Cure of these sight issues was relatively simple. I removed both front and rear sights and substituted correct original spec front and rear sights. On the more serious issues, I started by sending the barrel to Bobby Hoyt, for relining. I then sent the gun to Rick Schoenberger for a spring loaded center fire conversion consistent with approved NSSA restoration processes. At the same time that he was conducting the center fire conversion, Rick filled, braized and smoothed both sides of the breach cavity so that I could shoot the gun without concern for the preexisting breach cracks. By the Spring of 2010, all of the foregoing restoration work had been accomplished and I began to work up a load for the gun. It took awhile but it all came together before I relocated from Virginia a year later. The gun so developed has sat in my toy chest, now in western Colorado, for the past decade. Since I am no longer using it, it is overdue for finding a new home. Having not retained any targets that I had shot with this gun, I took it out recently and shot two test targets on one sheet, a copy of which is attached. The rounds fired were composed of a bullet cast from an off the shelf RCBS 45-SWC-25 mould over 22 gm of 3F Goex black powder over grits filler topped with a wonder wad in a Starline .45LC case with a CCI magnum large pistol primer. The rounds were some I had prepped back in November, 2011 and retained. I shot these targets at 50 yards standing free hand in typical NSSA firing line fashion. The first target on the left of the sheet has 10 rounds fired and 10 printed. The target on the right has 5 rounds fired and 5 rounds printed.

So, there you have it. It’s rare, it’s in great shape, and you can own it as a collectible or, if you have the knowledge and experience to cast, load and shoot it properly, you can use it.

My price is $2100, which includes the cost of insured USPS shipping to your location in the continental U.S.

Terms of Sale:

1. I only sell and ship to purchasers within the continental USA. I only acccept payment by USPS money orders or personal checks once cleared.

2. This gun meets the definition of a pre-1898 “antique” under the United States Gun Control Act of 1968, and accordingly, may be shipped directly to a purchaser without the requirement of passing through an FFL. However, if a purchaser’s state, county, or city requires a permit for purchase, the purchaser must comply and copy documentation of compliance with payment. No firearms are sold to minors (as “minor” is defined by the law of the recipient’s state). I will need a copy of a driver’s license to confirm this for my C&R License records. 

3. This firearm is sold as a collector's item only. The seller assumes no liability, expressed or implied, as to the shooting capacity, safety or accuracy of the item listed for sale. Any gun, whether antique or modern, should properly be examined and approved for firing by a capable gunsmith. But please also note: Those who are not experienced in the metallurgy of antique gun barrels, the necessity of using only black powder in appropriate amounts when shooting, and the necessity of following safe loading and firing practices which are unique to black powder weapons, can cause serious injury and death to themselves or others if attempting to fire one of these guns.

4. A three-day right of inspection will apply, consistent with the standard terms detailed for buyers and sellers by Guns International, that is: the gun must be returned  unfired and not having been disassembled, in the same condition that it was forwarded, packed securely and with return made by the same insured USPS manner in which it was originally sent.

5. The seller is just an old guy liquidating his collection and is neither a gun dealer or purports to be an “expert” in firearms. Any comments concerning the subject item for sale are matters based upon my personal observation, research and past experience with antique firearms.









 

SOLD

Antique: Yes