J.M. Marlin Ballard #1 1/2 Hunter's Rifle

5590 Views 3 Replies 2 Participants Last post by Hunter, Feb 6, 2009

xtimberman

Discussion Starter · Feb 6, 2009

The #1 1/2 Hunter's rifle was just about as plain as a Ballard rifle could be - with crescent butt, straight-grained wood, and a round barrel. Since the "Hunter's" model, along with their "Pacific" and "Montana" models, were chambered in the heaviest cartridges Marlin offered, they were furnished with the "Norway" steel forged frame. This one is chambered in .40-63 Ballard "Everlasting", J.M.'s answer to .40-70SS.

The old rifle (c.1885) is worn on the outside, but has a glass-smooth, perfect bore - and is a fabulous shooter:

It's rigged with an original Ballard vernier tang sight on the rear and with a Rocky Mountain blade on the front.

Action open - the breech block has a camming action that will seat a cartridge that is not completely chambered.

Another view - from the front - rifle weighs~11#, so not too much recoil.

xtm

See less See more

Save

1 - 4 of 4 Posts

· #2 · Feb 6, 2009

As much as I like Bill's guns (Doc44)...

That one does it for me! Incredible. I think I would have to quit playing the lottery for life, as all my luck would have been used up ~ finding that beauty.

I'm starting to plan a roadtrip to Texas for sometime next year. Got a bunch of pals down that way, but may have to head up North for a "quick" trip, just to shake your hand and say ~ Howdy! We can go to the range together and shoot that purty one. I'll drive and when we get there, I'll drop you off and you can set up the targets at the two hundred yard mark. Don't bother to unload the gun and gear out of the back. I'll take care of that....much later

I did say it would be a "quick trip"

giz

Save

xtimberman

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 6, 2009

Of course I'll let you shoot it if you drive all the way down here!

This is the only Ballard rifle I've shot very much - I had another one, but it was chambered in such a ba----- cartridge, I could never find more than a piece or two of brass, or the proper mould to shoot it more than a frustrating couple of times. This one has the classic Ballard trigger that breaks like glass, and can be an amazingly accurate in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing. I consider myself to be an amateur rifleman, but can get this one to shoot well from time to time.

100yd target with open sights - I had just installed the Rocky Mountain front sight and was shooting for group, not for center, to see if the sight was too bright in full sun. I don't remember where shot #1 went. (!)

You have to be careful where you've placed the crescent buttplate before you pull the trigger on this one.