JM Marlin Ballard #5 Pacific in .45-70, S/N dates mfg. around 1877

[Tanstaafl]

[lever addict]

Very cool! Do you shoot it? Thanks for posting the pic!

[Rocker59]

Oh no....now somebody else finds a gun I now want!! That's just way to cool...I have to look away, but I can't!

[lumpy grits]

IF your sell'n it......I would like to be first .
Respectfully,
LG

[Tanstaafl]

I do shoot it regularly, 63 grains 2F black powder only and soft lead boolits, it is scary accurate. It is not for sale, have a son-in-law who knows it is his when I go under, not to mention he would track me down to extract revenge if I did sell it.

I also have an unaltered Colt 1873 SA in .44-40 (lettered 1886 mfg.) It is very tight mechanically and I do shoot it a little with 33 grains 2F black powder and 200 grain cast boolit only.

[Rocker59]

Again...nice.. NICE. Great taste. Great examples of weapons from a very interesting and exciting time in American small-arms development. No other word than simply awesome...the true sense of the word...awesome. I'm so taken by this period and the weapons...such quality, attention to detail, most, very aesthetically appealing. Made to last.

[moofy07]

Nice stuff. It seems that everyone else always find the great stuff.

[Tanstaafl]

My neighbor had come by these guns when his step father died at age 93 about 20 years ago. He really doesn't care that much about firearms, but I loaded up some .45-70 and we took and shot the #5 Pacific a few times some years back. I had been trying to buy it but he wasn't interested, the Colt I had never even indicated I wanted. One day he came over and asked was I interested in buying both guns, I said yes but depended on the price. when he told what he wanted for them, I could not say yes fast enough.

[Hepburn]

Anybody have information on when a Ballard Pacific would have been manufactured with a SSN of 993? I picked up a pacific a couple years ago. I know it has been re barreled and new wood put on, looks to have an original lyman tang site. It's a great shooter. I'm also looking at selling it. I don't need 8 BPCR rifles.

[lever addict]

Someone will be along to help with the DOM. I do know that your rifle was probably worth more in it's original state before it was redone. Collectors love and pay big for original guns that are covered in dust looking like they sat in a corner for 50 or 75 years! Now some of these guns do reach a point in time where they need wood replaced or the barrel rebored, sleeved or even replaced. All of this takes away from it's value some. If you can post some pics it sure would help. Even guns that have been restored retain some value when if done the right way, but will never bring what a pristine or just decent shape original will.