Guys i just picked up an 1861 Ballard with an AO Zischang octagon barrel. It is in nice shape and and in .25 -.21 Any info on it would be greatly appreciated. I will include a few pics of it that i have.
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kalkavekkian
Marlin Ballard 1861
1 reading
Guys i just picked up an 1861 Ballard with an AO Zischang octagon barrel. It is in nice shape and and in .25 -.21 Any info on it would be greatly appreciated. I will include a few pics of it that i have.
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First off...welcome to the forum!!!
Secondly.. great job on pics with the first post!!
Third and most importantly... That is a beautiful gun!!
The experts should be along shortly...pull up a chair and stay awhile...I'm sure if you poke around a bit (check out the hyphenated group and their threads) you should be able to find all sorts of good stuff...
Secondly.. great job on pics with the first post!!
Third and most importantly... That is a beautiful gun!!
The experts should be along shortly...pull up a chair and stay awhile...I'm sure if you poke around a bit (check out the hyphenated group and their threads) you should be able to find all sorts of good stuff...
Welcome to the forum. That is a beautiful rifle and I can't wait to hear from the experts on this treasure.
Wonderful rifle, all the more so with its sights! I'd bring it to the attention of the fellows at the the American Single Shot Rifle Association. The website there is ASSRA Home Page
I would advise Kalka to get a copy of SINGLE SHOT RIFLES AND ACTIONS, by Frank deHaas.Marlin Ballards were made from 1875-1889 and there are about ten pages dedicated to it and about four pages on the early Ballard before Marlin got involved and made some minor changes. Congrats on a fine looking rifle and thanks for the excellent photos.
Congrats, nice looking rifle. I don't know much about them really, but the caliber intrigued me not seeing it before. I looked it up out of interest, and apparently the .25-21 Stevens was created in the late 1890's (1897/8?) and based on the .25-25 cartridge. For use with black-powder I believe. I also happened to notice to can still buy brass for it too, but fairly expensive stuff, ha!
August Oscar Zischang http://www.assra.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1385938404 He was right up there with Harry Pope. :
That is a SUPER rifle you have in a mostinteresting chambering.
That is a SUPER rifle you have in a mostinteresting chambering.
Zischang was one of the all time great custom gun makers. As Mike mentioned, right there with Harry Pope, George C. Schoyen, and other greats. Zischang is probably one of the most well rounded custom gun makers, as his talents exceed Pope's for aesthetics. Pope made some fine barrels, but was never one to build beautiful guns, like Schoyen or Zischang did!
Your Ballard has features common to the #8 Union Hill, with it's loop lever and double set riggers, but I'd guess it didn't start life as a Union Hill prior to Zischang's custom work, as it doesn't have the rebated receiver of a Union Hill #8 or #9. The serial number and the Marlin Firearms Co. roll stamp make it a later Ballard, from likely around mid 1880's. There's a 50-50 chance the breechblock serial number doesn't match the receiver, and maybe also the wood. This would hurt the value of an average Ballard, but doesn't hurt the value of your Zischang Ballard at all! Having a gun built up by someone with his reputation is a huge premium over standard Ballards, so nobody will care what it started life as, or what parts went into it.
It's a stunning piece, and unless you stumbled into some person who was totally clueless, I doubt it came cheap. His name is enough to elevate a gun to a double price of a standard Ballard in similar condition.
Your Ballard has features common to the #8 Union Hill, with it's loop lever and double set riggers, but I'd guess it didn't start life as a Union Hill prior to Zischang's custom work, as it doesn't have the rebated receiver of a Union Hill #8 or #9. The serial number and the Marlin Firearms Co. roll stamp make it a later Ballard, from likely around mid 1880's. There's a 50-50 chance the breechblock serial number doesn't match the receiver, and maybe also the wood. This would hurt the value of an average Ballard, but doesn't hurt the value of your Zischang Ballard at all! Having a gun built up by someone with his reputation is a huge premium over standard Ballards, so nobody will care what it started life as, or what parts went into it.
It's a stunning piece, and unless you stumbled into some person who was totally clueless, I doubt it came cheap. His name is enough to elevate a gun to a double price of a standard Ballard in similar condition.
Ballard Rifle has been out of business for almost two years. Wyoming Armory is closed, and no known date if they'll reopen. Distant Thunder Gun Parts has the links at $25 ea., but will need to know what length you need (center to center) They offer them as a kit for $125, with all lengths. Jim builds other parts not listed at his sight, so asking him might get more.
Vintage Gun Parts
Ken at Cedar Creel Screw and Machine also has various Ballard screws, and is getting ready to run more sets soon. Might give him a call and get on the list for a set(s) if you need perfect screws. His are the best around, and usually come un-blued. I can PM you his email info.
Vintage Gun Parts
Ken at Cedar Creel Screw and Machine also has various Ballard screws, and is getting ready to run more sets soon. Might give him a call and get on the list for a set(s) if you need perfect screws. His are the best around, and usually come un-blued. I can PM you his email info.
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