Not sure it applies, but this site shows it as 1890.

Marlin Manufacture Dates

 

Thanks, but I don't think that's it. That is only for the lever guns it seems. Hoping a Marlin pro might have some hidden info in their man cave. The Cody Firearms museum people informed me that all the Marlin Ballard info is long gone. They have lots of lever gun and LC Smith factory records, along with a ton of Marlins Firearms New Haven neighbors records.

 

I think thekidd76 is correct; yours is definitely from the Marlin Fire Arms era ("late" model Ballard from 1881-91) and looks to be a standard no.2 (the sporting may have had a ring lever?) Highest serial numbers of any Ballard are less than 40000, and MFA started with serial 1 in 1881, and all arms were increasingly numbered without regard to model! By 1890, the catalog only showed Ballards no.2 and no.3 as being offered, and by 1891 they were essentially discontinued with stock sold out. Nice rifle.
shoot straight, gewehr

 

Thanks for the great info, 1890 sounds much better then. I was not aware of the same serial number list being used for different models lever and Ballard rifles.