doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com I bought a Ballard action.

I'm getting in on this discussion late, but since my .22, in somewhat infamous "FrankenBallard" was included, I'll join in now. The problem with pieced-together Ballards that is not seen so much with Winchesters is parts interchange. Where you can randomly put together a 'wall from whatever parts you have at hand (original) the Ballard is a much more individually fitted rifle with parts specifications very loosely maintained and requiring final fitting. Joe had an unenviable job trying to make a barrel custom fit to one Ballard fit another receiver with a breech block from yet another Ballard! He made it all work and then threw in fitting up not one but two levers so I could shoot it from the bench as well as offhand. I added a butt stock provided by Ken Hurst and am in the process of making a modern, bench-type fore end that can go either way. I am leaning toward a semi-classic Freeland's butt plate (that can be changed from flat to long tanged Swiss inserts to complete the package. I have, but don't know how to attach, a photo.

Froggie

PS Be careful to make it too tight breeching or it will be a pain to open and close! Mine shoots very well with that technique done, though. GF

email your photo to ggroshelatmsndotcom and Ill post them for you.

Thanks, Gary. Look for an incoming from gfrog53!

Still moving forward, slow but forward. Got the screw stock in and made some new screws. Locks up tight and inletting the lever into the pistol grip filler.

Still need to trim down the back of the firing pin.

Kind of fun working on a rifle that's not an expensive heirloom.

I made a new .32-40 head for my adjustable bullet seater this morning. This works well to find the seating depth the rifle likes.

Once the correct depth is found I'll make a new seater. The adjustable one has too many things that could come loose.

It's looking good Michael, keep up the good work.

Harry

That's about the only kind I ever get to see, much less work on!

There is a great deal of satisfaction to taking a bunch of lonely, mismatched parts and building something worthwhile out of them... but then of course I grew up playing with Erector Sets and TinkerToys! The hardest part these days is finding affordable materials to work with. Apparently Harlow and his ilk have gathered them all up for their own nefarious purposes.

Congratulations on another neat project Michael and I'll look forward to seeing even more progress on it in the future.

Regards,
Froggie

[quote=Green FrogThere is a great deal of satisfaction to taking a bunch of lonely, mismatched parts and building something worthwhile out of them... [/quote]
Perhaps my chief source of enjoyment/fulfillment these days.
Regards, Joe

My wife calls this most enjoyable process making a "$500 gun out of $1000 worth of parts, materials, phone calls, and gasoline." (Notice she considers my labor to be of insignificant value. Married 44 years.....)

Of course you guys would have to adjust those numbers somewhat (i.e. a lot). And the final product would be worth a heck of a lot more, no matter how you reckon worth! Serious "value added".

I love seeing these projects come together.

Sorry this took so long, deer opener.

Green Frogs FrankenBallard