Back a few years ago I started shooting Mr. Niedner's 32-40 Ballard a lot. I was starting to get a bit nervous about doing something wrong and hurting the rifle. I thought about building another like it to experiment with so I had Ron Smith make me a barrel just like on the Niedner.

The Ballard rifle company would not sell me a No.6 action so I kept my eye out for a DST Ballard. Now that I have it I'm having second thoughts about pulling the barrel. I'll shoot it and see what how it goes, weather permitting, it was 20 this morning.

I would like to find out who Mr. Cox was before I do anything. If it shoots good I may just pass it on and look for another action.

Years ago I had two Ballard buttstocks for bench-rest shooting but have not seen them in Twenty years.

Many choices, this barrel could be rebored to .33, I have several moulds for that caliber.

It's a forged action and no ramrod for me. The triggers are great. I fitted a new screw and turned it in until they unset then back it off a half turn.

I had a Peterson Ballard in .25-20 single-shot that I thought I would bend or break the lever every time I opened it it was so tight. John has a .22 Peterson Ballard and it's very tight, they shot good so Peterson must have known how to do it. I've owned a few Pope Ballards over the years and they were tight but nothing like the Petersons.



MP Sadly Deceased as of 2/17/2014