Original Item: One Only. The Ballard is a single-shot, breech loading firearm used late during the Civil War. The .44 caliber, percussion "capping breech loader" carbine was invented and patented by Charles H. Ballard of Worcester, Mass in November 1861. This was quickly followed by rimfire versions, as well as some that worked with both percussion and rimfire ammunition.

One of approximately 2,200 produced by the Ball & Williams Company of Worcester between 1862 and 1865, this carbine measures 37 1/4” long overall with a single barrel band and has a two-piece, black walnut stock. The receiver and all of the action components look to have been nickel plated, though we do not know if this was originally made this way, or plated later. We assume later, as it looks like this revolver was converted from .44 Rimfire to .44 Centerfire at some point for use on the Frontier during the "Old West" period. We can see the modifications made on the top of the breech block where the rimfire hammer used to go, and now it has a floating firing pin in the block.

There were several different competing .44 centerfire cartridges at the time, and later production Ballard Patent rifles were made from the factory in at least 3 different ones. We unfortunately have no way to test to see what the correct chambering is. It also could be for a custom cartridge that was never made in any large numbers. Definitely a very interesting history and some nice potential for future research.

The part-octagonal and part-round barrel is 22 inches long with markings on the octagonal portion, just forward of the sight on three different facets:

These are still relatively well retained, and easily legible in the light. Serial number 1105 is stamped on the barrel behind of the rear sight and also on the receiver top, while the shortened number 105 is present on the left side of the block. There are also some assembly numbers on the action components as well. The Ballard carbine was produced by five different firms and it is estimated that a total of 24,000 were made, making this quite a rare gun, and carbines made by Ball & Williams are especially so.

The metal surfaces are in very good condition, with the bluing on the barrel still well retained, showing a bit of fading towards plum on the round portion. The nickel plating on the action is still mostly present, though it definitely shows some peppering and wear from use and age. The barrel markings are fully legible, so this example does not appear to have been refinished at arsenal.

The walnut stocks are in very good service used condition, showing the expected scratches, dents, and dings from service. The butt stock has a crack near the upper receiver tang, as well as some small dents and scratches. The fore stock is also in good shape, though there have been slivers / chunks broken off the top over the years, which were then smoothed over. The wood has a lovely deep red-brown color.

The falling block action cycles correctly, with a crisp dry fire, and the spring loaded manual ejector works perfectly. The bore is in excellent condition, showing crisp lands and grooves and a bright finish. There is just a bit of wear from use and cleaning, with no real fouling or oxidation we can see, making this a really fantastic bore for a black powder era carbine. It does not look like it saw much actual use at all.

The early falling block action used was ahead of its time, but the competition with Sharps, Spencer and others was overwhelming. The result is that these Carbine are very scarce today but are essential to be included in any Civil War Carbine Collection. Ready to display!

Specifications-

Years of Manufacture: 1862–1865
Caliber: .44
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 22 inches
Overall Length: 37 1/4 inches
Action: Falling Breech with Manual Hammer
Feed System: Single Shot

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