Postman dropped off another Ballard

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 7:06 pm

Here's a few pictures of the second Ballard, a custom Zettler Bros. schuetzen, based on a Ballard #6.
The specs are .22 short, 30" #3 full octagon Win. barrel; recut to Zettler Bros. rifling. Palm rest and and stocks are also ZB, but knob has been replaced. Scope is aStevens 438, mounted in a set of super rare H.M. Pope scope mounts. Pope only made about 150 sets of his own design of scope mounts, and they work extremely well to locate the scope on it's Pope bases.

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 7:16 pm

COOL

Keep those pics coming friend. Love to see fine rifles!

Scott64A · Post by **Scott64A** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 7:22 pm

Very pretty, but how does it SHOOT, man?

It is after all, a gun, and I am just curious how it would shoot compared to a Ruger 10-22.

From what I hear, these are excellent rifles, but Im curious to see a range report.
It is what keeps me going!

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:16 pm

Range report will have to wait until after deer season, as I'll be extremely busy with several hunts the next month to 6 weeks.
Seller guarantees that it shoots dime sized groups at 50 yds. for him, so we'll see if I can do anything close to that!-Vall

95fan · Post by **95fan** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:20 pm

beautiful

1886 · Post by **1886** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:24 pm

Where do you find such things? 1886.

Post by **Hobie** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:16 pm

Vall is an original Marlin magnet...

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:19 pm

Beautiful rifle. My second thought is how much?

bsaride · Post by **bsaride** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:42 pm

This week I will be getting a line on a couple schutzen rifles,
I will post when I get the info.

jdad · Post by **jdad** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:45 pm

I sent Vall the lead on this one.

I knew he had been looking for a #6.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:46 pm

All my postman ever drops off are bills...

Very cool pictures and gun - thanks for posting!!!

rafter-7 · Post by **rafter-7** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:56 pm

Grrrrrr!!!!

Words can NOT I repeat NOT describe what I am thinking right NOW!!!!!

OK if you drag it out of me "life is NOT fair"!!!!

a very somber

rafter-7

Grrrrrr!!

sorry I can not let it go

and in a 22 short to boot.

OK I am done ranting

I'll tell you its a nice gun tomorrow' I am a little bent right now on your good fortune

rafter-7 · Post by **rafter-7** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 9:58 pm

good thing your on the east coast!

rafter-7 · Post by **rafter-7** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 10:02 pm

You know where I live don't you??? and what I collect????

jdad, I thought I was your friend.

nice gun

rafter-7

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:35 pm

rafter-7 wrote:You know where I live don't you??? and what I collect????

jdad, I thought I was your friend.

nice gun

rafter-7

Yes, we know what you collect, and you wouldn't want this ratty old Ballard!

It would look so pitiful next to that gogeous Winnie schuetzen rifle!

And don't go cuttin in on my friends who tell me about neat things to buy!

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:38 pm

These Pope scope mounts are very cool! They actualy hinge open so you don't have to take the scope apart to install them on the scope!

jazman · Post by **jazman** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:48 pm

Man, I know nothing about these, but this is a special looking rifle.
Beautiful, congrats.
Jim

Kansas Ed · Post by **Kansas Ed** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:01 pm

Just curious...but I have seen quite a few lo-walls chambered for the 22 short. Some of them in configurations similar to your Ballard. So what type of competition were these used for??? There seem to be some pretty elaborate rifles out there chambered for the short.

Nice Ballard MarlinMan...

Ed

jdad · Post by **jdad** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:20 pm

Ed,
What puzzles me is how slow that 22short must be moving after it finally exits that 30" barrel!

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:37 pm

I'm really looking forward to the range report on this one!!!

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:43 pm

Vall,
Again with the beautiful Ballard. Those are gorgeous. Since you're tied up with deer season, and mine's in default this year, you should send me that antique and let me do the range report for ya!

It's tough work, but I'm up to it. I'll even generously offer to cover the return shipping.

rafter-7 · Post by **rafter-7** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:58 am

nice addition MM

BTW hows the bore?

the best all around short ammo I have come across has been

RWS R 25
federal hi-power short ///red box w/white stripe
and for new stuff Remington hi velosity green and yellow box

these 3 brands had the least amount of fliers, how they group depends on the gun/chamber

more questions later kids need to get on the bus for school and I got an auction in Plentywood MT. to get to

rafter-7

jdad · Post by **jdad** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:07 am

Rafter 7,
I know you don't want to hear this, but the previous owner reported, to Vall, that the rifle was a "one-hole-wondergun".

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:37 pm

Kansas Ed wrote:Just curious...but I have seen quite a few lo-walls chambered for the 22 short. Some of them in configurations similar to your Ballard. So what type of competition were these used for??? There seem to be some pretty elaborate rifles out there chambered for the short.

Nice Ballard MarlinMan...

Ed

This type of rifle was used for schuetzen matches at one of two distances. Either 75 ft. indoor, or 100 yd. outdoor, offhand (.22 rimfire). Centerfire matches were all outdoor at 200 yds. offhand.
Depending on the distance, a different size target was used for each event. Zettler Bros., who most likely built this gun, had their own indoor range in New York City. All the best shooters from the East Coast attended big money matches at the Zettler range.
Schuetzen was the professional sport of the late 1800's in America and Europe. MAtches were huge events, with a lot of spectators of both sexes. Matches were an all day, or even several day event, and vendors set up to provide refreshments, just like in a modern football or baseball game.
They competed for amateur events, but also had professional matches, with huge prize money! A fair amount of side-betting took place during these matches also.
Guns were extremely specialized, and most often professional shooters had their gun custom fitted to them, which often wouldn't fit anyone else exactly right. A custom rifle for match shooting could easily cost an average shooter 6 months to a year's wages.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:44 pm

rafter-7 wrote:nice addition MM

BTW hows the bore?

the best all around short ammo I have come across has been

RWS R 25
federal hi-power short ///red box w/white stripe
and for new stuff Remington hi velosity green and yellow box

these 3 brands had the least amount of fliers, how they group depends on the gun/chamber

more questions later kids need to get on the bus for school and I got an auction in Plentywood MT. to get to

rafter-7

Rafter,
As jdad mentioned, the seller said he shot it at his indoor range, and at 50 ft. it shot 20 rounds in a group you could cover with a dime. The bore has the typical Zettler Bros. style rifling, which has even spaced lands and grooves, but then a smal cut is made down the middle of each land. They didn't rifle a lot of guns, but preferred to recut other makers barrels. Many of the barrles they bought to fit to guns were from Ballard, as Marlin Ballard barrels weren't marked, and had deep rifling. They simply recut the rifling before installing the barrel on a gun.-Vall

Kansas Ed · Post by **Kansas Ed** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:19 pm

Thanks for the explanation. Wow...100 yd matches with the .22 short. Shorts are my favorite for squirrel hunting, but I believe 100 yds would be a little out of my ability

Ed

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:40 pm

By the way Ed, Low Walls in .22 schuetzen configuration are pretty unusual. Even factory special sporting rifles built on the Low Wall action are rare. Pretty neat that you've seen a few, as most folks rarely see them!-Vall

cowboykell · Post by **cowboykell** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:54 pm

If you're looking for another mismatched Ballard, there is a Union Hill #9 in the October issue of " The Single Shot Exchange".

Kansas Ed · Post by **Kansas Ed** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:01 pm

marlinman93 wrote:By the way Ed, Low Walls in .22 schuetzen configuration are pretty unusual. Even factory special sporting rifles built on the Low Wall action are rare. Pretty neat that you've seen a few, as most folks rarely see them!-Vall

Now I'm questioning what I thought I'd been seeing! But believe me, I will pay a lot more attention from now on, and not just look at them in passing...

Ed