Ballard Rifle

Ballard Rifle
Place of origin	United States
Service history
Used by	Union (American Civil War)
Wars	American Civil War
Production history
Designer	Charles H. Ballard
Designed	November 1861
Manufacturer	Ball & Williams R. Ball & Co. Dwight, Chapin & Co. Merrimack Arms and Manufacturing Co. Brown Manufacturing Co. Marlin Firearms
Produced	1862–1891
No. built	21,000+ (1862–1873) by various firms and then 40,000 by J.M Marlin and the Marlin Firearms Co.
Variants	No. 0 and No. 1 Hunter's Rifle No. 1 1/2 Hunter's Rifle No. 1 3/4 Far West No. 2 Sporting No. 3 Gallery Rifle No. 3 Pistol Grip Rifle No. 3 1/2 Target No. 4 Perfection No. 4 1/4 No. 4 1/2 Mid Range No. 4 1/2 A-1 Mid Range No. 5 Pacific No. 5 1/2 Montana No. 6 Schuetzen No. 6 1/2 Off-Hand No. 6 1/2 Rigby Off-Hand No. 6 1/2 Pistol Grip Off-Hand No. 7 Long Range No. 7 A-1 Long Range No. 7 A-1 Extra Long Range No. 8 Union Hill No. 9 Union Hill No. 10 Schuetzen Junior
Specifications
Mass	10.07 lbs (No. 1 Hunter's Model) 9 lbs (No. 2 Sporting Model) 10-12 lbs (No . 5 Pacific Model)
Caliber	.44 Ballard Long (No. 1 Hunter's Model) .32 Long, .38 Long (No. 2 Sporting Model) .32-40 Ballard .38-50 Ballard .38-55 Ballard .40-63/70 Ballard .40-65 Ballard .40-70 Sharps .44-75 Ballard .44-77 Sharps .40-85/90 Ballard .44-90 Sharps .44-100 Ballard .40-90 Ballard .40-90 Sharps .45-70 Government .50-70 Government .44-40 Winchester .45-100 Ballard .45 Sharps

The Ballard Rifle was a single shot, breechloading longarm used during the American Civil War by Kentucky volunteers.^[1]

History

The Ballard Rifle was designed and patented by Charles H. Ballard in November 1861 in Worcester, Massachusetts.^[1] Around 3,000 were made between 1862 and 1865, with some being used for military use in Kentucky.^[1] Ballard rifles used by Kentucky Volunteers will have Kentucky marked on them.

Variants

Variants were built by Ball & Williams (1862–1865), Dwight Chapin & Co. (1862–1863), and later by R. Ball & Co. (1865–1867), Merrimack Arms (1867–1868), and Brown Manufacturing (1869–1873). The last and most successful maker was J.M. Marlin Firearms Co., who built more models than any predecessor (1870–1890).

The Ballard rifle had over 20 variants during its 29-year lifespan.^[2] The No. 1 Hunter's Model was first introduced in 1875 for the .44 rimfire caliber.^[3] The No. 1 would later be produced in .44 rimfire, .45-70 Government, .44 Ballard Long, & .44 Ballard Extra Long.^[2] This version along with the No. 5+1⁄2 Montana are known for being one of the main rifles used to hunt buffalo.^[3] Other variants included the No. 1+3⁄4 Hunter's Model, No. 2 Sporting Model, No. 5 Pacific Model, and the No. 5+1⁄2 Montana Model.^[2][3]

See also

• Rifles in the American Civil War

References

1. "Original, Civil War Period< Ballard Military Rifle — Horse Soldier". www.horsesoldier.com. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
2. Designs, Jack A Rains, Arco Iris Web. "History of Ballard Rifles". cap-n-ball.com. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
3. "The Marlin-Ballard Pacific and Montana Rifles Appeared as the Buffalo Disappeared". HistoryNet. Retrieved 2018-08-09.