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Brown Ballard No. 46 Single Shot Rifle c.1869-1873

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
Brown Ballard No. 46 Single Shot Rifle c.1869-1873
This is an exceedingly rare original single shot falling block Ballard rifle manufactured by the Brown Manufacturing Co. from 1869-1873. The rifle was the continuation of the Ballard Rifle production and pre-Marlin Ballard. The rifle features a heavy round 30 inch bull barrel marked on the top, "No. 46" along with the serial number of "21374". The top of the receiver is marked also with the "21374" serial number. The left side of the receiver action is marked, "BROWN MFG. CO. NEWBURYPORT, MASS. BALLARD'S PATENT NOV. 5, 1861." (some worn markings as shown). The hammer is marked on the left side, "PATENTED JAN. 5, 1864." The barrel shows a brown finish in good to very good condition with no visible pitting and a bright bore with no visible pitting. The action shows a rich deep finish with some spotting, but overall in good condition. The rifle shows an under lever which allows the firing pin block, hammer, and triger mechanism to fall exposing the chamber. This also has a manual spring ejector handle along the walnut wood forestock foregrip. The ejector and rifle both function flawlessly. The firearm also shows a walnut hard wood stock with crescent metal butt plate in overall good condition with the stock having a cracked and old repair. This is truly a wonderful early Ballard rifle in fine condition that takes a .46 caliber. The rifle will shoot both rimfire and center fire .46 ammunition and also will fire a .44-40 caliber with some space. The Brown MFG. Co. went out of business in 1873 their assets were sold at auction to John Marlin and he began producing the Ballard Patent Rifle until 1891. This is a pre-Marlin Ballard rifle. Brown only produced about 1,700 Ballard Rifles in different variations in their four years they manufactured the patent. Of those only 700 were sporting arms and the other 1000 being military arms with a dual ignition system. This is the more scarce sporting arms manufactured variation chambered in .46 rimfire. This is an exceedingly rare original rifle and one of the more scarce Ballard Patent rifles. The rifle features fixed sights with a unique tip up dual rear sight. Antique Firearm NO FFL Required.