Ball & Williams Ballard military carbine

[ersiii]

Hello all, newbie here to this forum - (I have been known to own a Colt or Smith).

A quick search of your forum did not answer my questions but if there is another thread out there please point me to it.

I acquired a Ball & Williams Worcesrter Mass. marked Ballard military carbine a few years ago. My preliminary research indicates that is probably a Civil War gun due to the low serial # 886. I believe it is a .44 Rimfire and it has the octagon to round bbl. Adiitional markings on flats of bbl include

MERYN & BRAY AGTS
NEW YORK

AND

BALLARDS PATENT
NOV. 5. 1861.

Metal is a nice even patina with little or no original finish remaining to my eye.Wood is fairly rough with one missing piece where stock attaches to metal. There are two interesting markings on the wood. One is the crude initials "A.H." on left side of the forearm. The other is a small (think of an oblong nickel) piece of what looks like lead crudely soldered into the grip area with what looks like 3 brass solders. Stippled into this area are the letters "VAN:".

One reason I bought the gun was that I am a Cherokee Indian history buff and one of the leading Cherokee families here in GA was Vann.

I'll try to post pics soon and thanks in advance on your info on this cool old gun.

regards,

Edwin

[ersiii]

<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s270.photobucket.com/user/ersiii ... "></iframe>

http://s270.photobucket.com/

[marlinman93]

The Kentucky Mounted Military and Kentucky 13th Cavalry did indeed buy Ballard rifles, and some saw Civil War service. But if your Ballard is not Marked "Kentucky" on the action, it's most likely not seen military Civil War service. Or if it somehow was personally carried by a soldier, he'd have to had supplied his own ammo. Not too likely.
It could have seen frontier service, and John Dutcher has some great information, and copy of a journal from a frontier family traveling West and using their Ballard to take game, and fight off Indians. I would suggest you might purchase his book on the Ballard rifles, as it will answer almost any question you may have on your B&W Ballard.