Ballard Rifle
{{Infobox weapon
| name = Ballard Rifle
| image = Ballard's rifle addvertisement part.jpg
| wars = American Civil War
| designer = Charles H. Ballard
| number = 21,000+ (1862–1873) by various firms and then 40,000 by J.M Marlin and the Marlin Firearms Co.
| origin = United States
| is_ranged = yes
| used_by = Union (American Civil War)
| manufacturer = Ball & Williams
R. Ball & Co.
Dwight, Chapin & Co.
Merrimack Arms and Manufacturing Co.
Brown Manufacturing Co.
Marlin Firearms
| 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
| production_date = 1862–1891
| 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
| weight = 10.07 lbs (No. 1 Hunter's Model)
9 lbs (No. 2 Sporting Model)
10-12 lbs (No . 5 Pacific Model)
| design_date = November 1861
}}
The Ballard Rifle was a single shot, breechloading longarm used during the American Civil War by Kentucky volunteers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.horsesoldier.com/products/firearms/longarms/14757|title=Original, Civil War Period< Ballard Military Rifle — Horse Soldier|website=www.horsesoldier.com|access-date=2018-08-09}}
History
The Ballard Rifle was designed and patented by Charles H. Ballard in November 1861 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Around 3,000 were made between 1862 and 1865, with some being used for military use in Kentucky. 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. The No. 1 Hunter's Model was first introduced in 1875 for the .44 rimfire caliber.{{Cite web|url=http://www.historynet.com/marlin-ballard-pacific-montana-rifles-appeared-buffalo-disappeared.htm|title=The Marlin-Ballard Pacific and Montana Rifles Appeared as the Buffalo Disappeared |website=HistoryNet|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-09}} The No. 1 would later be produced in .44 rimfire, .45-70 Government, .44 Ballard Long, & .44 Ballard Extra Long.{{Cite web|url=http://cap-n-ball.com/ballard.htm|title=History of Ballard Rifles|last=Designs|first=Jack A Rains, Arco Iris Web|website=cap-n-ball.com|access-date=2018-08-09}} This version along with the No. {{frac|5|1|2}} Montana are known for being one of the main rifles used to hunt buffalo. Other variants included the No. {{frac|1|3|4}} Hunter's Model, No. 2 Sporting Model, No. 5 Pacific Model, and the No. {{frac|5|1|2}} Montana Model.