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Marlin-Ballard No. 5 Pacific Sporting Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:1,375.00 USD
Marlin-Ballard No. 5 Pacific Sporting Rifle
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Marlin-Ballard No. 5 Pacific Single Shot Sporting Rifle, #31228, .38-55 CF cal., 29.5'' blued medium-weight octagonal barrel, with dovetailed blade front sight and three-leaf folding buckhorn-style rear sight stamped ''38-55'' ahead of case hardened receiver, which is marked on left side ''Marlin Fire Arms Co. New Haven Ct. U.S.A./Ballard's Patent Nov. 5, 1861.'' in two lines and mounted with a folding tang sight adjustable for windage and elevation via a knurled thumbscrew. Distinctive to this model are the under-barrel hardwood ramrod retained by two dovetailed German silver ferrules, double set triggers, and ''bright'' serpentine operating lever with ring loop at rear. Varnished two-piece walnut stocks with nicely shaped forend cap that appears to be made of horn, and case hardened crescent buttplate. Mfg'd 1876-91. Condition is fine, the barrel retaining 95+% original blue, the receiver with darkened/mottled case hardening colors, the operating lever in the ''bright'', and the buttplate a gunmetal gray. Stocks are sound and show nice coloration, the buttstock comb having a concave area at front that may be an old chip that was smoothed over; the forend with nicks and dings from use. Action is butter-smooth and functions as designed with a hair-trigger; hammer does not stay back; bore is shiny with defined rifling. Est.: $2,750-$3,750. (Antique)