June 9-10, 2017 Premier Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/10/2017
This is a scarce United States contract Ball & Williams Ballard carbine; one of 1,500 purchased by the Ordnance Department in 1864. A nearly identical gun can be found on page 23 in the "Ballard Book" by Dutcher, serial No. 10335. The 1864 contract called for 5,000 total carbines, with no less than 450 rifles delivered per month. The first 1,000 were delivered on March 18, 1864 and 500 on August 1, 1864. These 1,500 were all that the Federal Government were to get. As the remaining 3,500 were not delivered. The US contract carbine bears the initials "GH" stamped on left side of breech block. Extractor is a period replacement. Has all matching numbers. The G.H. inspector mark stood for George Haynes who inspected the Ball & William No. 1 carbine. He was a civilian employee of the Springfield Armory who worked as sub-inspector of contract arms during the Civil War. The front sight slot is missing the sight. Single barrel band missing its lanyard ring. Extractor is a period replacement. Metal is a grey-brown soft patina. Features two leaf folding rear military style sight, walnut stocks, carbine buttplate and rear sling swivel. Left side of stock has the "MM" script cartouche in ribbon. "MM" stood for Miles Moulton, a civilian employee of the Ordnance Department during the Civil War. Moulton inspected the 1,500 Ballard carbines under contract with Department of Ordnance. Walnut forend is excellent, buttstock has some hairline cracks at wrist on left side which could easily be repaired. Action is fine. Strong rifled bore with some minor abrasion. 1,200 of these carbines were sent to Vermont to arm state militia while 500 were purchased by the state of Kentucky for the cavalry in September of 1864.
Caliber/Bore
.44 Long Ballard R.F.