Marlin Ballard No. 6 Schuetzen .32-40 30″ Single Shot Lever Action Rifle

SOLD FOR: $1,800.00

LSB#: WY250323AV049

Make: Marlin Fire Arms Co.

Model: Ballard No. 6 Schuetzen

Serial Number: 28127

Year of Manufacture: Circa 1881–1890, Antique

Caliber: .32-40 (Thirty-Two Forty)

Action Type: Lever-Action, Falling Block, Single Shot

Markings: The receiver is marked “BALLARD’S PATENT / NOV. 5. 1861” and “MARLIN FIRE ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN, CT. U.S.A.” The bottom of the receiver is marked “28127.” The barrel shows signs of being refinished and rotated, with a newly cut dovetail.

Barrel Length: 30″. This barrel has been cut down and rotated 180°, then re-dovetailed and refinished.

Sights / Optics: The front sight is an interchangeable insert globe with windage adjustment dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a Marlin’s improved long range Vernier peep sight.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The rifle is fitted with a checkered pistol grip buttstock and a checkered Schnabel-style forearm. The buttstock features a hard rubber Marlin crescent buttplate. The wood is solid and well fit to the receiver. There are scattered nicks, compressions, and scratches, primarily around the wrist and forearm. There are no visible cracks. The checkering is moderately worn but visible. The LOP measures 13 1/4” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stocks rate in about Good Plus overall condition.

Type of Finish: Blued Barrel (Refinished), Case Colored Receiver (Faded to patina)

Finish Originality: Barrel has been refinished. Receiver finish appears original.

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly-bright, the rifling is sharp. There is light visible erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 8/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 20% of its original receiver case color and none of the original barrel finish. The receiver has aged to a mottled gray with case coloring faintly visible in protected areas. The refinished barrel shows signs of polish and cleaning, with scattered spots of handling wear and minor surface irregularities. The screw heads are lightly tool-marked but serviceable. The pins are clean. The markings remain legible. Overall, this rifle rates in about Good Plus condition .

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The breechblock drops cleanly, and the hammer locks and releases with proper spring tension. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None

Our Assessment:  The Marlin Ballard No. 6 Schuetzen rifle was among the more elaborately configured Ballard rifles, originally designed for precision target shooting and Schuetzen competition. It featured fine checkering, pistol grip stocks, and high-grade barrels optimized for accuracy with cartridges like the .32-40.

This example has undergone modification, most notably with a shortened barrel that was rotated 180°, re-dovetailed, and refinished. While no longer in fully original configuration, it retains its historical significance and remains a beautiful shooting rifle chambered in a classic target round.

Shooters and collectors alike will appreciate this rifle as a blend of 19th-century craftsmanship and practical adaptation. As an antique, it holds value as a historical arm, but also presents an opportunity for vintage single-shot shooting with one of the finest platforms of the era.  Please see our High Quality photos and good luck on your bids.-C.M.