Ballard Sporting Arms Model 1862 Rifle .44 Long Rimfire Single Shot Antique

SOLD FOR: $1,350.00

LSB#: LSB260513BR007

Make: Ballard Sporting Arms

Model:  1862 Rifle

Serial Number: 4333

Year of Manufacture: Circa 1862-1864 Antique

Caliber: .44 Long Rimfire

Action Type: Single shot, falling block, rimfire rifle

Markings: The top three flats are marked “Ballard’s Patent, Nov 5, 1861/ Ball and Williams, Worcester Mass./ Merwin and Bray Agts, New York”.

Barrel Length: 28″

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed into the barrel. The rear sight is a two leaf folding V notch. There is a folding peep sight mounted on the upper tang. 

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is two piece smooth walnut, tipped forend, straight comb, and crescent iron buttplate. The LOP is 13 1/4″ from trigger to buttplate. There are scratches and compression dents throughout. There is scattered chipped finish. The forend is chipped along the barrel channel. There are cracks on the bottom of the forend. There are light cracks at the wrist. Overall this stock is in Good condition as antique.

Type of Finish: Blued 

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright. The rifling is well defined. There is light erosion and pitting near the breech. In this writer’s opinion this bore rates 8.5/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 40% of its original finish. The receiver has lost its finish and is gray patina with corrosion staining. The barrel has worn partially to brown patina with corrosion staining. There are scratches and nicks scattered throughout. The screw heads show light tooling but are serviceable. The markings are faint but legible. Overall this rifle is in Good condition as antique.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None

Our Assessment: The Ballard Model 1862 Sporting Rifle is an early American falling-block single-shot arm chambered in .44 Long Rimfire. This example features a 28″ barrel, two-leaf rear sight, tang-mounted peep sight, straight-grip walnut stocks, and a crescent iron buttplate. Its original Ballard patent configuration and early production place it among the more historically significant sporting rifles of the Civil War era.

Developed from Charles H. Ballard’s 1861 patent, these rifles were produced by Ball & Williams and marketed through Merwin & Bray during the early 1860s. The Ballard action was compact, strong, and adaptable, helping establish a design lineage that would continue through later Brown, Marlin, and custom target rifles. Early rimfire sporting examples such as this one reflect the rapid transition from muzzleloading arms to self-contained metallic cartridges and are important artifacts of American single-shot rifle development.

This rifle retains about 40% of its original finish, with the receiver worn to gray patina and the barrel showing brown patina, corrosion staining, scratches, and scattered nicks. The walnut stocks remain in Good antique condition despite chipped finish, forend cracks, and light wrist cracking. The bright bore has well-defined rifling with only light erosion and pitting near the breech, rating 8.5/10, while the action functions correctly. Overall, this is a Good-condition antique Ballard sporting rifle with strong historical and collector appeal. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids! MF