The basic design of the Ballard breechloading rifle was developed in the early 1860s by C.H. Ballard, and production was done during the Civil War by the Ball & Williams Company of Worchester, Massachusetts. Even during this gun-hungry period, the new Ballards, mostly made for a variety of rimfire calibers, had lackluster sales. It seems one of the most noteworthy customers was the state of Kentucky, which purchased several thousand in carbine form for their state cavalry. After the war years, the basic Ballard patent was shuffled about by various owners. However, in 1875 rights to it were purchased by the J.M. Marlin Company, later to become the Marlin Fire-Arms Company. Until 1891 Marlin produced a wide array of rifle styles based on the Ballard patents. Not all of them were target rifles.

Several, such as the No. 5 Pacific Rifle, were intended solely for the big game hunter. By its name this particular model was aimed at the hunters of the American Northwest.

The Pacific Ballard, as it is generally called, was a specific style of rifle. Of course, like all Ballards, the action was of falling block design with exposed hammer. Pulling the trigger guard down lowers the breechblock, which in turn exposes the chamber for loading. If an empty case is in the chamber it is extracted at this time. After a fresh cartridge is chambered, the trigger guard is raised, which closes the breechblock. Unlike some other versions of the falling block single-shot rifle, the Ballard's hammer must be manually cocked after the breechblock is raised. Also, it should be stressed that the Ballard's breechblock should never be lowered while the hammer is at full cock as that can break the trigger.

In 1987 Garbe and I formed a small company to sell SPG Blackpowder Bullet Lube. Garbe developed the lube formula, and the "SPG" name reflects his initials. In 1992 we published the SPG Blackpowder Cartridge Reloading Primer, and it's now gone through several printings. In 1993 we jointly began publishing the SPG Black- powder Cartridge News quarterly magazine.

For years we shot as a team in NRA Blackpowder Cartridge Rifle Silhouette competition. We did this together until I sold my half of the partnership to him in 1995. So I can honestly say that whatever else can be said of Steve Garbe, he darn sure knows what a single shot blackpowder cartridge rifle ought to be.

The rifles produced by the new company show it. The first one I've had the chance to test fire is a reproduction of the No. 5 Pacific Ballard. It is a fine example of single-shot rifle craftsmanship. The test rifle is a .45-70 and sports a 30-inch, full-octagonal barrel that measures one inch across the muzzle. Total rifle weight is 10 1/2 pounds. The action, finger lever, breechblock and buttplate are beautifully color casehardened, while the barrel is blued. Incidentally, these Ballard actions are not investment castings. They are machined from solid bar stock on modern CNC tooling.

Initially the Ballard Rifle & Cartridge Company was offering its rifles either with barrels of their own manufacture with a slight gain in the rifling twist (meaning the twist rate increases slightly from breech to muzzle) or with barrels from the well-known Badger Barrel Company (PO Box 417, Bristol WI 53104). Immediately prior to this writing, Steve Garbe informed me the company was going to cease production of its own barrels and rely solely on Badger barrels. This test rifle carried one of the Badger barrels.

Stocks for Ballards are of two piece configuration with the buttstock attaching to the action with a through-bolt. Instead of screwing to the barrel as with most single-shot rifles, the forearm of the Pacific Ballard is held by a crosspin. Buttstock on the test rifle was a very nicely figured piece of American walnut with 13 1/2 inch length of pull. Its fit and oil finish are just about perfect. The customer has the option of ordering grades of wood ranging from plain to presentation.

As with original Pacific Ballards, this sample came with a brass capped wooden wiping rod carried under the barrel in steel ferrules. Also knowing I was going to paper target shoot with the test rifle instead of hunt with it, Garbe equipped it with a Montana Vintage Arms (61 Andrea Dr., Belgrade MT 59714) vernier tang sight and hooded post-and-ball front.

A Ballard action is not regarded as having the inherent strength of other single shots such as the Model 1874 Sharps or Model 1885 High Wall. It is my opinion that no Ballard made back in the late 1800s should be fired with smokeless powder ammunition regardless of condition. However, the Ballard Rifle & Cartridge Company rates its new creations as safe with modern factory ammunition or black-powder handloads.

Since this rifle is meant for hunting and not long range target shooting, I kept to hunting type factory loads and handloads for group shooting. These consisted of the new 405-grain lead bullet factory loads from Black Hills and PMC and handloads using bullets I had cast. Accuracy was fine with group averages running in the 2- to 3-inch range for most loads. Functioning was flawless throughout the shooting of over 100 rounds. The deep crescent butt does punish one when shooting from the bench but probably wouldn't be noticed much in hunting situations.

If I had to come up with anything on the downside concerning this Pacific Ballard it would be that the trigger pull was too light. Unset, the front trigger's pull was only 2 pounds. When set it was too light to measure with a trigger pull gauge. That means it had to be only a couple of ounces. This is a small point as the Ballard Rifle & Cartridge Company can adjust trigger pull weight to a customer's specifications.

Basic cost on a Pacific Ballard is $2,375. (An 1888 reproduction of a Marlin catalog shows a No. 5 Pacific Ballard selling for $22.50 with 30-inch barrel and $24 with 32-inch barrel.) Calibers available are just about any black-powder cartridge dating from the 1870s and 1880s, but I understand three very popular ones are .38-55, .40-65 Winchester and .45-70. For more information contact Ballard Rifle & Cartridge Company, 113 W. Yellowstone, Cody WY 82414.

It might also interest readers to know that Garbe finished second overall at the 1998 NRA BPCR Silhouette National Championships held at Raton, New Mexico. He was shooting one of his .45-70 Ballards.