Ballard The Great American Single Shot Rifle

The story of the Ballard rifle is more than a listing of models and their specifications. It provides us with a brief overview of the need for improved arms by the men who fought in our Civil War. Civil War period Ballards are rarely found in fine condition. Unlike many of their contemporaries, the Ballard shot sensible ammunition that was available for years after that conflict, and many Ballards were used during the western expansion movement. While tracing the Ballard story, we visit a modern-day factory of the mid-1860s, and we're offered a glimpse of the people behind the making and selling of this rifle.