Marlin · Rifle
Ballard No. 3 Gallery Rifle
Falling block · .22 Long Rifle · introduced 1876
Also known as Marlin Ballard No. 3 Gallery, Ballard Gallery Rifle
About the Ballard No. 3 Gallery Rifle
The Ballard No. 3 Gallery Rifle is a single-shot falling-block rifle chambered in .22 rimfire, built by Marlin Firearms on the Ballard action originally designed by Charles H. Ballard. Introduced in 1876, it featured an octagon barrel, a manually operated external extractor and an exposed hammer, and was marketed for indoor gallery and target shooting. Its crisp single-stage trigger and accurate barrel made it a favorite of late nineteenth century parlor and gallery marksmen.
Charles H. Ballard patented his single-shot falling-block action in 1861, and after the patents passed to New York retailer Schoverling & Daly in 1875, John Marlin refined the design into one of the finest single-shot rifles of the nineteenth century. Gallery shooting in indoor halls was a popular pastime of the era, and inexpensive .22 rimfire rifles like the No. 3 Gallery were built for exactly that sport.
Ballard No. 3 Gallery Rifle specifications
General
- Type
- Rifle
- Action
- Falling block
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer-fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Calibres
- .22 Long Rifle
- Magazine capacity
- 1 rounds
- Magazine
- Internal
Dimensions
- Barrel length
- 610 mm (24.0 in)
- Overall length
- 1016 mm (40.0 in)
- Weight (empty)
- 2.95 kg (6.50 lb)
Barrel
- Rifling
- Right hand
Materials
- Barrel
- Steel
- Receiver / frame
- Steel
- Stock
- Walnut
- Finish
- blued
Performance
- Muzzle velocity (typical)
- 330 m/s (1083 fps)
- Muzzle energy (typical)
- 141 J (104 ft·lb)
- Effective range
- 50 m
History
- Introduced
- 1876
- Discontinued
- 1891
- Production status
- Discontinued
- Country of origin
- US
- Designer
- Charles H. Ballard
Features
- Octagon barrel
- Manual external extractor
- Single shot
- Open sights
- Pistol grip stock
Safety
- Half cock hammer
One of the lower-cost Ballard models, intended for short-range .22 rimfire gallery and small-bore target use. The closely related No. 3F was a lighter 'Feather Weight' version.
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