Ballard No. 6½ Rigby
Marlin Firearms · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1883
Also known as: Marlin Ballard No. 6½ Rigby, Ballard No. 6½ Off-Hand, No. 6-1/2 Rigby
Overview
The Ballard No. 6½ Rigby is a single-shot, breech-loading falling-block target rifle built on Charles Henry Ballard's action and produced by Marlin Firearms of New Haven, Connecticut from about 1883 to 1891. Conceived as an 'off-hand' rifle for standing-position target work, the No. 6½ used a three-finger lever, a crisp single trigger, and a conservative Swiss-style buttplate with modest prongs. Its name and signature feature come from the three flats worked into the barrel where it joins the action, a detail inspired by the Dublin and London gunmaker John Rigby & Co. Examples carried upgraded English walnut with a cheekpiece, an engraved muzzle and action, a wind-gauge front sight, and a Ballard 'improved' tang sight with elevation scale. Originally chambered for the .40-65 and .44-75 Ballard cartridges, it was later offered in lighter chamberings such as .32-40 and .38-55 Ballard.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4420 g (155.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1170 mm (46.06") |
| Barrel Length | 762 mm (30.00") |
| Action Type | Falling Block |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 396 m/s (1299 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1678 J (1238 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 230 m (252 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 900 m (984 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 8 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .40-65 Ballard · primary — also known as .40-65, .40-65 Ballard Everlasting
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech Loading
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Hammer
- Features: Falling Block Action, Three Finger Lever, Single Trigger, Rigby Style Barrel Flats, Swiss Style Buttplate, English Walnut Cheekpiece, Wind Gauge Front Sight, Ballard Improved Tang Sight, Scroll Engraved Action
Base model
Service history
Operators
- American off-hand and target shooters
Production
Production years: 1883-1891
High-grade off-hand target model of the Marlin-Ballard single-shot line; produced in small numbers as a near-custom offering with widely varying barrels, chamberings and decoration
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Charles Henry Ballard
Discontinued: 1891
Notes
Specifications vary considerably from gun to gun because the No. 6½ was a high-grade, semi-custom offering; barrel lengths of roughly 28 to 30 inches and weights from about 9¾ to over 10 pounds were common. The .40-65 listed here is the proprietary Ballard chambering (also seen as the .40-65 Everlasting), distinct from the later .40-65 Winchester. Receivers marked 'Marlin Fire Arms Co.' date the gun to after about 1881.
Background
Named for the Rigby barrel flats it borrowed from the famous Dublin and London gunmakers, the No. 6½ Rigby was the refined off-hand target rifle of the Marlin-Ballard family — built for the deliberate standing shooter who valued a crisp single trigger and a fine walnut cheekpiece over the raw heft of a buffalo gun.