Thread: Marlin Ballard restoration

The problem with your hammer is that some dick head has tried to open the action lever while the hammer was on full cock, this breaks the web at the back and elongates the hole.
The fix is fairly simple, as there is plenty of meat above, below and in front of the break use a hardwood dowel in the top curve and a brass plate behind the full cock notch and squeeze it back together in a good metal vice, it will rebound a little bit ( could tig it if you wanted to ) this will let the half and full cock engage ok and be perfectly safe it wont pull apart again.
I have done this myself and it works, I used a metal bolt on top which left a slight mark on the hammer curve, so I suggest a good hard wood dowel.

Originally Posted by George75

The problem with your hammer is that some dick head has tried to open the action lever while the hammer was on full cock, this breaks the web at the back and elongates the hole.
The fix is fairly simple, as there is plenty of meat above, below and in front of the break use a hardwood dowel in the top curve and a brass plate behind the full cock notch and squeeze it back together in a good metal vice, it will rebound a little bit ( could tig it if you wanted to ) this will let the half and full cock engage ok and be perfectly safe it wont pull apart again.
I have done this myself and it works, I used a metal bolt on top which left a slight mark on the hammer curve, so I suggest a good hard wood dowel.

Welcome aboard @George75
You sound like a man who knows his way around a Marlin Ballard

Cheers

I'm No expert, I do have a few I've worked on ( can only afford the cheapies) another tip for you is , if the lever droops a little after your lever and link and screw repairs , is to carefully peen downwards the back rear of both breach block halves ( not much) where they connect on the frame, don't over do it.
This will let the lever close tight with a nice sharp snap .

Originally Posted by George75

I'm No expert, I do have a few I've worked on ( can only afford the cheapies) another tip for you is , if the lever droops a little after your lever and link and screw repairs , is to carefully peen downwards the back rear of both breach block halves ( not much) where they connect on the frame, don't over do it.
This will let the lever close tight with a nice sharp snap .

@George75 the lock up is nice and tight and no lever droop

The new lever 4340 lever pivot screw sorted multiple small problems

And the links and pins were all just fine

So I will strip the breech block tomorrow and look at that technique you described earlier