Antiques Roadshow

GUEST: That was, our parents had passed away, and we was left this.

(mumbling) GUEST: I did a little research, but I couldn't find the exact gun.

APPRAISER: But what did you say you thought it was?

GUEST: Marlin?

APPRAISER: Well, you're, you're essentially half-right.

This is a, a Marlin Ballard Rifle.

The Ballard Company had gone into business primarily to make carbines during the American Civil War.

And after the war, they didn't have any more military contracts.

They kind of floundered.

They finally were acquired by, uh, the Marlin Company along with their patents.

And this is a Ballard patent action, this dropping block action.

And, uh, this one's, is designed as a target gun.

You've got a, uh, flip-up tang sight for long range shooting.

You've got a hooded globe sight up front.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: It's got some condition issues, but I'd much rather see a gun untouched than cleaned on a wire wheel or had something else done to it.

GUEST: Yeah.

APPRAISER: In this condition, at auction, the gun's probably gonna sell somewhere in the $200 to $400 range.

GUEST: Oh great.

GUEST: Perfect.

Well, thank you.