Worst Case Happen with Uberti Win.73

[SgtDog0311]

No recommendation here since I don’t have the knowledge and expertise to give that but thought I’d share my experience with a Ballard I purchased. A considerable bulge was discovered midway through the sale of this gun much to my disappointment. I wanted to back out when it was disclosed. The seller is a friend and was on the phone answering questions about the bore when I asked him to run a patch through before describing the condition. I heard him say uh-oh and was then told he’d discovered a bulge. He’d never shot it himself. After talking it over we decided to proceed (me with little enthusiasm, he with a price concession if it didn’t have any accuracy).

Upon delivery I was shocked he hadn’t seen it with his eye. Being about 5” from the muzzle it was clearly visible though difficult to pinpoint with a straightedge from the outside. I had little hope for accuracy and confess I didn’t consider the stress at the breach end pointed out here. Lock up was still very good so nothing stretched out enough to detect in the lockup as the lever was closed... though links could have been stretched and replaced. With very little load development it proved quite accurate still and I forked over $1300 for a 140yr old JM Model 1 1/2. Been shooting it ever since without ill effect. Like I said, I won’t speak to the risk but a Ballard may well have absorbed most of the spike in pressure at the link so there is that.

The bulge is enough to let a patch slip with almost a free fall for the length of at least a bullet, perhaps an inch and a half. I’m assuming the lands still hold the bullet rotation but you can bet a little gas escapes - apparently with little impact on accuracy. Location could be everything in this case.