AFAIK, all those guns went to the US military or to Kentucky. There was no major Ballard civilian production until after the war, when the markings were different.
I am willing to be "eddikated" but I think your rifle is a military rifle or carbine that was worked over sometime after the war. There were three deliveries to Kentucky, 1000 in .44, range 7100-8500 in 1864; 3000 in .46, ranges between 9400 and 13100, and 600 assembled rifles from the Dwight, Chapin bankruptcy in 1864, serial numbers unknown. This info is from Flayderman's which has a lot of info on the Ballard (in the Marlin section). I suggest getting hold of that book. The Ballard is also covered in several books on CW arms.
FWIW, the two ordnance inspectors assigned to B&W were Moses Moulton (MM) and George Haines (GH) so those initials (unless removed) would definitely indicate a military carbine or rifle.
Jim
|