Marlin Ballard Custom Target Rifle in .45-70

Serial #155, .45-70 (2 1/10" BP), 29 7/8" heavy octagon barrel with an excellent, bright bore.  This is a very handsome rifle built on an original Marlin-made Ballard action that was professionally refinished to excellent condition with nearly all of the color case-hardened finish remaining.  The original markings have been replaced with new, laser-etched markings on the left side and underneath ahead of the lever.  The barrel is a modern replacement that has some mild silvering at the muzzle and along the edges of the barrel facets.  The rifle is equipped with a modern globe sight with lollipop insert mated to an elevation and windage-adjustable Vernier tang sight with variable aperture disk.  Additionally, the barrel is equipped with widely spaced scope blocks (spaced 15 1/4" apart) for a long scope or sighting tube.  The checkered walnut forend is in very good shape, with small handling marks and blemishes scattered about the varnish, but there is a gap at the frame juncture with worn wood around the edge.  The matching pistol-grip buttstock is also in very good shape, but has a London Guns recoil pad fitted that gives a short 12 3/4" LOP to the double-set triggers.  A modern Pachmayr Decelerator slip-on recoil pad is included that gives a LOP of 13 3/4" when installed.  This is a very nice target rifle, assembled from an original frame and modern components, that rates very good-near fine condition overall.  Antique