Ordered in 1864, Lamson & Co., Windsor, VT, delivered 1002 Ball seven -shot Repeating Carbines to the U.S. Government in May 1865. Most collectors regard them as Civil War weapons even though they were not used in actual service. The 20.5"" round 50 rimfire caliber barrel has an excellent bore with strong, bright rifling. The action is operated by a lever to eject and load cartridges. Like the Spencer, the hammer is manually cocked. The barrel has a smooth blue-brown finish. The frame has generous amounts of case colors. The butt plate also has nice case colors. The stocks are very fine with no cracks or chips, a strong cartouche at the wrist, a small three letter inspection stamp forward of the butt plate tang, an H on the left butt near the butt plate, and minimum overall wear. The ramrod and sling bar and ring are present. The action functions correctly.  An interesting feature of the Ball is that if the ramrod is pulled forward without unscrewing it first, it will pull the magazine follower forward for easier reloading. Don't miss this top-notch Ball Repeating Carbine.