Which is better Marlin Ballard or Winchester Hiwall (original)

[longJohns]

Which is better Marlin Ballard or Winchester Hiwall (original)?

[StrawHat]

For what it is worth, I have a Marlin Ballard (22 WCF) and I used to have a Winchester Low Wall.

I kept the Ballard because it was one of the first long guns I bought for myself.  Do I miss the Low Wall?  Maybe, but for BP loads I like the Ballard.  Lots of folks like the HiWall but it never did a lot for me.

What is your use for either?  If target work or hunting especially with BP go with the Ballard.  If you want to redline some handloads use the Winchester.  Or a rolling block but that wasn't one of the choices.

G'Luck

[marlinman93]

 They're both great guns, and my preference is always for the Ballard, even though the Winchester is stronger. I prefer the Ballard action, and the enclosed breechblock which keeps everything out of the trigger group. I also think no other US made single shot rifle ever had a s good a set trigger as the Ballards. Only the nicest European arms makers made set triggers that worked as well, or stayed adjusted as well as the Marlin Ballards.
 I've got 7 Ballards, and 4 of them have set triggers. They work as well 125 years later as they did in the 1870's and 1880's.