Oh NO!! not another small block build

There's nothing wrong with a ball hone. If there was, they wouldn't be made. The key is knowing when and when NOT to use them. Where to draw the line. It's actually not very common to get away with "proper" clearances using a ball hone. Actual good standard bore LA blocks are getting more rare everyday. The Magnums not so much. I have seen a lot of those still have cross hatch in the cylinders and have little to no taper or out of round. The later engines are much better fodder for a re-ring. That's not to say an older engine cannot be done. They can, but if you want it to last any length of time at all, it better be in very good condition.