.280 Ross - who has one and do you shoot it?

I should mention, this rifle looks AWESOME with low Redfield 7/8" rings and a Lyman Alaskan scope. Very vintage-chic.

Will post pics when done since the rings and bases are out getting reblued. The only rings I could find were Redfield M1903A4 sniper rings and they were parkerized. I'm probably a heathen, but I commercially polished them to get rid of the phosphateed surface and will be giving them a sporting rifle blue to match the rifle, scope and (soon to be blued) bases. It just didn't look right with parkerized rings.
 
ok, since someone asked, I got my .280 back from the 'smith today and man is it SWEET. We were able to re-used the D&T holes that had been drilled into the front receiver ring to mount a better Redfield-style base and he milled a custom rear base that fit the factory dovetail and is held transversely by friction and by the original factory set screw.

The scope is, IMHO, PERFECT for this rifle - a nice trim little 7/8" Lyman Alaskan.

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This thing points and handles like butter. Also, the scope is PERFECT for the long Ross receiver. Most modern scopes wouldn't properly bridge the rather lengthly Ross action without using ugly extension bases.

What do you guys think? :)
 
Here's mine;

Bubba cut the barrel to 24", and installed a dovetailed crude sight block (wich I removed). The price was good, so I picked it up.
The bridge was replaced (not by me) by a modified military one, on wich I fitted for the moment, a Ross Battle Aperture Sight (a std 1200 yds, wich works OK, but the 1500yds from a Short Ross MkIII would be a better fit but almost impossible to put a hand on it). I plan on milling down one of my spare bridge and machine a more "sporter"-like bridge with the dovetail.
BTW, Claven2, can you provide me with the dimensions of the dovetail (since you surely had to make one to fit your ring bases).

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I previously fireformed some 7mm RM for a Mauser barreled .280 Ross (0.284") and it worked great. Some people say they formed it from RUM wich would be a better overall choice is the base was not so big (0.545" for the RUM (virgin brass) VS 0.526" for the .280 Ross (virgin orignal brass)). I'll try it later this summer.
 
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I do know the dovetail is a non-standard dovetail pitch, but my smith had an oddball cutter that fit it. I didn't machine this one myself, actually. I had a gunsmith friend of mine do it since he also had to blue it anyhow.
 
Top sight is by BSA-known as the BSA-Martin sight- fits any standard Enfield base, so could be used on any Lee Enfield, but usually used on Ross MkII** Target rifle.The Receiver Bridge you show it mounted on is from a relatively early MkII** Commercial Ross Target rifle, serial from 3,000 up to approx 9,000- later than that normally the longer stamped or milled Military base would be expected.
Bottom sight-Made by Westley Richards in England circa 1909.....fits on any MkII receiver, but was designed to be used on a Match MkII** Ross- note the feed lips for the MkIII stripper clip-
I have examples of both on Commercial MkII**'s.
 
Rossguy said:
Top sight is by BSA-known as the BSA-Martin sight- fits any standard Enfield base, so could be used on any Lee Enfield, but usually used on Ross MkII** Target rifle.The Receiver Bridge you show it mounted on is from a relatively early MkII** Commercial Ross Target rifle, serial from 3,000 up to approx 9,000- later than that normally the longer stamped or milled Military base would be expected.
Bottom sight-Made by Westley Richards in England circa 1909.....fits on any MkII receiver, but was designed to be used on a Match MkII** Ross- note the feed lips for the MkIII stripper clip-
I have examples of both on Commercial MkII**'s.
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Wow! We're going to have to blindfold you and tie both hands behind your back for the next test Rossguy...:D
 
I had a basket case ross mk3, and made a 7mm rem mag out of it. I bought a sporter stock blank for it, and it is an excellent rifle, plus it is nice to be packing some Canadian history when hunting.
 
I'm not sure what the reticle is called, but it's a fine cross-hairs with a heavy center-dot. This reticle was also available with a fine target dot, but those scopes are difficult to hunt with because the dot is hard to see against the target, but with the larger dot on this one, it's not bad.

I would, of course, have preferred a european post reticle, but I couldn;t find one when I was looking to buy an Alaskan... ;)
 
Very nice , all the same.
I can see what your saying about the small dot for hunting .
( very recently aquired an Alaskan with the small dot )
Currently , I use a Lyman All American 2.5 x 1" with the post reticule for bush work.
 
Claven2 said:
I'm not sure what the reticle is called, but it's a fine cross-hairs with a heavy center-dot. This reticle was also available with a fine target dot, but those scopes are difficult to hunt with because the dot is hard to see against the target, but with the larger dot on this one, it's not bad.

I would, of course, have preferred a european post reticle, but I couldn;t find one when I was looking to buy an Alaskan... ;)
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Someone told me you can get the reticles switched...I know of a place in the US that services scopes, maybe they can do it?

Or perhaps Wheaty?

http://www.parsonsscopeservice.com/
 
RRCo. said:
What happened to the magazine it had?
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Sorry for not getting back to you sooner ....misplaced this thread .
The 280 Ross barreled reciever that I acquired came with a trigger assembly but sans bolt and sans magazine .
Since then I've obtained a bolt, a sporter stock, 280 Ross dies(RCBS) and 32 Bell brass....but can,t find or haven't been able to make a proper staggered magazine....but will get back at it this winter...
 
Reloading for the .280 Ross?

For those of you reloading for the .280 Ross, what bullet weights, powder & powder weights are you using?

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NAA.
 
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