Out of Battery Ross Firing....

[Winchester30-30]

i am reading it in the first 40 pages i understand more about reloading then ever, but steve im not one who learns by reading i learn by doing, just like at red river i hated book work, i learn and have learned most of what i know in the shop,

 

[Tinman204]

I agree with what you're saying, but you must get the basic knowledge from books before you can even start. It's just the nature of the beast.

 

[buffdog]

The problem with any tool, (yes, a Rifle is a tool,) is that any idiot can misuse it. The Ross Rifle, (and the accompanying Urban Legend about the Ross) is just one example.

If you use something correctly, it does the job quite well. In the case of the Ross, that job is putting a bullet downrange into a target, with a very great probability of hitting almost exactly where you want to hit if you do your part. If you use that tool, (the Ross) incorrectly, or assemble it wrong, then you have a chance to plunk one into Farmer Johns prize Cow, or ending up in a state of disrepair yourself. One of the biggest trends today is that nobody seems to take responsibility for their OWN actions, and it is the rifle, hammer, screwdriver, or someone else who is to blame for their own stupidity.

Like SMELLIE, I have been shooting the Ross since the late 1950s, and since I first showed up on a range with one, I have been hearing the same old story about the unsafe Ross rifles. One of the best "retorts" is when the people telling you about the dangerous Ross is standing there with a Lee Enfield. Ask to see the rifle, take the bolt out, unscrew the head, and put the bolt body back in. Then hand the guy back the rifle, and invite him to fire it that way. You usually get some irate comment, but then you can politely hand him the bolt head back, and point out that HIS rifle was disassembled and put back together improperly much like a Ross can be. A properly assembled rifle using normal ammunition will be safe, but a rifle that is not assembled right is NOT SAFE. It is the Human Factor that makes it unsafe.

As to the Dauphin Gun Show, it was a pleasure touching bases with some of the CGN Members who were there. Yes, I did pick up three rounds of W.R.A. 30 Govt. 1903 ammunition, of which I gave SMELLIE one because I had 300 km. to drive back and I could not contemplate the pitiful wailing noise he would have made if I kept them all to myself.

 

[Winchester30-30]

agreed! i had first heard of the story, that never stopped me from buying one thankfully tinman showed me his ross and told me why they fail, but my 1905 is different from the m10, im excited to get my ross out, tho the first shot may be from the hip lol

 

[Tinman204]

agreed! i had first heard of the story, that never stopped me from buying one thankfully tinman showed me his ross and told me why they fail, but my 1905 is different from the m10, im excited to get my ross out, tho the first shot may be from the hip lol

I'll shoot it from the shoulder with my right eye firmly placed behind the bolt!! We can film it so the masses can hold their breath in horror waiting for me to blow up.

I used to be a fan of the forgotten weapons channel, I enjoyed the recent one where the shoot a lebel rifle. But now Im done with that channel!!

That test is as stupid!!! We might as well do a "what will happen if you leave the propane on your BBQ on for 30 seconds before you light it" video.

I find the world is just ridiculously stupid now a days!! It's only getting worse!!

I can only imagine how the old timers feel about mankinds step backward in intelligence over the pet few decades!!

 

[rdelliott]

Best thread ever.

 

[Winchester30-30]

I'll shoot it from the shoulder with my right eye firmly placed behind the bolt!! We can film it so the masses can hold their breath in horror waiting for me to blow up.

I used to be a fan of the forgotten weapons channel, I enjoyed the recent one where the shoot a lebel rifle. But now Im done with that channel!!

That test is as stupid!!! We might as well do a "what will happen if you leave the propane on your BBQ on for 30 seconds before you light it" video.

I find the world is just ridiculously stupid now a days!! It's only getting worse!!

I can only imagine how the old timers feel about mankinds step backward in intelligence over the pet few decades!!

with my luck tho it'd be a freak accident then your wife isnt going to like me so much, lol

 

[RRCo.]

It's funny how many Ross sporting rifles one sees with the rifling just about shot out of them; that's thousands and thousands of rounds. And I do believe the steel used and the rifling itself were designed to provide exceptional barrel life. Of course .303 surplus ammo was cheaper than borscht in them days and if you wanted to shoot all day you could. Obviously some folks did.

If the Ross Rifle Ruckus is still alive and well today, what a earful they must have heard back then!

 

[Winchester30-30]

took my enfield to a local gun guy the barrel was right loose and i wanted the headspace checked out, so the barrel was over torqued squashing the end a touch so when right tight the front blade is crooked, so any ways we got to talking and i said i have a 1905 ross rifle straight pull, he looked me dead in the eye and said you shouldnt be shooting that gun, i said why not? (knowing the reason jsut wanted to hear his) he said to me the bolt will tear your face off, i looked at him and said, thats the m10, not my 1905, then he started on the speil that no ross rifle is safe, i jsut about grabbed my enfield and walked away, i think he got mad that i knew more about the ross then he did,

 

[smellie]

Nic, the problem with "everybody knows" is that "everybody knows".

At one time, "everybody knew" that the World was flat.

Didn't stop it from being round, though!

Don't let one guy's attitude stop you, whatever you do. Over the years, I have found TWO 1910 Rosses on the "for Sale" racks in gun shops, ASSEMBLED INCORRECTLY. I ended up buying them, just to get them the hell outta there before somebody got hurt.

But ther could be others.

Keep hammering away. You are HELPING.

 

[Tinman204]

took my enfield to a local gun guy the barrel was right loose and i wanted the headspace checked out, so the barrel was over torqued squashing the end a touch so when right tight the front blade is crooked, so any ways we got to talking and i said i have a 1905 ross rifle straight pull, he looked me dead in the eye and said you shouldnt be shooting that gun, i said why not? (knowing the reason jsut wanted to hear his) he said to me the bolt will tear your face off, i looked at him and said, thats the m10, not my 1905, then he started on the speil that no ross rifle is safe, i jsut about grabbed my enfield and walked away, i think he got mad that i knew more about the ross then he did,

I would have taken my gun and left for a "gunsmith" SHOULD know a thing or 2 about what makes agun safe or not. if he doesn't as in this case I would not trust or enjoy him laying hands on one of my prized pieces of history!!

But hey, that's just me!

 

[Winchester30-30]

yeah i get it tinman, but i want my enfield ready to shoot when i get back

 

[H Wally]

Yup - all the fudds will now be pointing to this video and screaming in terror when they see a ross I think it's time for me to take them to the range again

 

[smellie]

"Hawt Dayum, Murgatroyd, Ah wen' tew th'raffle range fer t'sight in ma musket and thar were this hyar dood wif CHOPSTICKS out'n he's NOSE an' a ROSS Raffle an' be damned if'n that thar self-ejectin' action didn' work the way it wuz s'posed ta and he din' even git heself KEELT. Never even bothered his CHOPSTICKS, neether!"

 

[Bittermansbro]

"Hawt Dayum, Murgatroyd, Ah wen' tew th'raffle range fer t'sight in ma musket and thar were this hyar dood wif CHOPSTICKS out'n he's NOSE an' a ROSS Raffle an' be damned if'n that that self-ejectin' action didn' work the way it wuz s'posed ta and he din' even git heself KEELT. Never even bothered his CHOPSTICKS, neether!"

Scary, but I hear that in my head, with the drawl-in' accent and all.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

"Hawt Dayum, Murgatroyd, Ah wen' tew th'raffle range fer t'sight in ma musket and thar were this hyar dood wif CHOPSTICKS out'n he's NOSE an' a ROSS Raffle an' be damned if'n that thar self-ejectin' action didn' work the way it wuz s'posed ta and he din' even git heself KEELT. Never even bothered his CHOPSTICKS, neether!"

Yeah, I hear it too. Took me a second, though. I thought Kamlooky had hacked Smellie's account for a second there...

 

[twosteam]

It takes a fair bit of talent to write like some one, with an accent, talks.
Believe me, Smellie can do many different accents in speech or in writing. He is very talented that way. Newfi, hindo, scot, brit you name it. I love to have him read to me and use accents for the different characters. There is a lot about Smellie that most people do not know. He could have become famous as a voice over actor.

In his stories each character has their own unique speech patterns- the different characters become real! Each a unique individual, after you read for a bit you know who is talking- you do not need " he said, she said" nor "so-n-so said " this or that. This is a unique talent, one that I (for one) appreciate.

This is how I know that Lookie is no dummy. It takes real talent to do all that.
janice

 

[bushwhacker]

I wouldn't mind so much if the ignoramus gunoramus subspecies believed the exploding Ross legend, because it would keep the price down. However, I can just see Egbert hauling a perfectly good rifle I would be happy to give him coin of the realm for, down to the local constabulary offfice to turn in for destruction so he could protect the innocent. To make it even worse, the cops can end up in deep do-do for suggesting to folks trying to get firearms chopped that they would be better to sell them. I have heard some horror stories about winchester collections and O/U shotguns being consigned to the torch by heirs and others confiscated from people with expired licences and/or criminal charges. Even though the police involved knew better, it was worth their jobs and crininal charges to intervene.

 

[Tinman204]

I wouldn't mind so much if the ignoramus gunoramus subspecies believed the exploding Ross legend, because it would keep the price down. However, I can just see Egbert hauling a perfectly good rifle I would be happy to give him coin of the realm for, down to the local constabulary offfice to turn in for destruction so he could protect the innocent. To make it even worse, the cops can end up in deep do-do for suggesting to folks trying to get firearms chopped that they would be better to sell them. I have heard some horror stories about winchester collections and O/U shotguns being consigned to the torch by heirs and others confiscated from people with expired licences and/or criminal charges. Even though the police involved knew better, it was worth their jobs and crininal charges to intervene.

You are so correct, for instance this gun the pride of my collection and oh so rare is a A.G. Parker target rifle was on it's way to be turned into the Winnipeg polices "guns for cameras" event last year. It was where a person could hand in any firearm no questions asked and received a new digital camera. The guy that sold it to me said he was literally packing it up when his son inlaw stopped him and said "ya know there's people out there that would buy that gun". He couldn't believe that I not only would give him 100's of dollars for this old turd but that I was going to actually shoot it!! Oh the horror!!

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

I saved a similar rifle from the Blue Flame Treatment in Calgary a few years ago - PH5C sight, came with a little Stevens single-shot .22 with a receiver sight on it, a PH cleaning rod, score book, tin of oil, and various bits and bobs, all in a transit chest. The Widder had intended to turn it over to the Mounties. She did think enough of the rifle and its history to include a little writeup on her late husband's service. He was a medical officer in Holland.

I was happy to intervene. Cutting up such a thing is a crime against history and good taste.