1905 Ross Sporters

woodchopper

woodchopper

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gents something new to me, and I know very little about :redface:

while not technically a milsurp I think I can be forgiven as it is a Ross


I believe that I have a 1905 Ross Model R factory sporter, its chambered for 303, or that is what is marked on the barrel. It seems to be in OK shape but I will be giving it a full going over tonight and will be taking pictures.

My first question is what should I be looking for to properly identify this rifle, I did not see any markings that I would normally associate with a military rifle, what do I need to look for and where.

My next question is related to the bit of research I have done, it appears that there is some sort of machining that may have been to attach a telescopic sight on the top of the receiver, so this and the lack of military markings makes me think I got something interesting.
 
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Usually, Ross Factory Sporters were marked "303 Ross" on the top of the barrel near the receiver. The serial number should be on the left side of the barrel, just ahead of the receiver ring, in numbers about 1/8 inch high. The rear sight should be an open rear sight, very similar to the Winchester model 94 carbine.

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If you need a rear sight, you can steal one from that old '73 hiding in your sock closet.

Ross bought their sporter sights from Winchester!
 
Ok photos

buffdog and smellie, thanks great info looks like I do have a sporter, I was concerned about the rear sight

the serial number is 4 digit on the left side under the wood on the receiver (no photo)

26" barrel

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Ok here is the receiver.. what is this for, some sort of scope mount ???

the receiver is very beafy while the barrel is sort of thin

375797_10151205905293851_694181553_n.jpg



some pitting looks like it may have been reblued ??

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What is that button thing for on the upper left of the photo? To remove the stock?

I don't have those two grooves on the receiver,just behind the barrel either.


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I have a 1905 that, other than taking a few shots with, I have barely had time to look at.

For some reason, mine has no stampings on the barrel whatsoever where Woodchopper has them. Does this mean I might have a replacement barrel?

My front sight looks ALMOST like his. Mine is all solid, whereas, he seems to have adjustment and a screw. A company variation? Maybe a different sight was put on if I have a replacement barrel?

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The receiver grooves and front sight are modifications made after the rifle left the factory.
Sometimes receiver rings were grooved lengthwise beacuse the sights are quite low.
Usually the serial number was on the left side of the arrel, just above the wood, but who knows?
 
Definitely a 1905-R. The s/n can be in one of two places. On the barrel chamber area, just above the wood. Or around the curve of the barrel just past .303 Ross.

The P and .303 Ross are surefire signs of a factory sporter.

I've never seen anything like that milling on top of the receiver. I wonder what that is?

The button on the right is the Harris Platform lever, to depress the magazine platform so rounds can be quickly dumped in. Some sporters had them, some didn't.
 
Yep it's a 1905R. No offence intended, but hope you don't have alot of $ into it. If bore is good would be a good truck-gun. Suppose you could always find another 1905 receiver, but not sure if worth it IMHO. Have to remeber this rifles over 100 years old now.
Geoff
 
With a 4-digit serial number, this rifle is 'way over 100 years old at this time. The LAST 1905s were turned out early in 1912.

Stocks on these were nice, relatively lightweight and really well-designed. They were made of the best European walnut obtainable. The rifle comes up to your shoulder with NO messing about.

This one is early enough that likely it has the threaded cocking-piece and firing-pin.

Rifling in these was a special Ross form of rifling which was designed to give good accuracy with Mark II/Mark VI type ammunition which was extremely erosive. Ross claimed that his barrels would outlast a standard barrel 3 to 1.

The Harris Controlled Magazine Platform was designed so that you could "dump load" the rifle with loose rounds. Remember, when this rifle came out, the Charger had not yet been invented. To use the critter, you slapped back the Bolt, grabbed 5 rounds and held them above the rifle magazine, then depressed the Harris lever far enough that the rounds would fall into the magazine. A couple of extra quick stabs on the Harris lever and the rounds would obediently line up, rim ahead of rim, in the magazine for you. It worked much better than it sounds.

Well, if this is supposed to be a "truck gun", we had better find a truck with enough CLASS that this rifle doesn't feel out of place. Cadillac doesn't make trucks any longer, so I suppose we're stuck with a top-of-the-line Hummer as our minimum truck..... unless someone has one of those armoured Rollers for sale cheap.

A VERY classy old rifle, one you can be proud to own and to show off.

It was built in Quebec on the Plains of Abraham by a bunch of French-Canadians to the design of a Scots nobleman, back in the days when we were trying to get along and build a nation rather than two or three or four.

And it's Canadian, eh?
 
The bolt in the 1905 locks with the lugs in a horizontal position.

The lugs themselves have 40% more bearing area than a 98 Mauser. I have measured it personally.

The Ross lugs are 100% more massive than the 98 lugs.

The action was rated at 100,000 psi without letting go when it was made.

The .303 round gives its best accuracy around 40,000.

That's a factor of 2.5:1, minimum.

Safe enough for me, anyway.
 
One of my 1905R sporters had a front sight blade that someone had filed lower. Consequently it shot too high. In order to get the rear sight low enough, bubba filed a groove lengthwise in the receiver to allow a line of sight. I made and installed a new front blade. Re-receivered it with a military receiver which had been drilled and tapped for a rear sight bridge. Don't worry, the donor rifle was really bad. Installed a rear peep sight, using the existing holes. It is now a light, handy sporting rifle with sights I can use.
Changing receivers is no big deal with 1905 rifles. Even though the barrels have been in place for high on a century, they can almost be removed by hand. Remove the locking set screw, and turn off the receiver, keeping in mind that it is a left hand thread.
I have a 1905 service rifle barrel with poor bore; if I ever get it rebored to .35/.303, it will go on this rifle.
 
longbranch* said:
Yep it's a 1905R. No offence intended, but hope you don't have alot of $ into it. If bore is good would be a good truck-gun. Suppose you could always find another 1905 receiver, but not sure if worth it IMHO. Have to remeber this rifles over 100 years old now.
Geoff
Click to expand...

It would appear that some people here equate a fine 1905 Ross Factory Sporter with a Bubbaed Lee Enfield or other cut down Military rifles. There were certainly a lot less Factory Sporters made than there were Military 1905 Ross Military Mark II rifles, so that makes it a lot more scarce. The Sporters had better wood and it seems like a bit more care was taken in the fitting of them, compared to the Military Models. I wonder if a Sedgley or Griffin and Howe Sporterized Springfield could be considered as "Bubbaed" or a "truck gun" using the same criteria. How about the Swedish Husqvarna Factory Sporters as they used m/96 Mauser Military actions and barrels?

As far as the two grooves in the front of the receiver, they are not done by Bubba, in my opinion, but a Gunsmith using a Shaper, probably for the purpose of mounting a scope sight base and system on this rifle. I can easily see that by using the rear sight dovetail, a sort of base could easily be mounted and secured, with the grooves stabilizing the rear end of the base. We also have to remember that when this rifle was built and a couple of decades later, low powered scopes were in use, instead of the higher magnifications ones used today.

I also agree with the comments that SMELLIE has made concerning the desireability and suitability of this Ross Sporter.

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Here is some pics of mine. Too bad it has this very crudely repaired stock. :( (below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/56722204@N05/8117465389/in/photostream

Receiver stamped Ross Rifle Co......(below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/56722204@N05/8117470428/in/photostream

Rear sight is different from Woodchopper's. Note how there is no stamps whatsoever on the barrel. A replacement?
(below)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56722204@N05/8117471916/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/56722204@N05/8117461323/in/photostream

Front sight is similar to Woodchoppers,yet still different. It has no screw.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/56722204@N05/8117462495/in/photostream

I don't have those machined grooves on the receiver that Woodchopper has either. (below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/56722204@N05/8117461897/in/photostream
 
One more interesting point

My serial number is 49xx, stamped on the barrel 1/8" high with the last 2 digits on the bolt parts

But there is another number on the receiver 5/16" high 60xx in a different script

The slots on the receiver are not bubbawork, they were done on a mill or shaper, very clean and consistent

And as for the "I hope you don't have a lot in to this rifle" I'm a cheap bugger and I think I got a he'll of a deal. The bubba done sorted enfields were selling for higher then what I paid.

I also picked up a "bubba" that someone at the factory marked EAL 303 on, only one extra non factory hole drilled on the receiver, also cheaper then the other bubbas, got real lucky.
 
@ TIRIAQ:

Why not go all the way for your wrecked barrel?

Ross built the 1905 Sporters in .35 Winchester.

Ammo is easy to make: 1-shot forming from now-available .405W brass OR make a slightly-short case from .30-40 Krag, seat the slugs 'way out.

Enough wallop to perform a permanent fix on rampaging 'Raptors, one would think!
 
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Maybe post some pictures of tghe markings of the left side of the receiver on the No. 4 EAL rifle, and we can tell if it an original EAL or a Bubba marked one.
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smellie said:
@ TIRIAQ:

Why not go all the way for your wrecked barrel?

Ross built the 1905 Sporters in .35 Winchester.

Ammo is easy to make: 1-shot forming from now-available .405W brass OR make a slightly-short case from .30-40 Krag, seat the slugs 'way out.

Enough wallop to perform a permanent fix on rampaging 'Raptors, one would think!
Click to expand...

That would certainly be an option.
Something that I wonder about with any .35 conversion is recoil. A 1905R is a light, slim, handy rifle. In .303, you know you've fired one. Don't know what one would be like with the heavier .35 bullets.....
 
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