1916 full length Ross acquisition...

G

goldidig

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Guys I bought this beautiful old 1916 full length Ross MKIII yesterday from an old chap. :D It had the lower front wood chopped and is missing the front band but that is all. Thank God Bubba never went further and hacked that beautiful long barrel off! The rear band and upper handguard are intact. The barrel is absolutely UNWORN and bright and shiny as brand new. Simply the best full length Ross I have ever owned. I may actually have to hang on to this one and maybe repair the front wood. Any suggestions as to what a rifle like this is worth as is or if the wood is spliced under the front band? What about deciphering the numbers on the butt stock. Some are visible clearly like the following: a lone letter J,
459 over 1916, a 4 digit number that I can't make out(the serial # no doubt "2004"?) ,431 and 3.18. I couldn't find a serial number on it anywhere and it is registered as NO serial number with a sticker on the way for the old girl. There are lots of proof stamps though like the letters BM over a crown. I have no books dealing with the Ross so I was hoping someone on here can give me some advice on this old gal.
Thanks!
Al
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J 459 is the serial, 1916 manufacture. 131 could be 131st Bn, 3.18 (March 1918) a date of issue?
Value? Whatever you paid for it. Cut Mk. III rifles in average condition perhaps $150 - $250. Add more for superior condition. Don't even begin to restore the stock unless you have a forged nosecap in hand.
 
Thanks Tiriaq. That letter J is nowhere near the 459. That 459 sits all by itself on the rear of the buttstock. The J is by itself towards the wrist. Don't worry, I am out to track down the proper nose cap for it before bothering restoring the gun. I'm wondering what the gun is worth restored with a spliced forestock? I know it won't be 100% original but it certainly won't be noticeable. Maybe it is just better to leave it as it is though and use it for a nostalgic shooter at the range.
 
I to am restoring a Ross. My Ross is a model 1905 that Oldlithgow gave me. That was super nice of him by the way!

So far I've have good luck finding a complete bolt asy, a middle band and a couple of the screws, but so far no luck on the stock or nose cap. Are the Ross blueprints still around anwhere? It might be possible to machine a couple of new nose caps IF we can find GOOD drawings.
 
The wood has been cut ahead of the mid-band, and you have he handguard, so if you can find a nosecap, you are good to restore it with a splice under the mid-band. Worth more because of the handguard, which is the hardest thing to make. I got a nosecap by advertising in parts & bits on the EE, so maybe someone else has one. I would go a bit higher for one with the handguard and the condition you describe. If the numbers are almost sanded out, that lowers it a bit. Do you have a close-up of the stock numbers?
 
Goldidig- First and foremost...you do NOT have an M-10 Ross! The M-10 was and is the top of the line Ross Commercial Sporter, chambered only in .280 Ross.
You have an ex-Bubba Ross MkIII Military rifle,chambered in .303 British only.
The serial number of your MkIII is 459 over 1916 FOLLOWED by two letters (that you didn't offer). Just the 459 over 1916 is almost meaningless- the two letters define it fully. Any four-digit number on it is not a serial- it was added later, not by Ross. Based on your photos, the identification has been almost completely removed by sanding. With the markings gone, any money spent on it now (perhaps IMHO only) would be wasted. Tiriaq just about nailed it's value around $150CAD, and that would be to someone who needed it for parts.....For those who are really interested in learning about Ross rifles, there are plenty of books available, even in canada.
 
Goldidig, I looked at the close-ups of the stock you posted. I don't have a good MkIII to show you, but this photo of MkII stock shows the "Quebec Cartouche" and some of the other markings that seem to be missing from your rifle.
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Unfortunately there are details which are visible to the eye which don't show up in the photo. I can still make out the "Quebec Cartouche" and the MkIII. I understand Rossguy, about the M-10 being a lovely sporter. I have seen a couple of those over the years, one only a few weeks ago chambered in 280. What I would love explained to me is why the heck Ross stamped all the MkIII's with M-10 on the recievers. Why not stamp them MkIII on the reciever? I did know better than to post that as a M-10. It was a mistake on my part. There may be a second letter just barely visible for a serial number of 459JX or a Z Guess I better just go order a book on the Ross rifles and not bother you guys. Sorry.
Al
 
I am interested in making reproduction nosecaps and barrel bands as well as stocks. I don't have the equipment but I am registered for a machining project course and if they let me I will make a nosecap and barrel band - also if I can borrow them from one of you guys to copy. I have to look into the course I'm registered in a little further so I know if we are even allowed to choose our own project or if we are assigned one.
 
There are two patterns of Mk. III nosecaps - the early stamped ones, and the later forged ones. The latter could be machined from solid.
 
Ross Model 10/303

Rossguy said:
Goldidig- First and foremost...you do NOT have an M-10 Ross! The M-10 was and is the top of the line Ross Commercial Sporter, chambered only in .280 Ross.
You have an ex-Bubba Ross MkIII Military rifle,chambered in .303 British only.
The serial number of your MkIII is 459 over 1916 FOLLOWED by two letters (that you didn't offer). Just the 459 over 1916 is almost meaningless- the two letters define it fully. Any four-digit number on it is not a serial- it was added later, not by Ross. Based on your photos, the identification has been almost completely removed by sanding. With the markings gone, any money spent on it now (perhaps IMHO only) would be wasted. Tiriaq just about nailed it's value around $150CAD, and that would be to someone who needed it for parts.....For those who are really interested in learning about Ross rifles, there are plenty of books available, even in canada.
Click to expand...

Saw this one yesterday in 303 British Marked Model 1910 military style Ross
I have a .280 Ross Model 1910 Sporter

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