Irishtown Gun Show purchases

[gerardjohnson]

I bought/traded a few rifles at the gun show last weekend that I'm very pleased with. First was a BSA Martini .22 in minty condition except for the blueing on the lever. It has a tang peep sight with 6 dial peep sizes and adjustable for windage & elevation. The front sight has a flip up post/circle. The barrel is sleeved with an old serial number scratched out and a new one stamped over it but not the same as the number on the receiver. It has a 25" barrel. the butt stock has been shortened a bit as the but plate is about 1/4" too long. There is no model marking on the rifle but the Firearms Centre calls it a Model 8. It functions very well but it was so windy I didn't test for accuracy. I'm hoping to get a rather calm day soon to give it a real try.
The second gem is a 1910 Ross in very good shape but missing most of the wood ahead of the barrel band and of course the bayonet base. The shocker for me was the accuracy. After 6 or 7 rounds sighting it in, I shot two 5 shot groups off the bench at 50 yards. The first group was 0.75" and the second was 0.65" with 4 of those in 0.25". I have never had a military rifle that shot half as well. I also traded a brass bore mirror for a Remington Model 33 in rather rough shape and picked up a minty Australian bayonet & scabbard for my Lithgow No.1 Mk III*. I still came home with a bit more money than I took with me. All in all, a very good show for me.

 

[Mike Webb]

That's the main reason Canadians continued to use the Ross for sniping even after it had been pulled from use by Canadian infantry units. Yours must still have a good bore.