M-10 Ross Markings

[gerardjohnson]

I would like to know the meaning of the following markingsd on my M-10 Ross.

59 over 1917 with a line between and LR to the right on the right side of the butt stock over the sling swivel.

58(could be 53) over what looks like 489 on the right side of the butt stock near the top of the butt plate.

44 on top of the stock behind the action. The bolt slides over it when opened.

PHAB in a circle just behind the trigger guard.

 

[tiriaq]

59/1917 + LR is the serial number.

 

[buffdog]

I would like to know the meaning of the following markingsd on my M-10 Ross.

59 over 1917 with a line between and LR to the right on the right side of the butt stock over the sling swivel.

58(could be 53) over what looks like 489 on the right side of the butt stock near the top of the butt plate.

44 on top of the stock behind the action. The bolt slides over it when opened.

PHAB in a circle just behind the trigger guard.

The 58 (or 53) is the Canadian Expeditionary Force Battalion Number of the owners and the 489 is the rifle rack number assigned to that rifle in the Battalion.

The 58 Battalion was from the Toronto/Southern Ontario and saw service on the Western Front. Not sure on the 53 Battalion but I will check my reference books later for the actual Name.

The PHAB we believe is a Royal Navy marking for PRIDDIES HARD. The British refer to HARD what we think of as a Dock. It was a Naval Arsenal (serving Rosythe ?)

Does the PHAB also have a number behind it, like PHAB-1 or PHAB-2?

Many of these Ross rifles were given to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines because the Navy and Marines had given up their Lee Enfields to the Army. Other markings you can find are PLY and CRB which we believe to be Royal Marines at Plymouth and Crombie Depots.

Is your rifle sporterized? Please post some pictures for a better identification.
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[tiriaq]

The 58 (or 53) is the Canadian Expeditionary Force Battalion Number of the owners and the 489 is the rifle rack number assigned to that rifle in the Battalion.

The 58 Battalion was from the Toronto/Southern Ontario and saw service on the Western Front. Not sure on the 53 Battalion but I will check my reference books later for the actual Name.

The PHAB we believe is a Royal Navy marking for PRIDDIES HARD. The British refer to HARD what we think of as a Dock. It was a Naval Arsenal (serving Rosythe ?)

Does the PHAB also have a number behind it, like PHAB-1 or PHAB-2?

Many of these Ross rifles were given to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines because the Navy and Marines had given up their Lee Enfields to the Army. Other markings you can find are PLY and CRB which we believe to be Royal Marines at Plymouth and Crombie Depots.

Is your rifle sporterized? Please post some pictures for a better identification.
.

Given the serial number date of 1917, in what capacity would the rifle have served with the 53rd or 58th Bn?

 

[buffdog]

Given the serial number date of 1917, in what capacity would the rifle have served with the 53rd or 58th Bn?

Without access to the Diaries of either Battalion, that is a bit difficult to answer. The marking as described by the OP is typical of the Ownership markings in use at the time with the Battalion number stamped over the rack number of the rifle, in the position that the OP indicates.

With virtually no SMLE rifles available in Canada, but with a Recruiting Program in effect, and replacements for the Battalions being needed, the probability of the rifle being used in a training role, for example, can not be ignored.

The PHAB markings on the rifle does indicate that the rifle had been in England. I have personally seen other Sporterized Ross rifles with PHAB markings on them, and there are two within 20 miles of me, belonging to a very knowledgeable Ross Rifle collector.

So I guess we will have to wait for some pictures from the OP. The markings should show up and give us much more information.

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[gerardjohnson]

The 58 (or 53) is the Canadian Expeditionary Force Battalion Number of the owners and the 489 is the rifle rack number assigned to that rifle in the Battalion.

The 58 Battalion was from the Toronto/Southern Ontario and saw service on the Western Front. Not sure on the 53 Battalion but I will check my reference books later for the actual Name.

The PHAB we believe is a Royal Navy marking for PRIDDIES HARD. The British refer to HARD what we think of as a Dock. It was a Naval Arsenal (serving Rosythe ?)

Does the PHAB also have a number behind it, like PHAB-1 or PHAB-2?

Many of these Ross rifles were given to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines because the Navy and Marines had given up their Lee Enfields to the Army. Other markings you can find are PLY and CRB which we believe to be Royal Marines at Plymouth and Crombie Depots.

Is your rifle sporterized? Please post some pictures for a better identification.
.

There is a 2 under the PHAB also within the circle.
On the back of the bolt handle, 2262 with DRD or DRB over the number. The D or B is double struck so it's hard to tell which it is.
The front wood has been removed. the handguard is still there out to the barrel band. The bottom wood extends 2.7" beyond the barrel band.
The other number in question is most likely 58, but could be 53. There is a dent in the wood through the 2nd number.
I tried two 5 shot groups at 50 yds after sighting in and got a 0.9 and a 0.7(4 shots in .25). I've never had an Lee Enfield shoot that well.
Thanks for your help.

 

[gerardjohnson]

I'm not very knowledgeable concerning computers and have been unsuccessful at posting photos. I can send an e-mail photo however. I was able to get a few photos of the rifle but not of the markings. They are difficult to read with the naked eye. I can't find settings on my $100 camera for close-up photos.

 

[smellie]

Sounds very like a "stripped" Ross. I have a couple here the same, one marked PHAB 1, the other a PHAB 2, just the same as yours.

Priddie's Hard now is mostly a housing "estate" but there also is a museum there and some of the old Service buildings have been preserved. During the Great War it was a Royal Navy munitioning station and, as such, was not in close proximity to the docks, repair yards and so forth at Portsmouth.
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