Oh, it will be going hunting, you may be certain! I want to shoot a bear, a deer and a moose with my Ross.
If all goes well, I am expecting a MOA rifle here, and that will hunt anywhere in this province out to 400M +
Dave.
My 1910 Ross rifle. IT SHOOTS!!!!.
- Thread starter Eagleye
- Start date
Oh, it will be going hunting, you may be certain! I want to shoot a bear, a deer and a moose with my Ross.
If all goes well, I am expecting a MOA rifle here, and that will hunt anywhere in this province out to 400M +
Dave.
OK, time for an update. I built some loads to try [at safe starting points] and managed to get out to the range today
for a short while. Sun was shining, and it looked warm, but the wind made it quite cold.
Anyway, I was determined to get the barrel broken in and sight it in at least. Got the break-in [a quick one, lol] done.
By the time that was accomplished I had it on paper at 100 meters, so shot a 3-shot group.
Load as follows: 180 Sierra, in an IVI case, fired by a CCI 200, with 43 grains of IMR 4320. [Looks very mild in this rifle]
First 3-shot group measures .88"; First 5-shot .91", so it most certainly did not disappoint. The chamber does not show
any of the unsightly "bulge" above the solid head that military chambers so often have.
I adjusted the 6x36 Leupold over and down a smidgeon, and fired one more shot, which landed exactly 3" high and ¼" to the
right of center on the target....good enough for this session. More load development is in order, of course.
I am going to enjoy this rifle, I can tell. Regards, Dave.
for a short while. Sun was shining, and it looked warm, but the wind made it quite cold.
Anyway, I was determined to get the barrel broken in and sight it in at least. Got the break-in [a quick one, lol] done.
By the time that was accomplished I had it on paper at 100 meters, so shot a 3-shot group.
Load as follows: 180 Sierra, in an IVI case, fired by a CCI 200, with 43 grains of IMR 4320. [Looks very mild in this rifle]
First 3-shot group measures .88"; First 5-shot .91", so it most certainly did not disappoint. The chamber does not show
any of the unsightly "bulge" above the solid head that military chambers so often have.
I adjusted the 6x36 Leupold over and down a smidgeon, and fired one more shot, which landed exactly 3" high and ¼" to the
right of center on the target....good enough for this session. More load development is in order, of course.
I am going to enjoy this rifle, I can tell. Regards, Dave.
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
Bevan King barreled that rifle up for me. It was a piece of junk that I had traded into for a 12 ga single shot. Bevan completely restored it, and chambered it with one of his .311" barrels, and his commercial specification chamber. It is wonderfully accurate, and as you have discovered, fired brass do not have the military bulge around the base, and can be reloaded many times with out failing....especially in the Ross rifle.
The neat thing about that rifle, is that I had Kevan's brother, Charlie, build the stock. He was one of the best kept gun smithing secrets in Canada, and did a wonderful job in the old English stalking rifle pattern.
Both he and Bevan have now passed on. We miss them both.
Ted
Bevan King barreled that rifle up for me. It was a piece of junk that I had traded into for a 12 ga single shot. Bevan completely restored it, and chambered it with one of his .311" barrels, and his commercial specification chamber. It is wonderfully accurate, and as you have discovered, fired brass do not have the military bulge around the base, and can be reloaded many times with out failing....especially in the Ross rifle.
The neat thing about that rifle, is that I had Kevan's brother, Charlie, build the stock. He was one of the best kept gun smithing secrets in Canada, and did a wonderful job in the old English stalking rifle pattern.
Both he and Bevan have now passed on. We miss them both.
Ted
Love the classic lines of the stock on this one Why Not.
I have a couple MkIII (military version of the M10) rifles that are having stocks made for them by Flying Pig.
Luckily they have lots of rifling left in the barrels even though they have been cut to 25 inches. I have been shooting them with the original military sights using cast bullets.
great accuracy and very mild recoil using 180 gr .313 dia cast from bullet barn pushed by 18 grains of H4198.
I would love to see what one of these old war horses could do with a decent scope mounted on it but I am reluctant to drill and tap either of them as the actions are still in original and unmolested condition.
I am not at all surprised by the results posted by Eagleye . Good shootin'. Nice rifle.
- Location
- Beaverlodge, Alberta
It's funny the reactions that people who are willing to try Ross rifles usually give you after squeezing a few off. Had a friend try the MkIII I just finished restoring yesterday, it was the first time he had shot one. His first reaction was "wow that's nice". Second was "that trigger is awesome!"
They can really surprise you too. I swapped a barrel on a 1905-R for one I had lying around from a MkII 3* military rifle a few weeks ago, shortened it to 26" and temporarily installed a target sight I have here. The barrel i used, even though it has the oversized chamber (horribly I may add) and considerable throat erosion, still produced a sub MOA group the first time I fired it. In that super lightweight package it is going to be one nice stalking rifle, even if it is extremely well worn and beat half to death.
They can really surprise you too. I swapped a barrel on a 1905-R for one I had lying around from a MkII 3* military rifle a few weeks ago, shortened it to 26" and temporarily installed a target sight I have here. The barrel i used, even though it has the oversized chamber (horribly I may add) and considerable throat erosion, still produced a sub MOA group the first time I fired it. In that super lightweight package it is going to be one nice stalking rifle, even if it is extremely well worn and beat half to death.
- Location
- Beaverlodge, Alberta
Left hand 3TPI buttress thread. It's not super far fetched to do it, it just requires some specialized tooling. A member here has done at least one on a 1920's 13" SouthBend. My 12" Clausing only has a single leg banjo, so I can't get set the combo gears I would need to cut it, yet. Plan is to adapt a banjo from something else down the road to produce the 3TPI needed. A nice tight commercial chamber would be nice too.
For now though, the barrel I used is shooting wonderfully. It's not original either so I don't mind dragging it through a rough life, or modifying it to suit my desires in a stalking rifle.
They have been rebored in a few calibers, yes.
For now though, the barrel I used is shooting wonderfully. It's not original either so I don't mind dragging it through a rough life, or modifying it to suit my desires in a stalking rifle.
They have been rebored in a few calibers, yes.
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- Location
- Beaverlodge, Alberta
Thanks for the pic Ted, that's the one. There is one other thread Ross used on the MkII2* target rifles that made breaking the receiver away from the barrel really tough. That was one bonus with the 3TPI thread, some thread out by hand.
James; Look earlier in this thread. The numbers are there. Dave.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
I am lucky enough to have a Military Ross M10 with an unaltered chamber, and bolt, with a very nice bore.
Missing only a few stock pieces and the fore end cap.
I haven't shot it enough to say how accurate it is, but that will change.
It weighs a ton, so although I will take it hunting, it won't be marching around much.
It would be interesting to see a Ross action strength tested. I suspect the proof mark is quite low to what it's capable of.
Missing only a few stock pieces and the fore end cap.
I haven't shot it enough to say how accurate it is, but that will change.
It weighs a ton, so although I will take it hunting, it won't be marching around much.
It would be interesting to see a Ross action strength tested. I suspect the proof mark is quite low to what it's capable of.
I have seen a couple of 1910 Ross rifles with very good looking bores. Mine looked as if it had been shot with corrosive ammunition,
and then put away without cleaning. The damage extended from one end to the other. There were even some pits in the chamber.
I cleaned it as best I could, and then tried it to see how it would shoot, but it was disappointing.....4-5 moa were the better groups at
100 meters. Fortunately, I did not pay a lot for it, so I felt it was worth investing some $$$ in.
It had already been D&T and set up for scope mount bases, and it wore an aftermarket sporter stock, so not any collector value.
McGowen contoured the barrel to the original profile, so no fiddling to make it work. The Ross has a 1.3" diameter shank as well,
a bit larger than the common 1.2" found on so many other rifles.
Also, this new barrel has a true .311" groove diameter. I slugged it, it mikes .3112" It should work fine for all those projectiles from .3105" to .312"
It has already shown it's potential with the Sierra Pro-Hunter 180 grain .311 bullet.
I have loaded some Hornady 174 grain RN, and some Speer 180 grain RN bullets to try. Also have some Norma 180 grain BT semi-spitzers to try.
It will be exciting to take this old warrior hunting, I am sure it will do itself proud. Regards, Dave.
and then put away without cleaning. The damage extended from one end to the other. There were even some pits in the chamber.
I cleaned it as best I could, and then tried it to see how it would shoot, but it was disappointing.....4-5 moa were the better groups at
100 meters. Fortunately, I did not pay a lot for it, so I felt it was worth investing some $$$ in.
It had already been D&T and set up for scope mount bases, and it wore an aftermarket sporter stock, so not any collector value.
McGowen contoured the barrel to the original profile, so no fiddling to make it work. The Ross has a 1.3" diameter shank as well,
a bit larger than the common 1.2" found on so many other rifles.
Also, this new barrel has a true .311" groove diameter. I slugged it, it mikes .3112" It should work fine for all those projectiles from .3105" to .312"
It has already shown it's potential with the Sierra Pro-Hunter 180 grain .311 bullet.
I have loaded some Hornady 174 grain RN, and some Speer 180 grain RN bullets to try. Also have some Norma 180 grain BT semi-spitzers to try.
It will be exciting to take this old warrior hunting, I am sure it will do itself proud. Regards, Dave.
The MkIII action is the same as the .280 sporter action we call the "M10". It was designed for that cartridge and proved for it at 28 tons pressure, that's ten tons more than the British proof for .303 MkVII. Whether that was an oiled case proof I don't know. People have tried to blow them up by packing the .280 case with pistol powder, plugging the bore etc. So far no one has succeeded. I believe Hatcher considered the M10/MkIII and the Arisaka the two strongest military actions ever built.
Interesting rifle Eagleeye; thanks for sharing it. I see you've got a rear sight base off an M10 .280 there? And a reworked Lee Enfield butt plate. A very nice stock indeed and I can see someone has done some very careful handwork with emery paper on the action too at some point.
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- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Certainly attaining 30-06 levels of performance from the EPPs chamber is easy with a Ross, been there done that.
I had a Ross in 303Epps at one time. The bore on that was horrid. However, it didn't shoot that bad.
I had a Ross in 303Epps at one time. The bore on that was horrid. However, it didn't shoot that bad.
That is a beautiful rifle! Brought back memories for me: my very first rifle was a butchered Ross MkIII that I bought from an old gentlemen in the mid-seventies when I was about 17. Paid $15 for it
Herb had welded some home made scope mount to the left hand side. The rings were those stainless steel threaded pipe clamps and the reticle in the scope had broken, so Herb had glued a straight pin in as a post. Talk about steam punk. But that rifle could sure shoot. The very first time I took it out to try it, an unfortunate crow landed in a plowed corn field about 80 yards out. The poor thing exploded when he got hit by that 180gr bullet. If I recall, that's the only thing I ever shot with it; horse traded it a few years later I believe.
By the way, as a PSA, here's an informative youtube video about the MkIII and what to watch out for when disassembling/reassembling the bolt.
Herb had welded some home made scope mount to the left hand side. The rings were those stainless steel threaded pipe clamps and the reticle in the scope had broken, so Herb had glued a straight pin in as a post. Talk about steam punk. But that rifle could sure shoot. The very first time I took it out to try it, an unfortunate crow landed in a plowed corn field about 80 yards out. The poor thing exploded when he got hit by that 180gr bullet. If I recall, that's the only thing I ever shot with it; horse traded it a few years later I believe.
By the way, as a PSA, here's an informative youtube video about the MkIII and what to watch out for when disassembling/reassembling the bolt.
That is a beautiful rifle! Brought back memories for me: my very first rifle was a butchered Ross MkIII that I bought from an old gentlemen in the mid-seventies when I was about 17. Paid $15 for it
Herb had welded some home made scope mount to the left hand side. The rings were those stainless steel threaded pipe clamps and the reticle in the scope had broken, so Herb had glued a straight pin in as a post. Talk about steam punk. But that rifle could sure shoot. The very first time I took it out to try it, an unfortunate crow landed in a plowed corn field about 80 yards out. The poor thing exploded when he got hit by that 180gr bullet. If I recall, that's the only thing I ever shot with it; horse traded it a few years later I believe.
By the way, as a PSA, here's an informative youtube video about the MkIII and what to watch out for when disassembling/reassembling the bolt.
Thanks for the video. Really lets us know how to properly assemble these bolts. Heard so much about the danger, and wondered what the reality was.
Easy to follow, and very informative. Since I am an auto repair tech by trade, it is easy to see how it is designed to operate. Dave.
