old .303 Ross Rifle?

G

ginnz

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100 miles north 100 miles south, manitoba
Hi guys,

I have a chance to buy and old .303 caliber Ross rifle, and would get it only to re-sell to anyone interested here. Ive never seen anything like it, and it looks like the stock has been "sporterized" a long time ago. The dude selling them got them from his grandfather a long time ago. here is a picture i was sent from buddys iPhone minutes ago.

would anyone here be interested in it?

LMK,

Ginnz.

6fcco8.jpg
 
It is a sportered Mark II military Ross on the 1905 Ross action.

The lever beside the action is for "dump loading" the rifle with loose .303 rounds. You hold 5 rounds above the rifle and let them drop onto the platform, then jiggle the lever up and down; the rounds then line themselves up very nicely as they drop into the magazine. This is called the Harris Magazine system.

I have little doubt there will be several fellows on here who are looking for such.

Are there any markings stamped into the right side of the Butt?
 
And of course you can use the Harris Lever to dump the rounds out of your magazine too; just turn the rifle upside down over a suitable surface, depress the lever and a couple of shakes and you're done.

Someone on another site made a superb take down out of one of these using that extraordinary 3TPI barrel thread. The barrel could be replaced or just re-bored for a larger calibre if worn out.
 
I believe this rifle to be a sporterized Military Mk II**. The rear sight I believe to be a Peddie, same as on old Lee Enfields.

Most important point...how is the bore?

Most of them are dark, frosted and/or shot out.

If it's nice it's much more worthwhile.

It's not worth any big money. It's 99% a cut down military rifle.
 
Unless wood patches have been inletted to remove the notches where the II*** handguard would fit, the rifle can't be a II***. Barrel is light profile, so it is not a II**.
With the barrel and stock cut, it is pretty much past restoration. Rifles in this state seem to sell for $150 - $250, depending on bore condition, as shooters.
 
Right Tiriaq, I forgot about the dropped down cuts for the handguard. A few more pictures could be helpful! Some guys do collect ANY Ross, I don't personally have any original condition military rifles yet, but have a number of shooter sporters as well as one factory sporter. They are a very interesting animal in any form. At least this one isn't a total hack job!
 
Might be an early factory sporter, but probably not. Barrel is definitely shortened. Would need to see photos of the foresight. Fore stock appears to have a Schnabel tip.
 
FWIW, if anyone is interested, there's a nifty old 1903 Ross at Gunco in Ottawa wight now with the fine adjustment sight ring around the barrel. Sporterized stock, unfortunately, but the rare rear handguard is there and in general, the metal is in above-average shape and the bbl is uncut. First one I've seen in years. I think it was around $250 or so.
 
Looks like a MkII5* with site base for the MkI Sutherland site which will also take the Long Lee site which it has.
 
I imagine a number of us interested parties have gotten pictures now. Is there a consensus on what the rifle actually is? That does not look like a modified military stock, though the rear sight appears to be a military MKII.
 
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