Pictures of Ross rifles in Russian use during WW2

M

mkrnel

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
255   0   0
Location
Canada
Came across these pictures on another internet gun forum showing Ross rifles in Russian Militia use during WW2 in the Leningrad militia and thought others here might like to see them too -

attachment.php

attachment.php


And they used Lewis guns in Russian service too -

attachment.php
 
Captured during the Russian civil war ?the parties involved got weapons from a wide variety of sources and the Western powers supported the Whites.

Grizz
 
last pic, lee nagant? its a no1 by the look of it but the nosecap and forend is changed and it has a russian sling hole on the butt. wonder if any of those still exist in the wild.
 
cantom said:
Look at the guy on the left of the second row...tall or what, a head taller than anyone else.

Lewis guns in the front row? (just noticed you mentioned that)
Click to expand...

sure looks big .. but its always the small wiry guys that get to carry the heavy loads!! :)
 
mkrnel said:
Came across these pictures on another internet gun forum showing Ross rifles in Russian Militia use during WW2 in the Leningrad militia and thought others here might like to see them too -

attachment.php

attachment.php


And they used Lewis guns in Russian service too -

attachment.php
Click to expand...

Everybody that could get Lewis Guns used them when they first came out. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if some weren't still in use today. They were/are fantastic guns. Like all LMGs they needed to be maintained properly but maintenance was minimal in comparison to everything else at the time. The Chinese bought and produced thousands of them. All sides used them to some extent during WWII and from what I have heard in Korea by both sides. I saw a lot of them that were still serviceable in Africa in the late sixties and some in South America in the mid seventies. As long as parts are available or can be made, they are still a darn good and reliable LMG. Some don't like the overhead mag and claim its awkward. Todays preference is to belt fed which has a lot of advantages as well as disadvantages. A well trained crew on a Lewis can really make them perform well. They were trouble free enough to be used on aircraft during WWI and after.
 
scott585 said:
last pic, lee nagant? its a no1 by the look of it but the nosecap and forend is changed and it has a russian sling hole on the butt. wonder if any of those still exist in the wild.
Click to expand...

I have heard those were from the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, but that could be only part of the story.

I have never seen one up close.
 
Last edited:
Here's one off the net. One of the Baltic republics used them I heard. I cropped out the kid that was holding it, the rifle is the usual size.;)

jg0NIs.jpg
 
I think both Latvia and Estonia (maybe Lithuania as well) had Lewis guns in war stocks.

I'm pretty sure Latvia had quantity of Ross rifles shipped to them sometime in 20's as well.

A while ago I read a publication on Baltic states military history 1918-1940 and it was mentioned there.

Can anyone verify this
 
donor said:
I think both Latvia and Estonia (maybe Lithuania as well) had Lewis guns in war stocks.

I'm pretty sure Latvia had quantity of Ross rifles shipped to them sometime in 20's as well.

A while ago I read a publication on Baltic states military history 1918-1940 and it was mentioned there.

Can anyone verify this
Click to expand...

I am not sure if my story is correct. It might have been from a US poster, historically and geographically challenged. To him, Balkans might have equalled Baltics. :rolleyes:

Need confirmation X2 - SMELLIE! Where are you? :)
 
There was plenty of this stuff that came from Allies to help White Army. Basically everything you can imagine including Lewis MG, Enfield Patern 14 and so on from all Allied countries in huge quantities landed in South Russia and subsequently was captured by Reds. So might have nothing to do with Baltic.
 
In my experience, it's the big guys that power down first .... A large engine needs more fuel and down time. It' was the small wiry types that had the best endurance.

Read something by a USN SEAL to the effect that the real kick ass soldiers weighed in the order of 145 lbs. The bigger guys suffered more from heavy falls and body slams due to their body mass.
 
...like that old expression, The bigger they are, the harder they fall...


Sharps '63 said:
In my experience, it's the big guys that power down first .... A large engine needs more fuel and down time. It' was the small wiry types that had the best endurance.

Read something by a USN SEAL to the effect that the real kick ass soldiers weighed in the order of 145 lbs. The bigger guys suffered more from heavy falls and body slams due to their body mass.
Click to expand...
 
Bigger the guy bigger the target. In the age of modern firearms smaller soldiers are simply better. Big guys are good for cannon loading.

Just back to the topic.

Lewis guns were bought by Imperial Russia during WW1 in big numbers, they were chambered in 7.62x54

Ross rifle and Enfields

Baltic states was a source but small. Biggest numbers were sold for gold to the White forces that fought in the Southern front. They were thousands supplied

Third and second in importance supply was rifles captured from of British forces and their allies after they were forced to run on the souther Caucasian front especially in the region of Baku. British also supplied Enfields and roses to various Caucasian groups that were fighting the Bolsheviks. After all of this groups were defeated thousands of British supplied rifles ended up with the Soviets
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom