rechamber/barrel 280 ross

one of the famous NZ deer stalking legends used a 280 Ross for may may large Red stag and Wapiti... i got to fondle the rifle in the NZ Deer stalkers museum at Wellington :)

thats all i know about the Ross...dont butcher it :) sell it
 
ALFREDS said:
I bought a .280 Ross in 2005 that was rebuilt with a .284 caliber barrel. I bought 50 pieces of brass, at a time when it was easy to import. The guy who rebuilt the gun gave me 20 rounds of .300 H&H brass with the belt ground off. He claimed that .300 H&H with the belt removed could be run through a Ross die and then fire formed. I never tested out the advice.

By the way, I was in a gun shop in Agassiz BC this year and found 20 rounds of original. 280 Ross ammo. I also found 60 rounds of 6.5 x 57 ammo there and some .30 Remington. What are the chances of that? But it happens.

Half the fun is screwing around with these old guns trying to get them to run.
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Several months ago I had a heartbreaking conversation with a very nice guy in the U.S. who has 22 boxes of original Kynoch and 3 boxes more of once-fired, that had belonged to his late father in Ontario. He was willing to sell me the lot for a very fair price. The heartbreak was, only a few months before we spoke, he had moved it all down to his home in the States. Under current U.S. laws, that's pretty much a one-way trip. All I can say is, good thing I wasn't a drinkin' man...
 
mctrigger said:
I have the chance to acquire a 280 Ross. However the availability of this brass is almost impossible to get and it’s far too expensive. producing it from a parent case is likely too much hassle. So what would be the ideal rechamber for it? The .287 diameter barrel ideally would be kept. Is there even a option? Has anyone done something similar?
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I'm with the poster who advised, if you're interested in a Ross in a different caliber (nothing wrong with that, as long as you don't butcher a collector's piece to get it), find a bubba'd Mk.III, which is the same action, and build a replica M-10 every bit as nice as the original. You would be rescuing a vandalized rifle, and making a beautiful custom rifle in it's place - and in the caliber of your choice. You'd definitely have to be in the right place at the right time to find even a sporterized Ross in good shape for under $250, but it happens. Even a $300-$400 rifle puts you money ahead for a custom project.

If you do end up going ahead with a barrel swap anyway, I'd very much like the opportunity to purchase the old barrel. PM me, please.
 
I have been considering such a project. I have a salvaged Mk. III action in nice shape. Actually bolt and receiver didn't start out together, but the fit is smooth. Have a take-off target rifle barrel, currently in .308. I'll use this for a test run, see how I do threading and fitting it to the receiver.
.308 is an established performer, but I wonder if .307 Winchester would be an option as far as working with the .303 bolt is concerned?
On hand is a M-10 .280, that has had scope bases installed, and a heavy coat of varnish applied to the stock. Bore is shootable though, so it might be better to leave it alone, and restore it as far as possible. I'd not drill and tap a nice original, but this one already has bases neatly installed. I have brass and dies for .280. Did form some .300H&H cases, left the belts alone. Cartridges chambered, cases fireformed. If you stop and think about it, if the belt will enter the chamber, obviously the area in front of the belt must be a bit small. Some expansion occurs when fireforming, but there is no expansion just in front of the belt, where the web is very thick. Looks a bit odd, but seems to work.
 
The whole cartridge of the 300 is a touch small so the belt would fit. But I assume when it fireforms it maybe wouldn’t flow as well into the chamber if the belt it’s left on? Maybe? I’m thinking out loud really. I think I’d machine it off if I did it. Would be a interesting experiment of accuracy. Between the two. Googling almost makes your brain melt after a few hours. Hahaha.

280 Ross
Base diameter.
.534 in (13.6 mm)
Rim diameter
.556 in (14.1 mm)
Case length
2.59 in (66 mm)

300 H&H
Base diameter
.513 in (13.0 mm)
Rim diameter
.532 in (13.5 mm)
Case length
2.62 in (67 mm
 
longbranch* said:
Woodleigh bullets produce correct .287 bullets for the .280 Ross. I have owned several .280 Ross' over the years. Formed brass from .300h&h through FL die and trimmed, belt left on. Worked with mixed results. Finally sold rifle with the dies, bullets, brass etc.
My advice, enjoy it 'as it is'.
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I bought the rifle that Longbranch* mentions. Beauty. I have since acquired 2 more in 280 Ross.
My handloading experience with these rifles is quite the journey. One of them shoots 175 gr Hornady .284 bullets and 160 gr .287 Woodleigh bullets just fine.
The rifle I got from Longbranch* only shoots the .287 Woodleighs with any degree of accuracy.
The last M10 I got keyholes targets at 25 yards regardless of bullet diameter and I am considering having it re-barreled in 7mm Rem Mag.

Just note that if you choose to do this, you will need to have a larger diameter shank on the barrel where it mates to the receiver. I measured mine at 1.3 inches. by comparison, my FN Mauser is 1.1 inches. You will need to find a barrel maker who can make such an item in the correct dimensions.
Note that there is a member on here , Eagleye, who had a MKIII re-barreled. He needed a custom barrel for the job. The MKIII action and the M10 action have the same barrel shank dimension.

With regard to reloading for the 280 Ross
I have used 300 H+H brass to form 280 Ross cases and I find that they split just above the belt after only 2 or 3 firings. I like some aspects of the 300H+H case. Body taper in particular is well suited to forming the 280 Ross but the case has to be shortened to 2.6 inches.
Lately I have used 375 Ruger as a parent case and although it takes a few more intermediate steps to get the case down to 280 Ross dimensions, it does work and the case head diameter is slightly larger than the 300H+H. The 375 Ruger cases do not need to be shortened.
The latest parent case that shows great promise to be formed into 280 Ross is the 28 Nosler. It is the right length, the right case head diameter and it should be a one and done process through a 280 Ross sizing die. I haven't tried this one yet.
 
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Brno8x57 said:
The last M10 I got keyholes targets at 25 yards regardless of bullet diameter and I am considering having it re-barreled in 7mm Rem Mag.
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My offer goes for you also, Brno8x57 (nice rifle, by the way): I'd like the chance to buy your old barrel if you do rebarrel your Ross. Please PM me if it comes about.
 
What I did for my M10 was measure the original barrel in a number of locations, and sent the dimensions to McGowen
They built me a custom barrel with the larger 1.3" shank, and contoured like the original barrel. I had a BC 'smith thread
it up and chamber it in the original chambering [303 British] Then blue it all up. I am very pleased with the result, and it
does shoot very well now. Many groups are sub-moa. Shot a deer with it this year, using the 180 Sierra pro-hunter.
It this strong action, I am using essentially 308 Winchester loads. Brass stands up great! Regards, Dave.
 
mctrigger said:
The gun itself is a real beauty. Classic sporting rifle looks and fine wood. And has to come with a decent price. Just weighing the options before I commit.
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A nice classic rifle with bubba aftermarket options is worth nothing. I'd pass if I couldn't live with it as is.
 
Brno8x57 said:
With regard to reloading for the 280 Ross
I have used 300 H+H brass to form 280 Ross cases and I find that they split just above the belt after only 2 or 3 firings. I like some aspects of the 300H+H case. Body taper in particular is well suited to forming the 280 Ross but the case has to be shortened to 2.6 inches.
Lately I have used 375 Ruger as a parent case and although it takes a few more intermediate steps to get the case down to 280 Ross dimensions, it does work and the case head diameter is slightly larger than the 300H+H. The 375 Ruger cases do not need to be shortened.
The latest parent case that shows great promise to be formed into 280 Ross is the 28 Nosler. It is the right length, the right case head diameter and it should be a one and done process through a 280 Ross sizing die. I haven't tried this one yet.
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I haven't had any issues with my re-formed 300 H&H cases splitting but they were annealed so maybe that's the reason.
For the doubters there is an article out there by Ross Seyfried about shooting this calibre.
 
I don't have to do any "spoterizing"; I just need to save them from the purists who want them all destroyed. Lord save us from the "factory spec or break it up for parts" stuffed shirts.
 
conor_90 said:
Finding a nice stock for a bubba military Ross is a chore/ borderline impossible.
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Exactly. And using a reproduction stock is not a restoration, it's a replica. That's fine, if that's what you want and it's not being passed off as original, but it has no more validity than a well-made sporter. To each his own.
 
I’ve had a couple of what I believe to be commercially or well done bubba sporter job Ross rifles, both had a ridiculously short LOP.

Couldn’t get a stock for either, scoured the web for years. A guy was in letting reprint full length stocks somewhere in the Peace but when I stocked him down he told me he was out of the game.

I’ve seen pictures of an older one at auction put into a m70 stock, looked nice but I couldn’t do the inletting

There is a picture somewhere of a rifle user “ whynot” had made in the style of an English stalking rifle.

You would be paying a lot or a very talented individual if you wanted to replicate it/

There was another thread where a fellow had found a Ross converted to 300 win in a storage locker. It was damn ugly though and he wouldn’t sell it to me.
 
C-90
You might want to think about adding a “Bubba Pad” to your “sportered” MKIIIs. Picks up 1- 1/2 to 2”
IRT “sportered” MKIII (they are NOT M-10s, as the actions with both M-10 and MKIII markings were used on militaries Willy billy), They are barrel heavy and a chore to carry in the woods. Have a look at R-10s or better yet an E-10, as they have the lightweight barrels of the .280 and are a treat to carry and use. IMHO “sportered” MKIIIs are best left on the seller’s rack when Ross made terrific MKII and MRE-10 sporters
Best OGC
conor_90 said:
I’ve had a couple of what I believe to be commercially or well done bubba sporter job Ross rifles, both had a ridiculously short LOP.

Couldn’t get a stock for either, scoured the web for years. A guy was in letting reprint full length stocks somewhere in the Peace but when I stocked him down he told me he was out of the game.

I’ve seen pictures of an older one at auction put into a m70 stock, looked nice but I couldn’t do the inletting

There is a picture somewhere of a rifle user “ whynot” had made in the style of an English stalking rifle.

You would be paying a lot or a very talented individual if you wanted to replicate it/

There was another thread where a fellow had found a Ross converted to 300 win in a storage locker. It was damn ugly though and he wouldn’t sell it to me.
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