I got my hands on one of these rifles. It is a very nice looking sporter rifle and has a straight pull bolt which I have never seen before. It is a 303 and looks like a new rifle condition wise. Anybody have any experience with these? I will post a couple pics later tonight!
Ross M1910
- Thread starter rpcw
- Start date
1910 Ross
There are a couple of things about the 1910 Ross rifle that are critical. The bolt CAN be assembled wrongly, and if fired with a bolt that is assembled wrong, then serious injury to your head can result. In other words, DO NOT DISASSEMBLE THE BOLT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TO.
Many Canadian Ross Military Mark III rifles (the 1910 Model) were modified by drilling a hole in the bolt body, grinding a couple of threads off the bolt head assembly, and inserting a rivet, supposedly to prevent wrongful assembly. However, there are cases where the rivet was broken or bent by someone who forced the assembly together.
With many people, they have to disassemble their new rifle down to the last screw. You see posts for "HELP" here all the time from these people, because they have a problem getting the rifle back together. The 1910 Ross is one rifle that you should NOT DISASSEMBLE THE BOLT IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
That said, take your rifle and open the action by pulling back on the bolt. Note the space between the locking lugs and the bolt body, it should be about ONE INCH between the two. If it is only about 1/4 inch, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT FIRE IT. IT HAS BEEN ASSEMBLED WRONG.
If the rifle bolt is wrongly assembled, you can close the action on a live cartridge, and pulling the trigger will fire it. However, a wrongly assembled bolt has only about 1/6 of the lugs in engagement, and it will feel like it is fully locked. Firing the rifle in this condition will probably blow the bolt back and it will hit you between the eyes. Then, we will have one less CGN Member, but it probably will be a nice funeral. Too bad you won't enjoy it. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
If you take a small flashlight and shine it into the receiver ring while you are slowly closing the bolt, you can actually see the bolt head rotate to the full locking position.
Now that you have been properly cautioned, if everything is correct, then you will find the Ross has a very fine trigger pull, is quite accurate, and really is a fairly strong action. The 1905 action was tested at 100,000 psi and the 1910 action was tested at 125,000 psi.
Many of the Ross Military rifles were sporterized, but Ross did make some Commercial Sporters using the 1910 action. You can usually tell these Military sporterized rifles because the stock has been sanded down, and the metal parts are flush or slightly above the wood. A military rifle usually has the right side of the butt stock stamped with the Ross emblem, and serial number. The serial number is a number between 1 and 999, with two letters over a date. An example of this would be the following: 789 over 1915 with FG beside it. There may also be unit numbers or letters present.
Ross Sporters usually have a serial number stamped with numbers about 1/16 high on the left side of the barrel in front of the receiver. By the way, the round part that you might think is part of the barrel that is just in front of the larger diameter receiver ring is not the barrel.....it is part of the receiver.
If you go to Milsurps.com, you will find threads on the Ross rifles. In their library section, is a Handbook for the Ross Military Mark III rifle.
Let's get some pictures posted, so we can help you identify what you really have.
.
There are a couple of things about the 1910 Ross rifle that are critical. The bolt CAN be assembled wrongly, and if fired with a bolt that is assembled wrong, then serious injury to your head can result. In other words, DO NOT DISASSEMBLE THE BOLT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TO.
Many Canadian Ross Military Mark III rifles (the 1910 Model) were modified by drilling a hole in the bolt body, grinding a couple of threads off the bolt head assembly, and inserting a rivet, supposedly to prevent wrongful assembly. However, there are cases where the rivet was broken or bent by someone who forced the assembly together.
With many people, they have to disassemble their new rifle down to the last screw. You see posts for "HELP" here all the time from these people, because they have a problem getting the rifle back together. The 1910 Ross is one rifle that you should NOT DISASSEMBLE THE BOLT IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
That said, take your rifle and open the action by pulling back on the bolt. Note the space between the locking lugs and the bolt body, it should be about ONE INCH between the two. If it is only about 1/4 inch, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT FIRE IT. IT HAS BEEN ASSEMBLED WRONG.
If the rifle bolt is wrongly assembled, you can close the action on a live cartridge, and pulling the trigger will fire it. However, a wrongly assembled bolt has only about 1/6 of the lugs in engagement, and it will feel like it is fully locked. Firing the rifle in this condition will probably blow the bolt back and it will hit you between the eyes. Then, we will have one less CGN Member, but it probably will be a nice funeral. Too bad you won't enjoy it. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
If you take a small flashlight and shine it into the receiver ring while you are slowly closing the bolt, you can actually see the bolt head rotate to the full locking position.
Now that you have been properly cautioned, if everything is correct, then you will find the Ross has a very fine trigger pull, is quite accurate, and really is a fairly strong action. The 1905 action was tested at 100,000 psi and the 1910 action was tested at 125,000 psi.
Many of the Ross Military rifles were sporterized, but Ross did make some Commercial Sporters using the 1910 action. You can usually tell these Military sporterized rifles because the stock has been sanded down, and the metal parts are flush or slightly above the wood. A military rifle usually has the right side of the butt stock stamped with the Ross emblem, and serial number. The serial number is a number between 1 and 999, with two letters over a date. An example of this would be the following: 789 over 1915 with FG beside it. There may also be unit numbers or letters present.
Ross Sporters usually have a serial number stamped with numbers about 1/16 high on the left side of the barrel in front of the receiver. By the way, the round part that you might think is part of the barrel that is just in front of the larger diameter receiver ring is not the barrel.....it is part of the receiver.
If you go to Milsurps.com, you will find threads on the Ross rifles. In their library section, is a Handbook for the Ross Military Mark III rifle.
Let's get some pictures posted, so we can help you identify what you really have.
.
Last edited:
PerversPépère
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Shawinigan (Quebec)
Depends on the bore condition. We need to see more close-ups of the furniture and stampings.
I don't think it is an original sporter but a ut-down and converted military rifle.
Looks nice, anyway.
PP.
I don't think it is an original sporter but a ut-down and converted military rifle.
Looks nice, anyway.
PP.
Ross
We need some close up pictures of the top of the receiver at the front where the barrel is, the left side of the barrel in the same area, and any calibre markings.
.
We need some close up pictures of the top of the receiver at the front where the barrel is, the left side of the barrel in the same area, and any calibre markings.
.
I believe that's exactly what it is, but the pics the others have asked for will tell the tale.
The 1905-R and 1910-R sporters had the Winchester buckhorns like this rifle does, plus that ring on the barrel at the front of the stock is found on factory sporters...
Right: restocked R-1910 factory sporter.
If it has a good barrel, you are in for a great deal of fun.
Production on the Ross sporters stopped in 1914 so the factory could devote full time to producing rifles for the military. Your rifle is 96 to 98 years old.
Hope I look that good when I`m 96!
.
If it has a good barrel, you are in for a great deal of fun.
Production on the Ross sporters stopped in 1914 so the factory could devote full time to producing rifles for the military. Your rifle is 96 to 98 years old.
Hope I look that good when I`m 96!
.
PerversPépère
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Shawinigan (Quebec)
Check out some of the old gun catalogues and you get a real surprise.
Commercial Ross Sporters sold from $35 to more than $60 while they were being made. An ounce of gold was $20 at that time, a new Winchester .22 was $2.50 and you could order unfired 86s for $16 by mail-order, $18 for the 95.
The Ross was an extremely expensive rifle and it was capable of a standard of accuracy which nothing else in the world could offer. They were taken VERY good care of by the original owners. It was only after the original purchasers passed on that the Ross became a POS, something to be beaten around until it quit.
.
Commercial Ross Sporters sold from $35 to more than $60 while they were being made. An ounce of gold was $20 at that time, a new Winchester .22 was $2.50 and you could order unfired 86s for $16 by mail-order, $18 for the 95.
The Ross was an extremely expensive rifle and it was capable of a standard of accuracy which nothing else in the world could offer. They were taken VERY good care of by the original owners. It was only after the original purchasers passed on that the Ross became a POS, something to be beaten around until it quit.
.
Beautiful rifles, both of you. Would love to get my hands on a Ross someday, preferably a military version. Old guns just seem like so much more than a simple firearm, a little piece of history in your hands. Also love the history on the Ross, well most of it anyways.
