Ross Mk III

[ebruder]

Hi,

I have a new-to-me MkIII Ross... I haven't seen many of these, and I'm curious to know how this one compares to others that are out there...

I know the stock is pooched, I'm more curious about the condition of the metal.

Is this example average, above average, or below average compared to other MkIII's out there.

Thanks for your help.

EB

 

[ramtuff]

nice rifle you have there. I have pretty much the exact rifle. yours is in better shape then mine is externally. How is the rifling in the bore? The bore in mine is worn out and pitted from rust. Mine belonged to my grandfather and I keep it for sentimental value.

 

[ebruder]

The bore is very good... on par with my 1950 LE, or 1942 K98...

It's hard to know how this rifle stacks up... the ones you see in museums are clearly there for a reason and have been meticulously cared for...

 

[MD]

I've got one like that too.

It was my first rifle, given to me by a guy I delivered papers to in 1968.

Mine has the barrel cut off with a hack saw it appears, and has never been properly crowned though I shot several deer with it.

 

[Gary D]

A lot of MKIII were sported in Britain (barrel and forearm shortened, markings removed) and made their way back across the pond. This configuration is the most common. On a side note, the Military Museums in Calgary have more beautiful, complete Ross rifles than I have ever seen!

 

[H Wally]

Looks like a good one - I was no12 on the waitlist for buyers

 

[Talquin]

 

[Rossguy]

Talquin- is there any way you could verify the serial number of the Warner & Swayze 'scope (you should be able to see it showing as-is) then ask really politely in both official languages if you could possibly confirm and record the serial number on the rifle itself (something like 123/1917 LL) and then look above the serial for a stamp in the wood that will be "SCOPE No.XX"?

 

[Talquin]

Sure.

That rifle is at the Minto armory in Winnipeg. The curator is on this site and a very nice gent. it may be a while till i am there next but when i am i'll ask.

 

[bushwhacker]

Find a nosecap and a matching piece of walnut, and you can join the forend extension under the mid-band. Looks to be in really good condition. It deserves restoration.

 

[ebruder]

Any idea of where to find a piece of walnut to match? I've found a nose cap... so all I need now is a piece of wood, a sling, and a bayonet...

EB

 

[cantom]

Any idea of where to find a piece of walnut to match? I've found a nose cap... so all I need now is a piece of wood, a sling, and a bayonet...

EB

I just acquired a Ross Mk II 3 Star from member Stoggie. He extended the forend, did a very nice job, and used an old P14 buttstock as a walnut donor. You wouldn't know unless you were told, it matches really well and is shaped virtually perfectly.

BTW, it had a pooched barrel and I got a brand new, unfired but bent barrel from a member on here who shall remain nameless(thanks Bushwhacker!!!!)
My smith straightened the barrel and installed it and I now have a pretty nice Ross.

Bushwhacker also just extended a forend on a Mk III. Lots of expertise between those two gents.

 

[ebruder]

wow... you can't even see the seam... is it at the front of the area covered by the band?

Cantom, can you tell me... how long of a piece of walnut will I need to make it from the rear band to the nose cap? How far back from the muzzle does the nose cap sit? Do you think that a No4 or No1 LE fore stock could be used (it would need to be re-shaped of course, but probably quite easily), seeing as they are more plentiful than P14/17 stocks...

EB

 

[stoggie]

I actually used the buttstock from a sporter stock I had kicking around.

Here is a pic, the missing wood is now the forend on Cantom's stock:

I was either going to use this wood or a buttstock from a SMLE. The thought was I could use part of the oiler hole as the barrel channel, but was a bigger pain than I anticipated.

Color matching was an experience, but it took some bleaching and staining to get it as close as I could. The challenge was that the BLO seemed to darken it a bit once I thought I had it right.

Another thing I learned, was that Ross stocks aren't necessarily walnut anyway. MkII stocks (I read somewhere) were mostly yellow birch that was stained (handguards were usually walnut). That may account for the strange wavy grain and lighter color on MkII's. When I made the cut to splice the new forend, the wood was very pale, so I would say it was definately not walnut. If I were to do it again, I would try and find some wood with matching grain, as the color you can manipulate with time and patience.

Also I read somewhere that some MKIII stocks were Rosewood (can't confirm this). I'm not an expert on wood types, nor do I definatively know what the Ross factory used, but I think this might help you with your quest for wood.

Stoggie

 

[Pblatzz]

Also I read somewhere that some MKIII stocks were Rosewood (can't confirm this). I'm not an expert on wood types, nor do I definatively know what the Ross factory used, but I think this might help you with your quest for wood.

Stoggie

I have never seen a rosewood MkIII. Rose wood is hard to work with and breaks easily. I am pretty sure it's heavier than walnut too??

Pete

 

[ebruder]

Does anyone know how far from the muzzle the nose cap sits?

Alternatively, does anyone own a bayonet... and can you measure from the ring that goes around the muzzle to the catch? I can work from there to get the correct length for the stock.

EB

 

[cantom]

Does anyone know how far from the muzzle the nose cap sits?

Alternatively, does anyone own a bayonet... and can you measure from the ring that goes around the muzzle to the catch? I can work from there to get the correct length for the stock.

EB

This is on a Home Guard Ross Mk III. Tape measure is hooked on the end of the barrel in all pics. It has the early stamped nosecap but since it takes the same bayonet as the later forged nosecap, distances should be the same.