Ross MkII** Dating Help!!
- Thread starter Sharps45-70
- Start date
- Location
- British Columbia
I have
2169-2 which was presumably rebarreled early as it has the two piece topwood still,
3309-2 with cutouts for a two piece, but a one piece topwood, with the rear base being a CAnada Tool Pilblad mounting a Mk III style target rearsight with the small aperture
74-2 with cutouts for a two piece top wood but wearing a one piece, rearsight again a fine aperture Mk III style on a military type milled (not stamped) base
4960-2 again with cutouts but mounting a one piece wood, sporting a BSA type side mounted flip-up-and-over target rearsight
Based on all the ones I own and have owned and ones I have looked at, the changeover from two piece to one piece occurred somewhere between serial number 6652 and 7602. I have quite a few in the 3000s, 4000s and 6000s and all have two piece except those rebarreled, and all those in the 7000-9000 range have one piece.
74-2 is an anomaly. I bought it from a local fellow whose father owned it--I knew the Dad as well, and he was in his 80's when he passed about three years ago. He had obtained the Ross from one of his contemporaries whose Dad had shot it when part of a local militia shooting team in the Vernon area--these are families who have been in this area since shortly Vernon was founded back in the late 1800's/early 1900's. There was apparently a photo hanging in one of the local law offices in years gone by of these members of the shooting team but no one knows where that photo is now. They were around 1907 or so supposedly. The thing is, the old timers remember these photos vaguely and details get fuzzy as time and they pass by/away. Anyway, this rifle is an early one, but the number has been struck strangely. I wish I knew what the original number was but it certainly wasn't 74!
Ed
2169-2 which was presumably rebarreled early as it has the two piece topwood still,
3309-2 with cutouts for a two piece, but a one piece topwood, with the rear base being a CAnada Tool Pilblad mounting a Mk III style target rearsight with the small aperture
74-2 with cutouts for a two piece top wood but wearing a one piece, rearsight again a fine aperture Mk III style on a military type milled (not stamped) base
4960-2 again with cutouts but mounting a one piece wood, sporting a BSA type side mounted flip-up-and-over target rearsight
Based on all the ones I own and have owned and ones I have looked at, the changeover from two piece to one piece occurred somewhere between serial number 6652 and 7602. I have quite a few in the 3000s, 4000s and 6000s and all have two piece except those rebarreled, and all those in the 7000-9000 range have one piece.
74-2 is an anomaly. I bought it from a local fellow whose father owned it--I knew the Dad as well, and he was in his 80's when he passed about three years ago. He had obtained the Ross from one of his contemporaries whose Dad had shot it when part of a local militia shooting team in the Vernon area--these are families who have been in this area since shortly Vernon was founded back in the late 1800's/early 1900's. There was apparently a photo hanging in one of the local law offices in years gone by of these members of the shooting team but no one knows where that photo is now. They were around 1907 or so supposedly. The thing is, the old timers remember these photos vaguely and details get fuzzy as time and they pass by/away. Anyway, this rifle is an early one, but the number has been struck strangely. I wish I knew what the original number was but it certainly wasn't 74!
Ed
- Location
- British Columbia
Yes, all under the serial number.
Ed
Ed
At least once or twice a year I like to throw on some music, pour myself a drink and slowly strip it down.
Once I get it undressed I slowly rub the stock with raw linseed oil and treat all of the metal with Barricade.
Once we are done I gently reassemble, throw her in the rack and call it a good night.
Least I can do, she's almost twice my age. DA 69 from the HMS Canada, marked to the 16th Scottish.
The storeys it could tell.
Once I get it undressed I slowly rub the stock with raw linseed oil and treat all of the metal with Barricade.
Once we are done I gently reassemble, throw her in the rack and call it a good night.
Least I can do, she's almost twice my age. DA 69 from the HMS Canada, marked to the 16th Scottish.
The storeys it could tell.
Thanks for the fantastic information Ed. My 1888-2 exhibits many of those features (with some exceptions) but it all is making sense now. After a phone call with Oldguncrank yesterday, this Ross makes worlds of sense now. Very happy to be the caretaker of this fine rifle.
